Christmas Reading

I was browsing through Amazon for something to read when it appeared to my little mind a somewhat stupid thing to do as I had several books given to me this year.  'Why not read them' was the thought that crossed my mind.  I listened intently and decided to do so, once I have read the books I am ploughing through just at the moment.   
I have just had a look and there are several new books I am going through, a few older books I am re-reading and yet I was looking for something interesting on Amazon?  Funny enough I have been wandering through the charity shops and glancing at their books also but finding nothing for me, and while disliking 'W.H.Smith,' the worst shop on the High Street several years running I managed to glance at the books in there also.  We do however have a shop that retails those less successful books ''Works' it's called and remaindered books aplenty can be obtained there.  A very good shop it is however as always it has that knack of not having the book I want when looking for it especially when shopping for someone else.  Bah!

Back to reality tomorrow.  First stop is the dentist to be told my teeth are perfect except the one with a hole and the chipped bit.  As they do not bother me nothing gets done, maybe he wants to do something tomorrow?  I hope not! 
Then it is back to the lovely ladies at work, the cheery smiles from people desperate to be back on holiday, except the two that returned today, they might have a genuine smile after working for one day ahead of the rest.  I doubt it however.
Back to questions we cannot answer, changing stock in the shop (I will leave that till the afternoon - I go off at one!) and dealing with folks who wander in.  As we are allowing free entry for four months from tomorrow we will probably get more visitors as this tight fisted lot would look at anything that's free.
This means a bath, a shave and an almost clean shirt (Sundays will do) and if he cleans my teeth with that machine I might even manage a smile or two, well anyway....

Wiki

So the war is getting closer.  Chopping the head of a Shia imam has not gone down well in Iran who have burnt out the Saudi embassy which did not go down well in Riyadh.  As these two are fighting a proxy war in Yemen (not that we hear much about this, why so Tory led press?) and both are heavily engaged in Iraq (we hear about this one) it is also possible that both nations are daft enough to go to full out war before long.
Did you know the United Nation have a committee that is concerned with 'Human Rights?' Did you realise that Saudi Arabia no chair that committee?  Who made the way clear for such an absurd situation to develop?  David Cameron of course!  A teenager was threatened with being crucified by the Saudi's and David Cameron was asked several times on TV to intervene and as he blustered all he could say was 'We sell them arms' but not in so many words.  Where do the Saudi's get weapons to drop carelessly in Yemen?  The UK.  Where do IS get weapons from?  The US!  One way or another we have a complex situation and none of the clowns are able to work out what to do.
European wars can be handled differently as generally we understand one another however none of the leaders understand the Arab mind, the sectarian divide, fatalism, the fears of both sides and the use and misuse of the Koran.  This can only get worse.

By the way there is also civil war in Burundi (Look it up) the Central African Republic and various other natural and man made disasters worldwide, it's just that the media only print and offer things  that sell!

 Jim Benton

 

Still Nothing Happened

Quite why people make resolutions which they are not going to keep amazes me.  Those who decide to diet and succeed do so by great effort of willpower and we know how easily that is lost.  The decision not to decide on a resolution is however one I have managed to keep year after year.

Wandering down the road this morning I was concentration on avoiding the puddles as the rain began once again and failed to notice the bog police dog handlers van I was walking in front off.  I kept going but his face expressed a degree of surprise I thought. 
Soaked by the time I reached the church I was glad the heating was on to dry me out.  I am getting to like this strange Anglican Kirk, in spite of their foibles and the many mistakes that routinely occur.  In fact it seems to my way of thinking to make the place more homely rather than inept.  These are everyday human beings who have been found by Jesus not the perfect kinds who sometime appear on the screen.  I am beginning to like them and developing some things about me that need improvement.  I think however the 'Wee Frees' will never let me through their door if I am ever back up in the rain soaked land.
Talking of which I hurried home in the downpour to see the St Johnstone v Aberdeen game - this was postponed - the pitch was waterlogged!!!!

