Ankerwycke Candles …. It’s Beginning To Smell A Lot Like Christmas ….

Following Darrell’s fleeting visit to Hugh, his very best friend and mentor of all things of a fragrant type nature, came the most wonderful gift in the post this morning ………

…… beautifully wrapped, we could catch the wafts of wonderful whiffs before we had even removed the tissue paper.

It was an advent calendar from Ankerwycke Candles containing twenty four individual wax melts in twelve glorious festive aromas, all with romantic and evocative sounding names from Christmas Cookie, Apple Cinnamon and Frosted Plum to Candy Cane, Nutcracker, and Butter Beer, not to mention Mulled Wine, Warm Cinnamon, Pine Forest, Gingerbread, Cranberry and Orange and Cranberry and Peppermint.

Let’s just say, the thought of these scents permanenting throughout The Towers during  our most favourite month of the year was emotional, especially for Darrell, who has, he tells us, an off the scale olfactory function!  What is he like?

After we’d read the instructions to the letter, as we don’t want anything to turn turgidly pungent or miss fire through ignorance  ……….

…… as Darrell placed said calendar ready to open on the first day of December on our cleared shelves waiting for Darrell to weave his festive decor magic,  the room was filled with the gentle festive aroma emitting from the box.

Also in the parcel were two free sample melts to use in the run up to advent to get a flavour of the bouquets that await us ……

……. and what Nigel though was a scratch and sniff card, but was actually a 10% off voucher, should we wish to avail ourselves of the company again. 

What can we say, other than the most mahoooosive “Thank You” to Hugh, for a very much appreciated gift, especially as we hadn’t even sorted our 2021 Advent Calendar of choice out yet,  despite being on the very cusp of the season. A little remiss on our part but perhaps it was all spookily meant to be …… if you believe in the magic of Christmas ……

Please note that we have no association with Ankerwycke Candles Ltd whatsoever, apart from, that is, receiving this (paid for) genuine gift  from Hugh, however it never hurts to mention the name of a new/good company whenever we happen to come across them.

A Tempestuous Night And A White Awakening

Well, the weather over the weekend was certainly interesting …….. what with Storm Arwen leaving I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here no alternative, other than to put out a recorded version of Thursday/Friday events (for the first time in its history) because of the forewarned and foreboding snow and forecast 100mph winds.  We just battened down the hatches and stayed warm and cosy ………..

……. to be greeted, in the morning, by a carpet of light snow and it’s not even December yet ………..

…….. as soon as Nigel clapped eyes on it we thought he might burst with dreams of snowmen and sledging in the park.

However, we decided we wouldn’t, after all, go to the official Christmas Light Switch On in town, staying warm and safe being the order of the day, after all, we wouldn’t want to loose Nigel in a sudden, unexpected gust as he bent down to stroke a reindeer would we?  Instead we “officially” switched on our own festive lights with a glass of warmed celebratory Cherry B in place of the mulled wine we would undoubtedly have had up town……. before settling down to a bit of “Strictly”!   …….  It was emotional …….

Darrel Pays A Fleeting Visit …….

On the cusp of, for us, is the most wonderful month of the year, Darrell declared that he felt a great want to pay, sadly, a fleeting visit to see Hugh, his best friend and much missed doyen of the pantomime world, because despite many phone calls, zoom calls and texts, it could be well into the New Year before they would meet up in person again. 

It was emotional as always,  especially as Hugh had just become a “father” again, after finding some still warm but abandoned eggs in his Meghan Markle style chicken coop.

It has to be said that Darrell wished he could have instantly eaten his words after jokingly asking the obviously besotted and committed vegetarian Hugh if they would be “ready” for Christmas ……..

…… but strongly suspects  Hugh simply and politely feigned deafness in not replying, in order to save Darrell from any further excruciating faux pas, once the mortified chap realised what he’d actually said!

Moving swiftly on …… Hugh was absolutely thrilled with the very ornate candelabra Darrell had instantly pounced upon as soon as his little eyes clapped on it in our very favourite Evesham charity shop of choice.

Darrell couldn’t have been more de rigueur if he’d tried exclaimed a delighted Hugh, as the colours were so en trend it was almost impossible ……..

……. as, and I quote directly from Darrell, who quoted directly from Hugh “This season, autumnal hues would be seen to be melding into the ensuing colder months, bringing in and evoking a warm, comforting and cosy feeling,  sooooooooo opposed to the chill harshness of wintertide!”

And ….. his seasonal top tip was to go orange as far as our fairy lights this year are concerned.  As per always, Darrell soaked in all Hugh’s wise words like a sponge in the middle of the dessert desert!

Needless to say, parting was such sweet sorrow for the two best friends …….

……. it was simply a case of, to quote Sir Ronan of Keeting “You say it best, when you say nothing at all” …………………adieu adieu, dear, dear friend ……. until the snows do melt, or some such other romantic stuff!!!

Bring On The Christmas Windows

So far, on the very cusp of December, this is Nigel’s most favourite festive window in Evesham so far ………

Again Silver Birch Bouquets in Port Street have pulled out all the stops to bring joy to little Nigel’s much appreciative festive heart.

With him noting that they’ve gone all London style by putting a long, decorated, seasonal swag along the outside of the shop, like he’d first seen when visiting Hugh, Darrell’s best friend and mentor of all things of a floral tribute type nature in de rigueur Notting Hill.

