Today we start by visiting George Pritchard's wonderful Old Cornwall site

It's become a tradition with the Cornish List to pay George's wonderful site a visit over the Christmas period.  We should have begun on December 1,  when the Advent calendar starts, but you'll have some fun catching up.  So easy to get to - click on http://christmas.oldcornwall.org/index.html and feast on the goodies in there.  Thanks George, and lovely to hear from you!  Happy wassailing!!

Here's a parlour game from the Games page:

MAGIC MUSIC.

 
While one is dismissed those remaining fix on something which he must do on his return, perhaps snuff the candles, or stir the fire. He is then called in, and another seats himself at the piano, and plays loudly or softly, as the actions of the person may seem to approach nearer or recede farther from the object he is to touch. It he seems to have an idea of what is expected of him, the player directly increases the loudness of the music, but begins playing softly again as soon as he appears to have lost it. If unable to guess he must forfeit.

Each day I'll take something from Old Cornwall - it is one of my very favourite internet sites.

Meanwhile, back to the party ...

The comfrey barrel

Mistress Agnes's pattens (hope she's wearing thick socks!)



18 Dec 2010 Buckland Brewer snow church sunrise



Bucks Mill Beach

Well what do you know. Although most of the UK has been swathed in snow for the last three weeks our part of Darkest Devoin has had hardly a flake. Mistress Agnes rose at dawn (always tricky for Mistress A this - especially as she'd been sampling her home brew) to find we are surrounded by snow. Mistress Agnes so wanted to show off her silk slippers (smuggled from France) but never fear she has covered them with her pattens and is hoping for the best. We've decided to sledge down the hill to the coast and pick up a Bucks Ledge Boat and Bucks Mills - just hope this won't mean more chewing gum. Mistress Agnes is dragging the barrel of home brew behind her. The barrel looks strangely familiar - oh dear I hope it isn't the one she stored the comfrey in last summer......
Janet struggling through the snow in Darkest Devon.

This kind gentleman with take you both to Helston I'm sure, on his Bucks Mill ledge boat, only he'll land you on a moonless night, and you might have some parcels to deliver!  
http://www.worldofboats.org/emc/exhibition.html

Jennie, it is lovely to have you back and thanks for recording the party - I love the photos you add too.  Do you know if Corinne and Viv and other Australian friends are coming to the party?

Warm wishes, Duchess Daft who is now safely aboard and handing out walloping great hunks of bread pudding to all the crew and envying Connie on the 747 with John T. and also walking a little bandy from the ride on Connie's horse Bow.

Thanks Duchess Daft - haven't heard from either Corinne or Viv - hope they can hitch a ride somehow and turn up, even if it's at the last minute. Cousin Jennie

Keith rescues the Piddlesbury from the pasture ... 

Well I finally made a deal with the owner of the bus.  But when we went to start it, it refused to so much as grunt.   So I hired a tow and hauled it to the nearest Canadian Tire Garage to see if life could be put back in its heart.  It took a couple of days  but eventually it roared to life good as ever.  The back door had been left open out in the pasture and the inside was a terrible mess, left by the many visitors of all sizes and animal

kingdoms that had visited.

Some of you may remember that the London Double Decker bus I am referring to is very much larger inside than out like Dr Who's telephone box.  The lower Deck is fitted out in a huge grand lounge and the upper deck is set up like a 5 star hotel with rooms, mostly in suites and all very luxurious.  So we hired the whole gang of the Molly Maid Service here in Kingston and in jig time they had the interior looking pretty special again.

We twisted the arm of Miss Margetroyd Spinglebottom, a Registered Nurse Practioner to come along with us to ensure the good health of all of
passengers and one of the rooms over the driver of the bus has been outfitted for an infirmary.  Therefore we can take Richards, Boyd Stewart along and he will be admirably well looked after.

So we are pretty close to being ready to depart.
In addition to the wife who needs a walker now to get around, we will have Rip Van Winkle, Winkie for short, along with us.  He has been sleeping for 6 years I think now and has 14 more to go.  I expect that Cassandra, a large porcelain cat will also be on board.

Anyone wishing to accompany us should let us know and we will come round to
pick them up.

M Keith Abel

Boyd (alias Richards, Boyd Stewart) gets emotional:

I am moved, Keith, yea, moved to tears; and ready to be moved to Helston when and if convenient.  (removed specific info) the only house in town with a large St. Piran's flag in the window.