As is normal Scotland takes two days at New Year, with Friday being the first that means Monday is a day off for the majority of people.  Here in the soft south they do not do this and tomorrow, the fourth, is for the peoples around me a 'back to work' experience.
Groans can be heard from neighbours, screams emit from houses around the place as recognition of the end of the week long break has ended comes home to roost.  Alarm clocks are being set alongside some words best kept from children, and work outfits are being laid out in places where they can be found in the early morning darkness.  
I however will be remaining at home.  (Insert smug grin here)
Now I have nothing against work, I was involved in one way or another in such activity for around forty years, and take pleasure in watching others perform such work always willing to offer advice on how the job should be done exactly.  Such aid is not always considered helpful I note, still it's a giggle innit?
If the weather is good I might cycle past the industrial estate and wave cheerily at anyone I know.  If not I will just stand at the window early on and wave my coffee cup at passersby, that usually brings a response, especially when it's raining.
"Ah well," said Zebedee, "time for bed."

Nothing Happened

First Day of 2016

Naturally after the bright sun and blue sky of Hogmany we are waking to Jack Frost lying all over the park.  It appears winter may well have arrived down her at last.  Oh goody.  The wind blew, the rain arrived and I was thankful I need not get the bike out.  My knees rejoiced as we went back to bed.  A little bit of a late night last night.  Not a party around here just me scribbling on this keyboard, tea drinking and lost in thought (a dream actually) when the fireworks went off all around.  Suddenly I was in a new year.  
I fell asleep.

   IB Times

The lack of news allows any disaster to fill lots of airspace and this fire was a disaster indeed.  Quite how no person was injured is amazing but it does leave the sense of impeding danger in all these ludicrous tall buildings.
Dubai is a place that inspires nothing in me.  A desert with vast skyscrapers filled with the rich.  Not my idea of fun.  The fact that they ran out of cash to complete the building of the fancy plans leaving vast numbers of unfinished dwellings does make a grin appear I must say.  Who goes to such places? Celebs, football players and people with too much money or those wishing to mix with said celebs.  For what?  The heat makes it difficult to stay outside, inside it is filled with windowlickers chasing fame or famous people wishing to be seen.  Everything costs the earth, including the sand which has to be imported for the building works as the local sand is not of the right texture.  Play with your woman on the beach and the religious police lock you up, drink there and they beat you, stay indoors and meet empty people chasing empty people.  If I was there I might light a fire also.

Daily Mail

 What is it with people and 'selfies?'  This Christmas & New Year facebook has been awash with selfies and retweeted selfies all comprising people with faces far too close to the camera making folks like me who see them for the first time think Halloween has returned.  It is not as if they are good pictures, although some of the young bits of fluff come out well, faces distorted by the angle and too close to the camera (sorry.... phone) and Mr & Mrs look like a freak show lost from Chippendale's Circus.  There appear to be vast numbers of folks who have spent the entire last few days taking shots of themselves and posting them on the web.  
STOP IT!!!
Have someone take a pic from six feet away and make you look human next time!

The day like me is done.
In England people are looking forward to bed and the weekend.  In Edinburgh and Scotland in general the celebrations continue, somewhat lessened but in similar fashion.  In this house I might manage a toddy later.

I hope this year brings good things to all of us.  We have all had bad things last year let us hope for good things this time around.  I hope my company of worldwide friends can enjoy all good things and good fortune during the coming days.

"May the Lord bless you and keep you, 

may he make his face to shine upon you 

and give you his peace."

   

