Christmas 2008 Newsletter
by Howard
Absolutely nothing amusing has happened this year. Not a thing. Unless you include me accidently eating Anna Jane’s guinea pigs. Now that was funny! Na – just kidding. I just said that to cheer myself up. Oh yes, I ate both of her rabbits. Now they really were delicious.
Hmmm. Kind of getting the idea that I’m not really focussed on this here Clog (Christmas Log). Lets try one more time.
I ate next door’s dog. Sweet! No, I didn’t. I made that bit up too. Hey hum.
My lovely wife went to see Joe in Nepal in October. Now they probably did have the pleasure of eating dog. Lucky fellows. As well as spending time together (probably agreeing on what an idiot I am) they also went on a 7-day trek around Anapurna and there are photos to prove it. While Annie was away I stayed at home and did loads and loads of housework. I made sandwiches and …err …dressed myself. There was something else, but I can’t rememebr the details. It was murder I tell you.
As ever, there is sad news. My dear friends from school Bruce Wealleans and Andy Brown both died this year. So did my lovely cousin Averil. And our dear neighbour and friend, Roger. That’s all big time sad and I miss them all very much. Bruce and I were pals at school but parted company (as you do) and didn’t meet up again until a random meeting in an office block in London of all places, many years later. Swapped addresses and parted company for a further several years. Then out of the blue (via Friend’s Reunited) we got together and became the absolute best of friends. Annie and I went to his wedding and saw him marry Anne (his wife was furious – sorry, lousy joke). Then he went and got cancer and died. And dear old Andy. Woke up one morning, and found himself dead. We had been close friends ever since our time at school and now he’s gone to the great classroom in the sky. Maybe he’ll see Bruce and get that £10 he owes me..
Not quite as sad, but sad nevertheless, our dear little Afred cat disppeared. No jokes about feline comestibles allowed in this paragraph. Anyway – we now have the pleasure of Jemima Puddle Cat. Horrah!
Well, you could knock me down with a feather. Jamie, Gordon and Rob have all got jobs. And so has my lovely wife – she works at the Post Office. My goodness me – I’m not the sole bread winner any more. Life doesn’t get better than this I tell you. Vicki and Joe are still at University doing thinking stuff and AJ is now at 6th form college (not thinking at all as it happens). She is going out with an ant (which can’t be easy, if you’ve ever seen an ant). Let’s hope she doesn’t step on him. That would be so sad.
And the music. Oh the music. Well, I’m still playing in 5 bands. Cornucopia, Pandemonium, The Vale Islanders, Scratch ‘n’ Sniff and the Wantage Community Church worship band. I think the most amazing gig was at Spanfest ’08 as guests of Steeleye Span. All right, all right. We weren’t exactly guests. The Vale Islanders were one of the many local folk dance groups who begged to do it for free in exchange for licence to talk about it loudly in pubs afterwards. And 2 weeks ago we went to Carols at the Castle and walked up Oxford castle hill with candles and sang bits of Latin at the top (or was that over the top?). Oh it were reet magical it were. And last week we played at the Mayors Carol Concert. And I have just completed 10 consective days of gigging. Mainly, WIs and Pensioners’ Lunch Clubs. Oh, I love it.
Oh aye – in August, Annie, Vicki and I went to France. That’s abroad, that is. They have cheese there and lots of it. And it is very nice. I think that covers France in as much detail as I am prepared to reveal. Oh yes. It rained a lot.
Me Mam’s doing brilliantly in her new home in Wantage (Framland residential home for old folk). She has settled in really well. Thinks – I really must pop in to see her one of these days. Haha! Only kidding again. I see her very often and it’s really lovely to have her so close, knowing that she is well cared for. My Dad is still dead I’m afraid and that’s a bit sad ‘cos I still miss him and think about him.
As I said, its all go. And now its all gone.
God Bless You (especially The Leeming).
Have a delightful and peaceful Christmas.
Howard