January Blog

Its NOT raining ! Doubtless there are good reasons including pure luck why we’re not under water here, unlike quite a lot of the Northern Powerhouse. Scary stuff, with hitherto rather ordinary little rivers like the Irwell suddenly bulking up and becoming able to sweep whole pubs away.
And presently we’re in that seasonal lull between Christmas and New Year, but because of the rule which states that we may not take Christmas decorations down until Twelfth Night, fashionable frantic Christmas lights are still at it, frantically.
I don’t know what its like where you live, but I notice that quite a few households’ Christmas lights in this village have ceased to be well, Christmas lights, but have become full- blown illuminations. We’re on the flight-path for Manchester Airport. Does all the frantic flashing cause questions on flight decks ?
My own Christmas lights are restrained – initially so restrained that I had to nip down to Tesco and buy some more so as to ensure that they were at least faintly visible against some of my neighbours’ unearthly blue, pulsating displays. Drive through the village at night and you really have to concentrate on where the road is. Frantic to the right and frantic to the left. And many villagers’ lights are on sophisticated timers. On when its dark, off as daytime arrives. Mine don’t do that. So they’re on all the time because I can’t be bothered tottering out to the garage to turn ‘em off.
Presently, my son, granddaughter, and ex-wife are out in Australia visiting my daughter and her family. I mention this only because in the past I’ve been sent pictures of the Australian take on Christmas lights. They leave us standing. Neighbourhood tours take place with small groups moving from house to house going, “Ooh !” and “Aah”! And all of that in daytime temperatures of around 85 – 90 degrees. At night it gets positively bitter at around 75 degrees.
Soon, for us all, it’ll be 2016. A brand-new year. I do hope that we all have a happy and fulfilled twelve months.

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