Survival
It is amazing what can be achieved by not trying.
I did fuck all during the week in preparation for The Big Day. I can safely say that I didn't do a scrap of preparation apart from making sure I had enough baccy and whiskey.
My greatest achievement this year was to survive the entire period without once hearing Slade, Bing Crosby or Shane McGowan which I think is quite something. As a result the blood pressure remained at its usual level and I remained reasonably sane. In fact the only music I heard over the entire period was the odd carol from Classic FM though I got a little tired of them after a while too.
The day was, as far as I am concerned, a resounding success. I did nothing. Absolutely sweet fuck all. Didn't even bother with the Interwebs. spent the day happily dozing by a turf fire with a glass of Irish in one hand and the pipe in the other. Herself dozed on the couch and Penny dozed on the floor. Peace, perfect peace.
I wonder at all those cars I saw during the week. You know the ones – sitting on the bottom of their suspensions because they are trying to carry several tons of food and drink. Was all that food eaten? I doubt it. Was all the booze polished off? If so there are going to be many cases of alcohol poisoning in the area.
So now we are into the Sales Season. Endless advertisements trying to pressure us into buying new furniture suites and beds. I never worked out this craze for furniture sales. Are we supposed to replace out couches and armchairs every year? Weird. My armchair is getting on in years and has a perfect and permanent arse-shape indent to accommodate me in comfort. There is no fucking way I would part with it.
Next we'll have the Holiday Season where everyone is frantically trying to sell us holidays. I keep getting emails from Irish Ferries screaming that I only have a couple of days left to avail of a 10% reduction offer. I ignored them and now they are offering 20% off. I'll wait a while and maybe we'll reach 100% off. I might consider that.
Personally I don't care about the sales or the holidays. They can advertise all they like and as usual I shall ignore them.
At least that's the end of fucking advertisements with fucking Santa and fucking snow and fucking jingly music.
Well, for another ten months anyway.
I walked along a forested riverbank with friends on Christmas morning before returning to their house to taste slowly roasted goose, washed down with glasses of Beau-Rivage vin superieur from Bordeaux. Happy New Year.
Meh. It pissed rain here most of the day. While a walk down a country road in the rain can be pleasant, I'm not that pushed about the drips dribbling down my back. A comfy armchair by the fire seemed a much better option at the time.
And a Happy New Year to you too.
Grandad,
"Didn't even bother with the Interwebs"
Remember the old one? "The Internet went down last night so I spent some time with the family. They seem like nice people."
Indeed it was strange communicating with Herself by word of mouth. Normally she sits in the same room and communicates via Farcebook. I keep telling her that speech is quicker and doesn't clog up my Inbox but she wont listen.
Sounds pretty much what we did on Christmas. Nice, quiet and peaceful and little or no being online. We had a kielbasa, red cabbage and potatoes for dinner along with some sparkling cider–for turbo charging the red cabbage effects you understand. We also watched a very non-Christmassy movie. All in all, a very peaceful day.
Roast leg of lamb with mint sauce, peas and roast potatoes. Lovely. I don't go for turkey [tends to be rather tasteless and dry] though one year we did try goose [tasteless and very greasy]. Washed that down with a few drops of whiskey and Christmas cake. One of the most relaxing Christmases in years.