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...?

Christmas Shopping

Pulling aside the filthy curtains I espied the day.  An occasional workman, you could tell by his outfit and his bag with sandwich lunch, a woman with several bags heading for the supermarket not knowing how she will carry them back when they are full, and a couple of young girls heading to school grumbling about how boys behave yet wearing skirts up round their arse.  

So the day begins as the sun shines and the rainclouds gather for their afternoon appearance.

I sit here drinking coffee and staring at Twitter.

Considerable time passes before I stir.  

This is not because of knowledge obtained by searching the social media on offer, it is just sloth.

Staring at the boxes, papers, cheap gifts covering the couch I desire to get out and start searching for the missing cards, missing gifts, and missing cash to pay for it all.  

So, off to the town.

Browsing the cards in number one shop I fall into conversation with old woman (possibly younger than me).  We agree that there is far too many cards and not one suits the person we buy for.  Isn't this always the problem?  Anyway, I got items that will do the job for most, headed on to three other shops, buying here and there, before travelling around the large B&M shop seeking cheap stuff.

The cheap stuff came to exactly £23.

This included a small frying pan to save me using the large one all the time.  Once home I removed the label inside held on by a sticky substance, attempted to remove same from the bottom, and spent an hour struggling to scrape the blasted stuff from the pan.  What do they use?  Superglue?  

The shops were full of mums with prams, the toddlers helping by taking all the shiny things from the shelves.  I wandered up and down the aisles seeking something marvellous, other than a small frying pan, little could be found.  I continued falling over pushchairs and mums, women going the opposite from me around the aisles, gathered my precious junk, and found an almost empty cash desk.

Interestingly, no shop was playing Christmas music! 

The mums impressed me.  The kids looked happy, well dressed, and the mums were easy to get on with as we all fought the early morning crowd, who became the early morning crowd to avoid the crowd of mums with pushchairs.   

Hobbling home via the park I met only rain.  This was disappointing as on my way out I had met a French Boxer who forced herself upon me.  The owner and I chatted happily tearing the dog from me and heading for another breakfast. 

By the darkening afternoon sky I had completed three boxes for posting.  Being a cheap type, they look better than they actually are.  Tomorrow I head for the Post Office, hoping the young lass that smiles at me is on.  Once that is done only the big box for my sister remains.  A box full of variety.  They have all they need so they get whatever I find, sometimes useful sometimes rubbish.  However, it usually goes down well.  

I have solved one card problem.  I managed to work out how to make cards on 'WORD.'  So this afternoon I practiced and eventually obtained the family cards.  This was simple, just find a useful picture, fiddle with it until it fits, and print it off on glossy paper.  Not quite professional level but it worked!

Naturally, what I put in the cards has run out, so they still sit here waiting!

Now I am just knackered.

Fattening Christmas

Thursday and I am wishing the week was over!

All this single malt drinking, all this Christmas cake eating, all this 'eat it before the sell by date,' and all the odd bits of chocolate that are killing what is left of my teeth being used up is wearing me out.  

I can cope with the sleeping bit, easily done after lunch, but then there is the clearing up, washing dishes, putting out rubbish and used Christmas wrappers, and having to iron a shirt for Sunday as there are none left in the cupboard.

It's all very tiring.  

Tomorrow, if the rain allows, I will make the last Sainsburys visit of the year.  Though I suspect it unlikely that they will close on New Years Day, but they might.  And then next week, having checked the accounts, noted the gas and electric meter readings for the latest price increase, searched around the house for loose change, I will ensure that for a month or so it will be mince and chips for lunch, with occasional egg and chips to ensure variety!  

Next week, or is that next year, there will be a time of non buying as I attempt to budget properly and also lose weight.  I had lost a few pounds by last week, that situation may surely have changed since.   

Friday Frills...

                                                    Ship-on-stormy-seas-ivan-konstantinovich-aivazovsky

This ship sums up the past few days!  At least I have caught up, almost got all things ready, and have found all parcels arrive at their destinations, even if she is out at one of them.  

The weekend approaches, checkout lassies everywhere look forward to Sunday just so they no longer have to listen to Xmas music all day long.  There is only so much of that slop that one can take.  That said I will visit the girls in the morning, obtain enough to last for three days, though I have most stuff in already, and be back before the desparate crush through the store all day.  

