As intimated in my last posting before the festivities got well and truly under way (and they're not over yet by any means), Christmas in Millbrook only truly begins when Dong hosts his legendary mulled wine and mince pie evening.
And so it came to pass that on the day before Christmas Eve the great, the good and quite a few who answer to neither of those descriptions gathered at Dong's abode in the depths of Millbrook village to partake of his hospitality.
Millbrook glitterati spotters will recognise the slice of Mrs The Millbrooker, Big Bob, The Sump and Shazzerooneypoos in the above shot as they enjoy their warm spicy alcohol. Just visible in the background are The Leaderene and Mr B.
Making one of his occasional appearances was everybody's favourite sailor J.Edgar with his paramour Catherine.
The gathering was graced with the presence of local superstar Pete Stanniforth who declined to sing his best known composition The Millbrook Song*. Probably because no one asked him to. He's seen here in the foreground with his lovely wife Cathy and with Dong doing his hosting thing.
I'm sure that I needn't describe the goings-on in any great detail, it was a social soiree - we drank, we yakked, we told those stories of Christmases past that have become better and better over the years (the stories that is - not the Christmases).
Some silly old bugger imposed himself upon the sofa and terrorised La Sumpetta.
Arbuthnot and Dorothy made an appearance. There is no shot of the still brunette Dorothy due to poor lighting conditions (sigh of relief from Southdown, audible at Millbrooker Towers), but Arbuthnot stayed underneath a lamp for long enough to have his portrait taken.
It only remains to say a big thank you to Dong and Shazzerooneypoos for kick starting Christmas in their inimitable style, a jolly fine time was had by all.
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*The Millbrook Song
A song of variable verses and length according to local events within the singer's recent experience. Some verses have become permanent fixtures, Dong has been known to quote extensively from these. Dong also owns the CD recorded by the talented Mr Stanniforth upon which this song appears in, arguably, its definitive version.
The chorus lyrics:
"Happier than pigs in muck
Living the Millbrook way
Up with the sun when the giro comes
Then pissed for the rest for the day."
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