Ever since she was a small child, Flo has helped her Grannie put up flamboyant Christmas decorations. Festive trees, having priced themselves out of the market last year, are now half the cost they were then. We all got up early to buy one from Ferndene Farm Shop.
It has also become tradition that Grandpa has to be ‘put’ somewhere whilst the ladies create their masterpieces. I was therefore dumped in Vaggs Lane to walk home. As you will know, this was no hardship. I walked the length of this thoroughfare, along Everton Road, and right into Hordle Lane to home.
Burnished beech leaves brightened the sunlit hedgerows along the verges in Vaggs Lane, 
where a herd of alpacas were outlined by the sunshine.
A Great War memorial stands in Everton Road. The incised names of the Hordle fallen are accompanied by those of the relevant battlefields, some more infamous than others. 
This morning red roses and cyclamens, and yellow tulips bloomed alongside the wreaths.
The now rather soggy unclaimed bear in Hordle Lane still sits on the wall opposite the 
children’s nursery, and another tot has dropped the case from her Peppa Pig mobile phone. 
Further on, an upturned mushroom revealed a pattern of purplish striations.
When I returned home, the front door was furnished with a more joyful wreath than those I had seen earlier
. Apart from the dressing, this had been made from foliage from our garden and branches trimmed from the Christmas tree.
By the time darkness had arrived, we had a string of coloured lights in the front garden, 
and somewhat later the indoor Christmas tree was embellished to Flo’s satisfaction.
We had to dine on a takeaway this evening because the kitchen was full of boxes of decorations. It fell to the Ashley Chinese, The Happy Wok, to provide it. Jackie chose Stella, Flo sparkling water, and I the last of the cabernet sauvignon, to accompany it.
Helen’s comments on yesterday’s post have enabled me to add details of others present in our wedding photograph.
