Carol Service

The service of nine lessons and carols was if I remember correctly begun in 1919 just after the Great War, this to bring some joy to a hurting nation.  Quite how the nation responded I am not sure, however, the idea became popular and persists till this day.  

Tonight, our Canon, John, designed a variation of this theme, with carols, readings, some varied from the usual, and a few words after each to enlightened the congregation.  I thought he designed it very well indeed.

Quite a few strangers attended, apparently the vicar had been pushing leaflets through doors and speaking to people all around.  I suggest putting out 1000 leaflets may bring in one solitary person, but that would be a good result, I think he brought in quite a few more tonight.

The Mulled Wine afterwards disappeared quickly, not by me I must say, I had to wait for the later outpouring as this lot grabbed the first quickly!  Tsk!  However, the evening went well, Jesu entry into the world was celebrated, and the story told once again.

I went into a cogitation during this, just wondering why Jesu really had to come to earth in this way.  However, there was no other way to redeem sin filled people but a Holy sacrifice.  Sacrifice to take away sin is in many societies, here it was a sacrifice of the Holy God for sinful people.  Instead of us making the sacrifice God himself does it!  What a thought!

  

Solstice

@EnglishHeritage

I considered jumping upon my new helicopter and hovering about Wiltshire for a while, to see in the Winter Solstice this morning.  There were of course problems with this, for a start I was not awake early enough, the weather was dreich, and I do not possess a new, or indeed an old, helicopter.  All those are owned by one Rishi Sunak whoever he was.  

Another objection to travelling all that way was the people that I would meet there.  Those who pretend they are druids, though nobody has any idea what druids really were like.  It was Julius Caesar and Tacitus who have left us the best descriptions, and there are problems with both.  The Romans thus tended to see them as human sacrificing weirdo's while the Greeks limited information preferred to see the druids as some sort of wise man.  Today many think of the druid in Asterix the Gaul as a real individual, or someone out of a Harry Potter story.  This morning will have seen many dressed in white pretending they are druids, some belonging to druid societies, and others jumping on the bandwagon.

@EnglishHeritage

Thousands turned up for the chilly start to the day, wrapped up warm and far from the car park.  English Heritage car parks will have enjoyed today I think.  The sight of half naked men doing yoga on the grass in the middle of the stones may appeal to some of course, while many enjoy the fact that from now on the nights get shorter and the days longer, others are actually worshipping the sun.  Most are not doing this, just being face painted in modern woad, enjoying the gathering and the freaks, and the event.  Some clearly have found a new faith, though what is it and will it take them through the day?  Well no, only Jesus can do this, but the majority of the tinkering classes there will return to a nice warm house and not a wooden round house that used to be home to real druids, the cold removed by warm cooked breakfast and gin and tonic.  Possibly the best part of the morning.

The Landlord, a decent sort, sent a Christmas greeting, "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,"  By the way the latest rental act means contracts require amending and rents may go up.  Or you are out on your ear in March.

Nice greetings I thought.

I will look into it later but the fact is I willingly pay higher rent to stay here, I like it.  Also, my rent has not gone up for years, so I am not in a position to grumble, they have always been good to me.

Parcels...

I was quite confused this morning.  A parcel ought to have been delivered last night, this I was informed off at 10 mins to 5 pm!  So, I sat up here watching the Heart of Midlothian commit suicide and got a notice at 15 mins to 9 pm that Royal Mail would not be delivering after all.

This morning, just about 7:30, I got a message saying my parcels had been delivered.  The attached picture showed two such at someone else's door, an unrecognised door.  I went down to look, nothing to see, though two letters had been delivered, possibly late last night.  This troubled me, missing parcels, which door, and still not had my coffee.  

Then the doorbell rang.  A postman apologised for the early hour and offered me a box!  It was mine so I grabbed it in both hands.  I mentioned the missing parcels and he, as a good postman ought, ran away.  I returned to my coffee, once again checked the Royal Mail email and discovered the parcel just delivered had been delivered.  Good!  I looked again and noticed the other picture, with mysterious parcels, had disappeared.  So, the postie had hit the wrong button and left me worrying for nothing, I think...

