That's just awful EL so if it is flu has he by any chance had a flu jab so he might not be in danger.  It seems terrible that your Christmas plans could be upset by this.

 

Thanks Summer, I'm glad you got through that hectic day successfully. I'm looking forward to picking up my daughter lately.  You know we had such a stormy relationship through her teenage years and it's so nice now to hear her say she wants to do 'mummy and daughter things together' so there's hope for us all

 

Yogi I haven't watched it but I gather that Caroline - the semi-professional dancer who has had years and years of training - has won Strictly.  I can't help thinking that with this, and with all the changes that Strictly has made this year that they are bringing a much loved show down. I will probably watch it, I recorded it, but without much pleasure.  And I used to really love the show, it was one of the highlights of my TV viewing year.  When I think of the celebrities that went out this year, who I personally would have loved to have seen in the final well it just makes me sad.

 

Enjoy your day everyone

Squiggle, I agree with everything you said about Strictly. Sadly, it seems the days of non dancers, progressing throughout the weeks and winning the show, have gone forever.

I am watching Strictly and frankly I am not impressed.  Too much acrobatics, not enough real dancing.  Some of the professionals now are not up to some of those we have lost - Kevin and Karen come to mind.  The judges almost seem to be phoning in their comments - scripted beforehand?  And to be honest, as a long-term viewer, these dances are not a patch on dances from earlier series.  I used to respect Len, nowadays he mainly seems to say 'you went out there and gave it a bash'.  My favourite judge nowadays is Craig, at least he tries to be a little honest.  And as for Darcy, in my view she has been a disappointment.  I think they should repeat the whole of an earlier series, or would that be too much of a show-up of how it has deteriorated?  I feel as if the result was decided before anyone set foot on a dance floor for the final, and maybe even before.  Disappointing. I remember being moved to tears by some dances in earlier series, we are being so short-changed in my view. All the dances in the final have left me cold. Same old same old.

Thanks everyone for your get well wishes

Squiggle, I doubt if my brother has a flue jab as he would have mentioned that to me when we spoke. He's not old enough or in any of the categories which qualify for the jab on the NHS.

 

You might want to watch or record a 30 minute programme on BBC4 at 7.00 pm this evening called The Fir Tree.

Inspired by Hans Christian Anderson's fairytale, this remarkable Danish film tells the story of a Christmas tree from a most unusual angle - through the 'voice' of the tree itself. The tree has big ambitions,doing everything it can to grow so tall that it reaches the sky. Featuring extraordinary photography, the film follows the adventures of its life from sapling to maturity, culminating in a triumphal Christmas Day. Along the way, viewers experience the natural - and human - world from a strangely moving perspective.

 

It could be rather special. My tip for the hidden gem of the Christmas television schedules.

 

Thanks EL, that sounds good, how are you feeling today?

Squiggle, although I'm buggy at present I don't feel too bad. I don't think it's full scale flu, more like a fluey bug. It is infectious though and is likely to be for several days.

 

 

I've recorded it, El.

Not nice to feel ill at this time of year. I hope you feel better soon.

 You have summed up all that is wrong with Strictly nowadays.

 

At this rate, there won't be a reality tv show worth watching.

Goodnight and sweet dreams, Hugs for night owls.

night yogi and summer if you pop in 

 agree - strictly was awful this year - TBH mark or Simon should have won

Good morning everyone

 

Cloudy, windy but dry here.

 

I'm still groggy but am OK.

 

I watched The Fir Tree yesterday evening. It is Danish with English subtitles. It is faithful to the Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen's story. This is not a fairy tale with a happy ending as such. So although it is good, it is bleak.

Good morning everyone, I am glad you are feeling (fairly) OK, is there any chance that you might not be infectious and your brother could still come EL?

 

I will almost certainly not be back on again today, my daughter hasn't got a PC or a laptop so is making the most of my laptop while she is here, enjoy your day everyone

Squiggle, the person I caught the bug from had had it for several days before I saw then so I will remain infectious for the rest of this week. Many years ago my mother caught flu from me and it almost killed her. So I am not prepared to take the risk of giving it to my brother. My brother agrees with me and he would do the same if he caught flu in that he would not be prepared to take the risk of giving it to me.

