Boxing Day 2023

Christmas Day offered a nice wee service in the morning.  Many missing though the other church did attend as they were closed.  Few children arrived, and those that did were noisy!  At one and the same time we wanted them quiet and enjoyed their laughter!  We wanted to join in!

A lift home to a special dinner from Sainsburys, it was rubbish!  I ought to have cooked my own.

Today, I cooked my own, it was rubbish!

Tired from all the activity I moved to the bed at 5 pm, spending much time watching little exciting on various YouTube posts and draining some Single Malt.  Someone had too.

Today, much time has been spent arguing with lonely people on Twitter.  We know they are lonely as they argue, people with friends do not waste time.

I watched poor football, searched for news, there is none, just a war or two, the end of the world preparing in the middle east, and Rishi Sunak failing in the PR department.  The 'Daily Mail' filled space with the Royals on holiday.  How interesting...

For some reason that single malt returned.  

Anyway, I howled at the moon for a while, then altered the setting on the camera to where it ought to have been anyway, and got a couple of not quite right pictures.  This tells me the chill will come tonight as we can see the moon, the rain comes tomorrow.  Still remarkably warm for December.

The single malt, 'Jura' by name, is calling me to bed....

Boxing Day 2022

I have no idea how I got fat, I ate only morsels and chose carefully at that.  Possibly all those puddings made a difference...?

Anyway, I had a good Christmas Day.  A trudge down to the Kirk, here I handed out chocolate to the ladies and miniature whisky to the men, I had promised them all a bottle of whisky for Christmas...

I felt welcomed, even before this, and obtained a lift home easing the walk, and enjoyed a decent lunch.  It was good day I must say.

Today, I remained indoors eating a veg type diet.  I need more veg and mostly that was called for today.  Very enjoyable, if you put cheese on the top!  

A walk round yesterday revealed a very quiet scene.  Today is no different, apart from kids making use of scooters, bikes and who knows what few are about bar dog walkers.  Traffic is sparing, and while one or two shops may open today most will be closed until tomorrow.  In big towns many will crowd into shops for bargains, as if they were indeed 'bargains.'  Having no obvious needs to purchaser and no desire to be ripped off I remain indoors quite happily.

However, news come through of most spending required.  My nephew has just had a baby, or at least his girl has.  Two kilo's in weight and looking fine.  This requires more spending on uncle's part, though I am glad to say uncle's nearer at hand will do all the work, thankfully they are 200 miles away from me!

Once again I will trust the Royal Mail to deliver, sometime in the next four weeks!  Another girl on the family, her cousin now 18 months old, and her arrival gives all the women something to purr about.  That is, they also are miles away and not called upon to do anything!  Purring is best done from a distance.

Nothing else has happened.  Other than the router playing up, speed down to 13 at times, other times it is slower.  Something must be done but all are on holiday.  Ah well, Wednesday maybe.  I may have to visit Tesco in the morning, I expect it will be full of people desperate for things they do not require alongside the few they do need.  I may be one of them.  

I hope my readers have had a decent Christmas.  Commemorating God taking human form is always good, and celebrating the solstice at the same time also worth while.   Jesus was probably born in March or April but as that is too near Easter it cannot be remembered then can it?  I hope your family gatherings were enjoyable and fun.

My family appear a bit disparate at this time, so many going in different directions to visit people who must be visited makes one day together difficult.  I must get up there one day however, just to annoy them.   However, when their cards and gifts eventually arrive I will love them more.  I need the socks...

Happy Christmas...

Boxing Day 2021

 

The problem with having Christmas Day on Saturday is that many folk think Sunday is a Monday.  I am convinced some folks were half way to work this morning before remembering what the day was.  For many others the presence of family or friends, and maybe the weight of over indulgence proved too much for them as few indeed arrived at the Kirk this morning.  The teeming rain did not help either. 

However, we gathered, sung several songs badly, and without the technicians being available we had to read the words out off a book rather than view them on screen.  This has not happened for so long some among us had forgotten how to read!  It was clear we had all forgotten how to sing.

 

 

Soon enough I was back home, the shepherds and angels remaining behind while I indulged myself in roast potatoes, not black like yesterday, and a chicken concoction far too big for me.  However, with some effort I managed, and washed this down with Plum Vodka.  A bit strong with the cloves dear! 

