The Bishop's Wife

If you want an hour and a half of pure old fashioned Christmas Bliss

go to the BBC iPlayer, like I did when I was cooking supper.

There I found a classic 1940s propaganda movie

titled The Bishop's Wife, which I watched as I was mixing a tuna bake.

It's a lovely movie which has affable angel Cary Grant gate crashing the slightly sad home of overworked Bishop 

(David Niven) and his tired wife ( Loretta Young) in order to teach them what the important things in life are.

Of course all this is done over a Hollywood kind of Christmas, with 1940s studio snow,

Cute old duffers, singing choirboys, and miracles that warm the cockles of 

of the Scrooge-iest of viewers! 

Loved it

Growing Up

Did you experience one single moment in your life when you suddenly knew you had grown up?

It sounds an odd but, I think, interesting question, sparked by a recent moment at work when I tried to prepare a family for the potential loss of a loved one.
The family filled the interview room. Wife, two sets of children of various ages, sisters and brothers and a set of close friends.
I explained what procedures were about to happen. I answered questions that they had and made sure I was guarded and clear about expectations, the consultant had made a short time before.
One daughter, who was around fourteen suddenly understood the messages she was being given and after carefully paraphrasing what I had said calmly and with care, she gently reflected the seriousness of the situation to her mother who could not quite grasp the truth.
At that one moment the girl matured in the eyes of all in that room.

My moment was during my grandfather's funeral.
My grandmother was distraught and almost off her legs at the cemetery, so was supported by my mother and uncle at the graveside. and as the large gaggle of grandchildren crowed together behind I noticed my uncle's second wife, who was only a young woman herself, standing alone to one side. She was sobbing quietly.
I was a somewhat gauche eighteen year old, but I walked over and hugged her at the graveside and by doing so grew a little older .
Growing Up, is about empathy me thinks .

What was your growing Up moment? 

Darrrrling

My mother in 1980

Did you know that my mother had something in common with Zsa Zsa Gabor?
Well she did.
She was not,  however, a bleach blonde, trophy wife who married nine times .
Nor was she the sweetheart of the tv chat show, even though I am sure she would have provided Parkinson a run for his money.
My mother never flashed cleavage, drank champagne or claimed alimony like a greedy old tart but in later life she did indeed drink gin and  call everyone " darrrling" 

Crying " Darrrrrling" was easier than remembering names.
'

A Warning

It's my last shift at the hospital tonight until New Year's Eve!
I'm taking my secret santa gift in, and there is a story about it.
Historically I always tend to get shit gifts! Not always but generally it's true, and a couple of years ago I got a bit of a  naff gift in the shape of some plastic antlers.
Now even the patient who I opened the gift up in front of said it was a shite gift, so I was not adverse in blogging of my disappointment!
That was a big mistake!
The nurse that bought me the aforementioned antlers must of read my somewhat caustic blog entry and although nothing was said, she obviously was not happy with my ingratitude and I was subjected to a rather frosty reception for several  months!
This year, it being my last Christmas on ITU I thought I would set things straight and managed to obtain the " antler" nurse from the secret santa stocking.
I'm not saying what I bought, but it is tasteful and expensive and classy.
An apology for bad mouthing some plastic antlers which I subsequently tied to the front of a farmer's landrover!
Hey ho

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!