My Favourite Gift

By far my most favourite gift is this set of wireless headphones, kindly given me by my sister and her husband. They have a transmitter that plugs into the audio out socket on any device such as a record player, hi-fi or computer. The sound is then broadcast to the headphones allowing you to listen anywhere in the house. They really are wonderful. As I may have mentioned previously, I have quite a collection of vinyl and I like nothing better than listening to them played on my record deck. Previously I would have had to sit in the same room, but now I can sit in the lounge and hear them. What a marvellous invention! And not as expensive as you may think... just £6.99 from those lovely people at Amazon.

Photo of the Day & The Bit In-Between

This represents the remains of Christmas up and down the land. Huge piles of cardboard, wrapping paper and packaging. The by-product of the festive season, and this is ours just before it was collected.

Christmas here was good, very good. Christmas for me was the smell of turkey cooking all night. Lights of all colours. Wrapping paper and sticky tape. The awkwardness of in-laws and family. The forced smiles and wishes of happiness and prosperity. The near-empty roads and closed shops. The pressure to eat everything in sight. The greetings received from strangers in the street. The endless family films, Christmas specials and repeats. The thought that everything has to be taken down and boxed-up for another year, and how on earth we're going to pay for it all.
It's now that bit between Christmas and New Year. It's a strange time, when things are not quite normal yet. Some people are still on holiday whilst others have returned to work temporarily before we celebrate the dawn of a new year. It's an odd time. Of course it's no different for me, as I have no work to return to. Things will return to normal properly next week. The children here go back to school Wednesday and it will be a return to the daily routine of school drop-off and collection. I like routine.For me routine is good.
So we await the new year and everything it will bring, the good and the bad. There are many predictions for what the new year will bring, not all of them good. Only time will tell. But we do enter the new year already in a very uncertain world where anything seems possible. We can only hope for the best. I extend my wishes to one and all for just that...

Christmas Eve

It's that time of the year when we put things on hold and try to forget for a day or two our troubles and worries. For many, this time of year will be difficult. Some will be away from loved ones. Some will be homeless dependant on the kindness of strangers. Some face Christmas without a job and face an uncertain future. Some will endure illness and perhaps the loss of a loved one. Children will wake on Christmas morning without the love of a parent and without the security of a home. For some, for many, this is a difficult time.

It is true that we put things on hold. I am doing just that, trying to suspend my worry about the future and pausing my frantic but futile job hunt. This year, it's all about my son. It's about keeping the magic alive and making his wishes come true. He shouldn't have to see the worry and fear I have inside, and he won't.
I'm not alone. There are thousands who in the last year have lost their jobs, their careers and livelihoods. They are struggling like me to provide, but somehow we all manage. We've begged, borrowed and bargain hunted to do just that. I wonder how things will be next year? Better or worse?

Back to the present and on this Christmas Eve, I raise a glass and extend my best wishes to one and all for a very happy Christmas and prosperous new year!

Photo of the Day 13 and Two More Sleeps

A festive scene at our local garden centre in Spalding. These are real reindeer and quite an attraction for children on their way to Santa's Grotto.

So tomorrow's Christmas Eve... I suppose we're as ready as we're going to be. Tomorrow afternoon will be spent doing the gift round. It's a well practised routine and I normally leave it all to my wife, the brains of the partnership. We've even done all the Christmas food shopping! Wednesday morning provided the perfect opportunity and a relatively empty supermarket in Wisbech. I dread to think what it will be like tomorrow.
The period of Christmas chaos has begun, the roads are getting gradually busier and people are rushing. I noticed it on the roads earlier today. I feel good where I am, away from it all. No shops to fight my way around and no stress of trying to find a parking space.
I don't really feel as festive as I should, though my wife has lit a festive-scented candle which is helping a little. I expect that will come on Sunday when we are joined by my in-laws. The real thrill for me this year will be in witnessing my son open his presents (early) Sunday morning. For me this is the best part of Christmas. I know what he's getting and considering the mess we're in financially, I think we've done bloody well. The thanks of course must go to my wife, without whom nothing would have been possible. And that's no exaggeration.
It was good to see my niece and nephew today. It made it possible for me to steal a few hours peace as I was able to leave my son with them at my parents. They love playing together and frankly my parents are built to withstand the noise and stress of three hyper-active kids, unlike me. I can stand so much before the noise begins to turn to a constant 'white noise' and I need to escape. I think I would have a second breakdown if I were to be entrusted with the care of three Christmas-hyped kids. My blood pressure is increasing as I think about it.

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a car going through the fence of my parents' neighbour. She has a house on a corner and I have lost count of the number of times a speeding car has left the road and taken down her fence. Yet despite this and countless complaints, nothing has been done to improve the warnings or make the corner safer. This will only be done when a life or two have been lost. For that's the way things work these days. Very sad.

Finally, the weather. It is horrible. Once again, we have a mild Christmas. It is wet, windy and mild. I prefer the snow. Call me old fashioned.

Just two more sleeps...!

Fitting-in

For the first time, I felt genuine support and true friendship at the depression support group I attend each Tuesday. Up to now, I've felt a little awkward, not really understanding how I fit into the group and whether I'm able to contribute anything worthwhile. Today's was definitely the best meeting so far. I really feel that we bonded and that I'm properly part of the group. We discussed a variety of topics. Granted, a lot of it was moaning and groaning about the general state of the country and the world, but we did find that on many issues, we were in agreement. Although it's a support group for people who suffer with depression, it's only rarely that we talk about our illness at any length. Instead, the topics are broad and varied - which is good. For certainly, if we were to discuss our illness at every session, we'd end up feeling worse than when we entered.
So my initial feelings of apathy toward the group have faded away and are replaced by a feeling of belonging. So that's good, really good.