Anyway, I hobbled around to Tesco for last orders, bumped into a couple of cold church people, stupidly came home the long way via the park, wandered slowly while chatting to a lonely old woman being walked by her dog.  This morning I had spoken to several people, possibly the Christmas spirit, possibly this is how this town works.  

I spent some times ending an email to several people, four of whom refused it via the Spam Folder, and one who had a mass of words to look at.  This sorted itself later.  Worn out I slid into a stupor where little happened.  Not much change from normal really.  

Later, as I ate my frugal tea, my sister called to inform me of my cousins death.  She was 90, had suffered dementia for some time and this was somewhat expected.  However, that is four deaths I have had in about three months.  None were young, and this is what life brings, but it is something I would like to avoid.  

Books...or Lack off

It's been a bad year for books in that I have hardly read any.   Too much time girning on Twitter about the state of the world does not help, and having two somewhat interesting but slow reads does not help.  These are the type of books that require reading but have too many words.  I gave up on at least one, for the second time, and have been slowly ploughing through the others so have discovered one that moves a wee bit faster.  That will be finished sometime after the New Year.  

I seem to read much less than before, I have stopped a couple of magazines as they were not being read,  and having taken to Podcasts I find I have a long list of these urgent pods that I have not got round to.  Is life getting faster or am I slowing down?

I am expecting a parcel to arrive tomorrow, unless it comes late tonight, from one of my favourite nieces.  This will be a hardback book, chosen by her son, and will be exactly what I am looking for, it always is!  They make a great combination when it comes to choosing books for me.

Maybe I ought to have sent them something back...?

See how busy I have been, I have nothing more to write...

Right Wing Fantasists?

 

I came across this programme today and watched for short while.  Folks my age will have known all about this since they were in primary school and I began to wonder why such videos are popular now. 

Men will always be interested in war films, some because they wish to go to war, some because it is interesting to see real footage of men in action and appreciate the suffering that occurs.  There again as Rabbie Burns said "All me wish they had been a sodger."  Actually he was wrong there, but I understand where he comes from.  It is always the minority who serve in wars who wish to continue in war, the majority just want to go back home.  

When I read the 'Daily Mail' online I found many who spoke highly of the German army in WW2.  It was clear there were, and remain, many who consider such a right-wing approach to life worth having.  It is possible they had grandfathers amongst Moseley's Blackshirts of course, and it could be these are the people who actually believe in Farage and his lies.  They see truth in the middle of his speeches but not the real reason behind them, and truth is not the real reason at any time with Nigel.

The German army marching away bearing a 'mark of the beast' did not return.  Many had marched through Paris after their quick victory in 1940 and considered this would occur again when confronting what they had been told were semi-human people.  The majority did not return to a glorious march past.  

So what daydreams call many to watch this film?  I turned it off as I have seen it all before and while interesting it is old news to people like me.  However, does a younger generation seek to understand this as we do the Great War?  Or do they have a fantasy of fascist superiority I wonder?

Dreich!

Dreich!  It's always dreich at Christmas.  The cards may show lots of snow scenes, snowmen, and winter joy, but in the real world December is a daft month to have a celebration.  

Now, we all know the reason we have Christmas in December, it was a monk's idea to limit the excesses of the long '12 Days of Christmas,' actually based on the winter solstice and the 'I think I'm smart' people keep telling us this as if we didn't know it, that led to debauchery and much drunkenness, possibly in his monastery.  All that resulted was a religious festival that resulted in 12 days of debauchery and drunkenness.  

Scotland of course banned Christmas,  Cromwell attempted this also but with less success, the English like to be drunk, and it left England with a Christmas binge and Scotland with a secular one at Hogmanay.  Clever people observe both.

