Christmas Morning

Mollie and Shannon finding that Santa did arrive as expected on Christmas Morning, hope you all had as much fun as we did?

A Christmas Health and Safety Message Courtesy of Paul Kilbourn

Please read the following information carefully and follow all instructions given.

All employees planning to dash through the snow in a one horse open sleigh, going over the fields and laughing all the way are advised that a Risk Assessment will be required addressing the safety of an open sleigh for members of the public.  This assessment must also consider whether it is appropriate to use only one horse for such a venture, particularly where there are multiple passengers. Please note that permission must also be obtained in writing from landowners before their fields may be entered.

To avoid offending those not participating in celebrations, we would request that laughter is moderate only and not loud enough to be considered a noise nuisance.  Benches, stools and orthopaedic chairs are now available for collection by any shepherds planning or required to watch their flocks at night.

While provision has also been made for remote monitoring of flocks by CCTV cameras from a centrally heated shepherd observation hut, all users of this facility are reminded that an emergency response plan must be submitted to account for known risks to the flocks. The angel of the lord is additionally reminded that, prior to shining his/her glory all around, s/he must confirm that all shepherds are wearing appropriate Personal Protective Equipment to account for the harmful effects of UVA, UVB and the overwhelming effects of Glory.

Following last year’s well publicised case, everyone is advised that Equal Opportunities legislation prohibits any comment with regard to the redness of any part of Mr. R. Reindeer.
Further to this, exclusion of Mr R Reindeer from reindeer games will be considered discriminatory and disciplinary action will be taken against those found guilty of this offence.

While it is acknowledged that gift bearing is a common practice in various parts of the world, particularly the Orient, everyone is reminded that the bearing of gifts is subject to Hospitality Guidelines and all gifts must be registered. This applies regardless of the individual, even royal personages. It is particularly noted that direct gifts of currency or gold are specifically precluded, while caution is advised regarding other common gifts such as aromatic resins that may evoke allergic reactions.

Finally, in the recent case of the infant found tucked up in a manger without any crib for a bed, Social Services have been advised and will be arriving shortly.

A Christmas Conversation in the making

Well it's only a few more sleeps until Santa arrives with his usual array of gifts for the whole family. 

Our Garden 2010 

The five year old twins are on there way down from Northampton with Mum, Marie our eldest daughter, with whom we have spent the last couple of Christmas days with.  This year they are coming down today and going home later and we will then see them again after Christmas when we have them for a few days over  Hogmanay, but as is usual on Christmas day, we will have 'long conversations' on the phone with those we are not spending the day with.

If this year is anything like previous years, when we do get the grand children on the phone, the 'long conversation' will take the form of both them coming onto the phone and we will ask, " And what did Santa bring you today." The response will usually be along these lines (take a deep breath and, begin.............

"IGOTLEGOANDBOOKSANDCLOTHESANDSWEETSANDMORECLOTHESANDMORETOYSANDSLIPPERSANDJEANSANDAFOOTBALLSTRIPANDAFOOTBALLANDBEN10ANDPRINCESSESANDCHOCOLATEANDAPLAYKITCHENANDDRAWINGBOOKSANDCOLOURINGPENCILSANDPAINTSANDSOCKSANDDRESSESANDTSHIRTSANDPYJAMASANDMORETOYSANDMORESWEETSANDJIGSAWSANDANDAND"

Holly and Charlie and Mum and
Dad 

and all in one long breath and the happiness and excitement in their voices as they try and remember what they got and from whom, just makes you realise that there is nothing like Christmas through the excitement of your children and your grandchildren to make you forget any problems that you may have, for a short time anyway.

Shannon and Mollie

Brian and Marie 1982 "Thanks Sis"

So, if you have children and grandchildren, make the most of the day.  Forget, for the day, that you have the mortgage or the rent to pay. Forget, for the day, 

Jennifer and Me 1986

that letter on the side demanding the utility bill or the phone bill.  Forget for the day, that your year might not have been as good as you had 
hoped and whether you 
are religious or not enjoy the Spirit of the day. 




 A day for family, for friends and for good thoughts.  And even if you couldn't afford to give as much as you may have wanted to, I think you will find that whatever you gave and to whoever you gave it to, 








they will appreciate and love it, whatever it was.....

Ishbel looking happy 1986 

As for us, Ishbel and I, we have the other three grandchildren, Mollie, 8, Shannon 5 and Lacey May not yet 1, and of course the biggest kid of all their Mum and our youngest Jennifer and her partner Steve.


Brian and his partner Nick will be spending the day at the Dew Drop Inn, no doubt serving up some festive cheer for those out for  a walk on the day.....  so whatever you are doing, to our friends and families and to the many new friends we have made this year through Twitter (and if you are an author and I am waiting for your next book, you too, may have today off, but get back to work tomorrow).......

Merry Christmas 

  

A Christmas Tale

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care .......

The children were excited but sleeping, waiting for Santa to come.....

The house was warm, outside it was cold.  No snow on the ground but covered in frost.  

All around the tree, in the corner of the room,  a sparse barren area awaiting delivery of the gifts yet to come ...

Mums and dads and grandparents too, all smiled with excitement of the laughter to come.... 

Suddenly, the smiles turned to shrieks of panic as a loud crash was heard from above and the whole house was shaken to the core, the lights flickered and crackled like the Christmas decorations that hung by the door.

The parents and grandparents rush to the stairs as cries of panic come down through the floor, from the bedrooms above....

On reaching the bedrooms and squinting through dust; fearing the worst as they searched for the children, their ears were assailed by a deep throaty roar.....

Through the settling dust from the plaster and beams came the sound of Santa saying, "Ho, Ho, Ho,  Bloody Hell Rudolph, I told you and Donner and Blitzen, and Prancer not to eat any more of those frigging carrots. I told you that you were getting to heavy for these roof tops, now look what you've gone and done!"

The end