Merry Christmas

Usually I don't like Judy Garland. The voice is to shrill, the sentiment too overbearing and the fragility too real. The Rescuer in me feels I must stand by the speakers with a bucket to catch the tears, an arm to wrap round her shoulder and a soothing balm.

In the case of this song I feel differently. In many ways this is one of the very few Christmas songs I really like --- apart from some ancient and traditional carols. This song speaks of a reality to me: the bitter sweet nature of Christmas with all the fun and festivity against a backdrop of memories, good and bad, happy and sad; the people there and the people missing --- lost from our lives through bad judgement, lack of care, happenstance or death.

There's a terrible poignancy about this song for me and only Judy's version does it justice -- not because of her own pain per se but because of that tremulous timbre and because of the pain and experience that informs it. I also love the images in the video. Judy never looked more like a painting --- a construct of some Director's dream and the artful attention of the studio make-up artists, lighting director and costume designer. The little girl is just the right side of mawkish for me. Now and then even I can do 'mawk'.

So here's wishing you, whoever you are, blogging chum or new arrival --- a Merry Little Christmas. For many of us I know it has been a year of struggle. Here's hoping that 2010 will be better brighter and full of good cheer.

Snow !

Christmas has come early to Suffolk. We woke up this morning to find the village transformed into (cliche alert!) a Winter Wonderland. The childrens' schools were closed and so its been a day of snowman making, snow angels and cold, cold hands with intermittent forays indoors for hot drinks and hot food and hot water bottles.

Of course, as usual, U.K. is rubbish at organisation and foresight when it comes to such lovely weather. It's as if the powers-that-be forget each year that in the wintertime it sometimes SNOWS !! Last night saw broken down lorries and cars on 'A' roads hereabouts. There was no gritting beforehand. Some people were stranded on the Orwell Bridge (the River Orwell runs through Ipswich to the sea at Felixstowe and Harwich) from about 9 p.m. last night until they were freed at 6 a.m. this morning.

Still, it's everso Christmassey isn't it and it is the best kind of snow too: really lovely and soft and with a bit of sunshine in clear blue skies. More snow forecast for this evening and tomorrow too I think.

Fund Raiser for severely affected Suffolk woman.

I really hate it when people who are suffering, ill or in need have to tout their stories round and almost beg in order to raise sufficient funds for treament or resources which might imporve their life. Only a few doors away we have a young man with Cerebal Palsy whose family must tout his story and arrange gigs in local pubs in order to try and raise funds for a special wheelchair which will improve his life no end.

Yesterday I was alerted to the story of a young woman who lives a few miles away from me and who is very severely affected by M.E. and bedbound. Jenny Rowbory became ill with ME in 2004 at the age of 18 when she contracted a virus during the first term of her course at University where she was studying medicine.

Recently she attended the Breakspear Hospital in Hemel Hempstead where a treatment programme was drawn up for her. The cost of the 12 week treatment plan is £35,000. NHS funding was applied for but rejected. Jenny has written a poetry book 'Rainbows in my Eyes' and is selling it to try and raise the funds needed to pay for her treatment. You can go to her website to read more about her story and buy the book. You can also donate additional funds.

For Ruth: Silver Threads and Golden Needles

Here's Dusty again. You'll be getting sick of her if you're not keen but I love her and always have. I'm putting this one up for my new blogging chum Ruth who liked the last video.

Today I'm looking after a recuperating son: small op. yesterday and third visit to hospital since last Friday. The patient is sitting up and taking notice and we are enjoying ;O) all the re-runs of 'Heartbeat' and 'On the Buses' and other daytime telly that I never usually watch. We are also enjoying plenty of Playstation. The boy is incredibly hungry (a good sign) so I am also on frequent snack duty and hot water bottle duty and all the other duties that are part of the convalescent's requirements. We are trying for recovery by Thursday so we can attend the School Carol Concert Dress Rehearsal.

I shall stop here because the bird in the nest has his beak open again and my laptop is playing up yet again --- on its last legs and driving me crazy with all its idiosyncrasies.

* BTW I am being plagued by all sorts of comments from strangers hither and yon offering me no end of strange medicaments for sexual prowess, money making schemes and no end of other stuff I do not want or care to know about. Does anyone know how to deter such miscreants and turn them away ?

Island of Dreams

A very young and carefully enunciated Dusty...bless her cotton socks .

'Island of Dreams'....what a beautiful image