I hope you have a great day with your family and enjoy the Christmas dinner

An elephant created out of old jigsaw pieces to raise money for charity:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-30561208

 

 Everyone
So sorry to read you not keeping well, El, hope you are feeling a bit better now, and you are taking medication to relieve your symptoms . Hope your brother can still come visit for Christmas x
Have a great family time squiggle x
Hope you all had nice weekend, its been raining here, persistently, but stopped now 
Granddaughter is now beside herself, waiting for Santa! Its been a long time coming this year , as many i have to spoken to have said....ads etc starting in October  Anyway the final hurdle !
Doing my beds just now. I loathe housework, but glad when its done 
Didnt watch Strictly, but i feel all your pain, my sister been ranting too !!
Have a happy day 

Good afternoon just a quicker to say hello, I'll read back through later

El I hope you're not feeling too rotten get well soon

Hi Summer, i hope you having a good day. I imagine you are busy. All good. How long is your holiday break? When Christmas comes through the week, its not long a break. My son working Boxing Day, just looking for transport for him ...first bus not till 7 ish, and he starts at 6am. He trying to find transport . It will work out . Prob a taxi, but he will still be there  xx

Hi Velvet, all well here, sad news tho, coming thru x

Have to get off to see to GD. 
xx all

Popping in to wish you goodnight, the xmas rush continues
Very sad news from Glasgow God bless them all

Squiggle, very well said re strictly! Len annoyed me no end and the entire series stink of production fixing


Sweet dreams all

night yogi EL summer skylark squiggle and velvet

Good morning
I hope you all slept well, especially you El

Good morning everyone

 

Very cloudy and windy here.

 

Still groggy but a bit better.

 

Very tragic news yesterday from Glasgow.

Morning all 

Cold day here. Glad you feeling a bit better , El

Got a few things on today, so probably wont be back. 
Have a good day, x

Good morning everyone.  I am so glad that you are feeling a little better EL, will you and your brother re-schedule quite quickly to make up for this disappointment?  I hope you do.

 

Skylark I hope the day goes well.  Lovely smiley pic Summer, they look delicious.

 

Thanks velvet the day went off really well and everyone had a great time.

 

Enjoy your day everyone

It is always advisable to keep a garden broom in the boot of your car in case you happen to come across a seal in the middle of a field

It's in some of the papers today, but there's a short video clip on the BBC site:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-e...-merseyside-30574473

 

Squiggle, I'm glad your day went well yesterday and everyone had a good time

 

Because January can be quite hectic for me with tax returns, my brother intends to visit at the end of January for the weekend. My Christmas cake and puddings have best by dates for early February so will keep for then. I have individual puddings and can have some over Christmas and the others when he visits.

 

I know Cheltenham Town has not been playing very well in recent weeks, to replace the players and the twelfth man is a bit drastic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq3iImG4huU

I've just had a phone call from 01332271497. Someone claimiing there was a problem with my computer, the normal stuff these people say.
I told him that we had been warned by Microsoft to expect these type of phone calls over the Christmas period and that they were taking steps to identify these companies, to sue them, and that the authorities in the UK were taking steps to prosecute. I told him that what he was doing was illegal and that he faced being sent to prison.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30548029

I then wished him a Happy Christmas and put the phone down on him (and I've now barred the phone number).

Leaving goodnight hugs for everyone

El I'm glad you feel slightly better, what a shame your brother couldn't come for new year

Skylark I hope you can soon relax

night summer and everybody

Good morning everyone.

 

Weather is dry atm.

 

Got a busy day ahead, will catch up later. Have a good day everyone.

 

Good morning everyone

 

Rain overnight here, quite cloudy now.

 

Summer, there's a possibility of a few flakes of snow on higher ground in the North of England tomorrow.

Good morning El, how are you feeling?

Good morning Yogi  getting better but still a bit groggy.

Good morning everyone, EL I am glad you are slowly getting better Yogi I hope your busy day goes well.

 

Enjoy your day everyone

Someone has pinched Neptune's trident from the statue in the Promenade in Cheltenham.

Anyone who has ever been in the Promenade will recognise the statue as for Cheltenham it is almost as iconic as the lions in Trafalgar Square.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-e...cestershire-30592062

 

Hi everyone, hope we all well. Just been soaked in very heavy rain. Its stopped now, thank goodness. 
Oh dear El, hope its returned, some people just cant leave things alone. Hope you feeling better x
Granddaughter getting picked up soon, she spending Christmas with her nana and family. 
Hope you all having a good day 

Skylark, I hope you can get dry quickly, don't want you getting a chill after getting a soaking. The weather's here is a lot better than yours. a fair amount of blue sky amidst the clouds. Christmas Day should be sunny after a cold start in my area, though heavy rain arrives by evening on Boxing Day.

I'm feeling better than I was though am a bit drained.