Ladies Night (and chip van)

As I was on my way to the ladies night at Weston school, I made an amazing discovery.  Aston has a chip van.  It comes to Yates Ave on a Friday night between 7.30 and 8.15.  I had already eaten before I saw it so I didn't buy any, but I will be sure to let you know if they are any good when I do try some.  That's definately a 'when' and not an 'if' as I will be trying them.  Mmm chips.

The Ladies Night was a fundraising event for Weston school and it had lots of stalls selling cards, accessories, jewellery and some foody things.  These was also a bar and various treatments on offer for a fiver such as hot stone massage, facials, nails and eyebrow shaping.  I don't think there were quite as many people  at the ladies night as in previous years, but there were just as many stalls.  Lots of handmade stuff.  There was a stall which did handmade jams, pickles and chocolate and they had loads out at the front to try. I think I must be that kind of stalls worst nightmare as I like to try all the samples but don't very often buy anything.  The chocolate was really good, well most of it anyway.  The rose and bergamot white chocolate was good as was the lemongrass flavour white chocolate, the caramel milk chocolate and the Christmas spice chocolate.  The Christmas tree chocolate was not so good tasted as though it was made with real Christmas trees.  I spent ages talking to the people on the herbalife stall.  It must be hard to sell a weight loss product because it would be quite tactless to go up to someone and say "You look like you need to lose a bit of weight.  Fancy trying our new weight loss product?".  I think they get round this by dropping leaflets through doors and having stalls at events such as this one.  There were a few things I could have bought but I settled on buying a nice handmade headband for my daughter.  As at most events of this sort there was a raffle at the end.  I didn't win though.  Maybe next time eh.

Weston Produce Show

The produce show is one of the most villagy things you can get.  I've lived in towns and visited many towns and cities too but never have I seen a competition for growing fruit and veg anywhere but in a village hall.  The Weston produce show had entries from people in Aston as well as the people from the 2 villages pretty much join in everything the other one does.  As well as classes for fruit and vegetables there were also a few craft and photography classes and also classes for children to enter.  As far as I can tell the competition is friendly; I have heard of some villages where people sneak over the neighbours fence and sabotage the crops in the garden to give themselves a better chance of winning, but I think the competition is friendly in Weston. They don't take it any less seriously though.  Winning the most points in the produce show is a big deal for the folks in Weston, well at least for families in Weston anyway as most of the entries seem to come from them and then a few other people will enter one thing here and there.  I'd love to tell you all who actually won, but I can't remember.  That's what comes of writing about something a month after it happened.

After all the trophies have been handed out they auction off the produce in aid of a good cause.  ( I think this time it was part the air ambulance and the rest to the village hall funds).  Mr Hackett from Shardlow was the auctioneer and he's been doing auctions for as long as I can remember.  I heard quite a few years ago on the grapevine that he wanted to retire, but it seems he hasn't managed to yet.  I can't believe no-one else wants to do it though.  I think it would be fun.  Maybe it's because he is good at it and he'd be a hard act to follow.  Anyway the produce auction is brilliant.  Lots of lovely home grown veg at bargain prices.  The auction was very friendly as well. We just lost out in the bidding on a plate of cakes and the person who won gave us one of them. Others who won something they were bidding on did a similar thing.