Kindfulness

Let’s see if we can all find ways to spread a little happiness in the midst of this busy time of year. Little things can really change someone’s day. Offer to make someone a cup of tea or coffee, phone someone for a chat, let someone go in front of you in a queue, say hello to someone you don’t really know, pick up a piece of litter, pay someone a compliment, be the first to say sorry… what will you do? Being kind improves our own sense of connectedness and happiness and reduces our own negative feelings as well as being great for the other person!

Poetry in the Park

There will be a gathering of poetry enthusiasts this Sunday, December 19 at 3 pm. However, as it is so cold and potentially wet at the moment, this will be in the Old Chapel on Frog Street. The front door is closed, but access will be through the side door to share poetry in the warm and dry. Everyone is welcome, with or without poetry to share, please come along! Poetry could be of a mid-winter or Christmas theme, or of anything else you would like to share with us - or just come along to listen!

Layer Up!

Did you know that the average temperature in a British house was 12 degrees in 1970 and is 19 degrees now? Did you know that the warmer your house is, the fewer calories you burn staying warm, so the more fat you retain? One of the simplest things to do to help with global warning is to turn down the heating in your home – not so it is cold, just so you need to put on a jumper (and maybe another jumper!).

Blindfold Obstacle Course.

Two people can do this, or more! Decide on a route round a room or the whole building, with maybe some obstacles placed in the way – perhaps soft ones in case of bumps! One person is blindfolded and the other person has to give them clear instructions on how to get safely round the route without bumping in to anything. You could time how long it takes, or count how many times there are unexpected encounters with objects if you wish. Then swap the blindfolded person and the instructor and see how it works that way. You could make the route harder and then both have another go too.

Tenby Community Fridge.

Last week 64 kilos of perfectly good food was saved from the bin! Congratulations to everyone who dropped some food to the fridge (including Tenby Post Office – thanks guys!) and to everyone who came and picked some up. Each week there is more food arriving at the fridge and more people coming to take and use some of it, which is wonderful.

The Fridge is at the back of the community café (lovely soups, sandwiches and cakes for a donation!) in the Old Chapel on Lower Frog St and is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to about 4 pm. Everyone is invited to help reduce food waste in Tenby by popping in to see if there is anything they can use, and to drop off anything they have realised they will not be able to use quickly enough. Together, we can all make a big difference.

Christmas Chains

Remember making these with crepe paper? You need two different colours, and you cut a strip off each colour which is exactly the same width. Glue or staple the two strips together at right angles to each other. Fold the lower strip over the upper, and then the new lower strip over the other way, so left over right, top over bottom, right over left, bottom over top and keep going to the end of the strips of paper. Glue or staple them together, and it will stretch out into a garland. You can do this with any long strips of paper, but crepe has a nice bit of stretch. You can also add on strips to make a longer chain by gluing a new piece on in the same direction just before it runs out.

Pig

This is the unlikely name for a game for at least two players, requiring one dice, and a pen and paper for each player. Each player has a turn rolling the dice and adding up each total, aiming to get to 100. They can keep rolling, but, if they roll a 1, they lose all their points from that round and their turn ends. They can decide to pass the dice on at any point, though. Are you better off banking more points or keeping going and risking losing them? You’ll have to play it to find out...

Make some Reindeer food.

Rather than the glitter filled version sometimes found in the shops, here’s a recipe for making your own. Gather together an apple, a carrot, a lump of ageing cheese, some porridge oats, and some leftover uncooked pastry if you have any. Grate the apple, carrot and cheese. Place in a bowl and mix in the porridge and dried fruit. Crumble in the pastry and mix well. Divide into little bags so everyone who wants to can help sprinkle it on the garden or nearby outdoor space on Christmas Eve ready for the Reindeer: carrots to help them see in the dark, apples for fresh breath, oats for energy, and the dried fruit and pastry are like a reindeer mince pie! The birds will love it too!