Veterans Aid Carol Service

Today, I was thinking of cinema.. Top of the list (apart from yet another Indian action film I don't like) is C'mon C'mon, where Joaquin Phoenix plays a middle-aged dj who never settled down, but suddenly finds himself in charge of his small nephew. Looks decent, closest showing in the Curzon Hoxton.

And then I changed my mind. With nothing on Meetup beckoning, I tried one of my cheap ticket sites - TAC - and what did they have but free tickets to a carol service. That sounded nice - and I hadn't already scheduled one for this year. Well, it wasn't until after I booked a ticket that I realised it was in the church next door to home! Heavens, how handy. And with work not keeping me too late, I, well, headed home! Then kept walking, around the corner. Never been in this church before. Apparently, this was their first ever carol service, and you could kind of tell, they were so enthusiastic! They had a form you had to sign if you were with this group, just so they could tell who was from where - and somewhere particular for us to sit.

Each seat was supplied with an order of service, which mentioned that we should stand when we heard the bell ring. Good grief, it was like the klaxon of doom! We got quite the shock. Anyway, this preceded the parade of the choir up the nave, and bits of the service were marked out for them to sing, and bits for us.

It was nice and peaceful, being in a church again - I was brought up going to church, but don't go much any more, and it makes a change. Can't say I was hugely enamoured of the singing, although they were very accomplished! but I just don't like that style. And for the bits where we got to sing, it was mostly in slightly too high a key for me. The readers weren't terrific - they mustn't have used the mic properly, because I could hardly make out a word they were saying! But the last reader, giving an enthusiastic rendition of a comical poem about a school nativity play, was quite good.

In all, I did enjoy it. Sadly, although it was for charity, I didn't manage to give - I was in the inside of the row, and fiddling with my money when they came around with collection baskets; by the time I was ready, they'd scarpered! and unusually, there was nowhere near the door for me to leave a donation. They did have mince pie and mulled wine in the hall after, which I passed on - I don't like either - perhaps they were collecting there. Ah well. Anyway, it was lovely to be home inside five minutes!

Tomorrow, what's looking like my only outing of the year with Civilised London! Be great to get back with them, though. This is The Child in the Snow, a Christmas ghost story playing at Wilton's - also the first time I'll have been there, post-lockdown!

Thursday afternoon, we have our office Christmas Party. Literally in the office, which they're apparently transforming into a casino. Hmm. Assuming we pass the lateral flow test they're now telling us all we have to take.

Anyway, that evening, the Crick Crack Club has what is apparently their first Christmas show ever! In Rich Mix. Wow, should be epic. But.. wouldn't you know it, a spot has been reserved in a pub near the office, and some drinks pre-ordered. So we'll see how it goes - tarnation, why does everything have to happen on the same night?!

On Friday, I'm meeting Ivan and another ex-colleague for drinks (I don't expect the other ex-colleague to last the night, but anyway.) He suggested Soho, I suddenly remembered where the Man with the Hat used to take us! The Nellie Dean will do very well indeed - I have so many good memories. I also remember the Man with the Hat once asking us whether we'd miss him..

Yes, we do. Very much.

On Saturday, I'll drag myself into wakefulness to meet Helen! London Transport Museum it is, and brunch will be welcome, I daresay.

And on Sunday, I'm booked with Guided Walking Tours in Brighton & Sussex again, for Victorian Ghost Stories at Christmas (via Zoom)..