You can tell Xmas is just around the corner, houses are ablaze with lights and festive decorations. In fact it would be hard to believe there is a credit crunch and sky high energy prices when I look at some of the lighting festooned on the outside of some of the houses near Chateau Ghastanbury. I have never been a true believer in Xmas as regular readers will know however it is a cheering sight to see so many bright illuminations in these dark times. Talking of dark times the mercury is falling and it took me 20 minutes to defrost the car and scrape the ice off the windows before I could go to work the other morning. How I envy my friends in southern Europe and the southern hemisphere right now.
I have noticed a distinct lack of writings from some of my fellow bloggers, indeed one or two blogs have disappeared altogether. Maybe it is the times we live in that no one has anything cheerful to say and so just give up. I have suffered from Bloggers Write myself a few times in the past 3 months. Nothing of any significance happens or there is so much of it you do not know where to start. By now just about every one in the civilised world must know that the monetary system of the planet is on the verge of collapse. Jobs are being lost and many of my friends will be soon be joining the long queues at the benefits office. I wish them all well and a speedy return to the workplace with as little loss of dignity as possible in the meantime.
On the bright side, the winter solstice is only a few days away and that means more sunshine and shorter nights. Autumn will be over and winter will arrive shortly to be replaced with spring and the start of the barbecue season. It is one of the few things there are to look forward to at the moment. I have resigned myself to staying in the UK for at least another 2 years and may have to admit that I will never leave. Economists are predicting that the recession will start to level out some time in 2010 and maybe, just maybe a recovery will take place within four years of that. At that rate I would be close to 60 and probably too old to do the things I want to do. This news has been met with cheers by some of my friends because I may not be leaving and they will still get to see me on a regular basis. Those who have left understand the disappointment I feel at the prospect of having to stay here in the UK.
Now as gloomy as this seems, I am truly lucky compared to others. I received news last week that two people I know have fell upon disastrous times. One has had a stroke and has been in a coma for over a month and the other has been diagnosed with cancer. It is not looking good for either of these two. My sympathies and best wishes go out to both of them and their loved ones.
I made the decision last early on in the year that I did not want to spend another Xmas here in the UK and consequently booked a holiday to Tunisia for me and the Bean Counter. On Xmas day I hope to be drinking a toast to absent friends as I tuck into my dinner of couscous and a sheep’s head. Here’s to all my friends and family. A merry Xmas and may your god go with you.