A Rare Shot

Earlier, while I was watching Danny Mac fail to win strictly Come Dancing
I snapped this photo of the Prof and Winnie TOGETHER for the  second time in a month
I blame the strong gin/vermouth martini

.

She'll have to stop drinking

Deer oh dear

Affable Despot Jason has been making deconstructed reindeer all morning. It's his daughter Liv's birthday today and the children at her party will be making one each as part of the party game.
He delivered one to us yesterday which had pride of place in the living room, at least when we get sick of it we can burn it!
I've just dropped Liv's birthday card round, they've had to leave their house front door open because of the glue fumes!
I saw policewoman Jo out walking her dog soon after. She was on the way to ours with a christmas card and wanted to know if I was still wearing my pyjamas under my trousers like I was when she saw me this morning.
I assured her that I was wearing proper underwear like a normal man!!
( but I had to think twice)

Fantastic Beasts

I'm not a fan of Harry Potter, indeed I have never read any of J k Rowling's work, so I was, I'm afraid at a bit of a disadvantage when we went to see Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them .
Having said this I more or lest got the gist

Redmayne and Fogler

In 1920 New York EnglishWizard Newt ( Eddie Redmayne)  accidently frees some mythical creatures he has been entrusted to care for. The American wizards arn't happy, nor are the anti witch loving humans so Newt , his friends- a wannabe baker ( Dan Fogler) and American wizard investigator Tina ( Katherine Waterston) are left to save the day.

Waterston

It's not my cup of tea, but I must admit Fogler and Waterston are incredibly cute in their roles (with Waterston looking incredibly like Audrey Tautou aka Amelie), the mythical Beasts suitably mythical and an art deco New York wonderfully art deco.
7.5/10

Chrimbo Greetings

Here is my Christmas Card to you all in blogland. I think it lies just on the right side of good taste.
This morning, in this virtual world, it comes plopping onto your computer mat with my best wishes and thanks and I hope we can forget the bad things in life, just for a week or so, to enjoy a bit of frivolity with baubles.
So on behalf of an over worked Prof, a sexually demanding bulldog, a couple of old terriers,Mary the puppy and Albert the wide eyed cat, I send you commentators, followers and lurkers...all the best of wishes.
I'll also take the opportunity to send a virtual card to the cast of characters who lurk here in Trelawnyd. So to Mrs Trellis, Auntie Glad, Gay Gordon and Big Mary, Pat the animal helper, Jason the affable despot, Gaynor the mad organist ,Mrs Frazer et al , I hope you all have a very merry Christmas!

Supportive Post

A friend of mine is having big problems in work, so I am sending them all my positive vibes this evening.....

I told them that they should be a bulldog
For after the switch on of the fairy lights in the cottage window
Winnie has spent most of the evening watching them twinkle through sleepy half lidded eyes

The Prof came home early tonight, I was expecting him back after nine. He was tired as it was Graduation day at the University. He ate the leftover turkey lasagne, 5 homemade mince pies and fell asleep. Thanks to animal helper Pat, who gave me the mincemeat....we've missed her in the village..she's been cruising around Barbados for the past few weeks

Who said Trelawnyd is parochial

Shit I've just lost 5 followers! 

Christmas 1985

Christmas week 1985 I was  shadowing a community psychiatric nursing sister with her caseload in the deprived and depressing northern town of Runcorn.
Through a succession of faceless maisonettes, we sat on grubby sofas and listened to  sad stories of loneliness, mental illness and substance abuse and I watched as my mentor tried her best to keep heads above water and bums out of the local psychiatric unit.
The last visit of the day was to a woman called Jean.
Jean lived alone in the top flat of a ten story complex. She had suffered from severe mental health problems for forty years and had recently been placed in her flat from long term psychiatric care only a few months before.
I remember her flat very well. There was no carpet in the hall and the living room but there was a tiny tinsel Christmas tree standing on top of a large black and white tv.  A homemade fabric stocking was hung on the fire surround and just two Christmas cards  were perched on the mantle.
( one of those cards having been sent by my colleague) The flat was sparse but incredibly clean and it was evident that Jean had been waiting for our visit all day.
In mismatching cups we were offered coffee with powdered milk and a single mince pie served on a paper plate and I remember sharing a sad glance with the nurse when Jean presented us both with gifts hastily wrapped in cheap Christmas paper. My gift was two placemats with photos of cats on them. The nurse received a small yellow vase, and I remember Jean beaming with delight when we both thanked her effusively for her kindness.
When we washed up our own cups, the nurse quietly checked the fridge, noting that most of the shelves were empty . There was a calender on the wall with the note " NURSE COMES TODAY" written on that day's date. Nothing else was written on it until the week of new year's eve, where the same sentence was written.
It was the very first time that I had experienced someone who was so totally isolated in a community setting and it shocked and saddened me.
I listened as the nurse talked about medication, and as  I waited patiently when she took Jean into the bedroom to administer a regular injection I noticed a carrier bag which the nurse had tucked away by the side of the arm chair shortly after we arrived. In it was a package of cold meat, and what looked like chocolates and a cake.
Before we left, we let Jean monopolize her only conversation of the week and as she retrieved our coats, I watched and grew a few years older as the nurse silently slipped a ten pound note behind one of the cards on the mantle.

Christmas E Card

thanks to Francine who sent me an e Christmas card from Ohio
It's my most decorative one to date

In The Mood

It feels rather Christmasy this morning.

