Rodmell and Southease

CHRISTMAS: I hope all readers had a Happy Christmas and enjoyed their New Year celebrations. It was a strange Christmas for me, as Mike and I have always spent Christmas here at Sunnyside, and after 50 years together this year, he was at Parris Lawn Nursing Home for Christmas, so I went to have Christmas lunch there. Readers will probably laugh when I tell them that I went to so many Christmas meals before Christmas, that come the actual day, I only wanted cheese and biscuits. I don't know what the chef thought of me, but I was quite content. I don't actually eat much meat, don't like mince pies or Christmas pudding, so as a person of simple taste, it suited me fine. Boxing Day, I went into Lewes to see the hunt gallop up the hill, which is quite a spectacular sight, had a short walk then came home to do lunch for friends who were coming. I really miss the simplicity of the Christmas time I spent as a child, which seemed much more genuine then, and not geared up to expensive gifts etc. I actually feel very lucky to have lovely memories of days gone by.

CONCERTS: Now the evenings are getting lighter, I feel much happier, especially when I see bulbs popping up everywhere. Before Christmas I went to various concerts and had a very enjoyable time. One concert was the East Sussex Community Coir who did A Christmas Cracker concert in aid of Dementia. It was an excellent concert which included the children of Wallands School Community Primary School Choir, who sang very well.

PANTO: We now have our Village Panto put on by Rodmell Stage Company to look forward to. It will happen on January 25, 26 and 27. Tickets are already on sale at the pub.

GOOD NEIGHBOURS: I feel very lucky to live in a village, which always has something going on, and has caring people who keep an eye on the vulnerable and has the Rodmell Good Neighbour Scheme to help villagers.

TRUE OR FALSE: A story on a TV programme also brought a smile to my face. It was a True or False. A man left a party dressed as Joseph (it had been a fancy dress party) taking winding country lanes back home (probably to avoid the police) he came across a donkey in the middle of the road. Deciding he had to move it, he got out of his car, went over to the donkey to do his good deed, only to find the police had pulled up behind him. What did he do? He told them his wife was having a baby and he needed the donkey for transport. It turned out to be true – wonderful.