Our Village

Dearest readers,
I did want to do a post about Winter but, as my best friend has already completed just that, I didn't think there was much point, as I agree with her wholeheartedly! I just love winter, don't you?

A little while ago, my family (Mum and Mel), my best friend and I took to imagining our very own little village. Of course, this will probably never come to pass in this life-time but it is always pleasant to dream. Here are some notes we have taken;

People in our village:
-Mum and her husband (future)
-Aalyn, her husband and 3 children (future)
-Melanie, her husband and 2 children (future)
-Stephanie, her husband and 3 children (future)
-Sherrie and Adrian
-Fiona, Andrew and Joshua
-Von, Robert, Rueben and Ethan
-Mary, Anna and Maryanne
-Matt, Rebecca, Fraser and Ella
-Dad
-Nathan and Macha
-Rachel
-Nana and Pop
-Barbara and Keith
-Grandma and Grandfather
-Julian, Tracy, Jacob and Noah
-Jordan
-Rosie and future husband

Population (plus extra): 150

Professions:
-Mum: Lady of the land, gardener, picks flowers and vegetables for stores
-Mum’s husband: Lord of the land, traveller, collects artwork for gallery
-Aalyn: school teacher (primary)
-Aalyn’s husband: carpenter, owner of furniture store
-Aalyn’s children: boy; shepherd and helps in manor stables, girls: grape pickers
-Melanie: florist
-Melanie’s husband: vineyard farmer/ winemaker
-Melanie’s children: help out in florist, grape pickers
-Stephanie: behind the counter/ waitressing in bakery
-Stephanie’s husband: water mill/ bakery owner and full time baker
-Stephanie’s children: boy 1; shepherd and helps in manor stables, boy 2; bell boy/ helps in church, girl: helps in bakery/ grape picker
-Sherrie: French restaurant owner, chef
-Adrian: Main pastor at church
-Fiona and Andrew: music shop owners, musicians in orchestra
-Von: owner of art shop/ gallery
-Robert: livery store owner
-Rueben: mail run, helps in livery store
-Ethan: employee in restaurant
-Mary: owner of women’s finery store
-Anna: owner of clothing store
-Maryanne: Seamstress/ tailor and artist
-Matt and Rebecca: café/ bookstore owners
-Dad: dairy farmer/ cheese maker/ beekeeper
-Nathan and Macha: musicians in orchestra, theatre producers
-Rachel: Doctor/vet
-Pop: senior pastor in church
-Nana: Sunday school teacher, runs nursery
-Barbara: owner of post office
-Keith: high school teacher
-Grandma: grocery store owner
-Grandfather: woodsman
-Julian: constable
-Tracy: General store owner
-Jacob and Noah: help out in general store
-Jordan: Ironmonger/ candle maker
-Rosie: nurse in hospital
-Rosie’s husband: butcher

Notes:
-Mum and her husband’s manor has four wings and huge gardens plus extra woodland and lake
-Christmas Eve: everyone releases lanterns into night sky
-Christmas: night service at church, progressive dinner. Carol singers in front of huge Christmas tree in Main Square, holding candles (Aalyn and Stephanie run choir). Theatre production each year.
-Instead of Halloween: thanksgiving to the Lord for each other and the wonderful village
-May day: Huge celebration in Main Square, may pole. Tambourines, violins (etc.) playing lively music.
-Grape pickers would collect grapes in baskets and stomp on them in a large barrel.
-Stephanie and Aalyn’s shepherd sons would be best friends.
-Easter: morning service at church
-Church has bell tower, bell tolls every quarter of an hour
-All girls to wear dresses/skirts
-Village similar look to Cranford

So there you have it! Of course, there are probably mountains of things we have forgotten to include, but you get the gist of it. We wanted it to be old fashioned and lovely, probably situated somewhere in the English countryside with rolling hills and woods and bubbling brooks and wild deer and oh! There are so many beautiful things!

Anyhow, I have to get on with reading my book for English (for the second time). You see, I want to get as much study done on that book as I can because I do so want to pass English. The book is called 'My Place' by Sally Morgan. It is a rather sad book and can drag on a little at times but I think that it is very important for Australians to read. It is a story told from an Aboriginal's perspective and she is telling the story of her family and relations and what they had to go through not so very long ago. It is very touching, however Australian it may be!

Well then, my dears, tata for now!
Much love and deepest affection,
Miss Aalyn xx