Stitch and Stashers C'mas Party

Last night was the Stitch & Stasher's C'mas Party (from Jayne's Attic). It was held at the Half Moon and there were 12 of us altogether. We had a drink first while we were waiting for our table to be ready and then once we got to the table there were crackers and gifts - for those people who had understood the £5 bran tub concept, present company excluded! LOL. We all pulled our crackers and donned party hats. This is Jayne after pulling her cracker. She was wearing this wicked pair of glittery shoes, a bit like the red sparkly ones that Dorothy wore in the Wizard of Oz, but they were gold instead.

Soon we were being served with our starter. Some people had prawn cocktail and others had the leek and potato soup, which looked a bit thick but was absolutely delicious, and it was served with lots of French crusty bread. It went a bit downhill after that. The main course was turkey with all the trimmings, which 11 of us had. Jayne had the beef. There was plenty of meat, but the 'trimmings' were a bit on the meagre side. Nice enough, and hot, but almost everyone complained that there was no mash. Still, we all ate it up and awaited dessert. I wasn't having pudding, but it eventually arrived to everyone else, though we had to ask for two that were missing. Julia was eating hers with a fork (I think she had the chocolate sponge with cream) and the waitress asked her if she would like a spoon. Julia declined and said she would manage with the fork thanks. She was then asked how she would manage once she got to the cream. This is how she did it.

The waitress, who is also I think the landlady, was a right miserable so and so and whinged on that we hadn't given her the right orders. Then came the coffee/tea course. We were informed that we couldn't have tea as the kettle had blown up on Sunday and it hadn't been replaced yet, so we could only have coffee. A few people complained and the waitress said "What do you want me to do? Boil a pan of water?" Well, yes, obviously, or nuke a jugful in a microwave! Jayne asked for the bill and we paid up then headed to the Cherry Tree just along the road for coffees and teas. But then we got chucked out of there because Jayne's son Adam was with us and as it was after 9pm he wasn't allowed in. So we took our drinks to the picnic area outside and sat in the freezing cold to drink them.

Jayne was given the Hot Tap Award for services rendered to the stitching industry, and as a memento of the evening. Someone, who shall remain nameless, nicked the cover from the hot tap in the ladies at the Half Moon. That'll teach them for not having a kettle. Jayne gave a speech of thanks and soon after that we all went home.