Then Joy!  The Heart of Midlothian game against Ross County was available and I was able to shout abuse at the TV director for failing to do his job properly once again.  Why does he spend so much time looking at the back of players heads?  Just watch the game mate!  Surely this is the easiest job in TV, why make it hard?  Anyway, we won of course, so that provided more cheer.  Now, lying ahead of me are two more games on Now TV via SKY.  It is so hard deciding whether to watch here or go and watch from my bed...

 

Two days holiday now follow.  This is time for the wrapping paper, empty boxes, the ones without cats sitting in them, and other assorted rubbish, including that strange uncle that comes only at Christmas to be discarded, recycled or dumped.  Peace and quiet, unless the kids are still around, and a time for sleeping off excess now arrives.

I hope your Christmas has been a good one, Jesus is still here, no longer a baby but a King, talk to him, he will listen.  He even arranges a driver when the rain is falling, or at least he did for me today anyway.  

You do realise that this time next year will be a new year?  Jings!

 

 

Boxing Day 2020

 

 

Rising late into a subdued world it did not take me long to realise that in spite of a crammed freezer, in spite of a full fridge, in spite of cupboards groaning I was about to run out of bread!  After a bacon sandwich for breakfast, all I could cope with, I began to wonder should I bother with bread.  Common sense however said otherwise.  By lunchtime I joined the trickle of people in Sainsburys for bread.  It always surprises me just how many folk fill a trolley on Boxing Day?  There were a few of those giving it a try.  Most were like myself, filling the gaps created from yesterday or finding the forgotten bread and milk.

The Christmas cheer was not much in evidence, an occasional nod from a glum passerby, a greeting, a grunt, but so many look the other way, not joyful, cheery or willing to meet people.  The recent incomers are mostly responsible for this, London overspill you see, however many are suffering, covid, family problems, illness, loneliness or maybe they are just miserable gits?   Who can tell, but it is clear less folks greet one another these days than did 20 years ago.  As I walked back across the near deserted park, a few taking a walk, far from others, it was clear most had remained indoors.  Covid has had an effect both yesterday and today.

 

I ate quite a large plateful yesterday, followed by a reasonable sized Belgian chocolate Christmas pudding, with a glass of 'Highland Park Viking whisky' that  my secret admirer sent me.  Today I made soup with the chicken bones, and I must say it is the best I have made for a while.  The butchers chickens are better fed than Tesco's.  I was also forced to eat more chicken and other bits.  I am now looking at the Christmas cake while sipping gin and blackcurrent that was donated by another admirer.  Sometimes I am glad these admirers live far away and far apart!  

Today phone calls and emails replace the bother of having people around to annoy me while watching football, (we won 5-3 by the way).  I wonder about a family gathering up north (they are not supposed to have the whole lot together for one day, though they all enjoyed it) I'm sure there was more than six there, but I am not surprised that the younger element have gone off today to find a MacDonalds! Anyway, as the wind rises and begins to howl through the cracks in the window frame, the rain lashes the glass and my feet rest on the radiator I take no heed as I now have several books to read, all good ones, with more on the way.  I also discovered a strange emotional response, humility.  Looking at what I had been given I felt realy humble and emotional, as I do not deserve all that I have been given.  I really don't deserve this family or these friends.

 

Anyway, remember this...

 

 

Bleak Boxing Day

The bleak weather did not stop kids crashing about the skatepark on new equipment nor did it hinder the dog walkers, nothing does that!  However as I did not get up till 8:30ish and remain slow at feeding myself in the morning I was not aware of life until around midday.  
By then it was time to eat, my imitation broth, with too much cayenne pepper and too little flavour, was followed by fruit to make up for what was not eaten yesterday.  
A quick wander around town followed.  The usual shops were open, you know the type that never appear shut no matter what the holiday, and while some bigger ones were open the crowds were thin indeed.  Bargains I expect were much thinner.  One shop 'Peacocks' filled its windows full with a 'Sale' advert but only one or two racks of ageing junk was to be seen reduced, the usual empty ploy. Nothing was happening anywhere bar people meandering about without much of an aim.  The usual after Christmas 'feel' and I suspect by tomorrow Christmas trees and other bumf will appear dumped on pavements everywhere.  Many more will be out tomorrow as some will have to return to work and the shops will be busier once auntie and granddad have gone back home having left their gifts behind.  The season of 'goodwill' is over.