Later, I will walk around laughing at those men attempting to buy for her indoors.  There are usually a few, easily recognised and their eyes look blankly into every shop window.  It is possible some stalls will be out tomorrow, they are often off before Xmas, so a trinket or two might be found there.  I will distainfully pass by before remembering someone I forgot!  Dearie me...

 

 

 

I like this cartoon, but notice how he follows the 'traditional' tale.  Joseph with an old man's beard, and a donkey, which looks more like a horse.  If these two were as I have proposed before do you think they could afford a donkey?  This is unlikely, and even if they had one the image on many cards at this time of year would be wrong anyway.  If there was a donkey involved it would be Jpseph sitting on it, not the wife!  

The 'Star' may well have been a conjunction of three planets, I forget which, Mars Venus and Saturn I think, which occurred twice.  'Magi,' in Babylon recorded this sighting, as did stargazing men in China.

The first appearance was 7 BC, and it returned in 5 BC, therefore, add in the historical fact that Herod died in 4 BC we can jump to a conclusion Jesus was born around this time.  The exact time is hard to define, but I rush to 5 BC, but with no other evidence.  Travel from Babylon would take time after working out the meaning of the sight.  Gather your men together, collect the sandwiches required, and trot off slowly joining in a vast caravan for safety.  It would take a while to reach Jerusalem. 

 

The Past was Better?

I had a Twitter debate last night with a man who considered life was better back in the past.  That is, he looked back to the early 50s, a time when you could leave your door open, people did not knife you in the street, and life was generally better all round.

I disagreed.

I too look back to the early days of my young life and consider life was better then.  However, we had had a war that killed 52 million or so, nuclear bombs were beginning to become popular, and we had an even larger police force than we do today, so was it better? 

Our childhoos was occasionlly bothered by the 'Penny Gang,' a group of yobs who came up from 'over there,' causing trouble and bothering the world.  Was this what he saw as 'better?'  If we had gangs so did he surely.  My dad could not take a day off work for flu, and I mean flu, because he would lose £1 and mum could not feed us if he did, so he went, and it was not an easy thing for him to do in winter and walking miles to deliver milk.  Was this better?

Certainly free school milk. the NHS, polio jabs, and other benefits, from a Labour government, remember them, improved life.  But crime existed, murders occurred, thieves stole.  What was different bar the perception that things were improving? 

After two wars and the depression certainly people looked to create a better world.  The residue of a Judeo-Christian society meant a form of agreed culture covered much, but not all, of the land.  For many after the war a sense of 'right and wrong existed, especially for those who had seen the results of the Nazi regime.  

The main difference I wonder could be the loss of the agreed Judeo-Christian moral stance, even if a loose one, and wealth!  When the nation loses the need to work together to survive and wealth covers the land people lose morals.  Having enough they now want more.  Producers offer more and we desire every glittering thing on offer and come to believe we have a right to obtain this.  With no agreed God laxity in morals creeps in over time, the results, aided by greedy incompetent politicians lies before us.

The world looks worse than in the past, however, what we see now lay just under the surface awaiting a chance nto escape.  Encourage the lowest moral outlook and you find it everywhere.

Murdoch plays a big part in this, the so-called sexual revolution helps, easy divorce and lessening ofresponsibility, though that was often avoided before, and crime is encouraged as there is no agreed morality.  Parents less keen to teach children, happy to defend them more.

Human nature lies at the root, and that never changes.

 

Christmas has certainly changed.  When I was young in never cost me a penny!  Now I am emptying the piggy bank!  However, the cards are almost done, all the presents to go have gone and been received, and I am now watching the van drivers knock on my door to bring things for me!  This is good!  

One mug, one book and one bottle of Single Malt, 'Jura' no less. has arrived.  With this I am well pleased.

Less pleased when the driver had to ask my year of birth before giving the box to me.  It took me a minute tor ecall that far back, which made him laugh!  I suspect I will see him again soon with another book expected.

Life is not bad at all really, in spite of the bad things that are always with us.

