YnysMon

Dilham...hmm, our nemesis. Sorry, no, I don’t mean that. It’s very special and very peaceful. It’s a lovely mooring that is well worth seeking out, even though it has no signal of any sort (some might say that’s a blessing). However, not all forum members will have read our holiday tale from last March/April which ended up in Dilham with us having engine problems the morning we needed to leave early due to rising river levels (and get under Weyford Bridge!). I ended up walking for miles in the rain before I managed to phone for help, and being able to phone for help was thanks to very kind Norfolk people inviting me into their home (having spotted me looking very ‘lost’) to use their land line rather than my finding a mobile signal. Most Norfolk people are just soo lovely. ❤️

We’ve managed to get TV signal most moorings except Brammerton where the signal kept breaking up and Dilham, which had no signal whatsoever and no mobile connection either.

Referring to ‘Ropes’ is mostly fine on a cruiser as there aren’t that many of them. Bit useless on a sailey though, when you need your crew to grab a specific rope. There’s just loads of them! I remember Graham getting very miffed with me the first time he took me out sailing in Trearduur Bay, and I got very cross with him for getting miffed with me. All because I didn’t know one rope from another!

Plus a sneaky bit of cardamom, just to spice things up!

Hmmm...glad to see that Jay is keeping up his normal mode of complete and utter madness up! Where would we be without it...espacially at this time of the year? I seem to recall some threads getting a bit fractious this time last year, so we must (eek, what am I saying!) thank Jay for a bit of distraction.

I started a while ago on a (too ambitious) cross stitch project and though I made quite a bit of progress I have never got around to completing it. My eyesight is getting worse...must go for an eye test! I would like to say I’m into crafts, but I’m not really living up to the family standard. My Mam was a wonderful knitter and seamstress. I must try and scan some photos of some of the very smart clothes that she made for me when I was younger. We used to get every edition of the Vogue Pattern Book when I was in my teens and early twenties. It’s just a reflection of my laziness and working in a ‘dress down’ environment that I’ve turned into a very sloppy ‘casual clothes girl’ as I’ve got older. I liked being able to choose the pattern, because my Grandmother (Nain) didn’t use patterns, being a professional seamstress, so she tended to make what was in her head rather than what I had visualised. She was always fashion savvy though. I remember her taking a cast-off pair of straight slacks (this was at the height of the bell-bottom 70s) and not only adapting them to fit me but also turning them into an ‘up to the minute’ pair of trews by letting in a contrasting fabric to the lower leg and adding matching rear pockets. Mam made my wedding dress and going away outfit. Nain made my bridesmaids dresses. At one time Nain tailored an exceptional suit for Graham (I’d even persuaded her to use a designer Vogue Pattern). I’d miraculously managed to get hold of a bale of a very good quality woollen suiting cloth at a very reasonable cost at from a Yorkshire mill in the late 80s, through a chance introduction whilst staying with a Uni friend in Huddersfield. My Mam didn’t rate her talents at all. Maybe because not only her Mam but also her Nain has been professional seamstresses. My Nain continued to sew through into her 80s...literately until she couldn’t do it anymore because of the arthritis in her hands. Mam bought her electric scissors that helped her carry on through her 70’s and 80’s. During her career Nain had made clothes for some of the more wealthy ladies around the area and also soft furnishings (curtains and chair/sofa covers). In the 30s and 40s she used to make costumes for a local theatre company and the dresses for the local May Day Queens and Maids. To be honest, I wasn’t that close to my Nain when I was little. I think she was afraid that I was being spoilt, my Mam having been widowed and all that, so she was a bit strict with me compared to my Grandad, who was such an exceptionally gentle man (I.e. a real softie) and my Dad’s Mam who as just a genius with children and had an impish sense of humour (inherited by my cousins and my son Alec). However, as I’ve got older I appreciate my Mam’s Mam even more than I did when she was alive. She carried on working to help my Mam out. Despite having left school at 14 she had an interest in literature and read a lot, including Welsh and English poetry, so I credit her with encouraging me to read and my ending up doing an English Lit degree as well as having an appreciation of Welsh poetry and culture. My Grandad (Taid) was into music, so that’s where we get the brass band playing from. Nain also developed some very close friendships with some of the ladies that she sewed for, they used to regularly call in at her (small terraced) house for a chat if they were in town, and they were very kind to her bringing along the occasional gift. One lady gave me a fox fur jacket that she had treasured when she was younger. Nain was also a role model in caring. Though she normally sewed 9-5, when I was a teen there was a period when I recall her spending time each day with a younger neighbour who was dying of cancer. Graham’s Mum was also very talented crafts wise, especially with crochet and knitting. I have some very intricate and delicate crochet pieces that she made. I also find it interesting that her Mother was a porcelain worker at the Royal Worcester factory before her marriage. Me...crafts...I’m just starting hopefully! Hmm...well that unexpectedly turned out into a bit of a wallow into family memories. Sorry!

