Arty Christmas

This morning, I was going to blip ALL the Bahraini baubles, in colour this time, when there was a knock on the door. It was my neighbour, Jacqueline, with a totally unique hand drawn card for me. For her birthday last month I'd given her a shop bought card with jokey 'animals in art' theme, featuring art by the Old Masters. She said that ever since she'd been trying to think of contemporary artists as animals, and drew this card late last night when she'd finished all her (traditional) Christmas cards. She had invested so much in it that she was a little reluctant to hand it over!

So, here we have 'Tracey Ermine', and our local enfant terrible, 'Damien Horst'. He was supposed to be building a giant studio and abbatoir complex near Sainsbury's in Stroud, some years ago, but I don't know that it was ever finished. And we also have, by popular request, Bahrain-Santa-Bell IN COLOUR this time (see yesterday's blip for details). His eyes look wary. What has he seen?

I have spent the day in yet more tidying; making ice cream for Christmas day to my mother and grandmother's recipe (it's "choffee" or mocha flavoured); icing the cake, during which the icing flowed like lava from Vesuvius while CleanSteve attempted to blip it! Later I walked to Waitrose to stave off the cabin fever and so that I could listen to my latest audiobook, Brick Lane by Monica Ali, and because I had forgotten to buy clementines. Whilst there I overheard a conversation between a couple with a shopping trolley:

Woman: "that's totally the wrong aisle."
Man: "yes, I know, but it's totally empty! We can CHARGE right up to the top and then turn left!"

Not bad as a strategy for living: when in doubt, charge straight up the middle and then turn left!

I'm sitting in front of the fire now, with Bomble overseeing my blip progress. As is usual at Christmas, I miss the company of my brothers, sisters and their families; and my mother. The problem is, we are geographically separated by hundreds/thousands of miles, my mother's house is too small for all of us, and the usual frictions occur when we all get together under one roof. Plus, there is no central heating and a bit of damp in some bedrooms! If CleanSteve and I could get an apartment nearby (chance would be a fine thing!) and if it wasn't so very dark in midwinter, we'd go there, but as it is, we are staying at home. I am truly grateful that we have so much, compared to those who are going without food, presents, or a place to call home, this Christmas.

Merry Christmas/Happy holiday to blippers everywhere! Long may your baubles twinkle!