Christmas Card Charity 2024

Christmas Card Charity 2024 

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The blog is created by all of us with entries as they appeared in my What's App in-box and a rogue one which appeared on Messenger.  (I'm saying nothing about the ability of teachers to follow a simple set of instructions!) 

As well as sharing cards and our chosen charities this year, there is also a fun element.

As we discovered in the December meet up, dinosaurs with hats appear to be THE Christmas tree decoration for this year. So, we are mostly being trendy and a little bit daft in 'naming that dinosaur'!  Just ignore the fact that the baby dinosaur's tail is not properly attached to its bottom.  That's what happens when you download a  free image; you get what you don't pay for. 

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Helen J

Love to you all and here's to more active meet ups and lazy lunches in 2025. xx

My chosen charity this year is: War Child which protects, educates and stands up for the rights of children caught up in war.

I name this dinosaur:  Debora (after the whacky Tyrannosaurus Rex song of my childhood.  Bet you can't stop singing that tune now?! )

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Lynn

 

Christmas love to you all. xx

My chosen charity this year is:  Ashgate Hospice.

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Jo 

 

Happy Christmas everyone. xx

My chosen charity this year is: Cancer Research

I name this dinosaur: Dinky

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Helen M

Happy Christmas to you all. H xx

My chosen charity this year is: Crisis

I name this dinosaur:  Mite

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Maggie

Wishing all the Gellybabes a very Merry Christmas 

and a Happy New Year. xx

My chosen charity this year is: Red Cross

I name this dinosaur:  Gellysaurus

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Julia

 

Happy Christmas to all my friends in the Gellybabes.  

Hoping you have a wonderful time and a peaceful and Happy New Year.  

Much love, Julia. xx

My chosen charity this year is:  The Children's Hospice South West because they provide hospice care for  babies, children and young  people living with life-limiting conditions and their families.

I name this dinosaur:  Steggybaby

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Pam

Warmest wishes for the Festive Season and looking forward to more convivial meet-ups in  2025. 

You  are a lovely bunch of friends!  x

My chosen charity this year is AQUABOX  as they have been successful in getting aid close and  into Gaza.

I name this dinosaur: Santasaurus

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Alison 

Happy Christmas. Love Alison xx

My chosen charity this year is the same as last year: Smile Train.  It allows children to have a relatively cheap operation to fix cleft palates, giving them a chance of a pain free and bullying free life.

I name this dinosaur : Henry the Hexapodasaurus as he seems to have six legs and is, as yet, an undiscovered species of dinosaur.

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Charlotte

Wishing you  all and your families a wonderful holiday season and  peaceful New |Year. 

Much love Charlotte and Ian. xx

My chosen charity this year is, as always: Supporting Sofia and Satyam.  Sofia is now 19 and in her final year of A levels.  She has applied and hopes to go to University in UK to study Fine Art.  Satyam nearly 18 and is in his first year of A levels: studying Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry (!!).  He plans to apply for a Sponsorship in UK to study Degree Apprenticeship in Aerospace Engineering.

I shall also be donating to air Ambulance in memory of my baby brother 

as this was his favoured charity. 

I name this dinosaur: Grinchasorus

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Janice

Season's bleatings to you all. Janice x

My chosen charities this year are: Crisis and UNHCR

I name this dinosaur: Manxy, on account of him having lost his tail!  

He is clearly a Manxosaurus! 

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I bet, like me, you've enjoyed reading the cards and messages, taken a deep breath over the choice of charities we have chosen and then had a chuckle at the name choices of the dinosaur.  We even have new species reported too!

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Tiger Inn, Turnditch

Time for the Tiger Inn at Turnditch

Friday 13th 2024

After lots of planning and a few concerns about the very latest reviews of The Tiger Inn, the pub manager gave enough reassurances to encourage us to stick with him.  So glad we did. The pub is well known for its pub garden and views across the hills...

Fortunately we had a warmer welcome with a table indoors.

  

Apart from someone's love of pictures and ornaments of tigers throughout the pub, why is it called The Tiger Inn? 

Here's a seasonal one !

There are two stories.  One is that the original owner once worked in a circus and brought his pet tigers to live with him at the  pub.  The other is that he collected tiger's coats for rugs.  Not sure about the ethics of that but better than finding tiger kittens in an abandoned wooden crate for Alison to look after at The Ark, eh?

Not sure the circus tigers look that friendly!

Whilst waiting to order, a rather large group of men arrived for their works' dinner. What a lovely surprise for Maggie to be greeted by one of her ex-tutees.  He's now 55; so how old really is Maggie?! And then another one turned up but at least Maggie knew who he was... haha! So, Gell represented by retired ex-teachers, long ago ex-students, parents of current Gell students and a future one all in the same building. 

The pub is also well known for its themed meal evenings. Advance booking required! An incredible range; good vegetarian choice too. 

How many weeks are there in a year?  

Having eaten too well over the past few days I chose to have a tapas. Expecting a mini Yorkshire with a bit of stilton and mushrooms this is, apparently, a small portion! Now imagine the Friday pies on the menu... quite a bit more fiesty! Alison and Maggie must have rolled home!!

Yummy, filling and good value. 

It's lovely having a log fire and whilst I needed to warm up, we were all feeling quite toasty after a few minutes. No one wanted to swap seats, can't think why?

Right side; rosy red! 

We talked a lot!  One seasonal topic was about how much a Father Christmas can make just for turning up at a commercial venue or even better on Christmas Day!  So babes, all we need are some man bits, our own grey beard (for others to stroke.. urghh!), and a big belly. Of course, the real Santa doesn't charge and some of us have our own magical one at home, for free.  

Waiting for our instant coffee with hot milk. 

Slightly less seasonal: I had a bit of a revelation about male bondage and behaviour in the birding world.  We spent a long time talking about the cost of private dental care.  Pam still thinks she's entitled to an NHS dentist.... in Wirksworth? Reality check needed! And what about all the retired incomers arriving in Wirksworth telling everyone how to do it? And the fears of joining of a Pilates class full of stick insects when feeling like an elephant. You won't be turned away unless you have a young sounding name though.  Pilates politics, eh? 

I cosy up to Maggie... I'm too hot for my own good! 

We missed our other half of the babes and hope that we can all meet up with a bit more activity in 2025.  Chatsworth seems to be high on the list, especially when or if  the parking is free at Carlton Lees.

We ended with the final handing over of birthday presents (without a 0) and decided that a Secret Santa/Easter Bunny could also be ditched or not started. However, we are all keen to continue our Christmas Card Charity with blog for Helen J to organise.  See Whats App and don't forget to send by the date given as I won't be starting sorting cooking and wrapping until the last minute and although you might not think it, multi-tasking is so last year.....

An exchange between Maggie and me on Thursday. Maggie thought I might like a quick dip, I was referring to planning a lunch...

No tigers involved!