Christmas Eve and the party begins in earnest, and on to Christmas Day & Beyond

From George Pritchard's Christmas Page

Star Gazy Pie Recipe

For those of you keen to make your own.

Ingredients: Pasty, 5 or 6 cornish pilchards,
2 or 3 boiled eggs (sliced).
Seasoning. Parsley.

Method: Prepare Pastry.
Put fish whole, but cleaned in a pie dish.
Add sliced eggs and seasoning.
Lay pastry over, pushing pichards heads through.
Cook in hot oven until golden brown.
Place sprig of parsely in each fishes mouth.
Serve piping hot.

Check out Tom Bawcock's Eve http://christmas.oldcornwall.org/card_7.htm

King Michael & his entourage arrive safely

King Michael's Naga Boat

Well, all that bad weather and a strong headwind really delayed us somewhat,
but we have now arrived at Helston.  Tha Naga is not happy as his beard is
covered in ice and there is snow on his tail.

So what we gonna do now?  I'm off to the pub to celebrate.  Anyone coming?

Lilting Lorna replies:  I don't know . Is it haunted? If so, I have to call up from the dark ages of long ago my ancient uncle Zeph Job, he hangs around old haunted pubs a lot shouting Aaaaarrrgghh! Just to scare virtual visitors. Also the parrots do




not like Nagas, especially ones with beards. Come on over to the Furry Dance tomorrow, we could do it as Albert says, according to tradition. I have the big hat and you will have to wear a nice suit. Let us know what you will be wearing.

Lilting Lorna of Furry Tradition

A few pints later at the Blue Anchor and I'm feeling like a Furry dance.  My
RALPH ancestors should be there enjoying their Helston tradition.  Knees up!!
(Fancy a game of skittles at the Blue Anchor, Michael? 
Old Bowling Alley

Mr W. Walton, curator of Helston Folk Museum, throws the first ball to mark the re-opening of a 300 year old skittle alley at the Blue Anchor Inn, England, in 1957.)

From Michael

It's Thursday and Christmas is practically upon us.  I have been so busy that I haven't kept you all informed of the whereabouts of the Double Decker Bus.

We picked up passengers in Syracuse and Skaneateles (Is that how it is spelled?) in New York on the way by.  I am terrible with names and I have forgotten these.  Awfully fun folks though.

We picked up Richards, Boyd Stewart and got him nicely set up in the infirmary.  The nurse, Margetroyd Spinglebottom who is determined to see folks up and about went to work on him and he was down for afternoon tea in the conservatory this afternoon.   I am not sure when we cleared Newfoundland, it was lost in the clouds.  We picked up Mary Hester in Kingston on the Thames and will be landing shortly n Helston.

I hope we haven't missed anything of consequence but it is getting awfully late.

M Keith Abel




Hi Keith

Thanks for "picking me up" thought you had forgotten all about me!!  Hic! Hic!  Have drunk half my keg of Brandy as I was getting so cold waiting for

The infirmary inside the London Bus

you! Hic! Hic!  It is lovely and warm in the Infirmary so just going to have a snooze - wake me up when we get there!

Re titles my full one is : The Chamberlain, Her Supreme Excellency. The Elite Destroyer of Gwinear which I have now shortened to Her Supreme Excellency of Gwinear
aka Mary Hester





It's thrilling to be in the town of my ggg-grandfather's birth, and  the accommodations are more than could be imagined. My only concern, 
as one who has done only a little driving in the UK some years ago, is  those square-sided gutters along the sides of Coinagehall Street which  I fear could capture car or bus wheels and immobilize a vehicle.  Glad  we have an expert driver.

The nurse practitioner, whom I have been calling Marie-Gertrud --more euphonious, and she doesn't seem to notice-- is bossy but obviously competent, and actually a trained singer, so now I'm a bit intimidated 

about asking her to sing with me, but I can't miss the opportunity.  
Looking forward to sharing the remaining time with you all.
Really nice meeting Mary Hester, too!

Boyd R.

My gg-grandfather James RALPH was born in Helston in 1824.  His family moved to Camborne shortly afterwards and he lived the rest of his life there.  But RALPH is a common Helstonian name.  I wonder if James ever witnesses the Furry dance?

Michael of the Light Foot
Is this him Michael? (from 1851 Census, courtesy the Cornwall Online Census Project, a BIG THANK YOU!!)
137,Centenary St, James Ralph, Head,M,29,,Mason,Helstone Cornwall,,
,,Eliza Ralph,Wife,M,,34,,Camborne Cornwall,,
,,James Harris,Sonlaw,U,15,,Copper Miner,Illogan Cornwall,,
,,Mary J. Harris,Daulaw,U,,10,,Camborne Cornwall,,
,,Catherine Harris,Daulaw,U,,8,,Camborne Cornwall,,
,,William J. Ralph,Son,U,2,,,Camborne Cornwall,,
,,Edwin Ralph,Son,U,11m,,,Camborne Cornwall,,

Oh my goodness Mistress Agnes is pinned down under a giant squid! Can we put calamari on the menu? She was hoping for Gregory Peck as a furry dance partner but will settle for a chronologically challenged hirsute, overweight chap in red (but did anyone invite Santa?) As for hats for the dance Mistress M has her coif - very demure. I'll go for the dead bird I wore for my daughter's wedding (sorry should have whispered that in case the parrots heard.)
I've found Blue Bear - he is keeping a low profile with the knitivity sheep and the mousehole cat. Having said that the sheep are heading toward what's left of the home brew - I need to knit a shepherd without delay.
Scheherazade Queen of 1001 knights sounds great as a title if I'm allowed (but can I spell it?).  I particularly like the sound of the 1001 knights (although didn't 1001 used to be a brand of toilet cleaner?). I could even share a few of the 1001 knights around if anyone is short of a partner.

