FROZEN ASSET

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32803, 31 December 1971, Page 17

FROZEN ASSET

Many adults find that Christmases come and go with almost bewildering rapidity—a fact that most do not particularly care to dwell upon. But by this time of the year the titular head of the house has shaken aside the lethargy induced by a burst of high living so symptomatic of the season. If he is past his prime he may feel the first nagging twinges of gout while others, much younger, become suddenly aware that their digestive systems are not what they were and note a marked dimunition in their recuperative powers —physical, of course. On the other hand, however, housewives as a rule, have not fully recovered from their wonderful response to the call of duty. The fobnight preceding Christmas, while her husband is warming up to a series of office parties and revelling in the attendant bonhomie, it finds her

extremely busy. By that time she has purchased the Christmas cards, shown secretarial flair in deciding accurately to whom she should send them, addressed and posted them. It’s merely a prelude to the manifold tasks that are yet to confront her, including the tiring, time consuming task of Christmas shopping carefully chosen gifts yet to be wrapped. To say nothing of a second spring cleaning programme and inevitably, spending much of her time and energy in cooking.

There is at least one Christchurch woman who, as is customary with her, approached her tasks with dedication. It is always her aim to have everything attended to prior to Christmas eve a day which she invariably regards as one of rest and relaxation. This mission was accomplished again last year and by 10 a.m. on Christmas Eve she enjoyed the luxury of a

bubble bath and wore for the first time, her new summer frock. She was resting and reeding when her telephone rang. The • call was from her closest friend who explained that she was called away suddenly to Dunedin and would like her if she had the time and her deep freeze was not full to . pack and freeze a few fillets of fish her husband had caught explaining that her cabinet was - crammed full. * Her friend arrived within the hour on her doorstep carrying with extreme difficulty, a bulky parcel. . A few minutes of idle chatter and she was on . her way. The good samari- - tan opened the parcel and recoiled in horror. She changed into house clothes and was soon hard at work packing and sealing in lots of four to a parcel, 451 b of dissected groper. She would be excused for still retaining the thought that there was something fishy about the whole deal.