Boxing Day

Boxing Day is a day for actually looking at the gifts that have flooded through the letterbox.
My family are beginning to understand the best way to make progress is to send books or a book token, this is what they have done.  For reasons that remain unclear two of my nieces appear to think smelly stuff is a requirement that goes with book reading.  
One niece, her opinion of me is noted in the 'Mr Grumpy' stuff at the front, sent a Levi shirt, this made possible by her new job in one big Edinburgh department store where the staff concessions make up for low wages (she says).  The other continued her unspoken hints (recent gifts have included  the 'Oldie' annual and 'The Real Dad's Army' amongst others, and she added some 'Old Spice' to the book she sent.
Next year I may go up there and see if they can alter their opinion.  
Well actually now I think about it....    

Baird TV

As always there was fifty channels on the TV showing nothing at all.  I did however spend a little time watching the Beatles in 'A Hard Days Night,' a film that still provides good music and was enjoyable in the background while I scrambled together something for lunch.  
Otherwise there was the usual films and old series filling the screen, the non news that occurs at this time of year with one or two tragedies thrown in, and even worse no football to watch!  Only English games of little worth and I just could not be bothered struggling to find them.
Nothing to do bar send thank you notes by email and search social media for something other than political comments.  These could be avoided on Boxing Day, indeed all week but once they are posted a desire to reply appears.  
I did however rush up unwillingly to Sainsburys, the only supermarket open (I think they take it in turns to cover Boxing Day) for milk and bread as tomorrow the rain that is now falling hard will continue all day.  On top of this the temperature will drop and winds increase so I will hide away with my books and the heater.
And so to bed...

Boxing Day

Boxing Day dawned bright and too early for most.  The silence was audible as few cars moved, people failed to wander past and only an occasional dog walker was noted wrapped up against the unwelcome chill.  Few raced to the kitchen for a full English breakfast, coffee aplenty and lots of fizzy drinks for many being the rescue service desired.  
I add at this point that I had cereal and tea....

  
This!  This is the offerings from my loved ones.  Peggy, she who must be obeyed especially regarding music to be played at work, gave me the mug.  Why I ask?  My most attractive and highly intelligent niece offered me the others.  What are these wimmen trying to say?  I may return to the 'Highland Park' that my other most attractive and highly intelligent niece apparently was responsible for giving me but she has not admitted it yet.  

I came across this picture online but the ownership was not clear.  There can be no doubt it's one of you, could you please hold your hand up...? 

This father and son have worked out the best way to ensure there is 'Peace on earth' at Christmas!
It is possible this may catch on....

I wandered out to get some cold air and was surprised at how many local shops were open.  There appeared to be few persons making use of them and I wonder if they will make any profit after they have covered the overheads?  John Lewis, one of the biggest and best stores, remained closed today as always and will no doubt not feel any loss.  The online side still works of course and folks will probably sit surrounded by masses of new gifts less than 24 hours old chasing bargains via the laptop.  I must admit I browsed Amazon while considering my Book tokens and look forward to whatever I will select.  

Now I am off to finish yesterdays leftovers.  I had my Christmas dinner in the freezer and as usual I forgot to check what I was doing.  When I removed said Ducks breasts, or were they geese I forget, anyway I found they needed to defrost before cooking!  Typical!  However I had another source of meat in reserve for today's lunch that I made use off yesterday, this leavings will have to feed me tonight, I will avoid another Christmas Pudding, however these Tesco ones though rather large that and Brandy Butter is however tempting innit...?

 

Boxing Day Wander

As you can see Boxing Day brought out the crowds!  
Actually this was about 9:30 in the morning and the shops that were open did so at 10 am.  Up at the shopping centre one did open an hour and a half early as people were queueing outside for the so called bargains. I took the free bus up there but saw some crowds but few bargains.  One or two were on offer but far fewer than the advertisements loudly proclaim. 

At the Christmas morning service I did manage to be kissed by several women (not by those under 30 I noticed) and came home fair drookit with the rain that started while I was inside there.  The lunch was waiting almost ready for me and surprisingly not burned as it usually turns out.  The girls at work presented the other volunteers with a bottle of wine but I got two splendid bottles of beer.  It was only as I allowed the nectar like fluid go down easily I noticed it was Belgian beer!  OOPS I thought and checked the bottle, as I thought this stuff is much, much stronger than the usual stuff, good job I didn't start on the second, I had already begun a cheaper type earlier.  However it made watching yet more reruns of 'Top Gear' watchable!  Surprisingly in consideration of what I shoved down my gullet I appear to have lost a couple of pounds.  I think I may need to obtain a new set of scales as the old one may have had enough.  Still the day was satisfactory.

