The Parson’s Saw

As a child, I learnt this Shakespeare poem by heart

When icicles hang by the wall
And Dick the shepherd blows his nail
And Tom bears logs into the hall,
And milk comes frozen home in pail,
When blood is nipped and ways be foul,
Then nightly sings the staring owl,
Tu-who; Tu-whit, tu-who: a merry note,
While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.

When all aloud the wind doth blow,
And coughing drowns the parson's saw,
And birds sit brooding in the snow,
And Marion's nose looks red and raw
When roasted crabs hiss in the bowl,
Then nightly sings the staring owl,
Tu-who; Tu-whit, tu-who: a merry note,
While greasy Joan doth keel the pot.

My Dad explained that ‘saw’ was another word for sermon – but as he, like Bob, was good at DIY, he would often quote the poem when he was doing woodwork. The weather has turned colder these past few days, and we have had lots of rain. Tonight Bob is cooking the meal – we’re thrilled to have Liz and Jon staying with us for a couple of days. This unlikely cooking implement has been in the kitchen…

I will make no comment whatsoever about my SIL Marion’s nose. And I have no idea who Tom, Dick and Harry Joan are!