Xmas Shopping Already

I have done some preliminary online searching, too early to actually buy things, and also accidentally ordered some books for myself.  These things happen.  At one and the same time I am attempting to live a more frugal life while searching for 'shiny things' for others Xmas.  This I find awkward.  Less will be spent this year than last, and more basic things will be obtained, after the complaints last time!  

This morning, having returned from Sainsburys I waited until the stalls were out to take a look at the magnificent market today.  I wandered about, pausing only to buy sausages and bits of chicken from the proper butcher, and carried my expensive load around the stalls, successfully buying nothing.

This was because almost all the goods on display, mostly hand made, were not in anyway connected to what I desired.  In fact the one stall I looked for, he sells old toys, cars in boxes, and odd stuff, was not there today.  Possibly in jail for handling stolen goods, like old toys, cars in boxes and odd stuff I expect.

I limped home slowly, sorted the meat into bags and filled the freezer.  No more pies bar the yuckie  supermarket ones now.  Butchers sausages at least will be healthier than those mass produced.  I asked the girls if they had gone out to find the 'wild mushrooms' in the 'wild mushroom and other spicy stuff' sausages.  'Yes,' they said, 'We went searching through the week for them.'  Liars!

Now, with the 'Clintons' card shop closed I have to search for cards also.  I despise W. H. Smiths, a terrible shop, and avoid it when I can, but no other shop here offers decent cards.  One offers cheap tat and rude cards, but they are rarely funny or worth the cash.  I may just make my own.  Fold an A4 sheet with a pattern on it and use that.  Cheap and easy.  

Humdrum Friday

I have sat here all day trying to think of something to write.

Nothing has come.

The lack of stimulus, caused by not getting around, is telling on me.  The desire to move is easing, the effort not worth it, and I reach Tesco and am done for the day.  I tried a little exercise yesterday, now I feel it.  The view is limited and nothing rebounds.

The news remains dominated by Israel, with little understanding from all sides.  This is interrupted by the death of a celebrity, or another leaving a TV programme, or a mother complaining her school will not allow her child to be a brat.  

Then they return to the war.  

The Radio is failing me also.  Many good programmes have disappeared, the iPlayer, I refuse to call it 'Sounds,' is searched but reveals lots of mediocre rubbish of limited variety.  Anything worth having has been had.  

Even visiting Tesco has been difficult, the rain has not stopped, and may continue again tomorrow.  Quite how the people up near Brechin will manage I don't know.  A housing development there was evacuated because of the floods.  Now who allowed them to build on a flood plain?  OK, this has not happened before but...

Football and travel in North East Scotland has been scuppered.  Roods unpassable, floods everywhere, and with more rain coming it may take a week to clear.  We just get wet here.  Even down the hill they have not yet been flooded.  Global warming, except it is not that warm, but good for October.

I did make an effort to work out the Christmas offerings.  Things I bought last year appear pricier this year.  Even the PIES bought from Forres have been dumped, they too show evidence of the cost of living rise.  Having struggled to pay thanks to technical problems I decided it was costing too much and abandoned the idea.  I will need an alternative from somewhere as it really is too costly now.  

My idea was to send a box of chocolates of some sort to various peoples.  But then one is vegan, one cannot eat this, another that, and only the dogs will eat everything, except they shouldn't!  I saved money by deleting the links to the high prices.

The rest of the day has been spent in a dream.

That's That Then...

 

Well, I'm glad that's over.

I have spent much of the past few days attempting to work out what day it is.  Either that or deciding what to eat before the sell-buy date, or because it might start growing mushrooms.  And my teeth are sick of chocolate, especially the liqueur type.  No more longing for the postman with the parcels, they all appear to have arrived, no more expectation of cards, nor any to send.  At last I can get back into a proper rhythm and return into the slob stage where I belong.  Spending is now for me, not others.  

Still, I enjoyed it.

 

Twitter have banned me again.  The first name remains banned, as I will not remove the post that offended the 'Trans Lobby.' The second has been banned because I upset the 'Trans Lobby.'  I appealed both, and have every right to be returned to my position, however, the 'Trans Lobby,' is strong in todays UK Twitter staff.  I will not remove the post, which was correct.  Twitter, under the weird owner, promised 'Freedom of Speech,' where is it Elon?  I may try the other one, Mastadon is it?  But I am not bothered, maybe it is time for other things.

