The wonders of technology - I got lots of little red message saying I had lost connection so I thought I would do a trial publish just to make sure I didn't lose you all.
Anyway, to continue ....
The boys (Bodybuilder and Jetski Boy) felt a little hard done by this year. With all the fuss of getting presents for everyone else, sometimes it is difficult to get the right presents for nearest and dearest so it tends to be something all year round like tax and insurance for their sleighs rather than big things on 25th. "My friend got a new car" etc make for a strained day sometimes but in once sense they did both get the world but that's another story. Mrs Claus' mother did get a new house for Christmas which must be better than a car but I can't claim to have had a lot to do with that apart from making sure she was settled as I passed overhead. Bodybuilder wants a new sleigh, can't see what's wrong with the little red one he has at the moment, very appropriate I would have thought apart from the fact that his reindeer are very frail and cost me a lot in maintenance. Jetski Boy doesn't know what he wants except that he won't be satisfied with anything he gets. Hey Ho what it is (was) to be young with no responsibilities
Once my duties are done I enjoy getting out of the red suit and just walking in the snow (slush) and enjoying nature. A little egret, Canada and Brent Geese, a flock of Redwings and the Ring Necked Parakeets were my reward.
So happy New Year to all my readers wherever you may be, Essex, or California and as the big lady in the Morecambe and Wise shows used to say " I love you all" ---- "Not now Arthur"
Sunday, 27 December 2009
Bah Humbug!
Yes I did actually get a bag of humbugs for Christmas along with endless mince pies and so many glasses of sweet sherry to make me postively dangerous driving the sleigh by the time I got back to Fiji. Did you hear the sad story of the master mariner who told on Radio 4 how he lost Christmas one year as he crossed the international date line and missed 25th December completely whilst sailors going the other way had two Christmas days! Now you know why you can't get a commercial passenger airline ticket for Christmas Day! The absolute despair at losing Christmas Day, whilst think of the expense of having two - all those extra presents to buy. Some groups, I know celebrate Christmas on different days of the year and I admit that does take some of the pressure off but it is so difficult trying to get the elves back to work after they have been celebrating and 25th December remains my busiest year. The troops in Sangin and Helmund nearly caught me out by celebrating 10 days early but fortunately I caught that major's blog on the Today programme on Radio 4 which tipped me off.
Christmas Eve is of course my busiest day/night of the year and you would have thought that Mrs Claus would take exta care to stay in touch as I circumnavigate the globe, but no, she dropped her mobile down the loo! and couldn't understand why it kept making a buzzing noise until one of the elves got the battery out. (fortunately it had recently been flushed!)
Despite all my business I like to pop into a church for a midnight mass, preferably as I cross the meridian which marks my halfway point. Very good this year with a real vicar, collar and all and pithy little homily
TBC
Christmas Eve is of course my busiest day/night of the year and you would have thought that Mrs Claus would take exta care to stay in touch as I circumnavigate the globe, but no, she dropped her mobile down the loo! and couldn't understand why it kept making a buzzing noise until one of the elves got the battery out. (fortunately it had recently been flushed!)
Despite all my business I like to pop into a church for a midnight mass, preferably as I cross the meridian which marks my halfway point. Very good this year with a real vicar, collar and all and pithy little homily
TBC
Sunday, 13 December 2009
What is the church coming to?
It's the third Sunday in advent and what is the theme of the family service? -- Indiana Jones - please come in costume.
We were away staying with Santa senior last weekend so that is how the message reached us on Thursday evening. Shock! Horror! what on earth has happened to the church of today? "They've been preparing for ages", "you can bet it will be really noisy", "what will visitors think?", "what on earth will the new associate minister, on his first Sunday think?"
Perhaps we don't have to go, maybe we could go to the nativity up the road. No that is an all ticket affair. Maybe we should go in the evening, just for once.
In the end tradition and a sort of morbid curiosity got the better of us and we left the sleigh behind and walked up the hill to the church.
What's this? a foyer full of angels and shepherds and I am sure I saw a king (or wise man depending on your translation and your preference) just nipping into the gents. Maybe someone had got at the vicar and it was all cancelled, written off as a horrible mistake. The "set" at the
front of the church looks pretty harmless, there is even a bible on the table up there.
Then, up steps Michael the hat with a story about Disney, a terrible joke (so what's new) and an introduction to Indy. Loud music, DVD montage and prepare to have your final illusions about the sanctity of the Christmas story ruined. But no, here comes a young lady with a big picture book sitting demurely on a sofa. Not a usual nativity but not our serpent hating hero either. Two small children and a teddy bear arrive. They can't sleep and want a bedtime story about Jesus (good for them) AND Indy!!!!
Pretty tall order and the story begins and before you know it the leather clad adventurer is strolling down the aisle looking not for a bride but a clue.
Despite myself I can't help beginning to get interested (or should that be entertained?). Cliches from all of the films follow fast and furious and the first clue is ........ not a gold idol but THE BIBLE - things are looking up.
Here I have to take my tongue out of my cheek and admit not only was it very entertaining but it made a pretty good effort at getting the truths of the Christmas narrative over in an imaginative and stimulating way.
So guys - sorry for my cynicism (bet that's not how it should be spelt) and well done, it was a really great job. Oh and thanks Matt for the carols old and new
So what's happening next week for the communion service - gin sling and bourbon instead of non alcoholic wine?
Tom Riddle can talk to snakes and that's not good
We were away staying with Santa senior last weekend so that is how the message reached us on Thursday evening. Shock! Horror! what on earth has happened to the church of today? "They've been preparing for ages", "you can bet it will be really noisy", "what will visitors think?", "what on earth will the new associate minister, on his first Sunday think?"
Perhaps we don't have to go, maybe we could go to the nativity up the road. No that is an all ticket affair. Maybe we should go in the evening, just for once.
In the end tradition and a sort of morbid curiosity got the better of us and we left the sleigh behind and walked up the hill to the church.
What's this? a foyer full of angels and shepherds and I am sure I saw a king (or wise man depending on your translation and your preference) just nipping into the gents. Maybe someone had got at the vicar and it was all cancelled, written off as a horrible mistake. The "set" at the
front of the church looks pretty harmless, there is even a bible on the table up there.
Then, up steps Michael the hat with a story about Disney, a terrible joke (so what's new) and an introduction to Indy. Loud music, DVD montage and prepare to have your final illusions about the sanctity of the Christmas story ruined. But no, here comes a young lady with a big picture book sitting demurely on a sofa. Not a usual nativity but not our serpent hating hero either. Two small children and a teddy bear arrive. They can't sleep and want a bedtime story about Jesus (good for them) AND Indy!!!!
Pretty tall order and the story begins and before you know it the leather clad adventurer is strolling down the aisle looking not for a bride but a clue.
Despite myself I can't help beginning to get interested (or should that be entertained?). Cliches from all of the films follow fast and furious and the first clue is ........ not a gold idol but THE BIBLE - things are looking up.
Here I have to take my tongue out of my cheek and admit not only was it very entertaining but it made a pretty good effort at getting the truths of the Christmas narrative over in an imaginative and stimulating way.
So guys - sorry for my cynicism (bet that's not how it should be spelt) and well done, it was a really great job. Oh and thanks Matt for the carols old and new
So what's happening next week for the communion service - gin sling and bourbon instead of non alcoholic wine?
Tom Riddle can talk to snakes and that's not good
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