December 2013
It’s Christmas Day and for the first time in many years there has been no snow this month. Remember about 4 years ago when Hemel came to a halt in mid-December and the snow stayed until January? Today has been sunny, mild and dry, just like most Christmases.  Yesterday we went to the children’s carol service at St Mary’s Church. It was just as well we went early as it ended up standing room only.

Well done to the organisers who involved the many infants and youngsters in a candle-light procession, accompanied by shepherds in Arabian costume, Joseph, Mary and a baby Jesus complete with understudy! Many churches would have backed off allowing dozens of 2 and 3 year olds to carry a lit candle so hats off to St Mary’s for not letting elf ‘n’ safety spoil the spectacle of this wonderful event.

Of all the presents being exchanged in our household it was one of the cheapest which gave the most pleasure – a plastic shark’s head full of teeth that you take it in turns to press down until one causes the jaws to snap shut among shrieks and howls of terror and mock pain!

Earlier this month I went along to the unveiling of a plaque in memory of Robin Corbett at the home of his wife Val. This will be the first of several planned for a village Heritage Trail and it was good to see so many of Robin and Val’s family and friends come along to celebrate the occasion.

Among them was the daughter of someone I mentioned in an earlier blog about past residents of Piccotts End. Annie Fienburgh, who used to live in the village, corrected my error in saying her late father, the MP Wilfred Fienburgh, was also a resident. She and her mother lived here but not her father.