Last week I enjoyed an evening out for a festive meal with the lovely folk who make up Deeside Writers Group.  Of course we set ourselves a little writing task for the evening and that was to write a short piece (no more than 50 words) using the prompt "restaurant" (kindly provided by Val of Buchanan's Bistro, where we were dining).  I didn't think too hard about the task, and found that a piece came to me in the form of a song. Written to fit the tune of "Oh my darling Clementine", these are the words that appeared.  It seemed apt for this time of year, with the lovely orange fruits in abundance, that this tune came into my head.  It was a song that my dad used to sing, mainly if not only, on long car journeys.  I meandered off for a reminder of the words - "In a cavern, in a canyon, excavating for a mine, lived a miner, forty-niner, and his daughter, Clementine".  It is of course a tragic story, which I had forgotten in the intervening years.  So, I enjoyed my wander down memory lane; funny the paths some things lead us down.  Here is my offering - I had the foresight to print out several copies, and the group was generous in their joining in.  Happily the tune was familiar to everyone.  Oh I do like a good singalong!

Restaurant ditty
(to be sung to the tune of “Clementine”)
 
In a bistro
In the country
Near the Deeside
Railway Line
was a pair of
very fine chefs
and their cooking
most divine

Served they dishes
Of local produce
and some platters
mighty fine
And the diners
were not whiners
in that bistro
so divine
 

It's the first day of December - I suppose I need to start thinking about Christmas.  This reminded me about a (reverse) version of the Twelve Days of Christmas which I wrote a couple of years ago.  So, I thought I would share it with you here.  Hope it doesn't induce too much panic...

​The photos above were taken in Singapore three years ago, on the return journey from a wonderful trip to Australia.  It was my first experience of seeing Christmas trees in a warm climate - it was interesting to see the different take on form and decoration.

Twelve Days till Christmas

It’s twelve days till Christmas
and I haven’t done a thing
- I haven’t even got a Christmas tree!

It’s eleven days till Christmas
And I haven’t done a thing
- no presents bought
and I haven’t even got a Christmas tree!

It’s ten days till Christmas
And I haven’t done a thing
- no cards sent
-no presents bought
and I haven’t even got a Christmas tree!

It’s nine days till Christmas
And I haven’t done a thing
- no bauble hanging
- no cards sent
- no presents bought
and I haven’t even got a Christmas tree!

It’s eight days till Christmas
And I haven’t done a thing
- n o    c a r o l s    s u n g
- no bauble hanging
- no cards sent
- no presents bought
and I haven’t even got a Christmas tree!

It’s seven days till Christmas
And I haven’t done a thing
- no candle lighting
- n o    c a r o l s    s u n g
- no bauble hanging
- no cards sent
- no presents bought
and I haven’t even got a Christmas tree!

It’s six days till Christmas
And I haven’t done a thing
- no panic buying
- no candle lighting
- n o    c a r o l s    s u n g
- no bauble hanging
- no cards sent
- no presents bought
and I haven’t even got a Christmas tree!

It’s five days till Christmas
And I haven’t done a thing
- no ribbon tying
- no panic buying
- no candle lighting
- n o    c a r o l s    s u n g
- no bauble hanging
- no cards sent
- no presents bought
and I haven’t even got a Christmas tree!

It’s four days till Christmas
And I haven’t done a thing
- no present wrapping
- no ribbon tying
- no panic buying
- no candle lighting
- n o    c a r o l s    s u n g
- no bauble hanging
- no cards sent
- no presents bought
and I haven’t even got a Christmas tree!

It’s three days till Christmas
And I haven’t done a thing
- no mulled wine making
- no present wrapping
- no ribbon tying
- no panic buying
- no candle lighting
- n o    c a r o l s    s u n g
- no bauble hanging
- no cards sent
- no presents bought
and I haven’t even got a Christmas tree!

It’s two days till Christmas
And I haven’t done a thing
- no stocking filling
- no mulled wine making
- no present wrapping
- no ribbon tying
- no panic buying
- no candle lighting
- n o    c a r o l s    s u n g
- no bauble hanging
- no cards sent
- no presents bought
and I haven’t even got a Christmas tree!

It’s one day till Christmas
can I do it all today?
- no turkey stuffing
- no stocking filling
- no mulled wine making
- no present wrapping
- no ribbon tying
- no panic buying
- no candle lighting
- n o    c a r o l s    s u n g
- no bauble hanging
- no cards sent
- no presents bought
and I haven’t even got a Christmas tree!

If you fancy singing it at home or in the shower, please feel free.  If you would like your choir to sing it somewhere public, please can you tell them who wrote it? (chance would be a fine thing). 
​What I'm really saying is, copyright belongs to me!  
​