Misty had a bath this afternoon. It meant she couldn’t go out into the frosty weather. She enjoys looking out though. She looks very sleek and clean now
Over the last couple of days I have been busy with online browsing and ordering and also managed a trip to “town” for a haircut and to do some more shopping. It has only just occurred to me, however, that with being ill I have managed to lose approximately 2 weeks in the run up to Christmas. I have also got a bit behind with the OU coursework. Come to think of it, this is a stupid time to be doing a 10 week course. Never Mind, I shall keep on writing despite myself.
All of this is a long winded introduction into a cherished childhood memory. In amongst the Lakeland catalogues I found a very sweet Advent Stable – much too late to give to any grandchildren this year unfortunately. But it did remind me of the immediate post World War 2 years when I was growing up in an age of austerity and make do. There was a very plain and unadorned calendar on the wall next to the fireplace in our sitting room. In December I got to cross off each day at bedtime. It required a bit of dangerous balancing and leaning over, which only added to the experience. The countdown to Christmas was exciting indeed. No such things as novelty chocolate calendars or build-up crib scenes. I never gave a thought as to how my parents would find new toys or presents for me. I can never remember believing in Santa Claus – my only memory of that is going to see a department store Santa one year and yelling my head off at having to sit on his knee.
Anyway, my point is simple. The looking forward to Christmas is about preparing our hearts to welcome the miracle that there is love at the heart of God and love in the hearts of many people in the world. Sometimes we focus too much on the bad things. I, certainly, need to think of the good. Christmas is a time for nostalgia. Hope you enjoy yours.
I have just made a promise to the dog that I will do my utmost to give her a walk today. She looks as if she had got sad syndrome (seasonal affective disorder.) But it really has been too icy to risk the process before now. Today is about Christmas shopping and lists and things. Much of it is done over the net as our local town shops don’t have much choice. However, I shall do what I can to support them.
Don’t tell me how many days it is.
Still not able to go out – the weather is what my granny would have called “gey dreicht” – though I just think it is raw. There is a slight thaw but the ice is still treacherous underfoot.
Two goldfinches on the feeders made me very happy this morning. They are just so bright and chirpy.
This is a health report: me and the nation. I am still on the strong antibiotics so have a degree of brain fog worse than usual. Still coughing, but not as bad.
What I have really been jumping up and down about is that nobody anywhere seems to be talking about the iniquitous rate of interest charged by credit card companies. At least 50% of card holders do not pay off their balances each month, so they are having to pay interest at up to 29% APR. Serves them right, you might say, but it seems to me that a lot of damage has been done over the years by people’s expectations of easy credit and inability to pay off their cards. Oh and by the way, aren’t many of the credit card companies offshoots of banks anyway?
It has been snowing. It is dark in the morning and dark early in the afternoon. Best time of day: taking the two dogs for a walk and seeing their enjoyment. Second best time of day: closing all the curtains.
We have a visitor – Valentine, a Llewelyn setter. He is here whilst his humans are away for the weekend.
I have to say something about Woolworths being put into receivership. It was such an important part of my childhood and growing years. That probably says as much about my childhood as it does about the company itself. It is so awful that 30,000 employees are facing doubtful prospects. A sad reflection on the state of the world. On the one hand we are told it is good for the economy to spend money, on the other hand it is too late for businesses like Woolies and MFI. But I will still be grateful that my weekly pocket money meant a pleasant half hour browsing in the nearest branch in SE London.
As I suspected, the logistics of doing the online file transfer was more challenging than I had thought. The Open University now have at least one combined file from me. Let’s hope it is the right one.
