Football On Christmas Day
Danny Baker on his program today, asked if anybody had been into a football ground on Christmas Day.
I phoned up and said that I’d been to a match at White Hart Lane on Christmas Day morning. Danny was rather sceptical, to say the least!
I remember that we went to do an hour or so’s work in my father’s print works, as he was rather a workaholic to say the least. We then drove to the ground from Wood Green. I’m not certain, who we played, but it was somewhere in the mid-1950s and it could have been Luton Town.
We then went home for a late Christmas lunch.
I did find a bit of history about Christmas Day football here.
One thing that they must have had in those days was a decent public transport system over the holidays. And ASLEF wouldn’t have been on strike.
A First Proper Bath In Ages
I had a proper bath tonight.
A First Proper Bath In Ages
The bath may not be finished and the whirlpool bits aren’t connected, but it was nice to lie in warm water for half-an-hour or so.
I feel properly clean and refreshed.
Hopefully, it will be tiled in and finished in a couple of weeks.
But at least itb was safe and the plumbing worked as it should.
America – The Sick
This film is being advertised all over London at the moment.
America – The Sick
After the latest shootings in Connecticut, who needs a chainsaw?
Anyway the original massacre happened in Wisconsin, not Texas.
But judging by the number of adverts, the film is probably an absolute dud.
The World’s Gone Mad
Two stories today go a fair way to prove my theory.
We have the statement from the NRA in response to the shooting of twenty-six in Connecticut, which is reported here on the BBC. This is a couple of chilling paragraphs.
Mr LaPierre called for a national database of the mentally ill and blamed violent video games and films for portraying murder as a “way of life”.
He spoke out against the media for demonising lawful gun owners, and for suggesting a ban on certain types of weapon would be effective.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun,” Mr LaPierre told reporters.
But who checks that good guys are really good guys and not bad ones in disguise.
Wayne LaPierre is Executive Vice President of the National Rifle Assocation. I only hope that Europe bans him and his views from the continent.
We also have the tragic case of Neon Taylor as reported here on the BBC. In some ways with this case, I think it might be a hopeless one, as the cancer is just too aggressive I speak with hindsight here, as my late wife died from a very aggressive cancer for which there was no remedy. If that is the case with Neon, you had better let the doctors do their best, but at the end of the day, it would be sensible to let nature take its course and do your utmost to make the poor child as comfortable as possible.
That may be hard, but I had a granddaughter born with all sorts of problems. Doctors gave her a chance of 50/50 of surviving. By their own immense skill they proved themselves wrong. Ten years later, she is very fit and well.
Sometimes, I feel that a lot of people put their own crackpot theories above the good of those they say they are protecting.
What Disaster Will We Get This Year?
I can’t say I’m looking forward to Christmas.
Usually, C and I used to go away on Boxing Day or soon after to somewhere nice and warm. But this year, both my son and myself, have the builders in, which makes things difficult. At least, I can get through the door of my house and live comfortably. So we’re going to a Christmas lunch at one of his friend’s houses. It should be a good party, but I don’t like relying on the hospitality of others.
Why can’t Christmas, be like it was in my childhood?
In those days, the Christmas Day tradition was to go to White Hart Lane to see the football and then come home to Christmas lunch. I could skip the lunch and the awful Christmas television, but at least it’s reliable these days. I can remember watching High Noon one Christmas and the power was fading, so just before the gunfight we lost all the pictures. Those were the days. I think one year, life was so boring, that I took my father’s car out of the garage, put mine in there and then washed and painted the wheels a fetching shade of blue. In fact, it is the same colour, that I’ve chosen for my new carpets.
I’ve just noticed the date on the carpets post. Have my builders taken nearly three months to get virtually nowhere? Such is life! Or should it be such is builders?
But what worries me about Christmas is it’s always a time for disaster. If I look back on my life, I can remember invasions, tsunamis, earthquakes, sto,rs, floods and probably even some pestilence. With me, the worse disaster was that awful year, the AGA went AWOL on Christmas morning. And mother-in-law was here. I seem to remember one of the biggest rows between C and her mother. But we survived, as we always did.
Personally, my worse Christmas could have been 2007, the year that C died just two weeks before. I helped out at the old peoples Christmas lunch in Bury St. Edmunds and had a good time considering. Then I ate my own Christmas lunch alone on Boxing Day. That is something, I’ve not done since.
I will though follow those who believe that the year will end this Christmas and make sure I have some food in.
After all, my son and I have no transport between us, So I’ll be relying on a taxi on Christmas Day. And if it doesn’t come, I’ve got to make sure I don’t starve. As to drink, I do live bext door to a pub.
Andrew Haldane On Peer-to-Peer Lending
This quote from Andy Haldane, a director of the Bank of England in the Independent is very ominous, if you’re a banker.
The mono-banking culture is on its way out. Instead, we are seeing a much more diverse eco-system emerging with the growth of new non-bank groups offering peer-to peer lending and crowd-funding.
Few are going to be upset, if more bankers are out of a job.
The Solo Die Young
This is some interesting research as reported on the BBC.
Apparently, solo artists seem to die younger than those in groups.
My Gammy Left Hand
I took this picture of my hand, as I rode to the airport.
My Gammy Left Hand
It doesn’t look too bad although it’s often rather cold.
I must remember to use it more, as I do neglect it a bit. But then the doctor told me that I was suffering from neglect syndrome.
Combining Science And Art
I like sundials and this was a magnificent one.
It was a pity there wasn’t any explanation in English.
Walking Towards The Airport Bus
I effectively finished my break, by walking along the front to get the airport bus.
In some ways, I felt rather sad to leave, but then I had to get back to check on the builders.
I shall certainly return, when I need some sun. After all, Majorca is probably the closest place, where sun is fairly guaranteed at some point in a break.
But I’ll choose a better hotel.
The Anonymous Widower 