"are you alone this Christmas?"

Worked last night, and ITU was dreadfully busy. The shift was made worse by a petty fall out between one staff member and a medic , which was all a bit silly. I could have banged their heads together. Had two hours sleep this morning then caught up with sorting out the house etc for Nigel's visit on Wednesday evening. I am working an all day shift tomorrow and Wednesday so won't have the time to do anything then.

In Prestatyn High street after posting last minute cards and packets, I noticed a sign in the greengrocers. It read "Are you alone this Christmas?" , and detailed a venue where lonely people can meet up in the area and have something to eat and some company on Christmas Day. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep, but the prospect of someone reading this notice and having to act upon it for some human contact, struck me as immensely sad.

Too old for hoodies?

Chris looking rather dapper with Meg and Maddie on a very wintery Prestatyn beach.

Looking less so eating Mince pies!!!

smile...Happy Christmas

Just read this on Sheffield forum, made me smile


www.sheffieldforum.co.uk

The perfect man is gentle - never cruel and never mean

He has a warm and kindly smile, and keeps his face so clean

The perfect man likes children, and will raise them by your side.

He'll be a loving father, a companion for his bride.

The perfect man loves cooking, cleaning and vacuuming too,

He'll do anything in his power to express his love for you.

The perfect man is sweet, writing poetry from your name,

He's a best friend to your mother, and kisses away your pain.

He'll never ever make you cry, or hurt you in any way

-There's just this little catch my dears:

The perfect man is gay.

also


Did anyone see the news clip from Sheffield BBc studios the other night? As the reporter was stating her stuff in camera, a cleaner walked to the back of the studion in the background with a tray of tea cups balanced on her head....priceless!!! couldn't find the clip on u tube.... this link may get to it!!!!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/nolavconsole/ukfs_news/hi?redirect=st.stm&news=1&bbram=1&bbwm=1&nbram=1&nbwm=1&nol_storyid=5302796



Also Finlay is offically famous

for those that dont know


go to www.bbc.co.uk/news


click on wales, then click on your pictures, then....(if you can be bothered) click on number 3!! enjoy....

A good read, & friends...

Yesterday caught the train to Sheffield to swap Christmas gifts with Mike and Bev and Maisie, and to catch up with Micky, (I cannot believe I last saw her a year or so ago!). I have started to enjoy train journeys now, and not only for the fact that I am still able to use my student rail card. This journey I finished Hannibal Rising by Thomas Harris.

http://www.hannibalrising.co.uk/?gclid=CNvKsafnlIkCFQGBGgodNy2E5g



Though not as good as Silence of the lambs , the prequel which Chronicles Hannibal Lecter's childhood, is beautifully written, and the interplay between Lady Murasaki (Hannibal's Japanese stepmother) and the teenage serial killer-to-be , is electric and reminds me of the clever banter between Lecter and Clarice Starling. I was not surprised to see that the film of the novel comes out next year. Gong Li (pic) plays the graceful Lady Murasaki.

Sheffield looked lovely and I did like the new neon blue Christmas lights everywhere. The fountains surrounding Midland Station were quite stunning.

I was grateful to see Mike as he has had a few problems recently then raced across town (no taxis down Ecclesall road AT all!!!) to meet Micky. Micky is one of those people that never change in all aspects of the word. I have a photo of her aged 6 and believe it or not she looks exactly the same now!! Anyhow, I had a lovely night, and enjoyed seeing her pictures of her civil ceremony with partner Pam. sadness of the night was the fact that her brother refused to attend their marriage as he has recently become religious and has denounced their relationship after years of apparantly supporting it. Their close relationship has been affected badly by it all and I was upset for both Micky and Pam, who have been a couple for many years now.

Sorting out Christmas this afternoon. Christmas day Janet and Ned are comming to dinner, before that I think we all are trouping to Nephew Pete's house for drinks and games. Going to Andrew and Jayne's (Brother and sister-in-law) on Boxing day after the watching the Flint and Denbigh Hunt. Chris and I have to fit in Nu and Jim if we can too!!! ding dong!!!

Winter

This is the view from the kitchen door, I wanted to capture how strong the wind is, but the photo fails to show it! There is a big funeral at the Church today as one of the Brothers from Gop farm is being buried. The Welsh seem to love a good funeral, and you can bet the singing will be serious yetwonderful ! Friend Nia and Rol's father's funeral was amazing a few years ago for the quality of the singing, made the hair stand up on the nape of your neck!