Hogmany 2015

With the winds dropping and the rain passing over into the North Sea I considered it my duty to once more attempt the Matterhorn like slope up the old railway. You can imagine my rejoicing as within seconds of heading west the wind increased and my knees started to scream.  Most of the way I was considering turning back but young ladies walking dogs appeared and I refused to allow myself to prove what a wimp I am.  However once at the top of the slope and past the station itself and with no viewers to be seen I turned back sharpish!  The beauty of struggling up a slope is the joy of rolling back down again.  How lovely it is to be able to look at the world around, the dogs and their owners, enjoy the scenery and instead of puffing like the old engines that once ran along this line ponder on the good life I have now.
I did give thanks that I could ride a bike, after the accident there was a strong likelihood that the leg would be forever straight and never bend!  I gave thanks for sunshine and sky, birds twittering and rabbits hiding, dogs tail wagging and smiling young lassies - which continued to smile as long as I didn't stop!  
Simple things around us are so wonderful yet we ignore them or in this country fail to see them for the rain.  
I pondered the friends around the world - none here but many around the world - how lucky I am to have them, the good things stuffed in the cupboard, the lack of need for anything as I have all I require and enough health to get around.  So many people have lost all their health totally and we think we are in a bad way?  
Today a visitor left me with more gifts, although he forgot the money part, it was a delight to see him.  This interrupted my siesta work researching family history but I can leave all that to next year now.  Indeed all things will be left to next year now - bar the washing up!  At the moment people are looking to the new year except in Queensland where sleeping off the refreshment is more important at the moment therefore as always there is time to review the past year and look forward to the next so we ought to do that now!

Rickety Ride

The rickety bike carried my rickety bones up the rickety old railway line this morning and left my rickety muscles more rickety than before.  I suppose this is called 'health.'  The sun shone and the people taking the week off took advantage to walk out with the dogs alongside the regulars.  This is fine as the dogs are happy, tails wagging and full of enjoyment at the aromas around them, some not always pleasant I fear.  For the first time in ages I made it all the way to Rayne, a full two miles of uphill slope and stopped just afterwards at this memorial to a deceased person.  Look closely and you note it is shaped as a crocodile, something which we have lots of in the pond nearby, and made out of one tree trunk.  Very well made I must say.

  
The plan to build hundreds of houses along here has met with much abuse and you can see why.  I understand why a farmer would willingly sell his land but this is a chance to escape the town and walk in a small bit of countryside, thousands of newcomers would not ensure a happy world here.
Note the old chapel now turned into a house.

The horses in this field never appear full of life.  I wonder if they are bored, tired or just not quite awake yet.  They always appear to be different horses, I wonder if he rustles them from somewhere?
They glanced up as my brakes squealed and quickly ignored me.

I cared not for their indifference as I was just happy to have reached this far and not had a heart attack.  The sun shone, people appeared friendly for the most part and I avoided all the dogs and got two children in one go!  A good day! 
The world appears happier when the sun shines and I had to make the effort this morning as another of those storms arrives tomorrow bringing wind and rain across the sodden parts of the country.  I feel for those soaked through yet again and join their despair as more rain arrives.  There is hope that this will be the last but all that water has to be dispersed yet.  
Now, where is the number for that lithe blonde lassie masseur...or is it masseuse?

A Day of Rest

I got up slowly today and sloth like entered the world.  When the daylight finally began to show I suddenly took it into myself to get on the bike.  This thought tired me somewhat so I pushed it aside.  However later, when the need for fresh things from Tesco arose, I ventured instead onto the bike in spite of my weak and complaining knees.  After twenty or so minutes travelling at speeds exceeding three miles an hour I made it home and then went to Tesco.  
The rest of the day has been spent in bed!
My siesta was forced upon me to make up for the early rise and soon after I woke much later I noticed it was time for Rangers v Hibs so I stayed in bed and watched Hibernian crumple under the bigot boys from Ibrox.  A sair fecht indeed that the Hibs were just not good enough on the day.  It looks like the play offs are their only hope.
However luck was in, not long after this Manchester United played Chelsea so I decided to remain in the filthy gray sheets (I must change them sometime in the new year) and watch this game.  In the few minutes in between I managed to make my tea (how good is the microwave?) and settle back before the start.
Two enthralling games to follow on from the one yesterday when the Heart of Midlothian took on the other bigot side and were held to a draw.  Scottish football is in a good state, only certain power brokers in the SFA/SPLF could disagree (and Mr Milne of course).
Now I note the last game today is not being covered by an online stream so I have time to scribble and then try to get my miniature quadcoptor to work.  Quite what I am supposed to do with this thing (about two inches in length and with no camera) I know not.  Just flying it around might be fun however.  Hmmm maybe I should try this at the muse....no, I had better not.
Back to bed I think.

