A Christmas Miscellany

Rearsby Scene December 2011

A Christmas Miscellany

All the Christmases roll down towards the two-tongued sea, like a cold and headlong moon bundling down the sky that was our street: and they stop at the rim of the ice-edged fish-freezing waves, and I plunge my hand into that wool white-bell-tongued ball of holidays resting at the rim of the carol-singing sea, and out come Mrs. Protheroe and the firemen.

Dylan Thomas – A Child's Christmas In Wales

A cold coming we had of it,

Just the worst time of the year

For a journey, and the weather sharp,

The very dead of winter.

And the camels galled, sore footed, refractory,

Lying down in the melting snow.

T.S. Eliot – Journey Of The Magi

British infantry are astonished to see many Christmas trees with candles and paper lanterns, on enemy parapets. There is much singing of carols and popular songs, and a gradual exchange of communications and even meetings in some areas.

24th December, Christmas Eve, 1914

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

Clement Clarke Moore – TwasThe Night Before Christmas

And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them “Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord”

Luke - 2- 9-11

This was the moment when Before

Turned into After, and the future's

Uninvented time keepers presented arms.

And this was the moment

When a few farm workers and three

Members of an obscure Persian sect

Walked haphazard by starlight straight

Into the kingdom of heaven.

U.A. Fanthorpe – BC : AD

As you all head home to your families for the holiday, spare a thought for the millions of women like me for whom it is the hardest time of the year.Liz Jones – journalist

little tree

little silent Christmas tree

you are so little

you are more like a flower

who found you in the green forest

and were you very sorry to come away?

See I will comfort you

because you smell so sweetly

e. e. cummings

Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all and infinitely more: and to Tiny Tim who did not die, he was a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town,or borough in the good old world. And so as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us Every One!

Charles Dickens – A Christmas Carol

A little girl called Sile Javotte

Said “Look at the lovely presents I've got”

While a little girl in Biafra said

“Oh what a lovely slice of bread”.

Spike Milligan – Christmas 1970

The Scene Team

Jottings December 2011

The bad news is that Jeannie Clingan has had to give up helping us because of family commitments. She has given us the benefit of her experience in such a friendly manner. Thank you, Jeannie, for all your help in the past years. We are sorry to lose you. I really appreciate all the help you have given me and will miss you.

I would also like to thank other people who help us: Alan Barnes, Ken Whiting, Kathie Ledger, David Cherry and Lyn Palmer. They also give willingly of their time. Are you computer literate and could spare approximately two hours a month and would like to help us – please get in touch with me.

We are still trying to work out how the wrong School article was inserted last month. The sharp eyed among you realised that it was precisely a year out of date. We apologize for the mistake.

Looking ahead to February 2012 when the next magazine comes out, I am pleased to tell you that that the price is unaltered so it would be very helpful for our Distributors if you could have £4 ready to give them. I am very grateful for the way in which, rain or shine they walk round the village delivering so that it can be delivered in daylight. We try to have the magazine so that it can be delivered on the last Saturday of the previous month. However, this depends on contributors sending in their copy on time. If there is a sudden cancellation or change of date let me know - I can change the diary very near to the printing.

In the past two weeks I have been asked for three “Welcome Letters’. Please remember to let me or Jeannette Buswell know if you have new neighbours.

I know that ‘one swallow does not make a summer’ but let us hope that the New Year will bring good news to you all.

I hope you enjoyed the extracts of Christmas verses and we wish you all a very happy Christmas

With best wishes to you all from the team of Rearsby Scene.

Mary Beskeen

Notes on the Parish Council Meeting held on the 10th November at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.

Present; Councillors

Peter French (Chair) Simon Chenery, Ian Christie-Smith ,John Blankley, Martin Cooke

Mrs. S Norledge (clerk) Mathew Blaine (Borough) P.C.S.O. Laura Grimley.

Apologies Steve Hampson (County &Borough)

In Attendance 6 members of the public.

The meeting began with the introduction of Janette Jones; a proposal was put to the meeting to enable Janette to be a co-opted member of the council. This was accepted unanimously. The council now is up to full strength.

Repairs & Maintenance

The village in general is now looking tidier. Thanks are due to the Heritage Warden, and the volunteers.

Affordable Housing.

To all people with an interest in this subject, please register with Charnwood Borough Council.

Children’s Play Area

The council is now in the early stages of a project to renew all of the equipment in the play area. The school has been contacted and is enthusiastic toward the idea; this will be a major project, which will require a positive effort from the village.

Bloor Housing Construction Traffic.

