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It's Christmas Eve

Comments

1. At 09:43 AM on 24 Dec 2006, wrote:

   ?

2. At 10:38 AM on 24 Dec 2006, wrote:

   I love it! Don't you just want to pick the poor thing up and take him indoors to the warm!

   Mary

3. At 11:00 AM on 24 Dec 2006, Jason Good wrote:

   madmary - you'd certainly melt his heart!

   Have a great Christmas everyone. I hope the New Year is more peaceful than the signs suggest.

4. At 11:10 AM on 24 Dec 2006, wrote:

   I am so glad the teenagers in your village have something to do. Mary you are mad!

5. At 11:50 AM on 24 Dec 2006, Valery P wrote:

   He's fantastic - but not as good as Fifi's! That's global warming for you perhaps, snowmen declining from last year to this?

   Merry Christmas to all of you.

   x Val x

6. At 01:38 PM on 24 Dec 2006, Big Sister wrote:

   What a sweet snowman!

   Eddie, you posted on the last thread, and I wanted to say how nice it is to hear from you on Christmas Eve. One of the downsides of Christmas is not to hear your dulcet tones on the radio, but we know you're watching over us, like a benevolent, parma-ham wielding, giant.

   Mothers: I could write a book, too, about mine and my relationship with her. But she is now an old lady, which makes it even more difficult to deal with her. Yesterday morning she woke us up at 7 a.m. after a particularly long and stressful day for me, and with a long day ahead. She doesn't make a habit of doing this, I should immediately add. However, she was trying to get me to promise not to do something. I crossed my fingers and promised, and will quote the Fifth Amendment when she finds out that I did what she wanted me not to do. After all, a promise exacted under duresse cannot be 'legal', can it?

   Christmas Day: Well, one thing I'm hoping to do is catch up on the Frog as it's all been so mad and so snatched over the last several days. SO and I are on our own for the day, but eating out at lunchtime, which I suggested - and which will, therefore, give me a break for the day. Just as well, I'm shattered at the moment - Don't ask! Too much to tell, and not much of it worth telling. So, a quiet day ahead tomorrow, but I hope it will be all the better for that. SO is in a maudlin frame of mind at the moment, he's gradually developing into a Bah Humbug type, which isn't a lot of fun for me. I hope he'll start to snap out of it in 2007.

   Right, I'm going to pop quickly over to the Beach. Sorry I couldn't persuade Sir Chris to be our barman, by the way, but I think his health is not up to it at the moment. Perhaps he'll take up the challenge when he's recovered.

   See you guys anon!

   Big Sis

7. At 01:59 PM on 24 Dec 2006, Aperitif wrote:

   Have a lovely time everyone -- I am unlikely to be back on line before Wednesday so will have a lot to catch up on - including the Parma Ham.

   Al the very best to froggers and lurkers everywhere -- even the trolls.

   A, xx.

8. At 02:43 PM on 24 Dec 2006, wrote:

   I think I'll sign off for the time being too. Will pop back later if I can, or if not, tomorrow on the Beach.

   Shame about Sir Chris, I hope his health picks up soon ... what a rotten time of year to get pneumonia! We'll keep the NC bar going on a voluntary basis until he's ready to bring it his inimitable touch.

   Have a good time, you froggers, and the PM team, and leave you with a festive song from Sid Kipper, plus perhaps just one more at the Beach for the singalong.

   Fifi xx

   THE IVY AND THE HOLLY

   CHORUS: O the ivy and the holly
   You’ll know if you have seen ‘em
   Of all the trees that grow in the woods
   There’s no good points between ‘em

   O the ivy has a berry
   As black as any sin
   It’s not much good in jams and pies
   And horrible in gin

   O the holly has a stalk
   As green as any veg
   If you chop it up in salad
   It’ll put your teeth on edge

   O the ivy has a poison
   It can make you itch like hell
   And if you boil it up in stew
   It will make you sick as well

   O the holly has a root
   Beneath the ground it rots
   If you suck it very slowly
   It will bring you out in spots

   O the ivy has a leaf
   Sometimes it’s variegated
   Sometimes it’s not, which goes to show
   How life gets complicated

   O the holly has a flower
   That’s hardly worth a mention
   Which makes me wonder why these two
   Are getting all this attention

   O the ivy and the holly
   You’ll know if you have seen ‘em
   Of all the trees that grow in the woods
   There’s no good points between ‘em
   

9. At 06:13 PM on 24 Dec 2006, wrote:

   Just heard about Charlie Drake dying. I loved him when I was a kid.

   Sad.

   Mary

10. At 06:54 PM on 24 Dec 2006, Sara wrote:

    Thank you all so much for your lovely support last night - I think we can all write a book about mothers! and then we go to extraordinary lengths not to be like them - and perhaps end up worse!

    But things are going OK today. It's my son's birthday and all the children and two sons in law have arrived with some extended family too, and we are shortly off to dinner. After that it will be the midnight service at the church next door. How corny am I!!!!

    I have not heard the news today so didn't know about Charlie Drake, but it's sad news. He was the epitome of a great comedian - along the same lines as Tony Hancock - someone who could turn deep sorrow into laughter.

    Hooray - we get a new and Christmassy beach tomorrow. The boiler in the cottage has blown so my son (who is having to stay there due to vast numbers in the house) will freeze. I guess we shall love to come and laze in the warm sunshine of the beach.

    What's with Sir Chris and pneumonia? Sounds bad.

    I do so wish all of you who have added your thoughts on this thread and on all the other threads in this superb frog will have a happy and peaceful Christmas. Big hugs and Christmas xxxx all round.

    btw - have any of you done the Myers Briggs analysis? It's very revealing and also very helpful. A case in point - I'm INFJ and my mother is ESTJ. Says it all!!!