Dreich Again

The rain thought it funny to start when I attempted to go out this morning.  I waited until it subsided somewhat and wended my way down the road attempting to avid the puddles lying everywhere.  Naturally one individual in a very expensive black Jaguar car managed to go through a puddle at the side of the road, intentionally or otherwise, just as I passed.  I was somewhat displeased and informed the individual of my concern, not that they stopped or noticed, and then had to sort myself out before entering the church.  How easy to talk about forgiving people and how hard to forgive slight injuries!  I managed however but it took a few minutes.  The incongruity of going to a communion where forgiveness is sought and yet not wishing to offer it to another did sit in my mind for a while.  How easily we take forgiveness and how slowly we pass it on.
Being Sunday nothing has happened and the news has only the terrible floods up in the north west of England to talk about.  How those all day news people love a major disaster at Christmas!  If this did not occur they would have nothing but Christmas celebrations to bore us and them with.  I do feel for the folks who suffer up their, hopefully the worst is past for them.  The Prime Minister is sending troops but will he do something in a years time to ensure insurance is paid, defences strengthened and people safeguarded or will he just make a PR visit and vanish like he did at the Somerset floods last year? 

Another day off tomorrow for the masses.  However many will be working and I am not one of them.  This whole week is mine to do with what I wish, unless it rains, the money runs out or I fall down the stairs.

 

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?

Christmas day 2015

 

Happy Christmas to all

 

End of the Working Year

The doors shut at twelve noon, or just after as a woman entered as we were locking the door, and I will not reopen them until January.  How nice to be free form it for a while.  How nice for them all to forget work and enjoy life once again.  Family gatherings, holidays in the sun, short periods in jail, all these are ahead of us during the next few days.  My fridge is full of everything I need except that one thing I will be missing when I find what one important missing thing is, then there will be trouble.   Folks were filling the shops late into the afternoon, many men only now beginning to realise that they have a wife at home and no present and they have to leave the pub and go get her whatever it is she wanted whatever that was.  
Passing down the High Street I noticed a lot of bright yellow jackets hanging around.  The sight of one young man making off and haring down an alleyway pursued by one bright yellow jacket indicated something was amiss.  The yelling, screaming lassie, hands waving foul mouth in action, indicated others were involved, as indeed was drink!  For some time the populace forgot their worries and watched as these lower orders, and lower orders indeed they were, assisted the security staff with their work.  As I passed on two ambulance vehicles and a two police vehicles arrived.  They are never there when you want them and when they turn up there are loads of them  arresting you, well that's what I find anyway.
Now here's a thing, in Australia soon enough kids will be up early tearing open overpriced presents and still demanding more.  In the UK folks have still to get home from work, the shops, the pub, to wrap said presents, and in parts of the USA people are reaching for coffee to aid their entrance into the world yet again.  If Santa existed how would he overcome that I ask?   
Anyway it's teatime here, I can tell by the burning smell from the cooker, so I leave you while I go and hang my largest football sock up and await developments.

Christmas by John Betjeman
 
The bells of waiting Advent ring,
The Tortoise stove is lit again
And lamp-oil light across the night
Has caught the streaks of winter rain
In many a stained-glass window sheen
From Crimson Lake to Hookers Green.

The holly in the windy hedge
And round the Manor House the yew
Will soon be stripped to deck the ledge,
The altar, font and arch and pew,
So that the villagers can say
'The church looks nice' on Christmas Day.

Provincial Public Houses blaze,
Corporation tramcars clang,
On lighted tenements I gaze,
Where paper decorations hang,
And bunting in the red Town Hall
Says 'Merry Christmas to you all'.

And London shops on Christmas Eve
Are strung with silver bells and flowers
As hurrying clerks the City leave
To pigeon-haunted classic towers,
And marbled clouds go scudding by
The many-steepled London sky.

And girls in slacks remember Dad,
And oafish louts remember Mum,
And sleepless children's hearts are glad.
And Christmas-morning bells say 'Come!'
Even to shining ones who dwell
Safe in the Dorchester Hotel.