This is a highly charged issue for numerous people with different ideas of how to deal with the matter. The parish council is keen to help, but the traffic management is the responsibility of the county highways dept. As an effort to get some movement from highways, the parish council will undertake risk assessment surveys in Mill Road, and at the Brookside/Brook Street junction. These will be presented to the Highways Dept.

Diamond Jubilee.

Although this occurs next June, put your thinking caps on, should we engage and celebrate in this way, if so where?? Ideas please.

Police.

Metal theft has occurred at Rearsby Business Park. Motorists are continuing to be ticketed for speeding, some at 50mph.

Parking on Melton Road and Brookside.

Please note, motorists who continue to park without consideration for others, will receive advice from the police on how to correct their parking problems.

Borough Council.

Mathew Blaine continues to advise on local planning. Recent changes by the National Government mean that Charnwood Borough Council will now retain 100% of all council house rent, instead of 2/3. This could have important implications for affordable housing.

House building in Charwood

There will be a preliminary consultation in February, followed by a final one in March & April, this is likely to determine much of the local house building targets for future years.

Caught Reporter.

Christmas?Never Again!

When Christmas reminiscences were mentioned you’d think that beautifully decked trees and roaring log fires would spring to mind, but not to mine. The Christmas that burned itself into my memory was the year when our two little darlings were about five and three years old and in serious danger of never seeing six and four!

It was about teatime on Christmas Eve and for me ’Abolition of Christmas’ was under positive consideration. In my usual disorganised fashion I still had the parcels to wrap, vegetables to prep, a bird to stuff and the cake to ice. (Ah well, who needs icing, anyway?)

The tree always went up in our house on Christmas Eve and we had spent the afternoon choosing it; not an easy task with a three year old who holds strong views on the shape the tree should be and her five year old brother who wants to be somewhere else. Finally the tree was in place and two hyper children and one mad dog were apparently attempting to bury the thing in tinsel and bells. I left them to it and headed for the mayhem in the kitchen.

Eventually all was sorted, of course. Husband came home, urchins were bathed and coaxed into bed and sleep; food was made ready, parcels were wrapped, stockings hung and we finally fell into bed and oblivion around 3.30am. At 3.45 a small voice whispered in the dark ‘Is it time to get up yet, Mummy?’ (I’ve never understood how a small voice has the power to drag an unconscious mother back from the sleep her body craves.) ‘No’! I snarled. ‘Go back to bed.’ At 4am big brother arrived to ‘See if it was Christmas now’? They took it at ten minute intervals to check with me about Christmas Day arriving on time. At 4.45 I surrendered and we inspected stockings. Husband needed a dig in the ribs to wake him but I knew he wouldn’t want to miss the fun.

Tea was obviously called for and as I waited for the kettle I peeped into the sitting room and saw two excited tots under the tree carefully feeling parcels and trying to guess what they might be and one large dog contently chewing chocolate buttons. I decided to give Christmas one more chance and went to make the tea.

Jeannette Buswell

Forthcoming Events

Friends of Rearsby Church
We are having a Christmas Coffee morning at Rearsby Church on Saturday 3rd December, 10am till noon. Entrance is £1 including a mince pie and cup of tea. There will be festive carols, children's activities, a cake stall, raffle and tombola, cards and paintings, and refreshments. We look forward to seeing you. Donations for the raffle and cake stall will be gratefully received and can be brought to Churchor given to Ann Bassett (424376) or Kathy Ledger (424311).

Christmas Barn Dance Saturday 3rd December

To be held in Manor Farm Barn starting at 7.30 pm with dancing
tothe James Joyce folk band. Licensed bar available.
Tickets £10 including glass mulled wine and mince pies.

Christmas at St. Michael's

On Saturday 17th December, a Christmas Crafts Workshop will be held in Church.

There will be lots of Christmas activities to take part in which will be used to decorate the church for our Christmas services. A donation of £2 per child towards cost of materials is required which can be paid on the day. We hope that children who come to the workshop will be able to attend and help with the family friendly service the following day starting at 11am.

Parents are invited to join the children in drinks and shortbread after the workshop at 12noon.

Forms will be sent home from school or church.

For more information or to pick up a form contact Rita 01664424696.

Sunday 18th December - Family Communion Service 11.00 am preceded by “Coffee & Croissants” at 10.30 am.

“Carols by Candlelight” at 3.00 pm - A traditional celebration with readings and carols – plus mulled wine and mince pies.

Thursday 22nd December - Carol Singing around the Village.

Come along and enter into the spirit of Christmas. Meet at 6.30 pm by the Pack Horse Bridge. Refreshments will be provided in Church at the end.