 

Look, blue sky!

Not what we expect from January.  Of course, as I wander down to the Post Office tomorrow the rain will return, you bet!  Good job I do not complain.  

A Boring, Nothing Happened Day

 

Greeted this morning by glimpses of vaguely pink tinted, yellow sunlight, attempting to break through the cloud cover.  This looked destined to fail.  The chill in the air forces the heating on, the few dog walkers wrapped up in heavy winter outfits, occasional dogs wear bright coloured and soundly disliked outfits, it is obvious their owner is female.  A car or two passes slowly as the day begins and Christmas wears off the populace.    

Naturally, as I coughed my way around to a very quiet Tesco the cloud cover had disappeared.  Instead the rising sun hovered just above the rooftops, forcing the cloud towards the south.  The quietness allowed the birds to freely roam in the trees and front gardens.  Robins bounced, a Magpie fluttered and even a Jay was spotted above me in the tree.  Each flew swiftly away from the few pedestrians, keen to end their hunger, the birds that is, not the pedestrians.  If people are out it probably means they have been fed, unlike myself who was surviving on instant cappuccino coffee and one old banana.

However, I obtained a Persimmon, whatever that is, at Tesco and have just enjoyed one.  It looks like, apart from the price, these may be coming here more often.

Like everywhere else little has occurred today.  I fell asleep watching the football, nothing to do with the Brandy, and have done little bar scribbling a card or two, mostly to use up all the 2nd Class stamps I still possess.  The old stamps run out at the end of January and I may not have enough demand to use up the 10 I have left!  

Christmas Eve 2022

At this time of year there are lots of tinsel covered cards doing the rounds.  The religious ones tend to feature a baby in a wooden crib, crowned with a yellow halo, as indeed are the loving parents featured beside.  Three men dressed in ornate robes, presents in hand stand along side a handful of grubby shepherds carrying a lamb or two.  From the child a glow emits, lighting up the stable and much of the world around, while high above a bright, huge, star glints as it lingers in the cloudless sky.  A touching scene, much loved by many.

However, (the cynical bit begins here) this is not what happened.

Certainly we are told Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem, certainly we are told there was no room at the 'Inn.' Clearly there was little money for this pair as Joseph could not bribe his way in.  The implication of a 'manger' implies they found rest, either recommended by the 'Inn' or by themselves in a stable.  Clearly also they remained there for some time, all this with Shepherds and Magi may not have taken place in one night, so they had permission from someone to remain there.  Later, on the eighth day Jesus was presented at the Temple, the offering they gave was the cheapest, another indication of poverty.  A young couple, she possibly 14, he only 20, trying to care for a child, yet without revealing Gods words to anyone.  They both come across as worthy individuals.  

This is not the picture we have on Christmas cards.  This is a struggle, similar to many since and at this moment, who bring a child into the world with little resources with which to keep him.  This one however, under the care of the Father God is born, after a long walk for Mary, no donkey for these two, and born in such wretched conditions.  Unlike most in leadership Jesus started at the very bottom, and he was the one through whom this world had been created!  The mother walking, nine months gone, from Nazareth to Bethlehem, up hill and down dale.  Finding nowhere to sleep, giving birth in a stable, with or without animals.  At least they would create warmth, and an interesting atmosphere.  Alone, only the visit from the shepherds and the Magi is recorded, possibly Joseph went out to obtain food, possibly the stable owner cared for them while tending any animals.  Then the presentation in the temple, the words from an old man and an old woman indicating the future, in a distinct manner, and then the warning to leave for Egypt and another long walk carrying the child this time. 

No halo's, no false sentiment, just the Father's provision, childbearing, walking and an interesting future both Joseph and Mary were leaving in Gods hands.  How would you cope?

The child went on to learn his dads business, to learn his people's history, and to teach for three years before being arrested, tried unjustly, beaten, scourged and crucified, while having committed no sin.  He did not die by mistake, he, God in human form, accepted the Father's will as a way of paying the sin debt of all.  He endured this for me, for you, and for all who would believe it.  Not much sentiment there, just a loving God dying for his people, and one that wants us to believe him and rest in him.  He will never fail us.