Bright and sunny with the sun low in the sky.

I dropped a natty Prof off at a local conferenc centre

He looked mighty fine in his best suit.

I was wearing my pyjama bottoms under my trousers.

On the way home, I stopped at the drive through to buy an egg muffin and coffee

The girl on the intercom was being playful

" what's your Christmas wish?" She asked

" World peace " I told her

It got me in the Christmas mood
Driving back I sang

" These three kings of orient are
Selling knickers a pound a pair
How fantastic!
No elastic!
Selling a pound a pair!"

That hug

Just watched it again! 

Sigh

Ochr Y Gop

This morning I've hand delivered most of the village Christmas cards.
By the time I reached Ochr y Gop farm which overlooks Trelawnyd on the side of Gop Hill, I was wheezing a bit, my chest infection still hasnt quite cleared it would seem.

Ochr y Gop 

After that deliveries literally went down hill.
I stopped briefly outside Mrs Trellis' house. The windows were open and I could hear her singing as she practiced the piano.

Ps and a big thank you to The Weaver Of Grass The bobble hat is lovely! Xxxxx

Hearts Still Beating : The Walking Dead

Daryl's hugging everyone now! 

The Walking Dead now has a break until February, and after a much discussed ( and criticized) seventh season half where five storylines have all been explored separately, the fans have finally  been rewarded with what they wanted, namely Spencer getting fish gutted and " Team Rick" finally getting together after what seemed like an age apart.
One of the strengths of The Walking Dead is that the writers have developed a strong ensemble core of characters, that you care about. This is a hard one given the multiple layers of antisocial and apocalyptic  behaviours we have seen over the last five years ...so it was with genuine happiness when we witnessed Rick et al meet up with Maggie, and then Daryl ( with big girly hugs no less!) as the family reunited after the murders of Abraham, Glen and the unfortunate Olivia

The stage is now set for the " tribes" to band together against Negan and his band of cut throats. I hope Carol is returned to some normality to join in with the battle, which is set to rival anything seen in The Game Of Thrones .
I'll miss it.....roll on February 

Share One Memory

A rather jaunty Winnie this morning

What's your most vivid Christmas memory?

It may be sad........hopefully it isn't
It may be happy ( I hope it is!)
It may be just powerful, arbitrary, goofy, bizarre or just plain banal.
Whatever it is, I'd be interested in hearing it..........today, all warm in my shit Christmas jumper, I shall be shopping ( on line), Christmas card writing, gift wrapping and , if I have time sorting out miniature hampers for Greta and sister Janet who will be baby sitting Winnie and George respectively over the Yuletide.....after another early night, I am beginning to feel a tiny bit more human.

In bed this morning, when I was dragging myself out of that paralyzing moment between waking and actual movement I mused about a whole collection of Christmas memories

- a dreadful, lonely Christmas day in Sheffield when my car broke down leaving me home with a pork pie for lunch!
- a wonderfully funny post Christmas dinner family variety show, with everyone performing an act
- unintentionally getting a group of psychiatric patients rather drunk after plying them with Sherry that I was told was non alcoholic ( and getting bollocked by a stern nursing officer in the process)

My final choice was a fleeting moment of just a few seconds, experienced on a Christmas morning many moons ago.
The Prof ( who had hair then) and I ( who had a waist) had swapped gifts in front of the fire. In that post gift frenzy we retired onto the couch under the dining room window and had a hug where we were immediately joined by our first Welsh terrier Finlay, Scottie Maddie and an old cat called Joan.
It was a strange moment, for without anything needed to be said, it suddenly felt like " home"
- an all encompassing  feeling of being " home"
A pile of dogs, homos and cat on a couch!

That is my Christmas memory!
What's  yours?

Little Black Dress

Well, I've taken your advice and have rung in sick tonight.
I slept through the Carol service at the Church ( I was on the sofa and not in a pew) but at least I retrieved the Christmas Tree from the Church basement for Gaynor the mad organist this morning as requested.
I missed out of watching Liv and Eve ( The Affable despot kids) at their extravaganzas at the village hall yesterday too!
This was a disappointment as when I walked the dogs in the afternoon, I spied the schoolchildren in crocodile formation walking back to school after their dress rehearsal.
I don't quite know the " level" of their production but I was intrigued to notice that one of the older boys was  tottering back to school in a beehive wig, little black dress and high heel shoes!
I await Jason and Claire to enlighten me!
Heyho

Behind

I'm trying to get myself  going.
Another 10 hour sleep, and I still have not shaken this cold.
I'm still in bed looking at my old Christmas cactus.
It's thirty years old and is still hanging onto life despite a total lack of care.
It's my longest living companion......oh followed by the bathroom aspidistra that is, who, is, I believe, 26 years old.

I've just read Rachel's tirade on " Christmas nibbles"  ( ive not had the energy to catch up with blogs for a day or so) - it's reminded me that I am late sending packets full of shite xmas decorations to various friends I dont get to see over the festive period.
" packages of shite!" That's a nice festive tradition.......but at least it raises a smile when opened...

I'm working tonight , so I shall lift myself up by my bra straps tomorrow and get the packets sent and the cards posted.
I'm not like Rachel , as I enjoy this fussy part of the Christmas Preparation, I'm just slightly annoyed that I can't catch up with myself