Spinglebottom doesn't strike me as a likely Cornish name, but perhaps she can sing: I hope we can have a grand sing-song of Cornish  Folksongs during this adventure in the town of my Richards and Tonkin 
ancestors. Here's one from Ian Marshall just to get you going Boyd http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UU9leM3ZlhU
Boyd

Mary, her Supreme Excellency of Gwinear

Hi Keith

Can I bag a lift on the bus please?  Have racked my brain (which is almost dead!) and could not think of how I could get to  Cornwall this year.  If you head for Hampton Court Palace, near Kingston upon Thames, Surrey in England I will be by the River.  It will be nice to have transport with a Nurse and an Infirmary, hope it has a nice comfortable bed in it!  I have already emailed Ann at the Lizard and she has promised to supply all the Pasties we need, they are just so scrumptious!  The Fisherman's Friends from Port Isaac http://www.fishermansfriendsportisaac.co.uk/ are coming to sing their rousing Sea Shanties and I hoping that some of the Local Choirs will also be there.  I do love a good old sing song especially when I am

drinking!!

Merry Christmas
Mary

Geoff and his menagerie are on their way (Sorry Geoff, couldn't find the pale blue sled and the winged horse Pegasus, so you're stuck with six white boomers!)

Hi Gang,

It is me, Geoff the Mighty from Down Under, I will be leaving Sydney,  on my pale blue sled pulled by the winged-horse, 'Pegasus' and three kookaburras.The three birds have been following me everywhere, as I made the mistake of taking them last year. They insist on joining the choir, to which end they have been practising all year and have attained a standard should anyone care to hear them sing can gladly do so about 50 miles from Helston. Besides their also known colloquially as 'bushmans clocks', and are frequently known to wake the populace with their laughter. If you haven't heard them before then once is not bad but twice is  to put it in gentle terms, downright inexcusable.
The ideal cure I have determined is a drink of Cornish Scrumpy which will delay their biological clocks by an hour, two doses works wonders. The moral to this story is always make sure you have plenty of Scrumpy to hand.
I shall depart Sydney on Tuesday morning and arrive about two in the afternoon Helston-time plus extra time to pick up passengers; I can take three plus space for wheelchairs if needed. Plenty of Australian seafood and wine. Travelling via Canadian/US border roughly, very roughly.
Geoff

Albert's on course with plenty of goodies
Dydh da, oll -

Right, we got the kegs of Yuengling's Best Stout stowed - you remember these kegs, tuns, big casks that we leave in place after the party to be used as rentals for holiday visitors.  All hands on board, casting off from the hiding spot under the bridge over Manatawney Creek.  Right after church this morning as promised.  Now, Carol, weren't you going to be ready to be picked up on our way down Delaware Bay?   Grab on to a convenient channel marker bouy and we'll be right there. 

These dams across the Schuylkill River are a bit of a nuisance but we've just floated over them before, so hold on to your hats, crew, here we go again.  Traveler, mind the helm there. 

I do hope the piskies got the order straight on the vortex between Helston and the Sleep family's Mr. Pastie shop in Pen Argyl.  The Mr. Pastie pasties have been a particular favorite at past doings.  

Albert of Anvower Mill    (They look pretty good Albert!) 


Janet & Mistress Agnes take an oar each

Well Mistress Agnes and I are rowing along the North Cornish coast - pity the barrel of home brew takes up so much room. It is a touch on the chilly side but we are planning to call in at Padstow to purchase some fish and chips to warm ourselves up - any orders?

Happy to transport anyone as we round Land's End - you can sit on the barrel - or on Mistress Agnes.
Janet - having left Darkest Devon (Sorry, couldn't resist this pic Janet!)



 Joan, the Duchess of Daft gets hungry

Janet, count me in on the fish and chips!  If you could send it on to me, I'd like to order plaice, chips and peas with lot of vinegar and I'll enjoy reading the latest Padstow news on the newspaper wrapping.
(Hopefully this chap will be able to serve up something worth while!)
When we're in Helston I'm sure Mistress Agnes will get along very well with my Very Great Aunt Grace who was admonished by the parish for brewing "illegal waters" and also co-habiting with the local blacksmith.

See you at the party!
Warm wishes, Duchess Daft
Her Supreme Excellency of Gwinear


Janet has trouble keeping Mistress Agnes in check

Please dear Duchess don't give Mistress Agnes ideas by mentioning co-habiting. She was very excited when Jennie found us a potential pirate to row us round the coast and could was even lamenting that she hadn't bought a clean shift. Said pirate seems to have disappeared and we are rowing ourselves so that's one problem shelved for the time being, but Mistress Agnes is now threatening to start on the home brew. We will bring the plaice, chips and peas but I'm afraid health and safety means chip shops are not allowed to use newspaper anymore. As they are virtual fish and chips I am sure something can be arranged. (Already organised Janet, see above)

Janet just entering Padstow harbour - tomorrow Lands End
(I think that's them on the right - they're making good speed, Mistress Agnes must have got into the home brew!)