Good day, it’s Christmas Day, 2023, well 24th really, and I’m summing up the energy to put a word or two to paper on this holly-day that is really meant to keep things going on the site. Interesting? Who knows, but kids these messages are for you, in the still, possibly forlorn, hope, that one day you may read some of them!!
Happy birthday to BEAUTIFUL Faye, happier than the rest put together, she is one year old on the 23rd December. I offered a cuddly lamb as a gift or ‘minding’ as they say. Be happy sweetheart in a broken but yet beautiful world!!
What’s going on? Well last night we spent a good evening at Roddie’s and Maija’s house in Pathhead, Roddie did his usual most excellent cooking, this time a traditional Christmas meal and possibly the best prawn cocktail ever. Sandy, number one grandchild was there with his dad, great to see them both – it’s so great that sandy’s parents, Flora and Peter, get along so well for the most part at least. Sandy is just grand, very fine and though going through young man – he’s 18 – phases, a good conversation can be had. He explained he has submitted two applications for next year, Edinburgh College and Royal Observatoire in Glasgow to study theatre and technical direction. Interesting title as it took a while before he took’ guidance and direction’ himself. Still, he’s done not bad, straight A’s from year 4 through to 6. ( At time of writing he has an acceptance for Edinburgh College, interview in 2 weeks for Glasgow.) We’ll see.
He has also had a successful – 3 shows – stint in the Edinburgh fringe. He has a part time job as a guide/ character in one of the closes off the Edinburgh Royal Mile. So, all good this 25th and so on.
The swop of gifts was fun – I’m there as the token parent/grandparent as the grandmother has for many years dictated that I’m cast out and organises their own Walton family gatherings. Not nice, used to it now though.
Rod and Flo though work hard at keeping me attached in some way or other. Grateful. They are good kids. A good laugh too.
The gifts were nice, cute and fun – especially the dogs bottom that screwed onto a tube of toothpaste and when squeezed looked like a dogs number 2 poo. Well, the kids laughed.
Santa would arrive next morning in their own houses. Fun to be had!!
As for the outside world, I’m sorry to say that the headlines are grabbed by activities that are as miserable as hell. We have the most broken and corrupt Conservative government ever, nasty people. They are dishonest. They design policies that make poor people even poorer and the middle rich to rich even better off. This latter bit does not include me for sure and my children squeeze every penny out of double/ triple jobs.
There are millions of people who need food parcels from charity sources, more children in poverty than in the past 100 years.
The homeless are growing in millions, the lead politicians are million or billionaires. There are wars in the middle east, Israel, good God, Hamas, Good God, not, – UK and others selling guns and bullets to them all to kill each other. UK is sending people to another country or trying to meanwhile locking the frailest of refugees in the worst of the worst accomodation.
The biggest debate arguably is that the climate of our wonderful world is so deteriorating we are stuffed- rise in temperatures, floods, drought, huge fires, mass deaths in countries that no lead nation will do anything major to get things done.
I wonder if and when you read this, how far we have saved the situation – optimist view!!
Guys, maybe you can do something out there?
There is a panic about AI – Artificial Intelligence, a science that will take over from human endeavour, creativity and imagination. Yet it may save some dying threat to human frailty. Good luck to you all.
Darling kids, Happy Christmas, many more and happy happy times!!