Merry Christmas

On December Shopping. Dec. 24

Greets y'all. How are we doing this fine December afternoon. I'll take it as read you're all out there amongst the gathered throng shopping for thon day I promise not to mention every year. No doubt some of you have bruises in in places bruises don't normally appear. This as a result of interactions with the barge right in'rs, the elbowers, the stand on your foot'rs and the downright rude'rs. Not to mention the intermittently wailing weans and grumbling partners all lending their input to the supposedly enhanced atmosphere of peace and love you're determinedly striving to hold on to. Aye.... it can be a sair fecht right enough.
But never mind you'll all have gotten home, made a cuppa and sunk into your favourite chair. Thinking that's it. All done... But suddenly you sit bolt upright, declaring sharply... "We forgot to get for Granny Florence, cousin what's her name and Uncle Hector" And the realisation dawns you've got to do it all over again. But!!! You smile resignedly and sink back into your chair, thinking. Not today tho... Me? I've done all mine, mostly from my bed I might add. But then again I've only got She Who Must etc. to get for. So stay safe and enjoy the lights folks. You know you need to...

On December 1st. Dec. 24

Morning y'all. Well! it's come around again. Thon month with the day in it, I promise not to mention. Every second advert promotes it and every shop doubles down on selling you stuff you wouldn't buy any other time of year. You know the kind of thing... a weirdly made up doll that sings out of tune while alternatively weeing itself and throwing up. I think they're modelled on the lassies you see heading home of an early morning, after imbibing too many shots at the office party. Poor Gran's wandering up and down the CD aisles confusedly hunting that one particular boy-band album, out of the 27 others they've released that year, her granddaughter must have or she'll just die...... Kids drag their parents up and down rows of movie related merchandise, dropping not so subtle hints as to which of the unicorns, monsters, snowmen and dolls with improbable figures and eyes like Bambi they'd like. They'll draw your attention to half-a-dozen? But TBH, they want them all. Then there's the smellies and socks for the rellies and gadgets for the teenagers. Not to mention that special pressie for your other half. Yes folks it's that time of year. Sounds a bitty daunting doesn't it? But like in past Decembers we soldier forth and we manage, simply because it's that time of year. Sadly some families will find it hard to have the day go as well as they'd like, but in spite of everything they will make the best of things. To those folks, and all you others, go my heartfelt best wishes for the coming festive. And to those of you who have a seasonal song stuck in your head. It'll go away soon... Honest! Have a very, very good one folks.

On Boxing Day Dec. 16

Well Boxing day has been and gone, without any sign of a box I might add. Some of you will now be starting your recovery in preparation for the New Year celebrations and the weans will be coming down after two days of binging on a wide variety of the best of Haribo and, definitely much smaller than last year, selection boxes. So whole households with heads like soggy biscuits is likely be the order of the day. Here in the Muir, the sun is trying to shine and Storm Conor has abated without removing any of the shrubs in my garden. Not a lot of snow to be seen from my window either. Still got the lurgy but have to concede to feeling a little less meh! than I did yesterday. Today I shall be attempting to get my latest flightsim aircraft (pressie fae Santa) off the ground, and back down again without spreading it all over the virtual countryside. Sad I know, but it keeps me amused. Anyway enough waffling it's time to fly.... see the pun there? Okay! I apologise...

Merry Christmas

On more Christmas shopping. Dec. 23

Feasgar math and jings crivvens and help ma whatsits if it's no Friday. I trust you've all got much the same plans for the weekend. Likely a bitty shopping for thon day I'm not allowed to mention during December. Yes folks it's that time of year. Wandering roon an' roon the shops trying to avoid sharp elbows and flat feet. Lookin' at all the nice stuff on display and thinking... Feck! Thon's no cheap, they're no shy with their prices and other such economic observations. But we try and we buy, so as to make the best of the festive we can, cos it's what you do at this time of year. Personally I'm a fan, the red green and gold of it, the movies, the songs the prezzies, the nekkid shopping on eBay etc. I know... too much info, But they don't really tout that as a benefit, do they? All that aside I know for some folks it's going to be difficult and I wish them the very, very best. I have been there and know what it's like. It's easier now cos there's only herself and an auld eejit who's been regressing back to his childhood for the last 20 odd years. So folks... To you all, I impart the warmest of best wishes and I hope you can share the happiness we all want to feel at this time of year. And that includes the Bah Humbug types amongst you...

Lochmadyy dear.

On my musical bent. Dec. 18

So what we on today? Well.... apart from the posting of the pics. I'm embracing the Christmas spirit and listening to Christmas tunes on the telly. Now we are into December, I feel strongly this is permitted. Unfortunately for She Who Must etc. I occasionally sing along with a fair few of the tunes and I fear she doesn't always appreciate my musical talent or lack thereof. Don't think the dogs are too impressed either, as they are most conspicuous by their absence. The cat is with me here in the bedroom but as she produces even stranger noises than I do I can't accept her presence as an endorsement of my lyrical abilities. It's a lonely life here in the Maclennan household when the musical urge comes upon me.

