With Margot in Romania Jim took up her ticket to come to Selby with me to see Vin Garbutt "The Teeside Troubador". One of a kind. Theoretically a folk singer but I think the chat between songs takes up more of the evening than the songs themselves. Very funny. I noticed he tours down south and abroad and wonder how anyone outside of the north-east understands a word he says.
That's the end of the Selby season so looking forward to the new programme dropping through our letter boxes in the New Year.
Kept busy while Margot was away, getting in a tree and putting up some lights, though we won't be here to watch them. The five of us are spending Christmas in Manchester at Matt and Sam's with the young people doing all the work. Sounds good. Other than that, finished my coursework 40 minutes before the deadline and helped Rahab set up her broadband connection - the one-eyed man in the land of the blind (Kipling?)
No-one told me table tennis on Tuesday night was a party rather than a normal night but no-one commented on my tracksuit, probably thought that was my party outfit. Did get a couple of games in.
Jim set off for Bassingbourne, taking in a visit to Becca's grave and Christmas Eve lunch with Jeff and Debbie, aiming to arrive in Manchester later that evening. Margot and I combined a bit of last minute panic shopping with looking after Florinda's shop, Florinda having headed off to Scotland. Too wet and miserable for most people but we probably sold enough to make it worth while opening up.
Christmas was great. Probably more food and TV than was good for us but we did walk Bones a couple of times and on Boxing Day Team Huxford did a few laps of the park to get back into training. Jim and Matt did the Christmas meal - we were impressed.
Margot gave me "Home" by Marilyne Robinson(the author of Gilead, which I raved about earlier this year) though I have just started "Out of Romania" by Dan Antal. Its about the revolution there in 1989. Interesting if you have seen the carefully preserved bullet holes where the secret police shot at demonstrators. Margot got "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett which apparently is better than the film.
Matt and Sam gave us "The Illusionist" a beautiful little film by the maker of Belleville Rendezvous. The background paintings of Scotland, and Edinburgh in particular, ae worth looking at on line - http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2309062656/tt0775489 - if published in bookform that's what I want for next Christmas.
Boxing Day saw a walk alongside the River Mersey (yes the same one, it winds its way through Manchester on its way to the Pool) and then, the next day we went into town for the ultimate movie contrast. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protoool at the IMAX. Suspend disbelief and enjoy the vertigo, but try and see it at an IMAX for the full impact. If you like bungee jumping,you will love this.
Back at home now and a few days before a quiet New Year's Eve before the Grand Tour of the M25 scheduled for next week
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