New Blogspot

Yes I am moving to another Blog base. It is not the result of a spontaneous New Years resolution but something I have intended to do for some time and 2010 was always the target.
I am going to try and give my blog more structure which should in turn help productivity. I know not many of you follow me in blogland, but with improved structure, activity and content that may change.
So stick with it and check out my new site which will open for business in 2010 at:

http://itsnotaboutwork.blogspot.com/

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

That's it for 2009

That's it the Christmas blog is over...I will back in 2010....Happy New Year

Merry Christmas

Christmas Eve

You have probably guessed, that time is of the essence today as it's time for me to go Christmas shopping so all I will say is...On this Chrsitmas Eve spare a thought for all those Goats who will have to spend yet another Christmas high on a mountain top.

On the Sixth day of Christmas

A rather grubby and guilty looking chef arrived with a tray filled with 6 goose eggs and a rather large jar of home made Pâté de foie gras!...............Enough said

Dogs and Christmas shopping

Here in the UK we are in a 'cold snap' and there is snow up and down the country, and folks are still rushing around getting the last bits before the big day on the 25th.
I have seen it on several occasions now, outside the shop there is the poor old pet pooch waiting faithfully for his master to show up. Unfortunately his master is trawling the shopping aisles buying another trolley load of non essentials for Christmas 'just in case'. Often spending hours chatting, deciding, choosing, debating, pontificating and all the time forgetting about Fido outside freezing his Christmas nuts off...So please if you have a Dog don't take him Christmas shopping.

Some Christmas facts

Some stuff that may help you in your moment of need during the local pub quiz or as a contestant on 'Who wants to be a millionaire'...Not sure if they are all true, I'll let you decide :)

The popular Christmas carol Silent Night was written by an Austrian priest named Joseph Mohr in 1818 as a result of a broken church organ.
Austria issued the first Christmas stamp in 1937.

Until the Turkey, a Goose was the most popular fare served at a Christmas meal.
Christmas decorations normally appear in the UK shops just after Easter

Pope Julius I declared Christ’s birthday as December 25th sometime during the 4th century.

The tradition of hanging stockings over the fireplace derived from Dutch children placing their shoes next to the fireplace on Christmas Eve.
Charlie Chaplin died on Christmas day.
Mistletoe myth states should a woman appearing under the mistletoe not receive a kiss then she must make haste and contact her local plastic surgeon.
Issac Newton and Humphrey Bogart were both born on Christmas day (not at the same time and to different mothers)
Bing Crosby’s Christmas classic “White Christmas” is the best-selling Christmas song of all time.
Families never quarrel on Christmas day.
The abbreviation of Christmas to Xmas partially comes from the Greek letter ‘chi’, the first letter of the word ‘Christos’, meaning ‘Christ’.

Poet Clark Moore is credited with naming Santa’s reindeer; Blitzen, Comet, Cupid, Dancer, Dasher, Doneder, Prancer, and the most famous reindeer, Rudolph.
James Brown died on Christmas Day.
The colours in Santa Claus’ suit, red and white, were the creation of artist Haddon Sundblom because that was the only tin of paint he had at the time
While working for inventor Thomas Edison, Edward Johnson had lights crafted especially for his Christmas tree leading to the popularization of Christmas tree light.
The UK TV programme X Factor now provide the annual Christmas No.1.
The first Christmas card was designed by John Horsley in 1840 but was not sold until 1843 (shortly after he opened his shop).
Christmas wreaths of holly and berries are believed to represent Christ’s thorns and blood.
In Mexico, the poinsettia plant is called “Flower of the Holy Night”.
Tinsel became a popular Christmas tree adornment after a mythical spider created sprawling webs from branch to branch. It is believe the Christ Child changed the webs to a silver colour.
The red stripe in the candy cane was intended by the inventor as the blood of Christ
Christmas only comes once year so as to allow ample time to pay off credit card bills.

Christmas madness

Again very short on time today due to Travelling, Drawing, Travelling, Drawing all in the name of Christmas (parties)

6 Shopping days left

Short on time today and six shopping days remain....So just a note to remind all men that there is still loads of time to sit down and have a think about Christmas shopping.

Rudolph's Red Nose

I have it on strong authority that lovely little 'Rudolph' the hero of Christmas, was in fact no more than whiskey soaked drunk and that accounts for his glowing nose.

On the Fifth Day

I am presented with five Goldfish! In the note that is attached to their bowl it clearly explains that the sender had made the the silly mistake of sending the five gold rings off to one of those 'Cash for Gold' mail order firms....and now spends every waking hour crouched beside the letter box waiting for the Cash!

Christmas Songs

Yep it's the same every year, out come the Christmas songs. These days the Christmas hits are short lived as the airwaves always seem to be filled with the songs from decades ago. Here is a list of songs that will surely be dusted off and aired this festive season.

White Christmas (Bing Crosby)
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas (Perry Como)
Zat you Santa Claus (Louis Armstrong)
The Christmas Song (Nat King Cole)
Winter Wonderland (Andrew Sisters)
Frosty the Snowman (Gene Autry)
Rudolph the Red Nosed reindeer (Bing Crosby)
I wish it could be Christmas every day (Wizzard)

Merry Christmas everybody (Slade)
Do they know it's Christmas (Band Aid)
It's true these tunes will pop up anywhere ranging from TV adverts through to annoying mobile phone ring tones and even piped into the changing rooms in clothes shops. Just to make sure you know Christmas is well and truly here...I mean, as if we could forget.

