Merry Christmas - 2008!!!

May I be the first to wish you a very happy Christmas 2008! No I haven't completely lost the plot! I just didn't get everything done this year. So I've decided to save the stress I go through to create my own Christmas card when others are clamouring for me to do theirs, and this will be next Christmas's offering. As usual this picture practically took itself. I was using Mia as a daylight model before a session with the triplets, and keeping it simple as I can't manage the studio lights yet, and this shot was the result! She is an absolute ace at posing for photos and never fails to come up trumps for me. She is beginning to take great photographs herself too.

Not much to report healthwise. I am still making good progress
but my arms and hands and shoulder still trouble me. The tendons have been affected by the drug treatments.

Jenny brought her new puppy along to the session. His name is D'Artagnan or D'Arty for short and he is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and was a Christmas surprise for the children.







Apart from the Marsden Hospital nearly burning to the ground, it has been a great start to the new year . Apparently the planet Pluto has left Saggitarius and us Saggi's are all feeling lighter and less burdened. I certainly feel that way and am looking forward to the year ahead with a fair amount of excitement and anticipation.

For starters, Robert Sellers' two page article in the Sunday Times http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article3099637.ece
on our book The Battle For Bond has created a great deal of interest, and Bruce, the publisher at Tomahawk is handling several enquiries as to rights for documentaries and film which is most exciting.

We made our annual family visit to Somerset House Ice Rink the day after Boxing day, and this year I watched from the wings again. Not strong enough to skate yet but hopefully I will be next year. It was wonderful to watching Aimi & Co whirl round in a maze of coloured lights which glowed under and over the ice in time to beautiful music. This time we went at dusk and flaming torches added to the romantic atmosphere. I caught this picture of reflections in the ice and thought how very lucky I am to have my girls and a wonderful son in law in Massimo and what beauty can be found all around us if one can just "still the anxious mind" and live in the moment.

'A single moment can flood your whole life with meaning' wrote J P Satre. A single decision taken 34 years ago with the help of a very precious friend has brought meaning, purpose and a sense of belonging to my life in the shape of my daughter Aimi and my darling grandaughter Mia and I count my blessings for them every single day.

The day after Boxing Day Mia and I drove to Kenilworth to stay with Christopher and Lisa for a couple of days. They are happily settled in their cosy barn and it was their first Christmas together since they got married. I took Chris a "beware of the Goat" plaque (private joke!) and a tool kit that you keep in a book on a shelf and a pair of heated slippers for Lisa, and they gave me a wonderful new Owl for the garden and a beautiful necklace and matching ring.


The first night Mia woke up with night fears and it took me till 2.30am to calm her down. I finally got her to sleep by pretending that the two trees outside the skylight were her Mummy and Daddy watching over her and waving. The long dark journey and news of flooding had filled her head with worrying thoughts of being cut off and unable to get home. She was perfectly ok the next day and we all had a happy time doing nothing much but enjoying each other's company and some good food and walks.

See pix below of Chris taking Lisa's boots off and his new Christmas helicopter shortly before it crashed!

"Residents of picturesque Kenilworth in Warwickshire are breathing huge sighs of relief now that the “S” has been restored to the digital speed warning sign that stands on approach to the town. It now reads TOO FAST instead of TOO FA T. “Not the sort of thing one really wants to be reminded of just after Christmas!”, said local resident Christopher Blomfield of Red Lane Burton Green"

(copyright sylvan mason)

When we got back, Mia spent several days of her holiday with me and has taken up cooking - big time. Here are some of her latest creations which she concocts without the conventional use of a recipe (!) and for which I have the somewhat dubious and potentially dangerous honour of being the principal taster!

Here are some samples A. Penne Surprise (french beans inserted in pasta tubes)

B. Banana and yoghurt pudding with sultanas.

C. Sultana and dark brown sugar cake.

I can recommend the Banana pudding! However, I should pass on the cake - you could probably knock a man off a horse with it!