I wish the weather was really like this. It would be preferable to the torrential rain and gale force winds we have at the moment.
Mike has asked me to thank you all for the Birthday wishes you sent him, he was very touched.
Now for a bit of a rant. I was reading in the newspaper recently that undertakers are now using pallbearers less and less. Neither family, friends or undertaking staff are going to be allowed to do it in the future. Why? Health and Safety regulations. Someone might hurt their back.
More and more towns are dispensing with Christmas lights. Why? Health and Safety. The lights could fall and injure somebody.
Children are no longer allowed to play the age old game of Conkers. Same reasons as above.
Children are no longer being able to take part in Nativity plays. Why? Political correctness, it might offend other religions. Office workers are told they cannot send religious cards to one another for the same reason. The Christian religion is not taught in schools for fear of offending. Whether you are a believer or not, Christian principals are good standards to live by and children should be taught them early in life. After all this is a Christian country. I have lived by those teachings all my life and have always known right from wrong and to honour my fellow men and women and to do good where I can.
Oh my friends, I could go on and on. The list is endless. Is this the land in which I was born and which I have always loved ? - no, not any more.
Christmas is no longer a celebration of the birth of Christ. Christmas nowadays has little or nothing to do with religion at all. Three out of four children do not know where Jesus was born or who He was.
What a sad state affairs. What have we come to? People mock at the "good old days" saying there was never such a thing but, believe me there was. When I was a child there was none of this nonsense. We loved the nativity plays, the carol singing, the Christmas Story which was central to the festive season. You did not start preparing for Christmas (apart from the puddings and cake) until a week before. That was a week of great excitement and joy. The Turkey was not purchased until Christmas Eve and all fruit and vegetables were bought fresh on that day as well.
Now Christmas starts at the end of September. It is just an exercise in economics. People getting into debt and spending the New Year paying it all off.
We are being turned into a Nanny state where we are told all the time what we can do and what we cannot do. Children can no longer play in the streets for fear of abduction. Children can no longer play the games they did for fear of injury. We also live in a "someone might sue me" society. The land I love has changed beyond all recognition and not for the better.
Where is our patriotism. Why should we be ashamed to fly our own flag? I have nothing against immigrants. They have been coming to this country for hundreds of years and many have enrichced our culture - but never before have they come in such numbers. Never before have they been responsible for slowly destroying our customs and traditions. We are gradually being stripped of everything.
I hate to think what it will be like when Nathan and Daniel are men. Maybe there will not be a Christmas then, maybe it will have been abolished and some multi-faith festival will take its place. Like I said, a sad state of affairs but these are just my opinions.
O.K. rant over.
I made my appointment for the blood tests this morning. The earliest they can do it is Friday morning at 8.20 a.m. I could have it done sooner if I went to the hospital but believe me that would be impossible. You often have to wait there for three hours in an endless queue. Last time I went I was number 396! For a standard blood test I could do it but not for a fasting one. The diabetic nurse told me to get an appointment at near to 8 a.m. as possible, came straight home, take my diabetic medication and eat. So the hospital is out of the question.
This now means my medication will not be sorted in time for Christmas, short of a miracle. Tests done Friday. They take a week to come back making that the following Friday. Then I have to make an appointment with the nurse but she finishes up for the festive season on the Thursday of next week. That takes us into Christmas week. So it is very doubtful it will all be done in time and it will be hanging over my head throughout Christmas. Still, I take it one day at a time. No good worrying - that will not change anything.
Anyway, I must away. We are looking after Daniel this afternoon and he will be here in a few minutes. Nathan had his singing concert (carols not allowed) at nursery school this morning and I am waiting to hear all about it.
Have a good week my friends.
Love,