Ok ok keep you hat on (the phrase is keep your hair on and you don't appear to have much of that left so it's not an appropriate phrase to use).
So (there you go again).
Listen (that's another word you shouldn't start a sentence with), after a short rest it was off to help prepare for the kids' Christmas party at Hethersett Library, organised by the Friends of Hethersett Library of which I am currently Vice-Chairman. I say currently because we have an AGM next week and somebody else might fancy doing it.
I think everyone enjoyed the traditional games (pass the parcel and pin the tail on the donkey). The latter produced some astonishing results with three girls pinning the tail exactly on the correct spot. So, (there you go again) we had to have a pin off and one of them got exactly the right spot again. I felt this was a touch spooky but it was probably all down to dexterity.
Then there was a tea and a surprise appearance from Father Christmas with some presents. Hope you like my festive photo of the youngsters with Santa.
The grandkiddles came over for a sleep over and that meant a very early start to Sunday morning and our usual breakfast of pancakes. I tossed the pancakes as usual (no comments please).
Went to see grandson Elliot play football. It was very cold and so I came home before the end. I spent years standing out in the freezing cold either coaching or watching but now find it too much of an effort particularly as a few weeks ago we were sweltering in 30 degrees plus on holiday. I'm not sure what is worse - extreme heat or extreme cold. They are both unpleasant.
In the afternoon there was a decision to be made. I could either go to Winter Fest at Wymondham or walk to see the latest film offering from Hethersett Village screen. Bearing in mind the temperature I decided on the latter course of action as the village hall promised to be a warm haven for a couple of hours.
The film was "The Railway Children Return" which was vaguely entertaining tripe. It contained virtually every cliche known to man or woman and a wafer-thin plot involving the discovery of a black American army deserter who the children, evacuated from Salford to the Yorkshire Countryside, come across hiding in an old railway van. Cue a story about bad treatment and a plot that involves racism and memories of the Suffragette movement. But overall, it's a huge let down. Jenny Agutter is there again. She is rather surprisingly still only 69 years of age (ie a couple of months younger than me). In the original Railway Children she was only 17. The main problem I had with this film was the age of the black American soldier. Initially he said he was 18 but then admitted that he was only 14 and shouldn't have been allowed to sign up for the army. That I'm afraid was the main plot. The problem is the actor who played the alleged 14-year-old had a nicely trimmed moustache. Now I know that 14-year-olds can grow moustaches but this guy looked to be in his mid 20s. There was no way he could be 14. I tried to find out the actor's age but got nowhere. Perhaps he was 14. Can somebody confirm.
The film was set in Haworth in Yorkshire and to use yet another cliche, the Brontes would be turning in their graves if they knew that this piece of cinema rubbish would be filmed in their beautiful village.
Now something that might make me sound a bit weird (yet again). Close to the village hall where the film was held is a little wooden shack that acts as a book exchange. I often pick books up from there and often take others back as that's the idea. Now when I buy a new book, I want it to stay in pristine condition. I almost shy away from opening it, let alone read it. On the other hand, I love getting hold of books that have been pre-loved and bashed about a bit, so I don't have to worry about their pristine condition. So yesterday I got a well-thumbed and used copy of Jack Kerouac's "On The Road." I can now read that and keep the other copy I have in top notch condition. And once I've read the well-used copy, I will take it back to the book exchange for somebody else to enjoy. Strange or what. Is there anyone else who does that kind of thing?