    Must go now to celebrate birthday (or as a lovely card from friends in Japan this year said - cerebrate birthday!) and I will see you all on the beach tomorrow.

    And Eddie - who started all this nonsense - a very very happy Christmas to you!

11. At 10:39 PM on 24 Dec 2006, wrote:

    I'm an ENFP or INFP if I'm feeling in need of my own space. A friend's teenage son now tells him that their conflicts can be explained by dad being a J, still no solution despite insight! I think we should all do it though?

    Big Sister, madmary will defend you if need be, just after she's got my mother off on her charge for breaching her ASBO; she was playing Wagner too loud thinking she was Brunhilde. She will also atest to the fact taht duress is a legal defence (I believe).

12. At 10:51 PM on 24 Dec 2006, wrote:

    Your mother isn't the lady who actually has an ASBO for playing her music too loud, HelenS? There was someone on the news not so long ago with such a thing.

    Mary

13. At 11:50 PM on 24 Dec 2006, whisht wrote:

    y'know, I love you all.

    Including John H and Charles H and jonnie.

    but not in a soppy way, mind......

    [ahem]

    merry xmas!!

    still haven't found my way to the beach yet. The last sign had been turned round by some bright spark so I end up walking through sandy grass.... ohh nearly there .. ouch that's sharp!.... ah, maybe round this.... no...... dammit...... ah well.....

    nice walk mind and building up an appetite so no bad thing...

14. At 12:25 AM on 25 Dec 2006, wrote:

    whisht the beech is on 18th Dec for now.

    Happy Christmas to you

    Mary

15. At 01:08 AM on 25 Dec 2006, Valery P wrote:

    Merry Christmas folks - I can't go to bed till nearly 20 year old son goes to his room and switches off his light, so that Santa can go in and fill his stocking,,,,yawn.....bet you never knew Santa was a Mum?
    I did try all sorts of subterfuge this year, like suggesting that he hang the empty stocking somewhere else - but no, it has to be where he can reach out during the night and find its lumpy delights and know that Christmas is here!
    Well I'm glad they can still get excited about something!

16. At 02:06 AM on 25 Dec 2006, wrote:

    Well I'm now wide awake --yet again --

    I know things get sometimes on the beach so a big big 'Happy Christmas' to all of the froggers.

    Extra kisses for Fifi and BigSister and all that have helped the pmblog site, and to everyone who was supportive about my dilemma on 'The Beach' --

    And to anyone who missed the opening lights ceremony with our local stars (in case they haven't visited the beach)

    Happy Christmas to you all and Eddie

    
    

17. At 02:14 AM on 25 Dec 2006, wrote:

    Ahh! just sussed the 'full house' comment from Fifi on 'The Beach' (I think)

    jonnie on Parma Ham...coming on Christmas Day jonnie on Parma Ham...coming on Christmas Day jonnie on Parma Ham...coming on Christmas Day jonnie on The pre-Christmas Beach jonnie on The pre-Christmas

    Up on the recents comments! Freaky eh!

    I'll be quiet tomorrow, promise !

18. At 03:13 AM on 25 Dec 2006, Big Sister wrote:

    A hearty - but very quick! - happy Christmas to Jonnie, ValP, Whisht, Sister Mary, and all other froggers - As well as (well, I might as well be honest!) the gorgeous Eddie and Lissa, et al.

    Thanks for the recent comments above. I'll say more when I'm able, but extreme fatigue now drive me to bed after a very, very busy day.

    Love you all and wish you a good sleep and an excellent Christmas Day.

    Big Sis xxx

19. At 04:12 AM on 25 Dec 2006, David Jones wrote:

    Happy Christmas from San Francisco, CA. It is about 8pm over here and I am about to put my 2 year old to bed while we watch "Its a Wonderful life" (my wife loves it). Looking forward to seeing my young family open their presents tomorrow and talking to my family in the UK.

    Thanks to the PM team for providing such great news every year and keeping me informed. All the Radio 4 and ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ news team put the US news services to shame.

20. At 05:46 AM on 25 Dec 2006, eddie mair wrote:

    David (20) - Happy Christmas (when it comes). We'll be expecting a nice shot of the Golden Gate Bridge, or the Marin headlands as our present from you...

21. At 07:10 PM on 25 Dec 2006, wrote:

    My mother never actually did mary, she is still threatening to do so, our liberalism being one of the few things we share!

22. At 07:11 PM on 25 Dec 2006, wrote:

    David Jones (20) & to you too, though you are no doubt in bed by now, but we are watching A Wonderful Life right now! Umissable?

23. At 07:24 PM on 25 Dec 2006, wrote:

    David Jones (20) & to you too, though you are no doubt in bed by now, but we are watching A Wonderful Life right now! Umissable?

    Oh, & meant to say all those mothers who make our lives a misery, are actually miserable. My experience is of my grandparents, which I thought I had posted, but just as well not if I didn't, t'was far too long! But they brought me up until I was 3, & thought I loved them dearly, they were very difficult. Emotional blackmail, deception, manipulation were all skills deployed to ensure their needs were met, because they knew no other way, & all (of course) led to much misery for the rest of us which they were completely unaware of because they had got what they wanted.

    They thought the world was doing them wrong, that people were slighting them, at the least indication. They never had much, but they had more than a lot of people, & they had 2 lovely grandchildren which is sometimes enough to make someone happy. When they died within a year of each other recently I can only say that it was very sad they had always felt so hard done by. I also found that difficult people take up a lot of space in our lives, their absence is very conspicuous, but I felt absolutely no guilt for resisting the demands of their demanding nature that I did.
    

24. At 07:27 PM on 25 Dec 2006, wrote:

    Yes David, some nice snaps please, shouldn't you be out hiking on Boxing Day anyway?! (-: