Chapter 22
It was Tuesday once more, time floating by like a leaf caught in a swift breeze, and it was time for Cath to do her visit to the care home.
Entering the reception area, she saw that the place had been festively decorated throughout.
Metallic streamers and garlands caught the light as they danced from the ceiling, a small fake fir stood on the table in the entrance area, adorned with colourful twinkling lights.
In the day room was an even bigger tree, almost to the ceiling, glowing prettily with warm-white lights, lots of silver and gold tinsel, and literally a hundred baubles and bold-red bows. Christmas had landed at the care home. It gave the place a celebratory atmosphere.
Today, it was Joan’s turn to chat, a lovely lady in her nineties.
Cath took the seat beside her. The elderly woman’s back was so bent over she had trouble straightening enough to make eye contact.
But the two of them talked easily, Joan telling Cath all about life in Kirkton in her land army days, yet a little later on not being able to remember what she’d had for lunch.
Joan’s eyes sparkled as she told of dances over at Milfield camp, and how they even had a cinema in Kirkton back then.
They were allowed two late passes out per week until eleven p.m. Joan finished her reminiscing by telling Cath how she’d never returned to live back in Newcastle again, having fallen for a handsome young farmer.
Marriage and two children had followed, and a hard-working but fulfilling and happy life spent in the Northumbrian countryside nearby.
The old lady seemed rather tired after recalling all those magical memories, so Cath said how lovely it had been to hear her story, but that it was time to move on and give someone else a chance to chat.
Cath gave Reggie a cheery wave from across the room, but thought it only fair to give her time to someone new for her second half hour.
She was just going to ask carer Linda who she felt might best benefit from a bit of company, when in bustled the manager, Julie, sounding rather flustered.
‘Linda, I’ve just had a call. The church group have had to cancel the carols.’
‘Oh crikey, no! What a shame. Everyone’s so looking forward to it,’ responded the carer.
‘They’re all down with flu, apparently,’ Julie explained.
‘Oh, dear,’ added Cath, imagining how they’d be missed. The sing-along had sounded so lovely when Linda had told her about it last week.
‘I know. The residents always love it, too. Carols around the Christmas tree. Mince pies, the works. We do it every year,’ added Julie.
‘Can’t risk anyone getting the flu here, mind,’ said Linda.
‘Absolutely not,’ confirmed Julie. ‘Josie, the group’s leader, sounded terrible. She could hardly speak, let alone sing.’
Cath knew how much the carols meant to some of the residents here and it set cogs turning in her mind.
And Lily’s idea, many weeks ago now, of carols and mince pies around a Christmas tree felt like the hand of fate.
And then she remembered how Dan had wondered if they could actually sing as a group.
But company, they could certainly give a bit of chatty company, along with some homemade mince pies.
It had been lovely talking with Joan here today.
Andreas would be up for it, for sure, his mother, Maria, having been a much-loved and well-cared-for resident until her recent passing.
Could she? Should she venture their help as a group? They’d given so much of their time already.
But it’d be nice for the group to get to know some of the residents before their village lunch event.
Cath had yet to speak with Julie and find out definite numbers for that.
But it would be such a shame if they had to miss out this week.
The festive decorations were up, and the big Christmas tree was looking so pretty.
It wouldn’t be hard to do a short festive visit.
Just a little time and conversation, and perhaps one quick carol to end.
She couldn’t stop herself. Even if it was just her and Andreas, so be it. ‘We could do it. I mean it wouldn’t be anything like a group of practised singers. More conversation and mince pies, really.’
‘You’d be prepared to do that? Really? Who do you have in mind to come along with you?’ Julie looked rather gobsmacked.
‘Me and the group who are organising the Christmas lunch in the village. You know Andreas, Maria’s son, and his partner, Dan.’
‘Ah yes, of course.’
‘And there’s a couple of others from the village: Nikki and her niece, Lily. Oh, and Will.’
Fingers crossed, they’d all be up for it and that she could get them here.
‘When’s it scheduled for?’ Cath checked.
‘Thursday at four p.m.’ That was only two days away.
Oops. Andreas and Dan had the shop. Will had his cycling store. Lily was at school. ‘Could we possibly make it for five-ish?’
‘Of course. We can shift teatime a little earlier, I’m sure.
’ Julie gave a warm smile. Linda was beaming.
Joan was having her well-earned nap. Philip, whom she’d met last week, gave a nod from across the room, and there were Betty and Vera settled watching TV, as Reggie gave her another cheery wave.
There was no way she was letting them down now.
*
They arrived at the care home, laden with tubs of freshly baked goodies.
Homemade buttery shortbread care of Cath, always a treat, and Lily who hadn’t had so much time for baking with her studies and restaurant work, had got up super-early, desperate to try out her idea of mince pies three ways: traditional with buttery, crisp pastry, star-topped flaky with a hint of sherry, and some with a sprinkling of marzipan that gave a taste of stollen.
The group had come in two cars, and yes, they’d come up trumps, being a full house of fabulous supper club volunteers. Andreas and Dan had even closed the stores slightly early, with Will coming straight across from the cycling shop.
It was just before five p.m., and the residents had finished their early supper. The idea was that the six volunteers would sit in the lounge with the elderly and engage in some chat.
Cath was looking forward to seeing Reggie and her new friends from the home again.