Janet prospective Queen of 1001 knights

Dear Mata Hari:

Oh poor little Tuck, he must be heartbroken!  Luckily I gave Old Scruff a good bath this morning and combed his long hair for he heard Tuck crying piteously and he took him on his lap, rocking him and gently rubbing his little back and now Tuck is almost asleep with only an occasional sob to be
heard.

As soon as I can manage to get Lorna away from smooching with the very handsome, dark-eyed Gregory P, I'll ask her to give the parrots a whistle and have them fly very low over the road that Butch's horse took and with their sharp little eyes perhaps they'll spot it. Perhaps while they are doing that they could keep a lookout for the 747 too!

I had hoped Butch would choose me as his partner for the Furry Dance, but he didn't, so now I'm partnerless and am sitting in a corner feeling very doleful.  Guess who he picked - Etta!

Warm wishes, Joan

Beloved Cornish cousins / /  I wanted to take a moment to salute you  and your families on this holy night. Merry Christmas to you. I have  included a link to a small presentation I received from a missionary 
associate from many years ago in Grenoble, France, Elder Frank  Johnston. He now is a retired music educator in Olympia, Washington. 
Peace be with you. / Scott Connell, Aberdeen, WA, just singing in the 
rain...

http://www.youtube.com/user/AlphabetPhotography

Thanks Scott - wonderful link!!

Ditto Scott's Christmas greetings, from near San Diego, California. I would love it if all our Cornish Listers sent greetings from wherever they are around the world. May there finally be peace in the world in our lifetimes.
Jan Rickard Davis
Lemon Grove, California, where we don't need any more rain for awhile, thank
you very much!!!!!

Great idea, Jan! Happy Solstice to all from beautiful Placerville, California in the heart of the gold country. Lovely, sunny day today and I could smell someone barbecuing steaks a while ago as I was giving the dogs a post-prandial run. Christmas in Northern California . . . More rain due tomorrow, but carpe diem, as the saying goes.HoHoHo!Kitty

Merry Christmas Cousins from Garden Grove, Orange County, California!

Jan Mackey

To all on this List
My very best Wishes for a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Kind regards, John

John C CARBIS

'Him in Scarlet at Chelsea'

To All on the List from Brian of Yass, Australia.
Sorry That I can't be with you this year  when you are having so much fun
but your progress to the Party is an entertainment in itself!!!

Brian Millett

Party Revelers,

From your Listmom - hometown Sonoma, California but currently with my daughter in Bellingham, Washington.

Yvonne Bowers

Merry Christmas, Mom!

Jan

Blo0

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Gngyhgk jaccsss 
From Geoff Holloway

Whas that you sed Geoff my son ????

Pat

To all my friends on the Cornish List, Nadelek Lowen hag Bledhen Noweth Da, from Albert of Anvower Mill, Howlek an Gath, and old Traveler the Wonder Dog - gone but not forgotten.

Wishing all of my far-flung cousins a Merry Christmas from east of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, Canada where we are having a very mild and enjoyable Christmas season.  :."*""^ * " :"*" :-) and that is Merry Christmas from the 2 little red featherless parrots.
Lorna

Wishing everyone of my dear Cornish cousins a Merry Christmas from Denver,
Colorado where we are having a snowless Christmas which very rarely happens.

Lorna mentioned the number of John's we have and along with JohnO, JohnC, JohnZ and JohnT, I have another one. Does anyone remember John Lerwill from years ago on the Cornish List?  He was quite a poet at party time! Last evening I was reading a book by A.K. Hamilton Jenkin and he mentions Guise Dancing which took place between Christmas Day and Twelfth Night in St.Ives and Penzance when young people paraded the streets dressed in strange costumes.   I may have posted about this many years ago.

Perhaps we might hop over there and join the fun before the New Year?

Wishing you the best of absolutely everything, Joan

I have only been able to catch up on the list action of the past couple of
days tonight (27th) because my server unexpectedly cancelled my service..
said I had been off-line too long or some such thing. An hour on the phone
with a tech didn't help. Suddenly, I am back on. So here is what happened
during that time:
I lost the parrots. I searched all over Helston but could not find them. Far off in the distance I could hear singing and the oompa, pa of a tuba.I clambered over the hills, losing a few more sequins along the way until I could see a 747 parked on top of a huge bus where there a grand ball taking place. There were the parrots wearing their top hats and tails admiring themselves in their shiny round-toed boots between dances and hopping from shoulder to shoulder as dancers passed by. The Magnificent Geoff (he is Cornish) doffed his hat and I joined him in a whirling waltz. We whirled and whirled and.....well, um, er, here I am back at my computer wishing all of you a Very Happy New Year in 2011 and many genie reunions with your
ancestors.
Just plain Lorna

Merry Christmas to all .... and to all a GOOD NIGHT!