A Country of Autobots

If ever proof was needed of the mad world we live in, one need only look towards North Korea and the reaction of the people to the death of their 'Dear Leader' Kin Jong Il. The transfer of power to his son is causing an already nervous world to worry even further, but what is truly scary and frankly terrifying is the the grief and sheer devotion through years of brain washing and total control. These people will clearly do anything they are told to do and would never question a single thing. It is this that should strike the most fear for the country is quite literally one enormous army of 'autobots', programmed to be loyal to their leader and to view any foreign neighbour as evil and hell bent on their destruction. With this in mind, I really cannot see how this is going to end well. The only hope we have is that his son, Kin Jong-un has just a little more sense than his father and isn't quite so mad as to further alienate his country from the rest of civilisation. Time will tell but perhaps the hardest job will be to 're-humanize' the population who clearly live in a totally alien world to the rest us of.

A Christmas Tragedy

This was the scene this morning a couple of doors down from my in-laws at Sutton Bridge. A bungalow fire had claimed a life and left another person injured. How shocking that something like this could happen and with a week to go until Christmas. There are few details currently but I understand that the occupants were a mother and disabled daughter. It is unknown which of them survived.
This is a terrible tragedy for all involved and my sympathies and condolences go to the family, friends and relatives. For them, Christmas will be very different...

Photo of the Day 12

I captured this beautiful sunrise this morning looking towards Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire. The morning was very cold with a sharp frost. The roads were very icy as I was to find out later when the car wouldn't stop at a junction... This county may be flat, but it has the very best sunrises and sunsets.

Photo of the Day 11

We use this magnetic board and words with our son to help with his spelling. We bought the words from letterbox.co.uk and the board from eBay. Neither were very expensive and provide an excellent way of teaching words and making sentences.

Photo of the Day 10

We're fortunate to have an open fire. I like this time of the year so we're able to start using it again. The merits of central heating, gas or electric are clear but there's just something about an open fire that beats it hands down. I'm sitting by the fire now as I type this and I'm surrounded by a gentle warm glow - the sort that makes you feel good inside. There's nothing like it...

Photo of the Day 9

This evening was my Son's first school nativity play, held at our local village hall. This is the front page of the programme. It wasn't until we read it that we discovered our Son was to be playing the role of Joseph! He's told us he was going to be a shepherd... He'd accepted the lead role and played it very well. In fact, he simply had to sit next to Mary and didn't have to utter a word. We were such proud parents this evening and we have a video of the event which I'll cherish forever. Our Son might not be so fond of it when he's older.

Photo of the Day 8

This is what £112 of grocery shopping looks like (without the turkey) - and at one of the UK's budget supermarkets... Today was our 'Christmas Shop' and our total spend was eventually £196. Just a few years ago, it would have been possible to fill three trolleys for that amount. Truly shocking...

Weather update and the wind and rain has arrived and it is set to get worse overnight and into tomorrow. Another worse storm is expected Thursday.

Photo(s) of the Day 7

 

A bumper entry today... A very nice day indeed. We visited Sheringham and the North Norfolk Railway for a trip on the Santa Express. If you like being surrounded by excited children, then this is the place to be. We took our son and his cousin. For them, at 5 years of age, this is a magical time of the year and for them Santa, his elves and everything that comes with it is real and nothing could change this. The North Norfolk Railway did a wonderful job once again and I take my hat off to all the staff and volunteers who make this such a wonderful experience for hundreds, possibly thousands of children - and adults. The mince pie and sherry were delicious.

Afterwards, we called in at our favourite fish and chip restaurant and possibly the finest. Nearby, I passed another restaurant with an interesting sign outside. I would have loved to sample its wares but it wasn't possible sadly... I imagine it all tastes wonderful...

and finally...

We're being warned of a very stormy week ahead. Weather forecasting has got very slick of late and we now have a yellow, amber and red warning system to advise us when severe weather is forecast. We're likely to be hit twice with the first storm arriving tomorrow night and the second on Thursday. The second storm is forecast to be the most severe. I suppose it's overdue given we had a relatively calm (and balmy) October...

Photo of the Day 6

A little late and a slightly odd photo I suppose. It's a greenhouse/shed heater I installed on Saturday in our model railway layout. We have four to install in total. They give off a gentle heat and get quite hot to the touch, hence the guard. The second heater will be fitted on one of the ceiling cross beams and I'll hopefully be able to complete this on Friday or Saturday. I'm quite pleased with it...

Photo of the Day 5

This photo was taken this morning at the Long Sutton Medical Centre here in Lincolnshire. The Diabetic Retinopathy Screening vehicle visits at least once a year and my father and I have our eyes photographed to make sure there is no damage to the blood vessels. Any damage can be an early indication of possible blindness so it's very important to attend regularly.

Because the weather is getting more and more freaky at the moment, I've included a bonus photo. This was taken mid-afternoon and shows a storm front as it worked its way down from the north-west. A wall of cloud literally turned the blue winter sky an orange-grey and brought with it strong winds and horizontal rain.

Photo of the Day 4

This, it appears is what happens to wind turbines when it gets too windy. Today has been memorable from a weather point-of-view for the near hurricane strength winds that have struck Scotland and parts of Northern England. Pretty dramatic isn't it...