On contentment. Dec. 23

Morning y'all.... Well here we are in that odd period between the two holidays. Christmas is pretty much shot and it's not quite time to start getting sorted for the New Year. All the pressies are opened, the weans toys all need new batteries and you've pretty much seen the turkey and stuffing off. So it's going to be a kinda normal day. Off to Tesco to top-up the comestibles, then back home, feet up in front of the telly. Feeling pretty sure that despite a few hiccups, all's gone pretty well for another year. Yep! That's what you're looking for folks, during this lull between the 25th and the 1st. That contented feeling. That certain knowledge you've done the best you can for yourselves and your families throughout the last 360 odd days. Have a very contented one y'all...

On Boxing Day Dec. 23

Morning y'all. Well that's it... It's all done, all finished and all over till next year. You're sitting there in your favourite chair with a somewhat dazed expression, looking around you and thinking... Feck... is that it? The weans are playing with their new toys, the teenagers with their new phone's, gadgets etc. and the visiting rellies are away home with whatever socks/slippers/smellies Santa got them. The Christmas songs have been swapped for whatever musical genre you find easiest to cope with this Boxing Day morning and a certain degree of discombobulation has settled around you. I fully appreciate this little waffle applies primarily to the mums, mammys and maws amongst you. But I'm pretty sure some of you dads, daddys and faithers were getting stuck in too. I mentioned once to She who must... etc. that I might be one of these "new men" and not particularly "old fashioned" She just laughed derisively and I've kept schtumm about it since. So to you all I say, well done... and you can rest up a tad till it all starts up again next year. So happy Boxing Day folks... and for those of you who need to... Just Google "101 things to do with leftover turkey". Stay safe and keep the faith y'all...

A Christmas waffle. Dec. 20

Afternoon folks, are we all out there buying bits and bobs for thon day I promised not to mention. There's only four and a half days left you know. And stop throwing stuff at me via the screen. I've got feelings too. I've also got all my shopping done, but maybe that's me just invited more abuse via the screen. I'm lying here warm and cosy in bed with Robbie and Nicole singing Something Stupid. On the telly that is, not in my bed. There isn't enough room anyway and there would never be enough room for Robbie no matter how big it was... Nicole? Weeeelllll there was a time I'd seriously consider any offer from such a lady. But I have She Who Must... now and considering Nicole would have the boss lady laying about my head with something seriously heavy and ver' blunt should I cast even the briefest glance in any direction except her's. But Robbie... nope, he's the wrong shape for a start and these tats on his hands are ver' naff indeed. Anyway back to shopping for the day. I have to admit to really missing the crowds, the sharp elbows, the rude feckers and the screaming weans. Not!!! But.... You deal with them as best you can and remember you'll all be home soon and can have a nice cuppa while you rub embrocation on the bruises. Stay safe y'all...

Wintery Ben Wyvis

Ben Wyvis from Moniack.

On the joys of Christmas shopping. Dec. 18

Morning folks, I trust you're all feeling the joys. No.....! Well is that not just fair to middlin' hellish. Especially as the weekend is approaching, offering so many more opportunities to shop for thon day I promised not to mention. Here's me thinking you'd all be champing at the bit to get out there looking for something for that nephew or niece you've hardly seen all year. Trying without success to find something that costs less than three figures from your grandson's list of wants. And then there's the head scratching as you join a line of other 'happy shoppers' staring blankly at shelves of CDs. Trying without much success, to remember what plastic pop group it is their grand daughter currently loves and which of the 23 albums they've released this year is the one she must just have or she'll die. There is one consolation though. If the children you're buying for are older. You can happily ignore the toy department where weans are oh so seriously trying to convince their parents they really need that walking, talking, transforming, action figure, with real growing hair that spits bullets and wees itself, for thon day I promised not to mention. And through it all you're trying oh so hard to keep in mind you're supposed to be filled with a happiness and joy not felt at any other time of the year. PS And you just know when you get home you're going to realise you've forgotten something...

Another Christmas waffle. Dec. 20

Afternoon y'all. Apols for being adrift, but you know the score.

I trust you're all in better fettle and have been out there enjoying that wonderful pastime. Shopping for the family and the rellies for thon day I promise not to mention every year. You have? That's good.... I feel for you. I won't say anything about my shopping being done, but ebay's great and you can shop from your bed. They don't really push that as a benefit, do they. Personally I think they should. Although I have heard that folk sometimes shop on t'internet while nekkid. That's just tacky.... even more tacky if you do it in a faux leather chair. They shouldn't push that as a benefit at all.

At the moment we're watching the Princess Bride,,, most definitely the best faery story ever, bar none. With classic lines like.... "I'm not a witch, I'm your wife!", "he's not all dead... he's only mostly dead! and "I've got my country's 500th anniversary to plan, my wedding to arrange, my wife to murder and Gildur to blame for it". Which may or may not give you an idea how my mind works...