SUNDAY DRIVING ON BOXING DAY

We went southeast. We got on the A25 which took us past Dorking and we ended up in Newdigate, a typical English village. We passed a road called Hogspudding Lane which tickled our fancy. We found a pub, called the Surrey Oak. It was a great example of an English pub - exposed beams which you can bash your heads against because they are so low. It had a great atmosphere - very friendly. I think all the locals had turned up there on Boxing Day.

From there, we went on to Pease Pottage. Now I have no idea why I know the poem '' Pease pottage hot, Pease pottage cold, Pease pottage in the pot, Nine days old'', but I do and the connection with the village ..... who knows.

CINDERELLA THE PANTOMIME

Catherine came for the day to Woking and we both went to see a pantomime version of Cinderella at the New Victoria Theatre. The main actors were Michael Aspel, a woman who has performed in Gavin and Stacey as Cinderella and Prince Charming a guy from S Club 7 and Les Miserable.

It was great fun, very interactive with lots of random well-known songs like Ghost Busters and lots of refences to Woking and its environs. I am sure Catherine enjoyed it also.

CHRISTMAS AT TOMLINSCOTE

I went to a carol service at Tomlinscote School last night. There were seven carols sung by all the audience and a number of songs sung by, and played by, students from the school. There were also readings by three students and four teachers, including me, who performed one reading. Mine was a poem called 'Old Sam's Christmas Pudding' which used to be read by an actor called Stanley Holloway. Never mind the poem or the actor, the experience was great. I guess it was all to do with why I am living here - to experience the culture. It is very much English/British culture. I am sure though that it is NZ culture also but it is different over here. Why/how I do not know. Maybe because it is winter and it has just snowed.