A happy 25th PPUK Christmas to all…

[a twig]

Happy Christmas one and all - particular thanks once again to @malcolm whose generosity and determination has kept the forum going for yet another year - in fact this Christmas is the 25th that this forum has seen in, a mighty achievement!

As we have had a fair few new members I thought I’d re-re-post the PPUK Night before Christmas from previous years:

With apologies to C. C. Moore

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring except maybe a mouse


The trowels were downed, lime putty tucked away
And that high exterior ground level left to another day


Mama in her thermals and me in my robe
Were shivering in bed due to the draughty windows


When out on the lawn there rose such a clatter
I crawled out of bed to see what was the matter


Away to the window I stumbled and tripped
On some temporary wiring I’d promised to clip.


The moon on the breast of the material pile below
Reminded me of how far we still had to go


With nothing else to be seen I went downstairs instead
Forgetting the low beam and banging my head


As I crossed the hallway and entered the lounge
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound


He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;


“That flue needs a new liner” he said with a grin
“It’s rusted in places and terribly thin”


I smiled at him weakly and I tried to explain
The cost of HETAS installers would ruin me again


But he spoke no other word and went straight to his work
Filled all the stockings and turned with a jerk


And laying a finger aside of his nose
And giving a nod up the chimney he rose


He sprang to his sleigh and to his team gave a hoot
Dislodging loose tiles and damaging gutters to boot


But I heard him exclaim as from my view he diminished
“There’s so much potential - it’ll be lovely when it’s finished!”