Photo Scan Time

 

Got myself a job!

My brother died a few years ago and with his widow now moving near my best, most attractive, and highly talented niece way down south the house has to be sold to pay the care home bills.  My brothers office, full of interesting thngs, was off limits to me in case I nicked bits.  Now however, I have been donated some of his old pictures from the days of long ago.  

Most were of his time in the RAF, this aircraft is situated somewhere in the middle east (Sharjah)where he was stationed during 1971 (Can you remember that far back?).  There are a lot of pictures of aircraft that I cannot identify, it being so long ago most have long since been scrapped.  Being the RAF they were probably on their last legs anyway, buying the latest and best for 'our boys' has never been important to our politicians.  

So, now I am attempting to scan three albums full of pictures.  Some look interesting, some boring, some fading with time, and all are off pin sharp clarity!  Using RAF cameras, and often his own (probably) second hand cameras, twisting knobs and fiddling with lenses my brother, RAF Photographer, manages to get sharp pictures while I, with my fancy dan Lumix cannot!  Bah!

 

 

These look like Hawker Hunters to me, so that dates the pictures.  This was the time the UK was withdrawing from 'East of Suez,' for financial and 'end of empire' reasons.  That said, it is no surprise to know the better aircraft, Phantoms for interest, were deployed in the UK and across Europe where they were needed.  

Not sure if below the aircraft we see the base beneath or the local town, either way I like the idea of a house surrounded by a wall with a central courtyard.  That way you remain hidden from view, rooms all around, yet have space to do your thing, I think this is very middle eastern.  I like the idea and will seek such accomodation once I am a billionaire.  Not actually in the middle east mind.

So, nothing else has been done, and probably will not be done tomorrow or until I get fed up of scanning pictures.  That will be quick mind...

 

The Ancient Wall of London

 

I stumbled across this video today and was intrigued, not just by the video itself, nor by the fact it is quite short, about a dozen minutes or so, but also by the way London has changed architecturally since I lived there.  

Jago, for it is he, takes us around the remains of the ancient wall that once surrounded the small port of Londinium.  The dates vary, certainly most of the wall was erected by the Romans, at places the red Roman tiles can be clearly seen, and while amended, reconstructed, and bombed occasionally much of it remains visible.  Jago tells a good tale, he is clearly good at this, knows his history, is easy to listen to and the only spoiler is the advert that comes too soon and remains too long.  

 

 

I do like short but informative videos, and when I have actually seen and photographed some items shown in the film, and touched and walked beside them I am truly quite happy.  This may not reflect an active lifestyle of course.  

However, it was the intrusion of modern buildings that really irked.  When we see old churches dating back a thousand or so years overlooked by a concrete and glass construction that bears all the clear hallmarks of an architect with a drug problem then I despair.  At one point some semi-circular building leans out across the busy street looking like something momentous found half buried on a Normandy beach.  What was the point of that?  All around gleaming monstrosities glare down their snooty nose at ancient buildings, or their remains, that speak of humanity and culture (well apart from the Circus, the scaffold, the slaves I mean) and the inhumanity of London life is revealed in glass.  

OK, I know it was not all humanity, kindness and agape love in the past but really these modern buildings reaching up to heaven are either people seeking to 'make a name for ourselves,' or laundering rubles or some other currency that ought to have remained back in its own country.  I suspect our Nige does not object to such immigrants as this.

 

 

This beam is a remnant of a Roman wharf dating from the good old days.  Whether this one remembers Boudicca arriving and burning the place to the ground, slaughtering everyone she found and moving on or not I cannot say with any guarantee, however, it has been there for a while happily outside this church at London Bridge.  

I suppose this Iceni woman is responsible for the wall more than anyone.  She also created jobs at St Albans and Colchester where some of the wall remains in place.  Yet in spite of these jobs the history books, at least those written by Romans, did not speak well of her.  

I recommend this video, and a search through his other ones, especially if you have a contact of sorts with London.  A great metropolis, full of humans with all the god and bad attitudes found in any other vast city, though life is much healthier now so many are working from home.  For walking tours it is great, if you don't mind people crushing you, and history is everywhere, but I would not move back without a lot of money and quiet and cheap home in the centre!