There’s nothing that says Christmas more to young Nigel (save for a knitted nativity) than a flurry of glittery snowflakes, a wreath of tasteful red and white baubles, a measured stack of illuminated faux parcels ……..

…… not to mention a couple of very erect coordinating nutcrackers. It was emotional!

The magic has started ……. it really is beginning to look at lot like Christmas ……..

Nigel Putting His Best Foot Forward

A few months ago Nigel put himself forward for an intensive DBS check (Disclosure & Barring Service) check and had his references gone through with a fine nit comb to ensure that he is a person of good and trustworthy character, impeccable perigee, with no nefarious ways or skeletons in his cupboard.  It goes without saying that he passed with flying colours ……..

……. and has now become a fully fledged “Helping Hand” at I and B’s school. He’d wanted to do this ages ago but sadly Covid got in the way. So getting his letter inviting him to go in for a short training session this morning, before his actual duties commence was, to say the least, EXTREMLEY EMOTIONAL, there were tears!

The little fella was unbelievably nervous for someone normally so bold, but he put his best foot forward and managed to get himself digitally signed in and badged up ready to embrace this new venture.

Once inside he managed to relax and take everything he was told in, the most exciting part was finding out, with a drum roll on the desk, that he had been assigned to work with Year 2 and that in the next day or two he would be contacted again, this time by his allocated team leader, who would then see what days he was be available to help and what he might be doing, I think he might burst before them!

And Darrell and I? We are so proud ……………

Boosted To The Hilt …….

I suppose it’s pretty hard to tell by the pictures, but we’ve done our national duty and presented arms ……. to be “done” for, would you believe, the fourth time in a year. No side affects to report, except for a slightly sore arm apiece, two left and one right.

Yes, we’ve all been triply boosted as advised by Sir Lord Boris of Johnson and then we’ve upped our game  by going for the normal winter flu one too.  So I guess you can say that we’ve grown accustomed to having a little prick a bit more often in 2021!

As we’re on the very cusp of the festive season, we just don’t want to risk another Christmas in meltdown and having to leave sanitiser out for Santa, as well as the more traditional mince pie, whisky and carrots for the reindeer.

It’s also especially important for Nigel to be boosted to the max in the coming months and into the New Year,  he has some very important responsibilities ahead ………. but more of that tomorrow.

Nigel Finds ……..

Yesterday, Nigel saw that the Flying Dragon, our Evesham Chinese Takeaway of choice, had been trimming back their magnificent Jade Money Plant and had then put the cuttings on the wall for anyone passing to help themselves.

Now, although the little fella doesn’t know as much about Feng Shui as Hugh, Darrell’s best friend and prominent expert on all matters of a product placement and propagation type nature  ……..

……. he did know enough not to look a gift bag horse in the face mouth, as said plants, as legend has it, are renowned for their powers of attracting wealth, if positioned properly in the home (or working environment), so it would have looked most rude not to avail himself of a sprig or two, despite being a total stranger to the world of cultivation etc.

He’s decided that once his bits are safely potted on and roots established, said Jade Money Plant would be best placed in an eastly position Chez Towers to “promote family harmony, health, initiation of projects and scholarly pursuits” ……..

……….. he just needs to find a compass now to work out where exactly that is……. What is he like?

Darrell Dabbles In The Art Of Coiffure

Living in an all male household, it goes without saying that, other than the very basics, the art of coiffure is very much a mystery to us …..

However, the lure of Iris’s golden tresses finally got the better of Darrell and after some tutorage via zoom with Hugh, his best friend and mentor of all things balayage, feathering and ombre, Darrell finally took the plunge, making the considered purchase of some bendy rollers, a reputable styling spray and a very fine (as in superior quality) pink comb and suggested to an very willing Guinea pig Iris that he could give her the tiniest soupçon of a makeover.

I reckon the boy dun pretty gud for his first attempt, there were certainly no complaints from a very patient and fidgetless Iris for ……..

……..for what he called an au naturelle tousled confection.

Buoyed by his success,  he says he’s now eager to try a scrunched, graduated chignon with subtle pink undertones when Iris comes round next …… I have just told him to speak carefully to Hugh about his lofty, hirsute ambitions, as he really doesn’t want to run before he can walk as far as said coiffure is concerned,  lest the results  are slightly less successful than his dreams, which in turn could have The Lovely Laura baying for his blood ………

Nigel Dreams Of Being Surreptitiously Superimposed

There’s some new flats going up opposite where Aldi used to be (RIP and very much missed)……..

…….. and Nigel, as per usual, is taking great interest in their progress.

However, it’s the board at the front that has particularly captured his attention and vivid imagination …….

…… it’s a simulation of how the street and development will eventually look when all is completed, in fact when I saw the pictures of Nigel standing in front of said board I had to do a double take because it looked as if the little fella was “really there” in real life……..

……. but, all the vehicles and people (except Nigel) going about their normal every day business have been superimposed.

This clever overlapping has an awful lot to answer for because now Nigel’s greatest dream, in the whole wide world, to be artistically and tastefully superimposed on such a board, and to be honest, can’t actually believe he hasn’t been surreptitiously snapped and added already as he’s up and down that road, despite the hill, like there’s no tomorrow, he’s even taken his magnifying glass to see if it’s really him at the wheel of the green sports car!  What’s he like, if not a true dreamer?