Wet, Boring Christmas almost Eve

After last night I spent a short time cleaning up, returning things to a normal state of chaos and dust.

I woke at 6am again, dozed until 7 am, then while considering rising to shop early, I noticed it was almost 8am!  Heavy with sleep I rose and prepared for an early trip to Tesco.  How does that happen?  If I am awake at 6, why am I not awake at 8?

I dressed for the heavy rain coming straight down.  I made my way to Tesco, changing my mind and stopping off at Sainsburys as it was closer.  Here, just after 8 am, the place was full of people avoiding the crowds, thus crowding Sainsburys and getting in my way, one who went early to avoid the crowds.

My basket heavy with overpriced goods I joined the happy throng at the checkout, too much there for me to fight the self-service.  The cheery lass enjoyed the fact that I was wet through and she would go home the minute the rain stopped at lunchtime.   I wished her a happy Christmas!

Back home I put away the drookit shopping and fought the desire to throw Brandy down my throat.  My head was still asleep and the rest of me wished to join it.  However, there were things to do, drying washing to find, who put that there?  And then rest my bones in front of the laptop while the router once again switched itself off for no reason and limited the speeds for me.  I checked the responses on my emails, the Irish song went down well, though one lass in Costa thought she had heard it before.  With no post again, another days strike, no post till next week sometime, I waited for the bell announcing another delivery from one of the other 'white van men,' but it did not arrive.   

Only an after lunch sleep did my mood change, and then nothing happened.  Isn't it always the way?

Things I was going to do never came to mind, until it was too late to bother.  I intended to walk out again but thought better off it, the traffic has not lessened since this morning meaning the shops, town centre and everywhere is packed with people offering 'Goodwill to all men' if they get out of the way!

Christmas increases feelings of 'love' I find.

Good news!  The PM has appeared, mumbled about being carful about using railways, and not budging on strikes, that is the ones he has heard about.  He gave the impression he neither cared or indeed had  noticed any problem.  He may have been spending too much time checking the 'Financial Times' to see how his wife was doing.

Dropkick Murphys - "The Season's Upon Us" (Video)

Wednesday Opinion

My opinion is that it is very cold.

It has been very cold for a few days but last night, though the temp offered was no worse than before, it was the coldest so far.  Quite why this is I canny say.  However, the heat has been on, it is still cold when it is off, and it will be like this for a few more days I think.  This may be caused by clear skies above (can you get clear skies below?) and what cloud there is happens t be freezing.  Possibly freezing fog tonight, oh goody.

Rail strikes abound, post strikes continue, and the nurses are about to join in yet the papers are full of Harry and Meghan.  Yesterday it was 'Sickly Come Dancing,' and tomorrow more slagging off the workers.  It is interesting that no-one makes sensible comments about the reasons for the strikes, the media emphasise greedy workers want money, they ignore the cuts to their pensions, amendments to work hours and conditions, and support one side only, with closed ears to argument.  Cleary the failing government is enjoying this.  They consider this will win them votes, but those have already been lost.

Nothing else matters today.  

The 'coming of the season of goodwill' has caused ructions in shops everywhere, crowded shops, hassled people, few trains and buses crowded also, weather cold, wet, damp and dreary as winter always is, and money we don't have flowing out from every pore.  Just think how much credit has been spent on a wide variety of greedy credit cards?  How will that ever be repaid?  Greedy banks will take the money but care nothing about you!

Happy Christmas...

Tis the Season?

 

Several of my attractive young neices and great neices went to an event in Edinburgh today concerning Christmas.  Naturally, I offered this foto in response.  

Christmas events ought not to be in November I say! 

That said, I checked my shopping and found I was well on the way to completing my Christmas buying, bar the online stuff.  That obviously, is different!  To avoid price increases I shopped when I could, purchasing during the 'sales' and ensuring I began shopping at the 'Special Offer' section.  My lot would not care if things were second hand either, this Xmas that is just as well...

In some countries things are different.  In the Phillipines Christmas begins on the 1st of September!  On the other hand in Denmark I understand no Christmas adverts are allowed unitl 1st of December!  How lovely that is!  