 

WHO IS THERE LIKE YOU - Stuart Townend [HD]

Wet Market Day

So excited to be out in the rain I took my wee camera for a spin.  The real need was for bread and milk but I wandered into town in the rain to find the market almost deserted.  I then remembered that after Christmas many market stall holders take a holiday in the sun, probably Hawaii at their prices, at this time off year.  And add in the rain falling all day, and quite strong it was at that, only the Car advertising driving lessons and one cake stall arrived to seek cash from a very small congregation.  

I strolled through a near empty Tesco, half the checkouts empty, no customers queuing for long anywhere.  Cupboards maybe still full after restock but weather keeping folks in, I obtained a few things, congratulated the lass on not charging me as much as they usually do, and hobbled home in the wet. 

 

I suspect when the pubs open, mostly to watch football as it is English Cup day again, then many more will rise and shine.  Difficult to tell how many shops had remained shut, though most were open.  

Because my diet has been er, slack over the Christmas period I kept away from the cake stall.  His prices also enabled me to keep my distance but I doubt he made a fortune today.  

 

 

I was too early for the museum this morning, this is a shame as they have advertised a sale with 70% off!  I always told her the prices were too high!  Later in the week I will pop in and seek next years Christmas presents...

For now, it's football time.

 

Never the Twain

National

 

The other day, when in conversation with two of what I took to be highly intelligent men, I realised once again that I live in a foreign country.  It was clear their knowledge of Scortland was limited, and their reaction to Nicola Sturgeon reflected a message poured out by the 'Daily Mail,' 'Daily Express,' and BBC News.  This was disturbing but not unusual down here.

A hatred for Sturgeon that they cannot adequately explain is based on false information and a desire to oppose independence.  Yet some of these people voted for Brexit! and what they called and English independence.  

Sturgeon is no favourite of mine, however, she has handled Covid better than England, that means Boris, has attempted to protect people at all levels and while surely has made mistakes, though who would not in the circumstances, has been seen as a competent politician, one Boris dare not face.  

Scots who dislike Nicola do so because she favours the absurd 'trans' and 'gay' ideology, or is failing to seek independence.  It is likely she is happy with the situation just now as she remains happily in charge of her Cabal with no opposition.  However, 'Indy2' appears not to bother her whatsoever.  

In England dislike is based on tabloid media and ignorance.  Such ignorance includes a failure to understand how Scotland has been abused by England since the Lords took bribes and kept their lands by selling out to England in 1707.  This brought continued the peace brought by James VI & I taking the English throne (and ignoring Scotland) but almost killed Edinburgh and was rightly refused by the people.  No benefits accrued to Scotland until Scots took power in England's parliament.  Only then did money shift north, and probably into only certain pockets.

Financial figures, misreported and misunderstood seek to make Scotland a failed economy yet Denmark, Ireland and others with smaller populations succeed.  Joining the EU helps, but Scotland's  trade will improve without the Brexit folly hindering her.

Scottish nationalism is not based on hatred of England, as the London press keep repeating, but on love of country.  English nationalism is however based on xenophobia, hatred of foreigners and a belief they are still a 17th century imperial power.  This clearly is not the case.  Since Brexit all power has been lost, the English importance rotted away and all that matters is the pigs with noses in the trough, the nation, flag waving or not, matters not and is dying.

Will the English ever understand how Scots are second class citizens in their own country.  They will never understand why the BBC refers to 'British' football fans when talking about 'English' ones.  They note a tennis star who was 'Scots' until he won Wimbledon and became 'British,' and numerous daily occurrences similar to this.  I queried one newsreader when she mentioned the train leaves Kings Cross for Scotland.  "Where is this station called 'Scotland'?" I asked.  The next time she appreared it was amended to Edinburgh though she missed out the 'Waverley' bit.  Unconscious racism is bad when we are black, but not when we are Scots.  

