CHRISTMAS 2022 - SOCIALIZING BEFORE BEING GROUNDED

As Garrison Geillor always used to say in his weekly monologues many years ago (in the USA) "Well, it's been a quiet week in Lake Wobegon...at least it was until...." and off he would go for his next instalment of life in small town Wisconsin or was it Minnesota? And so.....

Last week started off well enough with a couple of enjoyable seasonal gatherings: 

A 'Works Party' at Balloch with mince pies, Alan's Santa bag of pressies to distribute and Mary-Anne's Cocoanut Ice tablet ['fudge'].  It must be 70 years since I enjoyed this treat; my mother used to make it on special occasions.

When I got home I placed the dainty pink and white pieces into my mother's 1940's 'pickle' dish which sits in my kitchen cupboard.  It gave me enormous pleasure as I clearly remember exactly this confection in this particular dish!  I recall, as a child of about 5 or 6 years old, coming downstairs in the morning to find just this on the bridge table in the morning after my mother's bridge party the previous evening.  

As someone recently mentioned in a radio interview: "It isn't the grand gestures that children remember but rather the little things." Absolutely!  And it still applies, for example, an enjoyable hour with the workers sharing a coffee (and something from Santa) before heading off for a break until things resume in February.

Wednesday morning we enjoyed coffee with Iain's friends from Lenzie days plus Ken who was preparing for his son and 15 of his friends to come to his house for a wine-tasting evening.

Then is was....

* * * * * * * * * * * * * DOWN THE SNAKE   * * * * * * * * * * * *

The following day, last Thursday, which is now a week ago ... and 4 days before Christmas, Iain fell when he was out walking with young Alastair in the local Bluebell Woods, off Stockiemuir Road. He knew he'd done something as he had to lean on Alastair to get out of the bush and on to the road.  He could walk leaning on Alastair but the pain in his pelvic area was quite bad.

They phoned me (it was 3 pm) and I collected them having stopped the traffic so  he could helped into the front seat of my car. After putting him to bed at home, John came and had a look and said "No, you are not holding on until morning; this looks like a pelvis injury.  Call the ambulance".... which I did at 7 pm.  

Mid evening a very courteous para-medic phoned to check the situation saying they were experiencing a high level of activity for ambulances and the hospital was very busy... which we all know and certainly understand.

I stated that he was warm and prone in bed... which meant that, basically, he wasn't in immediate distress.  As long as he didn't move he said it wasn't so painful. The next morning, at 9 am, 3 ambulance lassies arrived and took him away having given him some morphine ahead of time.  

As suspected, he has fractured his pelvis on the left side.  It is not all the way through.  After 48 hours he got permission to be discharged and Ishbel and I collected him using the big metal hospital wheelchair to get him into the car.  The roads were quiet (and we even got a place to park at the entrance!).

So he has been home a week and slowly recovering.  He finds the codeine painkillers upset his guts so is gradually trying to increase his mobility without painkillers: first in bed, then the bedside chair, then using a walker to the bathroom and back.

Kintsugi (repair with gold) Japanese Earthware Bowl

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

So Christmas came and went.  Iain, like Scrooge, has always regarded Christmas as so much "humbug' so really our plans, such as they were, were easily re-jigged.  I went to Mairi's for Christmas Day dinner.  Alan and Laura, plus Scott were there and we all tucked into Mairi's cooking.  A similar thing the next day eating the leftovers.

So now we just take each day as it comes.  It is like being back in Lockdown again.  We are not suffering but are confined to barracks.

Any Christmas cards I have left to do can be done a little at a time.  It is interesting to note that this year, probably half of the people on our list, i.e. from whom I would expect to hear, are sending email cards or a text message.  Quite right!  

And our annual card?  Peter painted another card this year which is here:

Our  2022 Christmas Card - Seol na Mara rounding Cape Wrath

* * * * * * * * * * * *  ALTERNATIVE CHRISTMAS TREE IDEA * * * * * * 

And finally I was greatly taken with Dundee Art School's style of Christmas tree which is made out of old fence boards (forming the basic pyramid structure) covered in discarded aluminium drinks cans!

THE WINTER'S BRIGHTENING by NIALL CAMPBELL

This year's BBC Radio 3's Carol Competition is set to Niall Campbell's poem which he reads here:

Look Here the Winter's Brightening [click on this to listen]

LOOK HERE! THE WINTER'S BRIGHTENING by Niall Campbell* 

Turn up the lights of a light-filled room.

Outside the winter’s closing in.

