Yesterday was the day when all the 'anciens' in the village were invited for a Christmas meal at the village hall. Unfortunately it coincided with Jay's trip to Brussels to meet a friend so we had to leave the Whale at home with a sandwich and promise of a cooked meal on our return.

The menu included fish in a delicate pastrycase, duck accompanied by beans wrapped in bacon, tomato grilled with parsley and garlic and a timbale of potatoes in a light 'omelette', a selection of cheese served with lettuce and a chocolate log. As usual there were copious quantities of champagne and wine so that I had to refuse a 'digestif' after the coffee as my head was beginning to spin and my stomach said that it couldn't take another drop!

The entertainment consisted of a duo who played sax and accordian to a very loud 'canned' backing, and  the 'Memphis Country Dancers' who performed line dancing with amazing energy.

Unfortunately, the Bear became very grumpy when the Whale rang, during the tombola, to say he was worried because Jay hadn't phoned to say he had arrived safely. It meant that I had to go outside to hear and be heard and it took several minutes to compose a message to Jay and wait for a reply. Of course, Jay had rung the Whale seconds after he had rung me!

As soon as I took my seat the Bear demanded to know 'what was that all about?' It is not easy to explain things to a deaf Bear in a bad mood at the best of times but, by now the music had started up again and so I said. 'Nothing to worry about. I'll explain later'.

But no, the Bear was set on having a a full and complete explanation there and then. I hadn't told him Jay was going to Brussels so I just said Whale had been on his own for a long time and was wondering when we'd be back. That did it. It's a good job the people sitting near us didn't understand English but I'm sure they got the message that Bear was not happy. We had all the usual insults from 'he should be in a home' to 'I wish he were dead' and the rest of the afternoon and evening passed with a definite ugly cloud hovering over Bear's head. I did my best to ignore him and made conversation with my neighbours. One lady gave me a sympathetic smile and said 'Men, they age badly. Mine's the same.'

If only she knew the half of it.