Boris Johnson himself is known for his antipathy to Scots and has published many such statments in his writings.  Possibly action ought to have been taken here?

Scots know much more about this foreign country than the English know of Scotland, for a 'United Nation' we are very disunited, may it become permanent soon.

 

WoS

Energy Chancers

 

The chancers are at it again.  Both EON, now called 'E.on Next' for no good but certainly a costly reason, and the British Gas people, now called 'British Gas Evolve,' again for no good, but certainly costly reason are asking for a meter reading every month.  This apparently is to ensure you are up to date and able to control your costs, though I notice they do not allow you to reduce those costs as you wish on their websites as they once did.  So, to save costs, I have had to read the gas meter, in the rain, and today, clamber up and down stairs to read the electric meter in the basement (which was warmer than my condominium).

As you may remember I cannot have a 'Smart Meter' as there is no signal in the basement, and therefore I must monthly clamber about to save these grasping chancers from employing men to do so as they once did.  This saves me money?  Cutting their costs, lowering their high salaries and big bonus's to chancer directors, removing this government, and nationalising gas, water and electricity, alongside rail and bus as well as the NHS might help my costs.  I doubt reading meters monthly will do so.  

There is of course no alternative to these large powerful crooks.  It is indeed true there have been problems with gas supply, especially from that nice Mr Putin, who probably has shares in these two companies, yet the smaller companies that still remain are struggling and no cheaper now than this lot, whatever name they use.

Brexit has not helped either, we have lost the collective deals we once shared, and nobody reckons the UK now.  Prices to increase soon, but I am confident that nice Mr Johnson will enable a good deal for us all, unless he is at a party that is.

Return to Normality

I did not leave the house today.  The need for an after Christmas clean up and the need to avoid the rain trapped me happily indoors.  I cogitated on the washing as the machine whirled the mixture around.  My mother did not have a machine until the 1970s and then a hand-me-down from a woman she worked for.  Until then all the washing was done by hand.  She must have grumbled often about the hard work, even though as kids we often er, helped.  Using the mangle was fun even if we avoided the hard part of the work.  She however, was lucky!  

Just imagine washing in Victorian times where much more clothing was the fashion, and not just much more of it but much larger outfits for the women.  All this done by hand.  The soap in those days was usually a long red block called 'Sunlight,' or 'Lifebuoy,' or some such.  It meant the woman had to scrape flakes of the end and mix them in water, washing the kids in the same fashion usually also, but maybe not at the same time.  It was the flakes that helped make William Hesketh Lever famous.  He and his brother worked with a local chemist to develop the soap, based on Palm Oil, he noticed the scraped flakes and an idea came upon him, he put the flakes in a box and 'Lux Flakes' were born.  This became the common soap powder, of various brands, we used way into the 70's.

Today, I poured a dollop of liquid into the machine, £1 a go at Poundland, and watched it go.  

The hard work for me was afterwards as I then had to try the variety of raiment that had lain there for many Christmas days.  I wondered where some had got to!  How can one person whow ears the same clobebr all week find so much in the washing machine?

This proves indeed that the Christmas Holiday is over, housework, rain, normality back, well as much as possible.  Boris lying in his teeth on TV, note the hair has been combed in an effort to make him look like a PM, children returned to school with no protection, no teachers and little hope from this corrupt bunch of gangsters.  NHS  worn out, told they must bear it as we 'are at war' while the NHS like the armed forces are deprived of proper equipment and support.  However, this does not matter, as Boris is still there and he and his people are still coining it in!

I am not sure nurses agree.

 

First Sabbath of the year

The Kirk was almost empty this morning, whether this was due to people being away or the result of too much New Year celebrations was not made clear.  I was however, given a lift home, and home before noon is always a good thing.  It would have been better to have someone make lunch for me and then do the ironing but alas that did not happen.  So make do and mend and wonder "What was that I ate?" had to do.  

First sermon of the year is always tricky.  The church has to be reminded to set its heart on Jesus, not the world, to read the book, study the book, pray without ceasing and love one another.  This was not helped one year a long time ago when the pastor turned and looked in my direction as he urged us to "Move on with no more sin and (as he looked at me) no more spiritual jerks."  Quite how neither of us responded amazes me yet.   

