Fin and Tutu

Are still alive - you see them pictured on a donation from a friend; a nice old lounge chair. I'll spare you the photo with them wearing reindeer ears. We're still waiting for snow here - it has been forecast to occur at the end of the week, but I'm not holding my breath. The neighbours all have their Christmas lights up but, apart from a few giant Santas, it's a fairly sedate affair. I realise that I've yet to finish the UK holiday entry – will make it a NY's resolution.

I finished my second series of yoga classes in a somewhat spectacular fashion – my face and shoulder connecting with the floor before my arms could cooperate and support my floundering body! So I've yet to sign up for further punishment – NY's resolution no. 2?

Inspired by reading Ewen's blog to mention the latest CD playing in the car (no, no iPod yet). Here's a youtube clip of one of the songs Los Angeles I'm Yours. Whilst on things musical, there's also a great photo accompanying an interview with Tom Waits on Pitchfork.

Betjeman

Nice poem from John Betjeman quoted in Writer's Almanac today. Made me laugh to read about the “20 yards” ... here's a bit more than a snippet:

The Advent wind begins to stir
With sea-like sounds in our Scotch fir,
It's dark at breakfast, dark at tea,
And in between we only see
Clouds hurrying across the sky
And rain-wet roads the wind blows dry
And branches bending to the gale
Against great skies all silver-pale.
...
The Advent bells call out 'Prepare,
Your world is journeying to the birth
Of God made Man for us on earth.'
And how, in fact, do we prepare
For the great day that waits us there –
The twenty-fifth day of December,
The birth of Christ? For some it means
An interchange of hunting scenes
On coloured cards. And I remember
Last year I sent out twenty yards,
Laid end to end, of Christmas cards
To people that I scarcely know –
They'd sent a card to me, and so
I had to send one back. Oh dear!
Is this a form of Christmas cheer?
Or is it, which is less surprising,
My pride gone in for advertising?
The only cards that really count
Are that extremely small amount
From real friends who keep in touch
And are not rich but love us much.