EVERYONE LOVES A PARTY!!!

Over the past few years we have renewed friendships that we made when we were at school both primary and as it was then secondary school. Connecting up on Facebook, love it or hate it like most things in the world today it does have it's good and bad points.  and I suppose we all can choose what we read or not. I won't go down that road apart from saying the friends who come from the village I grew up in have reminded me of the school parties we had when christmas came around
Framfield Church of England primary school, being attached to the church always had a  carol service, we would get very excited and be lined up in pairs to walk from the school to the church and then if we were lucky get to read passages of the bible with familiar carols between each reading. I can't ever remember being chosen to read probably not good enough, what I do remember though was loudly singing " While shepherds washed their socks by night, all seated on the ground, a bar of sunlight came down" etc etc or maybe " We three kings of Orient are, one in a Taxi one in a car" I won't go on. Watching our grandchildren when they were at school showed us how much things move on and now schools put on lavish productions of the Advent story, of course now with a multicultural flavour. But as usual I digress,so back to school in Framfield, each year we would have a party whoopee, preceded by a trip to the Hippodrome in  Brighton to see the latest Pantomime, It could have been "Jack and the beanstalk,Cinderella,Puss in Boots" we didn't much care we had a ride on a coach and 2 hours of fun and magic. Oh no you didn't Oh yes we did!!!! with a top star singing and acting the fool not forgetting the sing a long time. Wonderful happy memories and it didn't end there, when we got back to the village there was a party to end the day, sandwich spread, cheese, shippams paste sandwiches along with orange squash, crackers and paper hats all topped of with a plate of cakes, I remember meringues with cream as big as well, well a football!!!, maybe I exaggerate a bit,this was all finished off with a visit from Santa and a present for everyone. We all love a party.

Dagmara made some opening remarks

Prizes were awarded. Strangely after this Dagmara dissapeared.
I WONDER WHERE SHE WENT????

Bringing this blog back to reality, Friday (18th) was the last day of school and it just had to be party time. Children were given the morning off and dinner was scheduled for  14.30 and at the appointed time the lunch bell was rung and we all enjoyed our christmas dinner, believe me there wasn't  a lot left over, it was very simple but very tasty.
Some parents had come along with their children and were waiting in the school hall for a concert performed by teachers and children, with each class coming up with a sketch, song or something else.Dagmara the school principal made some introductory remarks and some prizes were given out, and then the fun began

A song from one classe

This is Father Christmas, not to be confused with Santa.

Youngsters doing a very nice waltz

Sometimes we are able to follow the plot other times we just enjoy the antics the children come up with. When the performances were over all of the children assembled on the stage for one last song as it finished there was a terrible banging on the entrance door,someone was dispatched to find out who it could be, well there was no one there at which point a loud banging on another door was heard again no one there, who could it be????? a third time BANG BANG BANG!!!!! and a third time no one there, strange very strange. A teacher suggested that the children might have some idea who was playing tricks on us all and called for the children to shout as loud as they could to get this mysterious visitor,well with stamping feet and the loudest shout you will never guess what happened.             
                                                      behind all the children on the stage a knocking was heard on the hall windows and there he was waiting to come in, he didn't come down the chimney he didn't come through the door, how Santa came through the window 20ft up is and still will be a complete mystery and who said christmas magic was dead.

Santa came in by the wind

A party piece for Santa.

After Santa had talked with the children and played games it was time to distribute gifts and again each class had a party piece for Santa performed  in exchange for a large sack of gifts.
There is no escape if you want a present from Santa everyone teachers included  must entertain him, so we [that is, Valerie and I ] sang him a song.called "It must be Santa"
All to soon it was time for Santa to hitch up the reindeer and head off into the night, his little helpers had brought his sleigh round to the school entrance so I am glad to say he left safely by a more conventional route, Maybe just maybe if you look out in the coming evening you may see him heading in your direction,but only if you  have been good.
Party time was over all the children and parents headed home in cars or the school bus and the teachers all enjoyed a well earned rest in the staff room.[with nibbles and a little drink  of course]

A smile after our performance, more relief really.

As we leave you with 2016 looming on the horizon Valerie and I would like to wish you all a very happy christmas and a God blessed new year.

  

OF CELEBRATIONS and WALKING ON THE WILD SIDE!!