Once home I discovered Championship football was on today.  This meant I could use PPV TV and watch Arbroath play Inverness.  This was welcomed I must say, and so £13 was soon paid and I waited by nodding off, until the game began.  This was great fun until 10 minutes in the server failed.  It took 15 mins at least before an alternative picture was found.  Apparently the server did not expect a thousand people to log in as usually only a couple of hundered do this at Arbroath.  However, government restrictions limiting the crowd to 500 meant many logged on and all collapsed.  'Vimeo,' for it was run via them, failed to impress many of the Angus hordes!  

In the end however I enjoyed the poor game played in high wind and was really too tired to care about much else.  I have struggled to wake in the mornings and look forward to a lie in tomorrow. 

 

Happy New Year 2022

 A Happy New Year to all my readers, including bots!

 

We will face another year of Covid, there will be 'wars and rumours of wars, famines and earthquakes in various places,' terrorists and protesters, mismanagement and corruption in high places.  However, there will also be acts of kindness, efforts at peace, and for many of us good times after bad, hopefully.

In short, life goes on when the calendar changes, we can do little about the life around us but we can change the life we have now, and then we can our world for the better.  May the Lord make his face to shine upon you this year and always.

I hope your 2022 is a good one for you and yours, all the best!

 

New Years Eve 2021

Being New Years Eve I decided I had to check the shop to ensure I had those last important things that I cannot do without, especially as the shops will be closed for the holiday.  I was wrong!  Both Sainsburys and Tesco are open tomorrow, not much change in the hours either.  

This will not be the case in Scotland!  

I thought I had to buy now or struggle on until Monday or Tuesday but it appears no struggle will be required.  Having lounged, drank, eaten too much over Christmas it appears no desire is left among the local natives for similar this weekend.  How often I realise I am living in a foreign country!

 

I was glad to get out under the glowering dark clouds.  Slowly the clouds have fallen away allowing a temperature in the 50's F.  This is unusual for December and knowing similar is happening elsewhere, in the US for example, it indicates a degree of global warming that Fossil Fuel salemen insist does not exist.  Their backing, if not invention, off anti-covid fears intended to ensure people return to work, thus creating money for them, has not gone unnoticed, especially when MPs shout about this in parliament and they happen to be connected to such companies and their offsprings.  How unusual for an MP!

I wandered amongst the few, almost friendly, people out and about.  Handfuls of people prepared for cold weather sweltered around town, a surprising amount of shops remained open, though some were clearly making the most of the time off.   

Home to the usual housework ignored all week.  I am so lucky!  However, it is good to get so much done badly.  Now I am about to check my Christmas spending, this ought to frighten me somewhat and ensure next year I spend less!  Then I prepare for Hogmany, that is heading to bed.... 

Dreich!

 

Dreich indeed!

Thick, heavy, threatening clouds hung over the empire this morning.  Even the LED street light that brightens up the world at 5 am each morning struggled to peek through the gloom.  By the time I struggled out of bed much later I hoped the gloom would have eased, it had not.  The darkness lay over the country for some time, occasionally breaking into light cloud and pretending there was a sun shining high above and beyond somewhere in the sky.  The clouds lied.

Having spent a fruitful morning staring at the laptop and obtaining nothing whatsoever from my endeavors I took the only possible action, I gave up.  Following a pretend exercise period I then wandered up to Tesco via the park.  The damp drizzle popped out now and again yet the air was mild and my heavy coat appeared needless.  I kept it on mind.  Tesco itself was reasonably busy at that time, and having none of the goods I sought means I must visit Sainsburys again tomorrow.

Do you ever get the idea my life is too exciting?

I wonder if I could get one of these 'Influencers' roles on Instagram?  They are all nobody's, have nothing to offer bar sponsored products that nobody requires, have little talent if any, nothing positive to say and are at best boring.  

Surely, surely I could fit in there?  

