Merry Christmas, Malc and Joan.

[Roger Kettle]

Well, over on this side of the world, there are still two hours to go but I'm far too excited to sleep. I hope you guys are having a great Christmas. Working our way West, I know that we have a lot of friends in India so I wish you all a peaceful and happy year. Here in the U.K., Merry Christmas tomorrow. I'm now guessing about time zones, but have a great Christmas in nine hours, Diane, and in eight hours, Calypso. Health and happiness to you all.

[The Peepmaster]

You forgot any pilchards that might be in Greece.

[Tom]

Yes, Merry Christmas everyone... wherever you are in the world!

[Malc]

Yep, we're some hours into Christmas proper (i.e. awake and conversing with each other), we've had our first argument, our first making up, our first family visitor and the others are due in about two hours.

My son Ciaran already smashed a glass in an act of stupidity, we fell out and now he wants to box me on the Wii. I have refused.

[Joan]

Thanks Roger.  I was still finishing the decorations when you posted.  I had the air conditioning on, the turkey was in the oven and hubby was out on the golf course having a few hits. We live in the middle of a golf course which closes one day a year - Christmas Day, so all the poorer residents, who can't afford memberships, traditionally do a few holes during the day.  No need to ask where the "children" were - throwing up zeds in their rooms, of course. 

We had a very pleasant day.  Cooking, etc all went well.  It was a beautiful day, not too hot at about 25 degrees C.  One little interruption, which caused a frisson of excitement among the three males in the house (a friend joined us for lunch).  Trevor found a mobile phone when he was on the golf course which had a rather risqu? background screen picture of a beautiful young girl, naked but sitting side on to the camera with her leg bent and her foot flat on the ground, so all the naughty bits were covered.  To cut a long story short, Trevor managed to contact the phone owner's girlfriend, and as I was carving the turkey, the doorbell rang - the girlfriend to pick up the phone and guess what, she was screen photo girl.  The kitchen emptied for a couple of minutes, as the other males went to have a peek. 

We gave son John a punching bag, Malc - ostensibly for exercise, but now that you mention it, a good way to get rid of frustrations - may try it myself sometimes.  The others all headed out on to the golf course after lunch.  I decided I'd had enough and settled down to watch The Vicar of Dibley with some goodies on the coffee table.  Didn't actually fall asleep till Trevor and I were watching Indiana Jones in the evening - quite a feat for me to stay awake that long on Christmas Day.  The offspring had gone off to visit their respective girl/boyfriends.

Hope you're all having/have had a lovely day.  We're thinking about going to watch the start of the Sydney/Hobart yacht race later on.  There's hardly any wind at the moment, but it's supposed to get up later on and blow the clouds away.  Hope it blows some of the fuzziness out of my head! 

[Malc]

Joan, my wife Mel was watching Vicar Of Dibley the other night. It's one of the very few shows she understands, and she was laughing fit to bust at the scene where the Vicar was getting married and had to reveal her full name.

Mel is the woman who thought the bishops had eaten the monkeys, so we're not always on the same page, humour-wise. Neither are our group of friends, who think I'm "deep" and that's why they don't get my cartoons. One of them is a pilot, for goodness sake. They're the loveliest people, but none of them would be allowed on McGookin Island, the thickos.

[Joan]

I hadn't really seen it till earlier this year, when it just happened to be on at a time when I was looking for something to watch.  I got a little bit hooked and saw a few more when I was over in the UK.  I especially like Alice, the verger, whose brain can't get past the logic to get the joke, and who is supposed to be as thick as two short planks, but will suddenly come out with an intellectual argument for something.  I certainly laugh out loud at your remarks on here, Malc, but I wouldn't be allowed on McGookin Island either, because my musical talent is virtually non-existent.

We haven't gone to see the start of the race.  Trevor tried to get me to go out on his Hobie Cat, but I just don't have the energy, or the death wish, today.  He likes to "sail", as in go hell for leather, which is pretty hairy on a Hobie Cat.

[Malc]

Joan, my musical talent is virtually non-existent too, but it doesn't stop me!

[Roger Kettle]

Boxing Day, 9.25 a.m. A ticket for McGookin island, please.

[The Peepmaster]

Everything back to normal. That's great. I'm looking forward to just listening to some football on the radio, and generally chillin'.

[peter]

Everything back to normal. That's great. I'm looking forward to just listening to some football on the radio, and generally chillin'.

see the tics are about early this year.

[Roger Kettle]

Yes, I fell for it. Tried to flick the damn thing off the screen.

[The Peepmaster]

If there was one person that was going to fall for it....

Thanks, Roger.

[Roger Kettle]

Slumps shoulders and sighs.

[Malc]

Got back from yet another night of drinkies and chatter so tired I couldn't watch the United game and went straight to bed. We have some more people coming round at midday, very good friends, but I'm over it all.

I'm already planning my island in my mind and deciding what kind of unique laws I will establish. No dogs will be one, sorry to all those dog lovers. There will be anti noise laws, and I will outlaw fast cars, hot air hand dryers, looking stupid and generally behaving like a dick.