Yes, we had a full turkey roast with all the trimmings. We pulled crackers, put on our paper hats and read out the mottos, told corny jokes, played “Who am I?” And Charades.
Why ? You may ask.
Simply, Gerry and I were too ill on the run up to and thru Christmas and New Year.
We were supposed to go to my daughters for Christmas dinner, but it didn’t happen, and it was decided to defer to a later date. I made a chocolate bomb back in December. Since then, it has been languishing in our freezer. The bomb was delivered, and chocolate sauce made applied and duly devoured.
Chocolate Bomb
And that’s how we ended up celebrating Christmas in March.
We had a fine old time and returned home after five or so hours, feeling pleasantly plump.
From my cracker ….
JOKE
What did the Scarf say to the hat ?
I’ll hang around here, and you go on ahead !
QUESTION
A boy and a doctor went sailing. The boy is the doctors son, but the doctor is not the boys father. Who is the doctor ?
The primary activity that I engage with is reading. Once I am locked into a good read I have no idea where time goes.
Ask my wife, she will confirm. Two days already, this week, I have spoilt our evening meal.
Just last night I virtually incinerated a beautiful gammon steak while my nose was buried in the latest Lindsay Buroker offering. She may not be a challenge for the Hemingway buffs but her books are a good read with enough pace to keep the adrenaline flowing and great dollop of humour too.
If you could host a dinner and anyone you invite was sure to come, who would you invite?
On first read of this question my mind went straight to the typical historic and celebrity figures.
Most of my historic choices like, Ghandi, JFK, Churchill etc. are dead. So that would be a very macabre setting indeed. But I’m guessing the food and drinks bill would be cheap. Given the journey they themselves took through some of the most turbulent times in our history. I wonder what they would make of the world that we now live in.
As for the celebrity option, I would lean towards those of a musical bent. No deep philosophical thinking is required. Dinner with the likes of David Bowie, Jeff Beck, The Stones, Led Zeppelin, Manitas de Plata, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and the list goes on, and on, and on. What tales they could tell. What a dinner party that would be. No after dinner speeches, just a huge musical jam. What a blast that would be.
But, descending rapidly back to planet earth and reality. When all is said and done, I would truly only want to invite my friends and family. Historic and celebrity figures don’t know me, they would only be there because I asked. Friends and family would be there because they want to be there. They are the people who I feel most comfortable with. The ones who know my back story, who truly know me. The ones who will come back time and again.
An unexpected purchase has taken me on something of a hidden history lesson.
Empire Porcelain Company Dinner Service – “Majestic” Pattern
The pictured “Majestic” dinner service was acquired as part of a larger lot at a local auction. Consequently I didn’t know anything about it. However, whilst preparing to try and sell it on eBay, I did a little research and managed to find a few references to the manufacturer, The Empire Porcelain Company. It’s amazing what you can discover on the interweb.
Tureen “Majestic”
Gravy Boat “Majestic”
Serving Plate “Majestic”
It transpires that the Empire Porcelain Company had been around since 1895 with works in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, England. There were actually three factories operating side by side.
The Empire Porcelain Co Ltd was an important producer of domestic and ornamental earthenware and china for the middle of the market. In the late-1920s and 1930s the company produced interesting art deco-style tablewares and notable art deco ornamental wares decorated using the drip glaze technique. Chinz-decorated wares were produced in the 1940 and 1950s.
The Second World War proved a particularly difficult period for the British pottery industry because severe restrictions were placed on the production of decorated pottery. Production was concentrated in a reduced number of factories in order to save materials, energy and labour as these were needed elsewhere for the war.
So there is no sentimental value to the dinner service, well not for me. But the history “behind the glaze” is interesting. Even down to the company being bought by a lawn mower manufacturer. Who would have thought they would have an interest in a pottery company.
Sadly, because the works were difficult to modernise, the Empire Porcelain Company was closed in 1967.
WrAnTz 