And is it true,
This most tremendous tale of all,
Seen in a stained-glass window's hue,
A Baby in an ox's stall ?
The Maker of the stars and sea
Become a Child on earth for me ?

And is it true ? For if it is,
No loving fingers tying strings
Around those tissued fripperies,
The sweet and silly Christmas things,
Bath salts and inexpensive scent
And hideous tie so kindly meant,

No love that in a family dwells,
No carolling in frosty air,
Nor all the steeple-shaking bells
Can with this single Truth compare -
That God was man in Palestine
And lives today in Bread and Wine.

Time & Date

Xmas Shop

Christmas Shopping  
    Poem by Jim Yerman


This year getting in the Christmas spirit might have seemed a little quirky
As some people headed out to shop before finishing Thanksgiving turkey.

Stores tried luring in customers, (it’s a strategy that worked, I must say) .
By extending Black Friday from Thursday morning until well into Saturday.

Perhaps they didn’t understand to our initial confusion and eventual laughter
That Friday cannot start the day before itself or extend till the day after.

I know they did this to spawn interest and generate humongous lines
I wonder if it’s the same concept as happy hour from 5 to 9?

Why I even saw a story about a woman who missed Thanksgiving not because she was poor
Or stranded in an airport...no because she was camped out in front of a store!

She decided giving up time with her family, enjoying the turkey, the togetherness, the quaff
Was worth it if she could buy Christmas presents at 50 to 70 percent off!

The doors spring open and the crowd rushes in, hordes of people determined not to fail
The biggest drawback to their success...there are only 5 Big Screen TV’s up for sale.

So they elbow one another aside, they push and they shove and deceive
In order to share some Christmas spirit...with their family on Christmas Eve.

We stand in awe as these Christmas shoppers attack, they kick, they hit and they bite
We’re not witnessing a Christmas miracle, we’re ringside at a Christmas fight.

I imagine those who won the fight for the TV’s (after all isn’t that what Christmas is all about?)
Can go home, plug them in and watch reruns on the news of one another duking it out.

Why, there are even reports of people shooting each other in the stores and out on the street
Who would have thought besides your purse or your wallet you need to be packing heat!

I harbor a false hope every year that this fighting will come to a stop
When they realize their children are watching and they’re teaching them how to shop.

I hope these people are church goers because as this Christmas season begins
If they can’t rationalize their behavior...they can at least be forgiven for their sins.

And if you think this Christmas embarrassment is the worst one you’ve ever seen
Just wait till Black Friday welcomes in next Christmas season...the day after Halloween.

Jim Yerman




Poem Hunter

Tuesday Tattle

 

The morning was spent watching people browse the shop with little idea of what they were looking for.  The worst were men, they have to buy for her and have absolutely no idea what they want, or what she wants that is.  I suspect the clever woman, and most are, have already made it clear to him what she really wants but he has not noticed, the football might have been on or something important like that, so he is now desperately trying to remember all those few (cough) words she has used concerning the Christmas present she requires.  It is harder as she started mentioning this back in January!  At least some folks found something useful, and a few pounds fell into the till.  

There is of course a way round the problem if the gift bought does not come up to expectations, a bottle or two of her favourite tipple.  It may also keep her quiet for much of the Boxing Day football he will be watching.  The thoughtful man thinks of all things.

Seen from such a distance it does make you wonder as to why we are the only inhabited planet.  On the other hand the many stars we see, and especially the for more distant one 'Hubble' and other fancy telescopes have seen are so far away in light years it is a strong possibility that they may not exist any longer anyway.  'The stars will fall from the sky' it says somewhere and maybe this is a reference to that.  Space is so big and so vast it is fascinating to just stare at some photographs and wonder about what is out there.   

However I suspect most peoples image of space is based on 'Star Wars' or 'Star Trek' rather than actual science or astronomy.  My early days were influenced by 'Dan Dare' from the 'Eagle' comic and his exciting adventures amongst the planets. The stuff I read was full of space travel in craft that looked very different from the things that are used today, these disappoint as they do not use fancy speeds to travel great distances, are shaped completely differently from the bulbous take off and land craft drawn by so many experts and more than this they claimed that by 2000 we would travel often to the moon you and I.  Experts eh?