Tug of War

The annual charity ‘Tug of War’ on Boxing Day has been organised to start at 9.30am.

Rearsby Local History Society
There is no meeting in December, and we wish all our members and visitors a Happy Christmas and New Year. We look forward to meeting up again for our forthcoming talks, new and regular members all welcome. The speakers are:
Thursday 26 January "Prefabs" Brian Johnson
Thursday 23 February "Brooksby Hall" Malcolm Britton
Thursday 22 March "Hallaton Treasure" Helen Sharpe
Thursday 26 April "Brooksby Quarry" Lyndon Cooper
Our meetings all take place in the Village Hall at Rearsby beginning at 7.30pm, and the talk is followed by refreshments. Visitor's fee is £3 per talk, and subscriptions for the season are £12 per person.
WEA

The new term starts on Monday January 16th. 2012. Our old friend Bob Payne is back and his subject will be ‘The History of Melton Mowbray’. As usual it is a 10 week course held in Rearsby Village Hall and the classes run from 10.30-12.00. Look forward to seeing then, in the meantime I hope you enjoy your festive celebrations.

Jeannette Buswell

Computer Courses at Rearsby Village Hall from January 2012

Beginners Courses: Tuesdays 9.30 am – 12 noon

No initial computer knowledge required – designed to be a 10 week progression

• Operating a computer safely, using a mouse and keyboard
• Producing simple documents, automatically checking your work

• Letters and posters, Printing out your work
• Saving your work on the computer … and finding it again!

• Searching for information on the internet, sending and replying to
• emails

Computer workshops: Tuesdays 1.30 – 4pm Jan 10, 17 & 24 Cost £20

For those already using a computer

A chance to get some help with those problems or just get some practice while help is at hand – bring your own laptop if you like. We will also provide some items which might be of interest! The sessions will evolve depending on the requests/needs of the learners.

Intermediate course: Wednesdays 9.30am – 12 noon Jan 11 – Feb 15 and & 7 – 28 March, (10 wks) Cost £60

Some skills required – mouse, keyboard and some use of WORD

Practice basic computer skills and build on these using a practical project

Introduction to Digital Photo Editing: Wednesdays Cost £30

Jan 11 – 8 Feb 7 – 9pm (5 wks) or Mar 7 – 28 1.30 – 4pm (4 wks)

Basic skills required

• Making pictures clearer and brighter, applying special effects,
• Removing ‘red-eye’ & improving colour, correcting
• sloping/tilting pictures
• Cutting out a part of a picture, removing unwanted items within a
• picture
• Adding text to a picture, experimenting with ‘faking’ pictures

If you have any queries or requests for other courses please let us know.

Contact Dave or Lyn Palmer, the tutors, for more details of courses

or phone Rita Meade on to book.

Gift Fair Thanks from Rita

Thank you to everyone who helped make 2011’s Gift Fair a success. £772 was raised on the day for church funds. The village hall looked wonderful with the wide selection of tables. I was really pleased to overhear comments from some visitors who said ‘Wow, this looks good’ as they walked through the door and another person said it was the best value lunch they’d had. All of this would not have been possible without the generous donations of raffle and tombola prizes, cakes and apple pies, the friendly stall holders and all those who gave up their time on the day to help.

Thank you all for your continued support of this event.

A Passion For Science

Carolyn Chenery was born in Miami, Florida. After High School she went to college to do a degree in education. At that time, the early sixties, there were just 3 careers open to women – teaching , nursing or secretarial work. After a year at college Carolyn and 2 friends decided to take a year out travelling in Europe and work their passage then return to college. They got jobs in London with the Health Service and Carolyn decided to stay in London and train in EEG. (electroencephalography). She then worked at the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases for 8 years and realised she had a real passion for science. Eventually she gained a degree in geology at King's College and then returned to the States to gain a Masters in geochemistry. Back in England she did research and then in 1988 she married Simon.

1 week after marriage she took up a post with the British Geological Survey on a study of gold deposits. In 1990 she and Simon moved to Keyworth, Notts. to work for N. E.R.C. (National Environmental Research Council). Carolyn worked in the isotope geochemistry laboratory researching climate change and stable isotopes in rocks and minerals.

For the last 10 years of her career she focussed on archaeological human remains – historical – not forensic! The work involved using isotopes to determine individuals' place of origin and diet by analysing teeth and collagen preserved when they died. Ladies, despite what the cosmetic industry tells us, collagen is gelatine so we may as well spread a bowl of jelly on our faces!