.... yesterday gang a - real day to remember. As some of you will know (!!
) I'm retiring soon (last working day next Weds, official retirement date 31st Dec... it's gonna be a GREAT noo year!!). Yesterday was the last of my monthly meetings with my lovely boss Jan and her group of Lead Physios over the district. She was being very mysterious about what was going to happen - and all she would tell me was that the meeting would finish by lunchtime (it's usually all day), and we were going out to lunch and that I would NOT be returning to work in the afternoon.
I duly turned up at 9.00..... checked the board in reception cos they sometimes swap the rooms round... and we were booked into the Meeting Room from 9.00 - 9.30. Hullo I thought........something definitely up here!! Turned out I was the only one with an agenda .... (very convincing it was too.... took me an hour the day before to prep evrything I thought I needed!!!)
I was bundled into a car with the rest - 8 of us including a good friend who retired herself a couple of years ago. I had lunch with her recently..... and I was telling her all about the 'mystery' and she didn't betray a flicker!! Turned out all my lot back at base where in on the secret too.... the swines!!!). Anyway next thing I know we're heading up the motorway towards Bristol. By now I was VERY confused trying to second guess what was going on!! We turned off at the Tiverton junction - ah - canal boat trip along the Grand Union..... lovely....... nope. Went past that turning. Off out on the Bickleigh road - and once we started follwing the signd to Knightshayes (NT House and Garden) there could be nowhere else we were going. Oh gawd thinks I.... should have worn me walking shoes - but I love Knighthayes and it's ages since I've been. Buy - hey - doesn't the house close after October? And they don't open till 11.00 and it's now only just 10.00. Hmmm. So out we pile in the car park behind the stables. I gets me NT cards out..... one of our group is Les Smith...he could have my second card.... Gales of laughter at this stage .... "put 'em away daftie... we're only here for a cup of coffee". So in we troop. Coffee all round - but instead of sitting down they all head off to the far end.... where what we'd REALLY come for became evident! We were all on a Christmas Wreath making course!!!! (Even Les!!!). Wow!! all the greenery piled in a huge heap in the middle of a horseshoe of tables, all covered with plastic bin liners and laid out with a circular base, pair of secatuers and plently of florists wire for each of the 20 or so peopel there in total!!
It was brilliant. We had an excellent and amusing tutor... with a way of creating a wreath that is actuially soooo simple that it would be hard not to come away with something stunning!! Now I've made weaths in the past - but it's always a major effort and I can never seem to get rid of the stalky bits. This used a base of hay wired to the frame (dust exctracted for preference) And from the variety of greenery - I chose to use fir, ivy (of course) and some holly (plenty of berries this year!) But I also used mimosa and a little laurel, bit of mistletoe and a ribbon.. Plenty of ideas including contemporary wreaths incorporating limes and red chilli peppers. My base turned out a bit lopsided....oooh what do I do now sez I.... well she said - why don't you make a feature of it usimg limes and chillis? So I did - hence the limes (not desperately keen on the chillis and the bit of laurel on the bottom left. Once home it got soaked in the bird bath (a large seed tray) for a couple of hours so that the hay could absorb the moisture to keep the whole thing fresh. Then once it had stopped dripping - straight on the door!! It smells wonderful..... pine, sweet hay and the limes!!!
Now I can make a bud in a bid vase look awfull..... but I'm thrilled with this (below)!! And i shall definitely be making my own again next year!!! (Can't wait already)
We finished with lunch at Knightshayes.... and our Chrissie presents and still time for a walk and a look round the shop!! It was a really wonderful day.... one I'll always remember!!! And I forgive them all for being such a conniving bunch!!! They're fantastic - I shall really miss them!!!
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