I suggest each year to shopkeepers that putting 'No Christmas Music' signs on the windows would increase footfall.  I am not sure they believe me.  Having worked in a 'Cash & Carry' many years ago where such music was on offer, both staff and regular customers were not impressed!  A wide variety of quiet music, interspersed with appropriate tunes (of my choosing) would, in my humble opinion, be more appropriate.  No doubt some would still manage to grumble...

 

A Quiet Week...

A quiet week, a week in which I decided to start Xmas shopping.  I like to have everything ready and off by December 1st, and so on the last 24 hours I have spent over £300 and still have some way to go.  The advantage of 'Amazon Gift Cards' is that they can be stuck in a card and the recipient buys what they want, not what I send.  This is better for all, and the girls, and it is mostly girls at the other end, prefer this.  I do not ask what they buy!

So I bought the cards, went back for more today, obtained other items from Tesco and B&M, strange the places Xmas comes from, and searched a charity shop or two.  Now all I have to do is organise all this in a sensible fashion and obtain cards to go with them.  Then there are the online shopping to do, but that can wait till nearer the time, and stuff for little hands round about. 

For those I popped into the museum and searched their overpriced shop.  I bought a couple of things, searched the actual museum for changes, recognised one of the dinosaurs on display, and bought museum honey and chutney.  Home then for the football.

How nice to see the team playing properly today.  'Up and at em' was the cry, led by Cammy Devlin our Australian dynamo.  What a man he is.  It was his drive that carried us through the first half alone.  After a few difficult games, missing many important players, we were heading back to our best again.  With the others returning, by Christmas we will be much better off, though probably out of Europe.  

The VAR experiment went well, Celtic lost out!  Without fair coverage they might have won!  Well done VAR!

Apparently we are aiming for another Prime Minister.  One of the contenders is Boris Johnson, liar, cheat and idiot, who considers the nation needs him.  Maybe he plans to kill another 180,000 in two years?  I wonder if the temporary PM will release the 'Russian Report' that Boris refused to release, as it contains evidence of his treason and all the Russian money pouring into Tory funds?  I somehow doubt it, decency is not her way.  So, the comedy show continues, we await developments.

 

Tired Monday

 

This is me today.

Total wipeout.  Not able to stay awake all day.  Even a lunchtime snooze is not enough to lift this tiredness.  I suspect the apple crumble, large lunch, roast potatoes and sliver of whisky may play a part in this.  

Too much running around in the days prior to Christmas, no energy left to make the most of the whisky gifts now available to me.  Instead I stare at pictures of far off lands Live on the screen.  Railways in the USA, watering holes in various parts of Africa, some in hot sunshine, some in heavy downpours.  The online pictures from various parts of the world, Live and free, can be interesting, especially if you like Zebras, railways or ocean spray thundering against the shoreline. Such simple pleasures were all I could manage today.

I may enliven myself with some er, gifts tonight.

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!

 

 

Solstice Again

 

 A local Tavern

 

Yes it's the winter solstice once again.  The time of year to celebrate the end of Autumn and the beginning of Winter.  The good thing is that with global warming we will be sunning ourselves this winter, according to those scientists who inform us of the melting ice caps and the movement of the Jet Stream.  Of course this means we may drown as the seas rise up, the land becomes overcrowded, crops cannot grow and the rich grab all they can to themselves.  So not much change then?  But at least we will freeze in a warmer cold snap.

At least the days now get longer, which means the fog/mist/cloud that covers the land will arrive a bit earlier than normal.  Oh goody!  It does mean that with the solstice, Christmas, New Year over we can all look forward to Spring, which will arrive in due course, stuttering into view with added snowstorms as usual.  

It is no wonder people celebrate the solstice.  Way back before your grandmother was born man knew the times of the year, but did not know how to work a laptop and write this down for us.  Instead he built Stonehenge like creations to watch the sun come up or go down.  His maths was wonderful even if he could not spell.  How people must have looked forward to the end of the winter season, especially if they were living around the time of glaciers arriving in Essex.  They say the road I am living on, indeed this side of the street, had a ramp of earth all the way along to the corner, which once was considered a defensive structure but in fact was caused by the ice age stopping right here under my desk.  That explains why it gets so cold in here.

