A Continuation of Reflections

" Our Precious Lives" In the brown tints of autumn I see only gold I really feel young now, used to feel old. The world seems a lot like a vibrant paradise, You'll see it like that, too, if you open your eyes. Music fills my ears and enriches my life, Drives away all the pain and the strife. Everywhere I see beauty, I see fresh open eyes Sweeping away the corruption and lies. We fought for the truth 23 years long About how fine people died - it was wrong, wrong, wrong. We fought and we won, the truth will out. Where I see injustice, I will shouting, shout, shout. One million children will this Xmas feel loss Because they can't see their dads, they ask why - told just "cos". The reason's quite hard for us to explain. The feeling's more simple, just pain, pain, pain. So fight for what's right, and see all that's good. Eat well, and eat right, the world's lovely food. Love deeply, risk hurt, be joyous and strong, ...

The Christmas Ball at Dingley Dell Chas Dickens The dinner was as hearty an affair as the breakfast, and was quite as noisy, without the tears. Then came the dessert and some more toasts. Then came the tea and coffee; and then, the ball. The best sitting-room at Manor Farm was a good, long, dark-panelled room with a high chimney-piece, and a capacious chimney, up which you could have driven one of the new patent cabs, wheels and all. At the upper end of the room, seated in a shady bower of holly and evergreens were the two best fiddlers, and the only harp, in all Muggleton. In all sorts of recesses, and on all kinds of brackets, stood massive old silver candlesticks with four branches each. The carpet was up, the candles burned bright, the fire blazed and crackled on the hearth, and merry voices and light-hearted laughter rang through the room. If any of the old English yeomen had turned into fairies when they died, it was just the place in which they would have held their...

Christmas Carol The Ghost of Christmas Past "Hilli-ho!" cried old Fezziwig, skipping down from the high desk with wonderful agility. "Clear away, my lads, and let's have lots of room here! Hilli-ho, Dick! Chirrup, Ebenezer!" Clear away! There was nothing they wouldn't have cleared away, or couldn't have cleared away, with old Fezziwig looking on. It was done in a minute. Every movable was packed off, as if it were dismissed from public life for evermore; the floor was swept and watered, the lamps were trimmed, fuel was heaped upon the fire; and the warehouse was as snug, and warm, and dry, and bright a ball-room as you would desire to see upon a winter's night. In came a fiddler with a music-book, and went up to the lofty desk, and made an orchestra of it, and tuned like fifty stomachaches. In came Mrs. Fezziwig, one vast substantial smile. In came the three Miss Fezziwigs, beaming and lovable. In came the six young followers whose heart...

Hi pa, we got good news at the hospital, John doing really well the oncologist was pleased with all his results. He will continue to be monitored of course.But we feel very happy, for now, after all now is all we have . The world has lost Patrick Moore pa , you loved his programme as I did . I think we all loved him in our family.Also Kenneth Kendal one of the first news readers a million years a go, and Neil Armstrong. All good men and true. We have our tree up, it is a real beauty.  I could not face it last year, as you had not long gone, and we were having Christmas and New Year between Salford and Glasgow. We went to the hospital this morning and it was cold ,dreary ,grey and wet, while we were gone our cleaners came in, and we came home, having got good news, to a beautiful clean house, filled with the smell of scotch pine and the glow of the tree lights. It felt great, and we are very grateful for our wee butt and ben! I  have the last night of The Artist's ...

Still having a bad time physically. third massage on Friday hoping for some progress in my neck and lower back. Lots happening pa. John came back from London and Cambridge having had a wonderful time, but alas with the children's germs, why are children such carriers? My stress levels are quite high so I am trying to do all the right things to help myself. Massage, walks , less work, more peace and quiet. I went into Rennie's the other day and there was a big card with Happy Christmas Mum in the doorway. I had to leave the shop felt very emotional.This is a difficult time for me ,for us, for all of us, for most people in fact. Christmas can be stressful for so many families. This year I feel very tired, and wonder how it will all be done, but of course it will be. Everyone will help out I am sure. We had a lovely St Andrew's night celebration for John's return, with Andrew and Lucy,haggis neeps and mash.and a wee dram.Scottish music and John and I dancing .It ...

 Nice things to do in December!