I can set up a camera and the world can watch me sitting here at the laptop, benging my head on the desk when it does not do what I wish, drinking tea and expensive whisky, and every so often turning to the camera and promoting, accidentally, an expensive piece of garbage that millions will buy because I say so!  Sounds good to me!

I wonder if I can cope with all that money arriving each month?

 

The Quiet Week

 

 

Another day in Toryland, another day with no leader to be seen.  Boris, the present Prime Minister, has run away again.  He has been done in by the knive carrying friends he put in place to protect him from harm, especially the numpty Liz Truss, now Foreign Secretary, and the 'Make the rich richer, especially me' Chancellor Risi Sunak.  Both are hoping for his job, both would be worse than he!

You will recall Kenneth Clarck's comment after the last time he stood for the leadership.  "After the vote 132 Tory members shook my hand and told me they had voted for me, I only got 87 votes!"  The numbers may be innaccurate, but the quote is true.  Now, as we eat leftovers yet again, MPs, Whips, and friends of the leading contenders are stabbing competitors in the back, making lying promises for support, and dining out with editors of right-wing papers.  All fighting for the top job, as indeed is Boris, though his temporary wife may be fighting harder than he, she is on the make and not willing to let go of the 'power behind the throne' that she possesses and is less willing to be caught out and made to pay for the decorating.  Whatever happens, she will land on another high climbing man with power, ability and an openess to her charms.  

Will any of this benefit the nation?

No!

Yesterday it appeared I had somehow enlarged by 5Ibs in weight, today I had returned to normal.  It is indeed amazing what can happen when adding or avoiding roast potatoes.  It may even be normal tomorrow again.  However, exercise was beyond me, a trip to Sainsburys yesterday morning was enough and the gray, rain carrying clouds, have been with us all day today limiting the desire to get out off my chair and wander.  Instead, I returned to the occupations of yesterday, I did nothing!

From my chair via the laptop I visited many parts of the world, played 'Solitaire' and 'Block Game' until the mental stress caused me to turn to the leftovers in the Plum Vodka bottle.  It seemed to me to be too small a bottle for what was inside, very enjoyable and very lifting!  

 

 

The world has returned to some sort of normality, rain clouds fill the earth, people wander across the park with dogs or bags filled at Sainsburys.  The wind shakes the leaves, dripping dollops of water cheerfully on passersby, dogs drink from the puddles, birds are noticeable by their absence, and even the 'white van men' are in short supply, only one today, for next door of course.   

Cars drive by but many have taken, or have been given, the week off.  Pictures of crowded shopping centres, happily sharing the latest virus by not wearing masks, are not found everywhere.  The public leave home only when forced, shopping, bargain hunting, or getting away from the noise of the kids are the favourite reasons.  Some even go to work.   

So now we sit and await New Year.  In the meantime we rise, search for the calandar, work out the date and then plan the day.  It may even be a decent day tomorrow, only thick cloud glowering above us.  This means we may, well wrapped up, walk out and find they lied to us again.  

One thing to look forward to on Jan 1st is the introduction of the full benefits of Brexit!  On that date all the prices concerning trade with the EU will grow substantially, a whole host of other legislation comes into play, and almost nobody understands what is going on and what the result will be.  Actually some of us do know the result, we have spoken of it often and we see the early results in front of us now.  Let us simplify the result, try 'Disaster!'

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!

 

 

Christmas Day 2021

Happy Christmas everyone.  

Talk to the babe...

 

Christmas Eve

 

I'm shocked!

I met the woman downstairs today and discovered it was not the woman I thought it was.  They had moved out and this one replaced them about 18 months ago.  Jings, no-one tells me anything.

Anyway, I got on well with her and her 'uncle,' and walked round the town for air.

This grubby tree was in the centre and I took a shot of the lights though I do not like trees.  These are pagan things and have no place in Xmas to me.  However, the weather, ike the streets, was too dull for anything else, so I sauntered home, passing the few folks out seeking last minute gifts, or visiting watering holes, if open, for Xmas.  I saw one or two groups, and indeed heard them long before I saw them, well watered!

