HNY

I'm lucky, I live in a neighbourhood where we know, like and look after each other.

In fact, our new neighbours are so wonderful that it's as though we got them out of a catalogue.

Anyway, we set off tonight to do all the homes, including an attempt to do first footing with an American visitor which requires a series of step-ladders to ensure that he can make it real by going in (introducing the new year) the front and leaving out the back (taking out the old). (We live in a terrace and need the ladders to vault fences).

And if you don't know, this also involves carrying coal, and we've purchased real coal for the purpose, in contradiction to the capital's smokeless fuel legislation.

Not that we're lighting any fires with the temperature currently at a balmy 13 degrees C.

Anyway, it's New Year and I've bought a bottle of Champagne and a packet of fags to celebrate: So cheers!

Ta Ra!

I was watching my neighbours seeing off their son as he left for the airport on his way back to Barcelona.

As the car moved down the road, they waved at the back of the car and I witnessed the old fellah lift the flat cap from his head and do that hat-waggling thing that you see in black and white footage of long-dead football crowds.

Just a little bit of culture clinging on, like a carriage return, or the click of a telephone dial, still fresh in the memory to us elders, yet already dead to the youngsters.

Lights; Camel; ACTION!

They Were The Days

Vampire Santa!

Our works' intranet site carries the suggestion;

"Give Blood This Christmas!"

Well, call me conservative, but I'd rather NOT find a bag of that in my stocking thank you very much!

I mean; really!

New Kitchen Arrived: In Boxes

All we need now is a builder able to understand the turning up bit of the contract.

Mugabe; The Nandos Years