Celebrating the turn of the season's is understandable.  Prehistoric man did this, he was no fool, and knew that from now on, well December 21st for us, the days get longer and there is hope for Spring to, er, Spring.  For most today the hope is for a successful family gathering, that Uncle Joe will not get arrested for fondling the neighbours dog, for presents that keep the kids happy, and money to be found to pay for this.  

The government, having today attacked the WASPI women, will continue to save money by ignoring the poorest, but at least, while Christmas is on they will not be making public mistakes, just hidden ones that will come to light some time later.   

Another week before the big anti-climax for many.  Can you stand the suspense...?

Cat

 

Christmas Market 2024

Dreich Market

So, I wandered out unwillingly once again just in case something special and indeed useful could be found in the market.  Failure did not surprise me.  I, being half dead mentally, forgot most things I wanted in the shop, trailed a wee bit through the handful of stalls, and raced back home via the park.  A wee walk among green is always good for the mind.  What?  Who said 'You need to visit a jungle in that case?'  Who?

It was indeed a bit dreich.  The clouds behind me much darker than seen here.  This of course did not stop the dog walkers, not that the dogs would allow them to remain indoors whatever the weather.   
I was trying out this wee camera I bought cheap.  It appears to do the job but it is not great.  I wanted it as a wee camera in my pocket but it is in fact quite heavy a much bulkier than I had thought.  It also demanded a new battery, which I thought I had but did not, which meant awaiting one in the post.

Similarly, I now required a battery charger which I did not have, the one I possessed did not fit this type.  Not unusual to find tech problems in this house.  However, it may work better when the sun shines, which may happen next week, or the week after...

Happy Monday

 

A Storm in Syria

We are enduring another storm with a silly name today, Storm Darragh!  Winds blow things across the west of the country, while we endure strong gusts and rain.  This is not to bead here but I remain indoors.

Once again graphic warnings were made, not to avoid catastrophe but to ensue no politician or weatherman is blamed for not warning of a storm.  If he fails a storm arises and they don't like that, especially when it is a 'Daily Mail' fake outrage storm.

Once upon a time we were warned a storm was approaching, it is December after all, and we sat it out.  Why do we need all this fuss?  We need less fuss and more action, and less silly names for a storm.

Daily Telegraph

 

A lightning attack in Syria might mean the end of the Syrian war, a war that began in 2011 with a local uprising.  The Assad regime has held on since then with Russian help, help that may be lessened by the war in Ukraine.  

It appears in this fast moving situation Aleppo and now the important city of Homs have been taken by the rebel alliance, an alliance if several Islamic groups and some with support from Turkey.  Fighting continues and reporting is rare at the moment  as journalists cannot enter some areas, and rumour always speaks louder than fact.

Israel's attacks on Hezbollah and Iranian backed groups has weakened Assad's control.  With Iran losing power and Russia looking for other ways to continue its influence Assad himself may have to flee.  Those Arab states that recognised his power have been very quiet, a disagreeable situation for him, and the loss of friends means the loss of control.

There are 27 million refugees in the world, a few million of them coming from Syria, many living in tents for many years.  Maybe, just maybe, there is a chance for them to return home.

But what then?  Israel is happy with a weak Assad regime, they will not be happy with a contentious Islamic gathering in Syria.  What happens now?

Prejudice

A clip on Twitter offered the sight of an elderly middle class woman making a point about migrants.  She did not want any.  And when asked re those who flee war she stated that there was too much emphasis on war, giving the impression she did not believe them, or was just heartless. 

In truth, she was just indicating what she had learned from the likes of Farage, the 'Daily Mail,' and other right wing liars.  It is likely she had not investigated whether things printed were true or not, and this was a truth she wished to accept.  The woman is just another who cannot accept the world she grew up in is changing.

There is no doubt life is difficult for us all when we see our world change and change out of our control. Poor and deliberate bad journalism will not help, facts on all sides are misused to suit the opinion sought.  And when our world changes it can be difficult.  Whether the villages she claimed were 'scared' because of all the incomers we cannot tell, she was not asked to name such villages, though they may exist.  They may also be just another report from a housewife's gathering of course.