The rain on Christmas Day encouraged me to stay in and simper but early this morning, after nine anyway, I had to get out and get some air.  Wandering around the Sunday quiet streets I managed to take some pictures of things often seen but difficult to capture.  One was the bird that has been placed above the door in the shadow of an overpowering tree.  (It may be some sort of shrub I know not)  This hides the bird and makes it look real to those who just glance as they pass.  Very clever placing.  

The quiet day fools me into thinking it is Sunday when it is actually Saturday, only the football enables me to know the difference.  However with another Sunday tomorrow (the vicar Will be tired by the evening) and a holiday for many on Monday (bar those working in shops or those spending cash) this means yet another quiet day.  I might need to go outside and talk to somebody soon if this continues!  
I was hoping to get on the bike to remove some calories but the weather has made this impossible.  The rain is accompanied by high winds and further north terrible destruction is following on as for the third time huge rainfall is hitting those already suffering from floods.  Five inches of rain expected in 24 hours for them, makes our weather appear pleasant.  However with a week off I might yet get on the bike.  Might...

Still, might as well be happy anyway what sayest thou?

The Day After

Possibly the most worrying thing today was the weighing machine cracking under my feet as I stood on it.  Being not so young as it once was it shows signs of strain, however loud cracking sounds followed by sighs of relief as I get off are not asked for.  I suggest it is broken and requires urgent replacement and I will look into this once I have eaten all the stuff in the fridge and begin my new diet again.    

Well you see I bought stuff for Christmas and canny eat it all in one go can I? At least I couldn't yesterday or today at any rate.  The puddings are still in the cupboard and the Italian type cake is only half eaten.  Well I say 'half...' Anyway tomorrow I eat more veg and begin to fight the flab.  I even attempted slight exercise again, and slight is the word.  

Christmas TV was poor.  I only found the Chris Tarrant Railways programmes worth watching.  All the rest was films and pap, the usual stuff.  Folks I could have been with this week are now watching 'Downtown Abbey' or whatever it's called, and have been watching several dreary films.  I could have been there grumbling at their TV but stayed here to grumble at my own.  Be assured had I had to watch that 'Downtown' thing again as I had to last time I may well have spoken out of turn!  

Several radio programmes were worth a listen however.

Christmas meditation by Milton Jones, a comic.  

Voices of the First World War, featuring men who saw the 1914 Christmas truce.  This truce was unofficial and took place in limited parts of the line. However it has received much publicity this year, somewhat 'over the top' in my view but worth a listen to the men themselves.  

Desert Island Discs 300th programme.  Most who appear on this radio favourite mean little to me but this man turned out to be a real gem and worth a listen.

With Great Pleasure, items chosen by Ian Hislop.   An interesting insight into Ian and his choice of readings.  Usually this is a good programme whoever is on it.

The rest of the time I just watched football when I could find it!

Oh and my 17 year old great niece sent me a pullover.

Those lights flash on and off too, just wait till I see her........ 

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Boxing Day

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Boxing Day brings it's own problems, and I don't mean transporting the kids to aunts and grannies to collect more gifts. I mean standing on the weighing machine and wondering why the spring flew out, I mean looking at the collection of dishes filling the sink and wondering why there were so many as, in my case I ate only once and alone! How come that tin of 'Quality Street' looks half empty when it was full to the top last night?  How can I feel that tired when I finished off the apple tart this afternoon, was there too much left over custard on it perhaps? I suppose this is a result of eating in a considerate manner all year and foolishly letting myself  eat slightly more than normal over two days. It is not often I sit wondering why the TV is so poor at nights but find it difficult to get up and switch it off (oh where is that remote?). I did manage to wander across to the church opposite this morning, that's almost 150 yards you know, and then slither my way back home again. Walking on hardened ice is quite tiring and I suspect that walk is why I am tired, not the nan bread and chocs I ate for breakfast.  Ah well, back to the routine tomorrow, after I finish of that tin of chocolates as no-one else has come to eat them......

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