Month: December 2002

[Insert tidying noises here – New Year cleaning, if you will]

The Independent makes its predictions for 2003, and they are well worth reading: Part One and Part Two.
I’m not generally in the business of making predictions, as invariably I will be disappointed and/or surprised by the events that actually transpire (note my previous track record when it comes to the annual trip to Goodwood races). However, Grayblog readers should look out for my forthcoming review of 2002, as well as a new set of resolutions for 2003, and the obligatory set of wistful thoughts and ramblings that I know you all love.

All quiet around here. Saw Neil on Friday for the first time in ages, which was excellent – he kindly gave me a lift over to Joanna’s, and remains one of the finest people I know. Also succeeded in recovering the small package I left in the Nags in my drunken state on Christmas Eve.
E-ticket still not arrived. siiigh. Looks like I’ll have to resort to the telephone tomorrow. So much for the wonders of electronic commerce.
For those wondering, I’m ok. Just quiet, contemplative and looking forward to 2003. Fingers crossed that it will all work out as I hope, which it probably will if it isn’t thought about too much.

A veeeeerrrrrry long lie-in this morning. Now I’ve got several chores to hurriedly undertake before dashing out the door.
And where is my e-ticket from ebookers? It should have been delivered to me within eight hours, but I booked it more than twelve hours ago. I’m a little worried, as I’ve heard that some people have had problems and only discovered when they got to the airport and found that they didn’t have a seat on the plane. Still, I have twenty whole days to get it sorted.

John Peel‘s Festive Fifty is on now. I get the feeling that I’ll be jotting down dozens of songs that I want to buy. Good job the sales start tomorrow.

A new "about" page: The Six Honest Serving Men.
A long-overdue revision, I think you’ll agree.

Minor irritation for today: when companies take down their servers for maintenance over the quiet festive period, but don’t bother to put up a page to explain that to users. Securicor and John Lewis Accounts, please note.

I’ve just walked through the city, looking for food (bad planning there – no food in the house, and no shops open. Thank goodness for convenience stores and the people who work there over the holiday period) and passing the shoppers browsing in the few stores that are open today, when I noticed a small crowd stood by the Cross staring up at the Christmas tree which is stood there. As I got closer, I could tell why – a song thrush was high in its branches, singing at the top of its avian voice.

For some reason, I feel obliged to share with you a list of the gifts I received for Christmas:

• a very lovely pen fit for an Executive Director
• several bottles of wine
• lots of bath things
• some money
• tonnes of chocolate
• some clothes
• a concrete candle – no, really
• three CDs (including one from secret santa – thank you)
• some tea and preserve
• a beautiful book of cat photographs
• other lovely and thoughtful odds and ends

But that is only part of this Christmas. It has been one of the very best that I have ever had. So here is a list of the best bits of my Christmas:

• Christmas Eve seeing friends – DAGS, Tanya, Kearn, DA, James, Jayne, Jo B, Mandie, Arron, Nikki, Libby, Geoff and others
• Christmas breakfast in bed
• meeting and being accepted by important new people
• the love and company of my family
• seeing the face I love lighting up with joy, then later relaxed in peaceful slumber
• splendid food, silly games, a fluffy cat

I hope your Christmas was happy too, no matter how you spent it or who you spent it with.
Feliz Navidad!

Spent all afternoon with red wine and the Buzby and Blue crew: Chris, Nigel, Jo, Simon, Di, Robert and all the others – an excellent time. Bzzzzz.
This will most certainly be my last entry before Christmas. Big love to you all – thanks for being there.