Storm Wind

Storm

Sybil Andrews (1935)

Wrenching wind and black rain
fracture my sleep.
I wait for silence,
afraid of the chaotic darkness.

Above the storm roar a bird sings
thin cascades, bright notes
piercing the wind wall.

How does a bird sing jubilant
into the ferocity?
What obedience brings forth
these fearless carols?

I am absorbed by the endless night
but the bird sings on,
impatient for dawn.

Alice Christie
23.xii.13

Notes to Self

1.

I am the only person who likes red cabbage.

2.

Ditto sprouts.

3.

Get to the raspberry jam first in future.

4.

Weird fruit look pretty but do not expect them to be eaten.

5.

MasterM likes bread sauce. Did I blink?

6.

Idea stolen from Pinterest.

7.

365 days before I have to cook Christmas lunch again.

Hurray!

all of this music

It was dark and wet all day and I scurried around the shops with the list that did not get any shorter. I heard the music before I saw her, a slight girl sitting in the bus shelter playing a harp, and I stood in the shop doorway to listen. I tried not to worry about the harp being damaged by the rain and to let go of the multiple anxieties that seem to be as integral to Christmas as presents and pudding. It was a few precious moments of peace to remember in the hurry of last minute preparations and the music drifted after me as I walked away.

I wish you all a peaceful Christmas and your own chance to let go of the busyness of everyday life. Thank you for reading this year; it has been a year of change for me and I have been very grateful for your kind comments and messages.

This is the first camellia from my garden, a little battered by the rain, but a reminder that after Christmas it will be New Year and then spring. Bring it on!

MasterM helps decorate the tree

MrsM and MissM are decorating the tree
and MrM is doing manly things with bricks
to make the tree stand up straight.

MasterM is helping by lying on the sofa,
wearing felt reindeer antlers,
and giving a running commentary
on the World Darts Championship.

1.
That man is a seriously big human.
How big even is his neck?

2.
Did they just say "Beguiling and Mystifing"?
Those words should not be used to describe darts.

3.
They just called him Big John.
I concur.

4.
We should have a family outing to the darts.
What shall we dress up as?
Bananas?

5.
That man has a chicken round his head.
I've seen it all now.

6.
How do they add up so quickly?
What even is treble nineteen?

7.
Look!
That family is dressed up as crayons.
We could do that.

8.
Guess how many 180s have there have been this year.
Go on, MissM, guess.
No, I am not going to tell you,
you have got to guess.

9.
Big John is pushing out some beads.
He is going to overthrow.
There, what did I tell you!

10.
This is an awesome game of darts.
Real human drama.
His wife is even crying.

11.
Right. That's over.
I am going to watch the film
about the sperm whale which goes mad
and attacks a boat of whalers.
Daddy, would you resort to cannibalism?

12.
Meanwhile MrsM and MissM
untangle the tree lights,
drape the silver beads,
hang the silver baubles,
unwrap the decorations,
find the wibbly-wobbly people,
and wake up the sleeping Christmas fairy

It's a typical family evening
and we all feel very festive.

what the commuter saw

It is my last day at work before Christmas
so I thought I would share my December photos.

DECEMBER

I set off in the dark
but I arrive at sunrise.

9 December
Royal Festival Hall from the Jubilee Bridge

5 December
Westminster Bridge

12 December
London Eye from the Embankment

I am becoming familiar with my route,
aware of the light, the people who walk,
presence and absence of the normal.

11 December
Waterloo Bridge in the fog.

16 December
Nelson's Column, Trafalgar Square

9 December
Hawk Patrol, Trafalgar Square

9 December
St. Martin-in-the-Fields, landmark church, centre for the homeless

London is ready for Christmas:
decorated, sparkling and busy.

2 December
Christmas Tree - a gift of the people of Norway, Trafalgar Square

2 December
Southbank Centre

It is dark as I walk home
and the great buildings lining the river are lit up.
I wonder sometimes if I will ever tire of the sight.
I hope not.

17 December

Nerja Redux

MrM
Well, that's done then.
Flight booked.
Accommodation booked.
You will be in Nerja in January.

MrsM can't help herself.
She squeaks with excitement
and does a teeny weeny jump of joy.

Four days with Geographers...
what could be nicer?

Enhancing the Christmas Experience

MrsM feels quietly pleased with the decorations.
The theme is simple, homely and yet stylish,
designed to enhance the Christmas experience.

MissM arrives homes and immediately notices
the amount of red and white everything.
MrsM thinks she can tell MissM is impressed.

MrsM casually mentions that
she is planning to make pomanders
in a variety of designs.

Just because she wants to.

MissM decides to test MrsM

"Look"
says MissM
"Look at these crazy wrapping ideas..."

MrsM is enchanted...

"Monochrome wrapping : what a great idea!
Gingerbread cookies as gift tags : that's so cool!
Map wrapping paper : I really want to do that!
Strips of tree bark : that would be perfect for spring!"

MissM looks worried,
the situation is much worse
than she had realised...

"I think you are spending
way too much time
on Pinterest."

"Maybe..."
says MrsM
"but can I just show you
this amazing idea for
snowflake marshmallows?"

*****

Apologies for the phone photos
and the weird angles which
the landscape format requires...
my laptop is still sick.
Aaaargh.

Meanwhile...

...in South Africa...

MasterM has graduated.

MrM and MrsM open a bottle of champagne
and toast their son and his degree
in accountancy, economics and law
which was taught in Afrikaans,
a language he does not speak.

They are so very proud of him,
this exceptionally determined young man
who makes his dreams come true
by hard work and self belief.

Who knows what will be next?
There will be more adventures,
you can be sure of that,
but now is a time to celebrate
and recognise this achievement.

MrsM falls in love

Phineas Finn
Illustration by Millais
reproduced from first edition (1869)
published by Virtue and Company

MrsM is besotted by Phineas Finn. She wasn't sure for the first 15 chapters but then she fell in head over heels in love and devoted herself to him for the next 62 chapters. Phineas Finn is not her usual type - he is very interested in politics and a little indecisive in matters of the heart but he is comely, good natured and quick witted. Now that MrsM has come to the end of her relationship with Phineas Finn she dabs her eyes with her handkerchief "Oh Mr. Finn" she says "I do wish I didn't have to leave you." Sorrowfully, MrsM downloads "The Eustace Diamonds" and plugs in the iron.

*****

If you have not read any novels by Anthony Trollope I can highly recommend the unabridged audio books narrated by Timothy West. They have been a revelation to me because I am not an enthusiastic reader of Victorian novels and avoided Trollope after plodding my way through Dickens. Now I completely understand why there are people who read nothing but novels by Anthony Trollope. He draws his characters with such acute observation and understanding of the multiple weaknesses that are to be found in men and women, the plots are so ingenious and the writing so economical that the whole experience is quite delightful. Thank heavens he was such a prolific novelist - many, many more hours of listening and reading pleasure to look forward to.

wreaths : home + away

These are the wreaths in my life

Work

I congratulated James in Reception
on the Christmas bling
and he looked a bit shocked.
I forget sometimes that I am working
in a more formal environment.
I don't think the British Academy
is ready for a Daniel Craig grotto.

Home

Look!
A willow wreath
made by the lovely Val
to beautify my little kitchen
I love it!

Thanks to all the lovely Made & Found crew.
I had a great day out on Saturday.
MrM was thrilled that I had done
so much Christmas shopping
with so little inconvenience.

(There is a holly wreath on the front door too...
the more wreaths, the merrier.)