The day room was busier than ever, with an eager gathering waiting to be entertained.
Lily’s mince pies had been plated up and were now being passed around.
The residents hadn’t been served any dessert today on purpose, which had apparently resulted in one or two grumbles at the dinner table but Cath had advised they were bringing along some festive sweet treats.
After them touring the room to chat for around fifteen minutes. One elderly lady seemed to be somewhat agitated, rocking in her chair as she said, ‘Why aren’t they singing? You said there’d be singing.’
‘Oh, that’s not happening today now, Gladys. The carol singers are down with flu. They’ve had to cancel,’ Linda, who was handing out cups of tea, explained.
‘Oh …’ The rocking got more persistent.
‘Well, that’s a bloody shame,’ chipped in Philip. ‘I like a bit of singing, me.’
There was a chorus of disappointed voices. Oh dear, this wasn’t the reception or impact they’d hoped for.
‘Well, what are they here for then?’
‘They’ve made and brought in all this lovely food for you all. The mince pies and biscuits you’re eating. And they’ve come for a chat,’ Linda explained.
‘Oh, but the carols were the best bit.’
‘It’s not Christmas without carols.’
Andreas and Dan looked to Cath. Will shrugged, and Nikki tried a weak smile. Lily wasn’t sure what to say, when the old chap beside her piped up, ‘Well, do you like singing, love?’
‘Umm,’ was all she could muster.
‘Do you know “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”?’ asked another.
‘Right then, that’s enough about singing, you lot. These lovely people have given up their time to come and chat with you, and they’ve brought you all these goodies. You’re very lucky to have them here.’ Julie stepped in, trying to appease the situation, mouthing, ‘Sorry,’ across at Cath.
Andreas then whispered something to Dan, who motioned to Cath and Nikki to come over, who then went back to pass the word to Will and Lily respectively.
Dan fished his mobile phone from his pocket, and quickly did a search on his Spotify.
Soon, the opening bars to ‘Jingle Bells’ started and the supper clubbers stood up, one by one, shuffling to make an informal group at the centre of the day room.
The first notes came out somewhat shakily, then Dan and Andreas began to pair in unison.
Cath joined in enthusiastically being well used to school assemblies, with Nikki half-humming half-singing whilst performing some actions with gusto – her own made-up ones – to counteract her lack of vocal skills.
Lily started shyly but then got into the swing of it, with Will at the last, surprising them all with a rather good tenor voice.
Soon, some of the residents began swaying in their seats and clapping their hands, and a few joined in with the singing, warbling away merrily.
‘Jingle Bells’ finished to a round of staggered applause, and a cheer from one old lady, which woke up a male resident who’d managed to miss the whole event up until this point.
‘Oh, what was that then? Is Father Christmas here?’ His eyelids batted open.
‘Not yet, Leonard. We’re just trying to sing to wake up him and his reindeer.’ One of the nursing assistants smiled.
‘Oh, lovely. Tell him I’d like a new hearing aid. This one’s knackered.’ He gave a toothy grin and chuckled to himself.
‘Another tune?’ Dan asked, scrolling through his phone once more.
‘Why not?’ Will smiled.
‘In for a penny …’ Nikki added.
‘Rudolph?’ Lily suggested. ‘With his very shiny nose? We all know that one.’
And off they jollied, with a rousing rendition, now both old and young were finding their voices.
It turned into a volley of requests being launched from around the room.
They got away with a couple of verses of ‘Away in a Manger’ but struggled with some of the words.
And ‘Silent Night’ was extremely high-pitched, causing Vera to heckle them, calling out that they sounded like a load of wailing cats. They had a chuckle at that.
They wrapped things up with a cheerful ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas!’ with the whole audience and carers joining in. Receiving hearty applause and a couple of ‘hurrahs’ from the gathering.
Phew, it was time to collapse on a high-backed chair and partake of a cup of tea and a mince pie themselves.
‘Thank you so much. That was brilliant.’ Julie came over to them, grinning widely.
‘Aw, that was so good. Hidden talents, you lot. They loved that,’ added Linda, bringing over the tea trolley and serving the newfound choir a well-earned cuppa.
Reggie then came over to thank them. And, helping himself to another mince pie, he added, ‘These are almost as good as my Elsie used to make.’
The mince pies were crumbly, festive-spiced and delicious. Cath especially loved the marzipan-laced one. ‘These are amazing, Lily. Thanks for all that hard work. Well done, you.’
‘Yes, those mince pies were delicious. Might need to get the recipe off you to make them at home,’ added Julie.
‘Oh, and Cath, I’ll catch up with you by email on the Christmas lunch event.
We have a few interested in going. And I’ll check times with you for the minibus transfers. But we can sort that another day.’
‘Ah, that’s great. I’ll look out for your email.’ Aw, she hoped Reggie would be amongst them, and have the chance to come back and enjoy the newly spruced-up hall and the village that was his home for so many years.
‘Oh, and Lily here will be happy to share her mince pie recipe, for sure,’ Cath continued. ‘She’s our budding chef.’
Cath felt proud of their youngest group member and, in fact, the whole lot of them.
What a lovely couple of hours it had turned out to be.
Who knew they could even sing like that?
And what they lacked in talent, they more than made up for with enthusiasm.
It felt like they’d sprinkled a bit of ‘joy glitter’ over the home and its residents.