Hunters and gatherers would understand well the seasons.  They knew where to find fruits and various edibles and when they would be appearing.  Healthy organic feeding was the order off the day, of course they were dead by the time they were thirty!  Later the first farmers must have rejoiced as the seasons turned.  They would look forward to the joys of ploughing, seeding, and resting before the harvest.  Today we know nothing of hard work in comparison to farmers of old.  Vast farm fields, vast machines, and vast companies do not offer a romantic view of farming today, though after Brexit farming is now a dead duck in the UK.  

The turn of the year always brought a chance to get together with friends.  In the far past tribes from many areas would congregate together, eat, drink, and be merry and ensure the marriages between tribes could occur.  In England the 12 days of Christmas were one of the only holidays available to people.  Occasional Holy Days occurrred but most just got plastered at the Christmas Celebration.  How much of Christ was in this can be guessed.  One theory is that some Christians brought in Christmas, the 'Christ Mass,' and worked out the date of December 25th as Jesus birthday (Based on the assumption (see what I did there?) that Mary conceived on March 25th) and 9 months later it was Dec 25th.  Hmmm...   

Anyway, the Reformation in Scotland ended that in the north.  No mention of Christmas in scripture, so it was dropped, though he obviously arrived as both Matthew and Luke mention this event.  England however, continued their debauchery for the 12 days and more for many years.  It has not ended as yet around this area as far as I can see, and No 10 Downing Street not only continues the pleasuring but repeats it over and over, no matter what Covid is doing to the public outside, and then deny this.   

Scotland of course forgot about Christmas but managed to enjoy the New Year, and the Kirk did not appear to notice, and since 1956, or was it 1958, Christmas and New Year have been an excuse for drunken, rowdy, behaviour as if they needed an excuse!

My Puritan Christmas will be less exciting, and as we face a type of LockDown immediately after Christmas life will not change a great deal for a while.  The latest bug has worried Boris, though to be honest there is a growing thought that this time he really is on the way out.  I wonder what rabbit he can pull out of this hat?  Consider this for Christmas, if he goes, we may have Liz Truss as Prime Minister soon.

Pray!

 

 

Confusion

 

Christmas & Parliament

Being the kind and generous person I am, and having been reminded that I am supposed to be 'thrifty' as a Scot, then I am happy to say I have satisfied both these demands by obtaining these 6 bottles of whisky to give to my equally generous friends.  So far they have given nothing!  

As I always say, a promise is a promise, and if I promise a bottle of whisky to someone I make sure they will receive a bottle of whisky.  I fail to see how anyone could grumble.

The big box of nothingness that I send annually to my sister will be posted, I hope, tomorrow and nothing much else Christmassy requires to be done. An online shop for two or three people and that is about it.  Most cards have either gone or have been written and an abundance of stamps remain.  I am ready for when they go up in price again.      

Of course abuse has come my way from those who have not yet begun their shopping.  Tee Hee.  There is no need for me to rub this in, but I do anyway.  

Most men will of course wait until the last few days before working out what they must buy, and are then found asking women friends what they ought to do!  I always suggest they buy her a new iron or a hoover, but for some reason they never work up the courage.     

Daily Mirror

 

When I read a man had jumped the fence at the House of Commons my first thought was to ask which MP had tried to escape?   It did cross my mind it could be a Lord from the House of Lords, though most could not jump over a step let alone a fence.  Anyway, all of both Houses are making too much cash to run away these days.  However, it turns out it was merely a member of the public, possibly trying out his right to protest.  His reasons are as yet unknown but after being tazered, handcuffed and led away to a police van (no longer called Black Maria's') he was heard to mutter "My rights!"  Indications are this was a 'stunt' of incredible stupidity, for a reason as yet unknown, and that any magistrate who eventually gets to hear his case will not be impressed with 'his rights.'  

He must understand that amongst the posse of police officers who responded many carried guns, guns that a mad gunmen in the USA would give a great deal to possess.   These officers also know how to use them, had this man appeared violent in response he may have discovered how well they could use them.  

Silly boy.