Advent 1955
by
John Betjeman

The Advent wind begins to stir
With sea-like sounds in our Scotch fir,
It's dark at breakfast, dark at tea,
And in between we only see
Clouds hurrying across the sky
And rain-wet roads the wind blows dry
And branches bending to the gale
Against great skies all silver pale
The world seems travelling into space,
And travelling at a faster pace
Than in the leisured summer weather
When we and it sit out together,
For now we feel the world spin round
On some momentous journey bound -
Journey to what? to whom? to where?
The Advent bells call out 'Prepare,
Your world is journeying to the birth
Of God made Man for us on earth.'

And how, in fact, do we prepare
The great day that waits us there -
For the twenty-fifth day of December,
The birth of Christ? For some it means
An interchange of hunting scenes
On coloured cards, And I remember
Last year I sent out twenty yards,
Laid end to end, of Christmas cards
To people that I scarcely know -
They'd sent a card to me, and so
I had to send one back. Oh dear!
Is this a form of Christmas cheer?
Or is it, which is less surprising,
My pride gone in for advertising?
The only cards that really count
Are that extremely small amount
From real friends who keep in touch
And are not rich but love us much
Some ways indeed are very odd
By which we hail the birth of God.

We raise the price of things in shops,
We give plain boxes fancy tops
And lines which traders cannot sell
Thus parcell'd go extremely well
We dole out bribes we call a present
To those to whom we must be pleasant
For business reasons. Our defence is
These bribes are charged against expenses
And bring relief in Income Tax
Enough of these unworthy cracks!
'The time draws near the birth of Christ'.
A present that cannot be priced
Given two thousand years ago
Yet if God had not given so
He still would be a distant stranger
And not the Baby in the manger.

At Last

At last the shortest day of the year has arrived.  From today the nights get shorter and the days longer.  No more staring into the dark longing for sunshine, from today we stare into clouds full of rain awaiting sunshine.  This morning I caught the sun low down struggling to rise, at least he will not get any lower now. This was long after 8:30 and the chill in the air revealed December was still winter even if it has been mild by comparison.  
Spring is a coming.
 
Nothing else happened.
Again I ventured through the supermarkets for things forgotten, again I forgot things.
That sums up the day.
I looked for exciting happenings but none were seen.
Christmas shoppers with worried looks passed by, I smugly smiled and mentioned mine was all done and got a smack in the face or two from those who were not there yet.
The afternoon gale blew in, the rain swept down, I closed down and ironed some shirts.

I am not sure I can continue with this exciting life.
My nerves cannot stand much more of the thrill.
Roll on work....

The 'World's End is an Edinburgh pub!

Sunday Before Christmas

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,

earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;

snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,

in the bleak midwinter, long ago. 

Now just hold there a minute.  It is indeed winter here in the northern hemisphere but a historical minded type might wish to indicate that Jesus more likely arrived in the Springtime.  I say this because one reason I wear a 'Bah Humbug!' hat is my antipathy towards historical falsehoods and the facile jollity of the Christmas season.  Jesus came to earth indeed but what we see around us does not reveal him or his reason for coming. 
Somewhere in the past a someone thought he was being clever in deciding to 'Christianise' the midwinter festival, a time of jollity, hedonism and many booze ups, this was supposed to clean things up.  What has happened?  Christmas has become a time of jollity, hedonism and many booze ups!  Scotland at least kept the two separate leaving Christmas as a quieter time and the booze and hedonism for the New Year celebration, both just a time to rejoice that Spring was coming once again.  Some like to call this the Roman 'Saturnalia' but for those in norther climes this event goes way back into prehistory when the shortest day of the year is celebrated, and who can blame them?  Tomorrow is the 21st and the shortest day and I am glad!  However Christmas has been placed here instead of Springtime so we may as well get on with it now.
   