The night is cold but here’s the tune:

Look here!  The winter’s brightening!

Down goes the sun like a honeycomb.

Up goes the storming winds and rain.

But here’s moon, its full white bowl.

Look here!  The winter’s brightening!

Love sets a plate and lays the meal.

Love is the winter’s welcoming.

Its snow white door, the turning key.

Look here!  The winter’s brightening!

[* I took the words from his recitation as I can't find them printed anywhere!]

Our back garden this week

Early morning light

Daylight but no sunlight in the back garden

Sunlight hitting the trees

Alley heading to Bearsden Cross through New Kilpatrick Churchyard

* * * * * * * Ish and I went to IKEA and passed this (which is near IKEA store at Braehead) * * * * * * * 

Cruise ship at King George's dock which is is docked there.  We noticed people on board...migrants being temporarily housed.

* * * * * * * * * * Meanwhile the elves are busy * * * * * * * * * 

WINTER ACTIVITIES IN A MILD CLIMATE

This is a recent photo of Indy aged 11 years.  He's enjoying his new school and is starting to learn to play the trumpet... 'Camptown Races'... all the best tunes are definitely the old ones!

* * * * * * * MUSIC MAKING LOCALLY * * * * * * * 

A recent concert involving children was enjoyed by the general public and parents of the local primary school.  It involved students from the Scottish Conservatoire and the local secondary school music department.

Next season is all organized with these artists all lined up: January to April, i.e. 4 more concerts to look forward to.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * AND  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  

Bearsden Young Fiddlers playing in the courtyard at Mugdock in very cold weather.

* * * * * *  Christmas cards are starting to arrive * * * * * 

* * * * * *  Out doing tree-planting, or litter picking * * * * * 

Balloch Park clearing broom

Dalreoch clearing rubbish from what appears to be fly-tipping

* * * * * *  THE GARDEN IN THE FIRST FROST * * * * * * 

* * * * * *  Monkey Puzzle Seedlings on my window sill * * * * * * * * 

* * * * * *  A joke for Young Alastair who is going 'vegan'  * * * * * * *

LATE NOVEMBER ACTIVITIES

The weather is fair as shown in this photo below taken this week by Cula along the banks of the Leven.

The men pulled this seat out of the river and put it back where it belongs.  While litter-picking this week we enjoyed this quiet scene and tested out the bench which was none the worse for haven been chucked in the river by the local neds.

This urinal was pulled from the river... from a morning's work we declared that it had to be our piss d'resistance!

A quick stop in at Bowling Harbour to enjoy the Clyde in rather foggy weather.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Some hedge planting at Balfron to try and encourage wildlife to return to the area

A resident on the farm (along with highland cattle in the far distance) watching us put plants in the corridor fenced off to create a rich environment for birds and beasties... in a few years down the line however.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * 

Lastly the Munchkins keep us on our toes.

Harriet's certificate under the heading of "The right to learn'... It notes that "you have worked hard to check and edit your work carefully".  Impressive!

And lastly, a collage illustrating that a girl just can't get enough chocolate!

NOVEMBER ACTIVITIES

It's all go these days...

Sunday night after dinner... all 4 grandchildren.  I bought another Wentworth puzzle and it was worth every penny - peace and quiet at the 'craft table' for one whole hour!

Catching the last of the sunlight mid-November - Asda car park.

Forsythia and Cotoneaster berries at Loch 27 Canal Pub

* * * * * * * * * 

Remembrance Sunday in Milngavie Precinct.

Good concert with local lad Michael Mofidian singing and Anna Tilbrook accompanying on piano

* * * * * * * * * * * * 

Balloch Park Bulb Planting

Crocuses, bluebells, fritillary and alliums being planted by volunteers.

   

* * * * * * * * * * *

Coffee and scone time...

Located in the Vale of Leven Industrial Park is the Strathleven Deli where I sometimes stop for a coffee and some of their baking.  I had been told about it but could never actually find it.  After I eventually located it (diagonally opposite the Loch Lomond Brewery) the owner (I assume) was telling me that she is not allowed to advertise.  I do feel that is a bit hard when ordinary folk are just trying to make a living ... and are the people who are keeping Scotland from sinking into the North Sea.)

* * * * * * * * * * 

Back to baking

French 'muffins' which were on sale topped off with my own ganache and a Smartie  or two.

Ellie (7) won the raffle at school this week.  It is a Panda Bear wearing earphones "Disco Bear".  The other week she received a certificate for "Taking the lead in a discussion on bullying"!  Yes, I can just see that happening!