CHRISTMAS IS COMING!

 

Hello everyone,

Welcome to my Scribbles on this Sunday afternoon.  I didn`t have enough time to do a longer entry yesterday as Danny was here for the day and we had much to talk about.  We were chatting generally about Christmas when he told me that he would be going home on Boxing Day so that he could spend the day with Sal, his girlfriend.  I pointed out that I had invited her for Christmas, though she had declined as her parents preferred her to be at home, despite the fact that they don`t celebrate Christmas. Okay, well of course it wasn`t for me to object to that but she said she`d come for Boxing Day so naturally I assumed she would have told me if she wasn`t coming, well she hasn`t despite her protests to Kerry that she is sad to miss Roman`s first Christmas.  Kerry and I are both agreed that her words have a hollow ring to them.  No matter really, it`s their loss, not ours, Kerry, Slava and Roman will be here with us so we will still have a lovely day.  I`d prefer to have my son sharing it with us but it`s his decision.

                                         

My amateur sleuthing seems to be paying dividends. I`ve had my ear close to the ground and now I have discovered an article in the local paper concerning a network of Benefit frauds and some local men living at various addresses around the town.  Two men have been arrested and charged, others have been found to be illegal immigrants, when the premises were raided the police found benefit books in many different names and addresses.  Well at least that throws some light on where the money has been coming from....I`ll keep you updated when I find out more.  There are some women back at the house now but no sign of any of the men.  Another thing that was odd was that there were always cabs parked outside there house, with the drivers sitting in their cars....nothing wrong with that you say but since the arrests there has not been one cab to be seen,  I smell a connection ....!!!          

                                                  

Danny stayed at Kerry`s last night as he went out with Slava for a drink.  This morning he came to say goodbye to me and collected the washing I`d done for him yesterday as he had no soap powder...the most obvious thing to have done was to buy some, but not my son when there is good old Mum to wash and dry it for him.  Hmm....I hope it doesn`t become a habit!

                                                    

I`ve written half of my Christmas cards as I can`t write them all at once because of the arthritis in my hand.  I`ve finished all the overseas ones and will post them tomorrow, I`m certain they will get there in time.  The others I will will finish writing tomorrow and post Tuesday, and that will be me done for another year.  I`m starting getting really excited over Christmas, I`m a bit like a child with it approaching as it always seems like a magical time and that there is goodwill to all men.  That`s it from me today, I hope you are all having a nice weekend and are taking it easy.  Take care my friends.

 

 

 

CHRISTMAS

 

The bells of waiting Advent ring,
The Tortoise stove is lit again
And lamp-oil light across the night
Has caught the streaks of winter rain.
In many a stained-glass window sheen
From Crimson Lake to Hooker's Green.
 
The holly in the windy hedge
And round the Manor House the yew
Will soon be stripped to deck the ledge,
The altar, font and arch and pew,
So that villagers can say
'The Church looks nice' on Christmas Day.
 
Provincial public houses blaze
And Corporation tramcars clang,
On lighted tenements I gaze
Where paper decorations hang,
And bunting in the red Town Hall
Says 'Merry Christmas to you all'
 
And London shops on Christmas Eve
Are strung with silver bells and flowers
As hurrying clerks the City leave
To pigeon-haunted classic towers,
And marbled clouds go scudding by
The many-steepled London sky.
 
And girls in slacks remember Dad,
And oafish louts remember Mum,
And sleepless children's hearts are glad,
And Christmas morning bells say 'Come!'
Even to shining ones who dwell
Safe in the Dorchester Hotel.
 
And is it true? and is it true?
The most tremendous tale of all,
Seen in a stained-glass window's hue,
A Baby in an ox's stall?
The Maker of the stars and sea
Become a Child on earth for me?
 
And is it true? For if it is,
No loving fingers tying strings
Around those tissued fripperies,
The sweet and silly Christmas things,
Bath salts and inexpensive scent
And hideous tie so kindly meant.
 
No love that in a family dwells,
No carolling in frosty air,
Nor all the steeple-shaking bells
Can with this single Truth compare -
That God was Man in Palestine
And lives to-day in Bread and Wine.
 
  

John Betjeman