The need to attend a census in Bethlehem Josephs family home meant a long walk to the south for the Nazareth based pair.  Christmas cards may show romantic drawings of a woman on a donkey led by a caring husband but in truth if they had a donkey, which I doubt as they could only afford the cheapest sacrifice after the birth, if they had a donkey the man would have sat on it, she after all is only a woman.  

Once at the destination the pair would have arrived at the family home seeking the patriarch and somewhere to have the child, no 'Inn' as they did not exist however the region does contain rock that is porous which leaves many caves often used even today as barns or stables.  It is most likely Jesus entered the world there.  Out of the way from the family members, probably overcrowded indoors so this would have been better for Mary rather than a mob in a building.  Mary herself may well have been merely 14 years of age as that was a common age to marry, Joseph probably around the 20 years mark, just as well no politically correct social workers were around to ensure she was 'kept safe' at the time.

It is however interesting that once the child was born and wrapped as was the fashion in strips of cloth and placed in the feeding trough used by any animals around, the 'manger' it is then shepherds appear.  These rough men, carrying with them the odour of country living as well as sheep, arrive to bow down to this child.  For the parents, one visited by an angel, the other informed by dream that God was at work, this must have been quite an event.  Just what was going through their heads as these men worshipped and departed singing praise to God? 

As if this was not enough Magi make an entrance.  Forget three men on camels pointing at a star having travelled several hundred miles supplied by a pack of sandwiches and a vacuum flask of coffee, these men must have had a sizeable entourage with them, donkeys, camels, servants all hanging about outside.  This happened during the night, a time when people stayed firmly indoors, so it is no wonder no others noticed.  First shepherds bowing to the child, then gifts of Frankincense, myrrh and gold from people from the top end of society, the parents wonder must have grown.  

Then their sleep disturbed by Joseph being informed to take the child and flee to Egypt.  

What a night.  Two young people, a baby arriving is hard enough let alone when forced round the corner out of the way.  This is then followed by appearances of worshipping shepherds and Magi and the warning to run.  Egypt is a long walk from Bethlehem and these two must have been somewhat tired by it all.  

Note that at no time did yellow arcs range over their heads in the stable.  No mention is made of other animals like donkeys or cattle, however they would at least make the place warm.  No sign of 'Hollywood' lighting all around or fancy camera angles as in the picture at the top, the nearest I could find to the real thing, no crooning carols, no 'white Christmas' and definitely no 'Santa Claus!' 

This was the real world.

Today we see refugees in similar straits yet we often find the media implying they are scroungers, even if they have lost houses, possessions and family members through travel problems, war and death.  How many attend Carol services tonight yet would refuse an immigrant in need a bed?  how many love the 'magic of Christmas' yet ignore the reality of the God who entered with angel voices reflecting God's joy that salvation had arrived and would some years later be accomplished by a horrifying death on a cross for all who would believe?

The tinsel Christmas is not one for me, the real Christmas is deeper and harder and the choice it forces us to make one many run from to what they consider an easier life, one that fails ultimately.

Saturday Joy

 

The syncopated Christmas rhythms continued apace today as the brass played and the choirs sang.  Crowds passed by, some stood and watched occasionally joining in while others sped around elbowing towards a complete Christmas shop.  

I put my fingers in my ears and wished I had my 'Bah Humbug!' hat with me.   

I searched upstairs in Tesco for the item I needed urgently.  Last night while drifting off to sleep I made a note to remember this when in there this morning.  I forgot.  So there was I in Tesco scouring around upstairs searching the toys, the stationery, the handyman items all in a vain effort to remember what it was I forgot to note as I could not remember it now.  Only while searching the 'reduced price' box did it come to mind -ink for the printer! 
I had seen some the other day while in but was not sure of the number.  Did I require 300 or 301?  So I stood once again in Tesco wondering which I required.  I plumped for 300 hoping it was the right double pack of Colour and Black ink.  It was!  How glad I was while at home realising my brainw as much better than I had deduced.
As I opened the drawer where such stuff is kept I found both an unused double pack and the colour ink from the previous set!  I forgot to look in the drawer....