Saturday, December 26, 2009









There was six of us for Christmas Day.
The Greek side and the St Helens side.
Hope you had a good time with someone you love,
I hope.

When I click like this I cannot but help to think that you may have been on your own too much
with humans you would not choose to be with
in a place you would not feel at home in.

Working in community on Christmas Day
over many years
One of the big challenges was to get
everyone to try to accept their circumstances
and then enjoy what they had.
Even if it was a new family - new environment.

The trouble, often, was everyone around the table
would have their own issues -
having a rich dinner alongside other humans with issues.
(I have issues -
you have them -
do you accept them?
own them?)

Christmas present for me from Santajoan was a little portable sound box
which plays using iPod/iPhone and can link to my laptop too.
It is backpackable, light, small but with a good sound level and tone.
The 10 hour battery means I can play it around the home.
Bathroom, office, lounge and gigs where I link it to give
a good vibe when I show mini-film-clips. I love it .........

At the Sheilas we all opened our usual Christmas stocking.
Usually lots of small books/creams/gadgets/bottles and
other gender influenced gifts.

The one-off present then follows.
Joy received a Macbook last year -
highly memorable due to her mouth
staying wide open for a long long time ...

I was dragged to the front door of Joy Mansions
and there for me
from the Sheilas
a push bike
all tied up with red ribbons!!
Me a bike, I always said I would love one,
but a new one and as a surprise - well !!

I have not cycled for 50 years!
When I bought my first motor,
a Morris Minor little grey van,
I stopped cycling to work in the various factories -
in all weathers and night shift and all.

Yesterday I came home by car with Joan
and today I walked to Joys, about 35 minutes,
and peddled my bike back to Wilson Mansions.
(How do you do it - almost wobbly falling off!
How do I twist this gear changer -
never had them like this in the old days!)

Peter, a regular biker through the streets of London
and out here in the sticks,
came with me as a Guardian Angel.
He led me on the least uphill route.
Down by the seafront path, through the harbour
and and and - I didn't fall off.

One man, as wobbled by, said
"Mind you don't get your new Christmas Present dirty!"
Cheeky bugger .................

I think I have made a savage contribution
to the average age
of humans
getting a new bike
for Christmas.