I notice changes in this small town also.  There are quite a number of single young men appearing, mostly of middle eastern/Turkish appearance.  Where do they come from?  Where do they stay?  Why are they alone?  Alone apart from those they accompany, and who are they?  Are they trapped in some modern slavery trap, though I doubt they would be running on the streets.  Did they come across on a boat?

There is no doubt it takes some getting used to when many foreign types arrive.  During the war such was inevitable, US airmen black and white, spent 3 years in the town, usually finding a warm welcome.  In the same way Italians built a POW camp outside the town, the wall erected to keep people out, not keep them in!  Germans took over that camp later.

The town survived, though these men, and they were all men, could have caused trouble.  A war situation may have opened hearts a bit, however, war and conflicts everywhere ought to open our hearts also.  Certainly it is easier to accept women refugees than men, they usually have children also, but questions must be asked re so many single men arriving.

The Farage's of this world will not stop lying, that is what he is paid for, and truth is not published by the daily press, so how are we to know the facts of immigration and 'the boats?'  Facts of course do not always change minds, our opinion does not always like facts.

  

Armband War

For some time now the English FA have been pushing 'Pride' down the throats of English football.  This comes not for concern or support for gay individuals but for a concern to keep their jobs and avoid controversy caused by a gay backlash.  The desire to keep in with the worlds opinion being more important than truth and doing the right thing.

'Rainbow Laces,' is a 'Stonewall' idea to propagate gay life through football, they idea being we are all normal and everyone is accepted.  The truth however, is that most people accept all others at football, few knowing what abnormal behaviour their neighbours indulge themselves in.  So why does the English FA tolerate this?  They tolerate this to avoid loud minorities objecting to their opinion and causing trouble for themselves.  

Captains of English football teams have been given by the English FA 'rainbow' armbands to wear at games, the armband used today to indicate he alone is captain and therefore allowed to confer with referees over decisions.  There was a clear note that individuals could refuse for reasons of conscience, the English FA being well aware of the number of Muslim and Christians playing in the top division from Africa and elsewhere.  One man, the Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, wrote "I 💓Jesus" upon his armband, and has drawn the ire of the English FA officials for this.  

Now, football authorities everywhere do not allow religious or political messages to be displayed on players shirts, or indeed armbands, and 'words of advice' are to be given Guehi for this.  Refusal to accept such words could lead to him being banned, or his club getting into bother.  Ipswich's Sam Morsy did not wear the armband, he is a Muslim, and he avoids trouble because of his Muslim faith.  Individual choice is allowed and such individual choice also hampered Manchester United at the weekend.  The players were given shirts promoting LGBT and one Muslim player, rightly, refused to wear this.  His teammates therefore also turned it down to avoid him standing out and gaining controversy.  How ridiculous a situation!  You cannot promote Jesus but you can promote abnormal sexuality and on  football shirt!  How many of these would be sold in Indonesia or the middle East I wonder?

Guehi, the Crystal Palace captain is to be told off for standing up for Jesus while 'Rainbow laces' is forced upon football to promote 'Stonewall?'?  Guehi's father John, who ministers to a South London church, supported his son.  They play 'God save the King' at international matches which mentions God, and 'Abide with me' before the English cup final yet they have a go at my son?  

What we see here is the English FA supporting a political organisation, 'Stonewall,' in its propagation of gay life, yet opposing a religious message.  Both political and religious are barred, yet one is acceptable and another is not.  

This from an organisation that allows men to play women's football, in spite of the injuries to opposing women, and bars Jesus from the armband.  How mixed up can they be?

What we have here is yet another reflection on the mixed up nation we now inhabit.  By failing to follow Gods way we support perversion and oppose what is right.  We lose the sense of 'right and wrong' to follow a moral code that changes day by day, all dependant on the loudest voice.  What we see today has been coming for some time, and what we will see in the future will be accepted by many, partly because they are scared to stand up for what is right, partly because we are all numbed by such behaviour.  Our personal moral code changes too often also.