h♥me sweet h♥me

3-7pm tomorrow is the Saxmundham Christmas Fayre with a glitter bar and LED Hula Hoop Disco!, and mulled wine, mince pies and a free raffle ticket at the George Farnham Gallery in the High Street.

Only a bit surprising that both Al Murray and Austentatious SOLD OUT for early next month at the Norwich Theatre.

The village doesn't support you?  Promote yourself on nearthecoast.

It's so rewarding when someone gets it and Saxmundham's socialbar have bought us coffees and said nice things.  No doubt they'll be doing something special for Saturday's Christmas Fayre and we will re-visit soon to see a swan latte being constructed live.

The year moves on, Sunday fortnight is the shortest day.

The semi-retired Sweffling printroom (they're having a SALE the weekend 21-22 February) are planning the new web site Culture Edit Suffolk to focus on the small-scale arts scene in Suffolk.  You can help by taking their survey, it only took us two minutes.

We now live on Instagram at nearbythecoast so we'll be deleting alsoconsidered tomorrow.

It's day four on our Advent playlist ...

The Pascale Ferran Lady Chatterley is very French, long and involving.  It worried our anorak brain that twice at the spring a metal cup just appears whilst on a third occasion Lady C drinks from her hands ... it's the cross we bear.

Another Christmas market, this one at Wingfield Barns this weekend and with the usual treats plus wood fired pizza.

The first window on your Advent calendar maybe today but yesterday was Advent Sunday.

The nearthecoast Advent playlist starts with our all time Christmas tv ad.

4pm for 4:30pm today in Grundisburgh Village Hall the very excellent Etre et Avoir, don't know if the club does guests, ask the secretary peter@peterkendall.com.

Out of work ploughboys dance a slow heavy step in a strict and particular fashion and demand money with menaces ... the Old Glory Molly Dancers tour Framlingham Tonight.

Anorak Alert No.73: Streamed Darkest Hour last night and enjoyed it but when the cabinet was discussing that unlike WWI the German tanks would be able to refuel at petrol stations surely in the 1940s that would have been American usage ... like calling a lorry a truck?

This weekend it's the Halesworth Cut's Grand Bazaar there is Christmas shopping from makers both and from far away along with hot chocolate and mulled wine in the cafe.

#FollowFriday ain't too proud to beg eh?

The fortnightly(ish) digest emails out this afternoon ... click Jaques Tati to get yours for free ...

We're rather enjoying revisiting Ally McBeal ... forgotten how silly it could be.

artEast have pointed out that Howard J Morgan exhibited with them but sadly passed away before the actual show.  His very desirable work is still available framed and signed.

The Art Station in Saxmundham has started a silent auction running for a calendar month.  Private view (with a drink to celebrate the year) 6-8pm tomorrow.

Our Alamy stock photo portfolio has over 10,000 images.

If you like what we do you could buy us a coffee, sadly we can't accept Costa Coffee points but ... a lovely latte? ... a capricious cappuccino? ... how very kind.

Much respect to players and supporters yesterday in a perpetually moist and very chilly Long Stratton.

How to promote yourself on nearthecoast.com.

Medieval map makers knew there was a brewery in Southwold but they didn't know where exactly so in a rough area they just put Here be flagons.

Already Christmas is making us ill at ease but Sudbourne Printmakers must be braver as they have two weekend shows coming up with complimentary mince pies and mulled wine.

Suffolk Overheard:  ... with extra bread and can I use the phone?

Preloaded free SIMs are available at Suffolk Community Libraries as part of the Good Things Foundation's digital inclusion.