Saturday 25 November 2023

Lights in a dark world


I am feeling quite chirpy today. It is Saturday, the weather is fine and crisply frosty and there is a lull in the ghastly events to allow the exchange of hostages and delivery of essentials. 

Next week I will titivate a pair of 17th century stone dogs (copies of old friends) and arrange for them to be hoiked up onto a wall of my favourite house in Bath where they will stand guard over the lawns and some other objects I have put there. This will be my last job before Christmas, which is always a good thing.

My wealthy neighbours have excelled themselves with their Christmas lights this year.

Today I will take the tweed overcoat out of its wrappings and wander around town, stopping for a coffee to watch the hundreds of people milling around in the sunshine for the Christmas Market. 

Tonight I am roasting a chicken and making a cream sauce heavily infused with fresh tarragon. You can't go wrong with that, so long as you like cream and tarragon.

Green-Eyes is pregnant with a girl so I am about to become a step great-grandfather. It seems so recently that I was holding her hand to cross the road, and I hope I can stay around long enough to do the same with her daughter.

Small things, big world, or big things, small world?

30 comments:

  1. What nice and cheerful post from you, Tom. It sounds like you're going to have a happy holiday season!

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  2. You do sound chirpy today! It's good to celebrate the small things.
    Your work sounds so interesting to me.
    Glad you are enjoying the season.

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  3. Bath must be buzzing with Christmassy things, I see they have given the abbey coloured lights. Enjoy your moments of happiness, new grand daughter on the way is something to look forward to.

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    1. They have been lighting up the Abbey for a few years now.

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  4. It is nice to read a bit of good news for a change.

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  5. All sorts of good things happening in your part of the world

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  6. Lots to be happy about here. Time to celebrate. Enjoy.

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  7. Both - small and big.
    Congratulation to your becoming a grand-father - you will be surprised how enjoyable that is (and I speak out of strong experience!).
    And all the best for Green-Eyes and her girl and your family.

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    1. Thanks Britta. You missed out the 'great' from grandfather...

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    2. I'm confused. You wrote "I am about to become a step-grandfather".

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    3. Oh yes! So I did! Apologies to everyone. I will put in the 'great' now.

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  8. You sound the contented grandfather. You could walk green eyes around town for old times sake.

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  9. What a lovely post. I thought of you the other day while watching a TV prog.. ... McDonald and Dodds , and there was a shot of the river and a bridge that I believe might be near your bijou residence.

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    1. Yes, I think it is. That series was so bad that most people I know did not watch more than half an episode.

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  10. Congratulations! Being a grandma really is my favorite role. Enjoy every minute of it. We come into it with an awareness of how quickly the years will fly.

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    1. I meant to say great-grandfather. I have been a grandfather for years!

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  11. I like chirpy Tom ! I have also watched a couple of episodes of McDonald and Dodds and was looking out for a tall man in a tweed coat with a mop of silver hair !!! I'm sure Bath looks amazing at all times of year but must shine at Christmas ..... and, many congratulations to Green Eyes ..... how exciting. XXXX

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    1. When they filmed the first series they took over our pub and I was not allowed to go in for a couple of days, so you would not have spotted me...

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  12. I like both tarragon and cream. Your meal sounds like it was a good one.
    Congrats on becoming a great-grandpa!

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