Happy January!
Happy New Year everyone!
Moley hopes that you had as festive a Christmas as he did and so does support dog Luna, who joined her owner, my friend (and fellow volunteer) Sarah at the Emmaus Christmas party for volunteers and companions. If this Christmas was a difficult time for any of you, Moley and Luna send their love. If you like dogs and are lucky enough to meet these two at an Emmaus site, both appreciate cuddles and the chance to rest their sweet heads on your arm. Also Luna can show dog owners exactly where the treats are kept at the Royal Oak.
Luckily the Christmas elves didn’t manage to eat all of the Royal Oak café’s homemade mince pies, so there were still plenty for everyone at the party – along with crisps, sausage rolls, a choice of main courses and hot and cold drinks. The afternoon also included a Christmas themed quiz, Christmas music and many Christmas jumpers being worn. Well done to all the quiz teams, and credit to the rest of the team I was in, for all of their right answers. Thanks to everyone that organised the party, delicious food, quiz, music and goodies for each person to take home.
The Royal Oak stayed extra busy that week with their excellent One Pot Wonder Christmas dinner (a bargain at just £3.50) including a vegetarian option along with sausage rolls, Santa themed hot chocolate and mince pies with ice-cream. A warm welcome was given to everyone including the excited children from the Kids & Carers club. The Christmas Giving Tree was decked with baubles – each one represented a donation to continue to provide hot meals for those in need. The tree raised a fantastic £1744.65. Another brilliant result is that Emmaus Suffolk provided 265 One Pot Wonder meals in December. Many thanks to everybody who donated to the Giving Tree and bought a One Pot Wonder meal – your contributions will enable Emmaus Suffolk to do so much good in your local community.
More wonderful news is that Emmaus Suffolk has received funding to continue the Singing for the Soul sessions at the Royal Oak on Friday mornings. You can be sure of a warm welcome whatever your singing ability and level of confidence (including from Luna who recommends a good sing song to cheer yourself up and help with any anxieties you have).
Looking for bargains this New Year. The Emmaus Suffolk shops have a great variety. From preloved clothes and furniture to homeware, garden supplies, PAT tested electricals, stationery, books, cds, dvds, toys, games, and puzzles. Along with jewellery, craft supplies, decorations, ornaments, sports equipment and if you’re looking to try new dishes, there are great cookery books.
I’ve been asked to sometimes include book reviews in the blog with books from the Emmaus shelves so I bought one to read over Christmas. As I read more slowly nowadays, I thought I would start with a children’s book aimed at 9-11 years which can also appeal to adults. It is called the Star of Kazan by Eve Ibbotson and its set in 1908. Although it doesn’t include magic, this story feels very magical. Like the characters Harry Potter and Lyra in ‘Northern Lights’, the main character Annika is an orphan and you can picture everything from the beautiful descriptions. Also for Downton Abbey fans, Annika grows up as a servant in Vienna and according to the blurb on the back, it turns out that her real mother is still alive and an aristocrat. Moley is looking forward to finding out what happens next…
If you like poetry, Moley approves of a Stevie Smith poem called ‘O Pug’ It mentions how pugs have lovely big eyes, get worried if their owners aren’t right next to them and how they snore a lot. Being a French Bulldog, Moley is a professional snorer and has amusingly demonstrated this morning during the lovely sleep he’s had in the office.
Moley wonders if you any of you have made New Year resolutions and how they are going? I haven’t but Moley’s resolution, as you can tell, is to take more naps. (Walking is a tiring business when you have little legs…) A New Year tradition is to make as much noise as possible when midnight strikes although achieving this by heavy snoring is more Moley’s cup of tea. Talking of which, you can get free cuppas at the Carr Street hubs and the Royal Oak café sells a great selection of hot drinks – while all of the shops sell a variety of mugs and cups. Maybe you’ll find just the right one to drink your daily brew from and toast the New Year.
Best wishes to you all in 2024
Heather