OK so I had a new post all ready to publish, just had to add some new pictures and then it all went down the drain. Following the instructions I added the pictures I had chosen and bingo!!! they all went into the blog in the wrong order and wrong place and as I endeavored to move them so the writing shot all over the place some went to the top of the page some to the bottom. In the end I became fed up and deleted the lot. Does this sort of thing happen to you?? I know I'm rubbish with modern technology.
But as we were taught at school " if you don't at first succeed chuck it in the bin!! no no try try again !
So here we go

Waxwings flock feed on the berries
 left by the summer visitors.

Pretty well all of our migratory birds have left us to find warmer quarters for the winter months, but this leaves room for others to come and feed in the garden and for us to take more notice of, like the flock of sparrows which mob the table when food is put out and sit happily in the bush next to the table waiting to pounce, even the magpies seem to be dressed in their finest when the sun shines on their black feathers and turns them into shades of green much as oil on water does. My favourite though has to be the waxwings they don't stay long but the colours have to be seen,close up, from shades of foxy red through dusky grey-pink to a black tail with the brightest yellow band that flashes as they fly, perched in the fruit trees you can see the cockatiel like crest, they are so pretty. 
We did have a smattering of snow last week which was quite nice for our son and daughter-in-law who were on a short visit here,and then as soon as they had gone the sun came out for couple of days which gave me the chance to finish protecting some of our more tender plants,our roses this year have been wonderful ,they give

 so much value for little money. I can remember when I worked in a garden centre customers complaining that there roses had died  and when asked how long had had them , oh it must be 20 years or more.But they were good ones costing 7/6d thats about 37p today. 20 years of flowers for 37p can't be bad can it? But I digress all of our roses are now covered with a blanket of saw dust created when I cut our logs this year and our iris have a covering of fir branches                
                                          

Such great value for money 

 But please don't ask what variety they are

 If only you could add a smell to  the pictures!! 

You can't see them now  but come next year our iris will make a splendid show.
I know we shall probably lose a few plants but if the snow comes soon before the ground freezes to deeply we should be OK.
On one fine day I decided to take Lilja along the river for  a walk and took my camera with me in case we might find something worth a picture. All around our area the workmen have been busy clearing trees from close to the overhead powerlines and there are now new views to be seen just up our road.
                                                       

hopefully power cuts will be a thing of the
past this winter 

Now our little river Misa may not be the largest of Latvia's rivers but we do have a waterfront, and I do catch fish in it. There are Pike, perch Dace and Roach in it. 
We can also boast of beaver,fox,deer,pine marten and now racoon dogs moving across our  land http://www.factzoo.com/mammals/raccoon-dog-night-wanderer.html

Maybe the start of a new beaver's dam? they build their lodge away from the river reaching it by a tunnel dug into the river bank below the waterline and on more than one occasion have found myself falling through the roof of these tunnels sometimes they can be over a meter deep which makes a walk along the river quite an adventure. More neighbours seem to be keeping their stretch of the river bank clear.

Looking towards our property who would
could guess what monsters lie along it's
banks and under the water

As there is a strip of common land running alongside the river who knows one day we may have a pleasant riverside walk to enjoy.    

 I left these two just where I found them,collecting mushrooms is a whole new ball game over here, and we have discovered  that the ones we like are best gathered in Maxima or Rimi.
Here is an interesting example
of recycling,a pop bottle used as a beaver guard on a small sapling  
However the highlight of the last month, must be the celebration of our Golden wedding anniversary, yes we've been together now for more than 50 years if you count our courting days.

Where is that man, he always disappears
when I've got a job for him!!!!! 

We had a small celebration with our family whilst we were visiting the UK and it was lovely just having them with us all be it for such a short time. The actual day of our anniversary was the 13th of November, but on the 12th we had a visit from the Vecumnieki registrar and Stelpe council leader who brought us flowers and gifts which were very much appreciated.  We had thought of having a small party with ex pats we have met since moving here, but decided to do something a little different. No not bungee jumping from the cable car whilst renewing our vows in Sigulda, we choose instead to treat the whole of Stelpe school, from students to cleaners to a special dinner, we left the choice of menu to the dinner ladies. 
Well they did us proud with soup,chicken with salad, potatoes and sauce, bananas,hot chocolate and of course cake, leaving us with many happy memories to cherish of our school family here in Stelpe.

Just some of the children and teachers enjoying,
our special celebration lunch.

I close this with some pictures of our special day 

Greetings from our very dear friend Rita
the english teacher

With the whole school assembled Dagmara took the
opportunity to say that marriage is about love,understanding
and commitment.

Always hugs and flowers

Both from children

And teachers

It was all a bit much for someone.

Says it all.