Now we face the Xmas days.  Tomorrow is Christmas Day, then Boxing Day, with two days off after this for the family arguments and recovery.

Many will also be sharing Covid virus's with friends and family, I will remain in safety with my liqueurs and whisky for protection...

 

O Salutaris Hostia

Post, Tesco, Angels...

Isn't it annoying that when you have done everything someone you forgot sends you a card?  So first thing today I trot down to the Post Office to send an heavy letter, the kids needed something, and hopefully I will not be back until the new year.  Surely there is no other required now?

 

That did not mean I could sit here and do all the other online stuff that is required, oh no.  I discovered I needed bread.  This was going to wait until tomorrow when the shops are crowded with the desperate piling the trolleys with stuff they don't need, but I decided it had better be done today.  So off I trotted round the town, to see if anything good was happening, it wasn't, and then into Tesco for a handful of things.  

30,000 people were also looking for a handful of things, some requiring several children to help them gather the needfuls.  Such fun!  This christmas most people have developed the Christmas frown.  Desparate for that gift, that important item, the family coming, going, not going, and what will the family/neighbours/someone think attitude, all blessing the season.  Today however, all was pleasant.  

As we queued there were debates as to the time we could get home, the need to return tomorrow for those forgotten items, and whether the kids would make the big tin of old fashioned sweets last until New Year.  That was an easy one to answer, no they would not!  All pleasant and correct.

 

Late last night I noticed these Angels appearing on the fence opposite.  This happens annually now.  Most have a card attached indicating these are to be taken and cared for.  Many had disappeared by this evening as usual.  Small things really but many think this adds something to Christmas.  

Oh yes, I have forgotten something and now must visit Sainsburys before the panic driven arrive!  No long lie in bed tomorrow...

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!

 

 

Silly Old Fool

 

It was not just the world outside that suffered from fog this morning.  Rising early, carefully gathering all required for the trip to church, taking one of those free 'Flow Tests' that the council have given out, breakfasting according to the days activities and then, in good time, plodding off in good order towards the Kirk.

Naturally, the chill in the breeze did not waken me, nor the several people met on the pavements, pavements narrowed by the overgrown hedges, worn areas caused by cars to driving over, and various items left by passersby and their mutts.  None woke me from my slumbers as I plodded on.

It was as I almost reached the Kirk that I woke up and remembered the heater.

I had plugged it in at 7:30 to warm the air.  I was so busy organising myself that I forgot to unplug it as I left.  This heater now sits under my desk, warming my feet and while safe enough with me beside it allowing it to burn free  while  I was out was not desirable.  Grrrrrr!  I expect all would be safe, but it was a risk I could not take and so in the church I dumped the Christmas cards for the masses, explained myself, and hobbled back home.

It was 25 or so minutes later I clambered up the stair, entered a very warm living room and unplugged the brute!  So then it was too late to return, my dinner put to the test, and I sat annoyed at the silly old fool who could not remember something as simple as unplugging the heater!  Bah!

Another thought did cross my head however.  The Christmas cards in church.  In times past we laid them on the table and people added their own to the pile.  Each collected their own while adding to others.  All well and good, children excited to see how many they collect, adults hoping they would not get one from people they had forgotten!  Covid has ended this!  Now, to stop the spread, we must meet one another face to face and hand them the card.  Hmmm... I wonder if this is a safer method?  

Anyway, good news!  A call from one of my women at lunchtime, she and her man will collect me tonight to ensure I get to the Carol Service.  This saves me another hobble there and back.  How nice of them, I hope I put a card for them in amongst that pile...

 

The day ended well.  Being collected and delivered back afterwards was a great pleasure.  I think I could allow this to happen weekly if I thought I could get away with it.  

The usual straight forward Carol service, usual songs, usuall readings and usual unknown people arriving never to be seen again.  Some new people have arrived recently and remained however.  The only annoying thing is the need to stand and sing, sit and then stand, sit and then stand... by the end I am worn out!  

I think I will suggest changes for next year...