80 Year old Ted from the village (ex farmer and gossip) has just been round asking about the history of the cottage and to give me an impromptu lesson on growing vegetables. we photographed the lintel, as he told me that the weather may start to disintegrate it!

The inscription states:

In Vino Veritas

1674

Rebuilt by Thomas Parry

1864

We have heard that the cottage was one of three, and was an informal tavern (hence vino). It was also a small (very small) smallholding, complete with byre and pig sty. The other name of the cottage was Tan-y-fynwent (beneath the graveyard---gross!) Phantom pregnancy has made Meg rather antsy....she is spending most of her day time, watching the world through cat flap! By the way Chris is buying me George for Christmas!!!

Bee Club,Rain and a scouse Hitchhiker

Bee Club (ie The Conwy beekeepers' Association course for beginners) is a fascinating insight into a world very few are privy to. Course leader Geoff Critchley (the master beekeeper and bee inspector for North Wales) is a charismatic character with a mischievous twinkle in his 60 year old eye; he makes the life of the honeybee rather quaint and exciting, and even sets "homework" at the end of each session. His students are a mixed bag;middle aged friends of the soil like me, a few obvious eccentrics, and a surprising number of young University types in expensive outdoor gear and woolly hats.

The trek to the Henfaes research centre in Abergwyngreyn ( try saying that after a sherry) took a while, but the place seemed well organised and welcoming and we had mince pies at break ! (One large female student was seen placing at least two in her handbag!). Can't wait for the practical sessions in the new year.... wearing those big White suits! very The Andromeda Strain (1971)

Braved the rain with the dogs and as we set off to the beach we passed a forlorn chap hitchhiking in the village of Gwaenysgor. Now I never pick up hitchhikers, which I guess is a sign of the times, so I surprised myself this time. The poor chap seemed grateful enough ,even when Finlay did his usual bouncy bouncy welcome. Before I dropped the lad off in Prestatyn ( some 3 miles down a 1 in 4 hill), he told me he was from Ellesmere Port and he had just walked from Prestatyn to Trelawnyd in the pouring rain for a job interview at the market garden there. He told me he had got a labouring job there and was thrilled at the prospect at starting even though he would have to walk the 6 miles up and down the hill (pic) everyday. I asked him why he had come to Prestatyn, and he said simply that he had come with his mother to make a better life for himself. It was nice to have met this obvious hard working serious teenager, as we see so many of his contemporaries in this area who live life amid the crime, and drug underclass. It made a welcome change seeing someone positive and optimistic.

The rain has just stopped! some 100mm in a weekend! The River Elwy has burst its banks in St Asaph, and the whole countryide looks rather bedraggled! Thinking of putting some tarpaulin over the coop as the girls look fed up! Judy is comming for an early Christmas dinner tomorrow night, as she is then going to her sister's house for the holidays, then I am off to Sheffield on thursday. Catching up with Mike to drop their pressies off then catching up with Mickey as I havent seen her for a over a year! Flying visit as per usual but can't be helped. Nigel is comming over next week, so we can do other pre christmas nice things!

Housewife 49

Victoria wood as the downtroden Neta Last is wonderfull, she is a lumpy mouse of a woman, who lives a miserable wartime life, with pain-in-the-arse overbearing hubby (David Threlfall). Her acting doesn't touch you, however, nor does the writing...which was okish. She just LOOKS the part. Stout,pained and awkward, she seems to lumber from scene to scene with a pathos and sadness that breaks your heart. Lovely to see scene stealer Stephanie Cole as a WRVS leader, with a "spirit that won the war" type of mentality. Older and heavier, she is still Dr Beatrice Mason from "Tenko" , who I know and love!
Housewife 49, reminded me of my grandad in some ways, as his time in the fire brigade in the war , gave him a great deal of pride, self worth and meaning. I always thought that the war years were the happiest time of his life

Oh Christmas tree....oh little Christmas tree..........

Ok not the best photo of the Christmas tree, but an atmospheric one.

Working tomorrow so it was nice to get it all sorted today.

On dog sofa at the moment and must go Strictkly come dancing is starting!