On the Fourth day

All was going well up until day three, then quite unbeknown to everyone but me, I have decided to change the remaining days of Christmas to suit myself....

So on the fourth day... Four wailing cats decide to pitch up outside my house making an awful din. I was informed that the cats had been sent in lieu of four calling birds that had been consumed by these wretched creatures earlier in the day.
Be sure to follow future posts as I am not sure where this might go

After Christmas

After the chaos of Christmas has died down, all the distant relatives have gone home, the neighbours have stopped popping in for a mince pie and Sherry, and the winter sales are in full swing. A quick look through the cupboards, fridge or behind the sofa will reveal the same old items that we always buy but never seem to eat or use. They are:

At least 3 net bags of Brussel Sprouts
A large net bag of Brazil Nuts and Walnuts
Large box of Twiglets

Unopened box of Christmas Crackers

A huge variety of Cheeses
A Bottle of Advocaat
Box of Brandy Snaps
A carton of Double cream
Another luxury Christmas pudding
A tin of biscuits for Cheese

I could go on but you get the idea..........Mince pie anyone?

On the third day

Three hens arrived dressed in costume similar to that of French onion sellers.

Must haves this Christmas

The shops seem to be bustling, with people spending (particularly Bankers) and there is talk of a better Christmas this year in terms of high street and on line retailing. As always there are the Christmas must haves and it seems that anything prefixed with and i is on everyones list....Look here at 10 must haves this Christmas

1.   i Phone
2.   i Pod
3.   i Mac
4.   i Pod touch
5.   i Tunes
6.   i want this
7.   i want that
8.   i need an overdraft
9.   i still have the receipt
10. i need a drink

On the second day

I was surprised to discover I now have Two Turtle Doves billing and cooing right before my very eyes. Still not sure of why they are named after a reptile, I guess it must be something to do with the evolutionary cycle.

Why Robins at Christmas

We associate robins with Christmas, the bird that always appears on Christmas cards. Why a Robin?
I beleive it is because the Robin is most visible at Christmas, when its bright red breast is easily seen against the stark white snow.
It sings all year round and so provides a welcome cheery sound in the depths of winter. It is however a fiercely territorial bird and if any other birds make the mistake of tresspassing onto his territory even if it is do the birdy equivalent of carol signing then it will get short shrift from the fiery little character.

Here is my version, sadly not as cute as it ought to be.

A favourite film of mine

'Nightmare before Christmas' . I like everything about this film, the story, the atmosphere, the excellent stop motion and best of all my favourite character 'Oogie Boogie'

If you don't have a copy of the film or you have yet to see it, may I politely suggest you revise your Christmas list to include this gem

On the first day

A Pear tree complete with it's own Partridge was duly delivered

Christmas Films

Ten films that will probably make an appearance over the festive period.

Wizard of Oz
Miracle on 34th Street
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Home Alone
Greatest Story ever told
Duck Soup
A Muppet Christmas Carol
The Snowman
A Nightmare before Christmas
The Sound of Music

Christmas Pullover

It happens every year, somebody somewhere will get a pullover knitted for them and it will be "just what they always wanted".........it's not going to be you is it?

T & J at Christmas

I have always been a big fan of Tom and Jerry, so I thought it only right that I put a shout out for one of the early Tom and Jerry cartoons titled ‘The Night before Christmas’. A frightening amount of drawings must have gone into these early cartoons, plus the backgrounds were also such great pieces of work too.

Follow the link to watch the cartoon on You tube, if you don’t have a copy of the episode yourself (shame on you!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3deR0MteV1s

Christmas Bird

Goose, Turkey, Chicken, Rooster, Cockrel, Swan, Pheasant, Partridge, Crow, Blackbird, Snipe, Woodcock, Duck, Wood Pigeon, Magpie and Rook are all birds that apparently have been eaten at Christmas depending on personal taste and financial circumstances. Turkey always seem to end up on the table in our house and it seems to do the job.
Thought it might be good to draw up a bird just for Christmas.....species unkown.

Swans

Took this picture earlier this year on a visit to Cambridge...What has it to do with Christmas, unfortunately as tenuous as it may be there are 'seven swans a swimming'

Christmas Goose

The good old Goose used to be traditional Christmas Fayre. Things have changed as now millions of Turkeys are gobbled up by households across the land all in the name of Christmas. Geese are still eaten in abundance so here is a one looking distinctly unimpressed at the prospect of ending up on a table complete with all the trimmings.

The things we say at Christmas

In the run up to and during Christmas it is almost guaranteed that you will either hear or say one or all of the following…..In no particular order

• “Got it all done then?”
• “We’d better get some, just in case”
• “Ssssshhh, it’s the Queens speech”
• “I fancy a change from Turkey this year.”
• “In my day we used to get a Balloon and an Orange”
• “Anyone for Turkey sandwiches”
• “ The Sale starts Boxing Day”
• “I’m stuffed”
• “Christmas is too commercial these days”
• “Ready for Christmas then?
• “We thought about going away this Christmas but it wouldn’t be the same”
• “We haven’t got enough chairs”