Classes started up again last week. Graham has signed up this term too, so he’s starting on the same couple of projects that I did last term. Last week he and other newcomers were just learning to cut glass. This week they have started their first lead panel. I, on the other hand, am free to choose my own projects. I thought I’d start with a copper foil cat. I cut out the glass last week and ground the pieces to fit together well. This week was spent sticking the copper foil strip around the edges and soldering. Almost finished, just need to solder on a hook onto it next week. That’s a fiddly job so I didn’t want to rush it. Now...what shall I do next week?

We’ve visited The Wherry the last couple of years, and couldn’t ask for a better locals pub.

Somewhat spoilt...a score of three for us. We do find other ways to spoil her though. I’ve gained the title ‘snack lady’ in our house. Once she has greeted me when I get home from work with her ‘wobble bot’ act of vigorous tail &rear waggling she runs through to sit in front of the ‘snack cupboard’.

Hmm...we noticed a several hulls of boats in different stages of construction when we were at Ferry Marina last October. Wouldn’t be surprised if they weren’t part of the new fleet. Wonder where they will be able to source extra boats in future though? Don’t think such a small fleet is sustainable.

He does seem to be a nice chap. He comes over as very down to earth.

Nope, it was a competition between artisan food producers. Each week there was a different category of food. First week it was preserves and spreads where a Mum and daughter Were offering runner bean chutney produced from home grown runner beans and another couple home made peanut butter with no additives other than salt. In the ‘baked goods’ week the four competitors were selling sour dough, Japanese bread, Bavarian pretzels and vegan choc brownies. There was a bottled sauces week, preserved meats, drinks, and so on. They had two days to try to sell their goods in a farm shop in Malham Dale and were judged on volume of sales, how good their marketing pitch was, whether their operation could be scaled up, and of course the taste of their product. The final saw all the heats winners head to head selling their goods in a farmers market. I won’t do a spoiler and say who won. Part of the charm of the series was the portrayal of Malham Dale as a lovely community with some great local characters popping up as regular customers.

It’s so lovely to have a winters tale. I do so miss all the holiday tales in the depths of winter. Thanks Jay!

Anyone else been watching this new series fronted by Tom Kerridge? I love it. Great to see people who have a real passion for creating unique ‘artisan’ foods showcased. So much dedication into what they are producing and real effort involved. Helen

Yippee, indeed Tim, and I mean that. Happy New Year! Don’t know how I could cope with the Beagle nurses though!

Missed out on Muffin the Mule. On Welsh TV they had ‘Twm Tattan’ ( literately Potato Tom). I guess it wasn’t any worse than Bill and Ben though.

Oh my, I go away for a few weeks... Just love it. Jay, we all know what a rascal you are, egged on capably by Grace, and now Jean throws a musical spanner in the works to jog things along more merrily. Love to be reminded of the Ying Tong Song. (Must dry my tears...of laughter.)

I finally got my Christmas present today, well ‘presents’ really. Graham took me to Tempsford Stained Glass store in Bedford. We bought a starter kit for making copper foil stained glass containing all the essentials...glass, glass cutter, soldering iron and lots, lots more, also bought a grinder. Father Christmas has excelled himself despite being a bit late. Helen

Gammon was cooked yesterday. Had Aldi’s Easy Carve Duck stuffed with pork and clementine stuffing with an orange glaze this evening. Yum...full marks to Aldi, and so easy to cook. Preparations tomorrow include Mary Barry’s apricot and chestnut stuffing to go with the Christmas Day turkey and a Levi Roots Caribbean trifle for tomorrow evening. Planning to have the gammon with mash and pickles early tomorrow evening before we go to Woburn Sands in the evening to help out at the refreshment (I.e. mulled wine) stalls whist the town band (including our Harry) plays a medley of Christmas music on the town Green. For Christmas Day we should have a turkey crown this year, normally we have the whole turkey. I say ‘should have’ because I’d planned a crown last year and switched to a whole bird when I compared prices. Mind you, I was shopping in Waitrose last year, this year it will be Sainsburys or Aldi. It will be church at 9.30 (I’m playing the organ and usually manage to drag the whole family along with me), then present opening, then a prolonged dinner with walks/games between courses (we hope!).

Alan, I sorry I’m a bit late responding. I just wanted to say how beautifully you had arranged Tan’s service. The service leaflet and particularly the poem were spot on. Your love for each other just shone though. Love Helen

Loved the photos from Langley. Am trying (but failing) to ignore the rest of the usual madness. Glad the Tolkieness resonated!

Ooh Gollum! Did you know that I’m a Tolkien nut?

Love this thread...it’s just...

I’ve been a bit under the weather this week and was disappointed not to be able to make it to the class yesterday, especially as it was the final class for this term. Still, I’m looking forward to next term’s classes that start up mid-January. Graham popped to the Education Centre after work today and picked up the two pieces that I made last week. There was the ‘inclusion’ which was a copper foil bird and cherry-red frit...and also my first attempt at ‘kiln-carving’.

Alan, so sorry about Tan. Just losing a partner suddenly must be so, so much of a shock. One thing I know though, Tan would want you to look after yourself...our thoughts are with you. God bless, Helen and Graham