…not that it made any difference, apart from the shops being open. If only those annoying people wouldn’t lie sleeping in the doorways. It’s exactly the sort of thoughtless behaviour that can so easily spoil Christmas. Just imagine…you’re coming out of the shop laden with parcels, which makes it jolly difficult to see where you’re going, and before you can say “I’m a greedy bastard”..bang, you’re down on the pavement. For God’s sake, all the churches are empty, why can’t they go and lie down there.
Food, Photography & France 
Austere? Roger, you? 😀
Have a great Christmas, austerely!
I’m being as austere as I can:)
Ha ha – that’s all I’m getting with mu gruel!
Merry Christmas 😉
GRUEL, G..R..U..E…L! I wish we were lucky enough to get gruel as well. The whole village is SHARING that tangerine:)
Agree completely.
Gor bless you, Sor. Spare a copper, can you, for a poor old photographer?
I’m against consumerism. We choose long term gifts, almost all bought from thrift stores ran by charity associations. And I don’t think it makes us less happy than other people.
Nice to hear…consumerism and celebrity are the two of society’s main problems.
My best wishes!!!
And the same to you, Roberto, and a very successful 2014.
We keep things as simple as possible. Usually simply share a meal with friends who also are alone. This year friends are sharing a meal with us who are alone. It`s all got way too crazy for me.
Happy Christmas, Joss….I’m with you in wondering about the madness that Christmas has become.
I’ve been to the city centre twice to have a look around and was so shocked at the prices I came home with a couple of small boxes of unusual cookies and some oriental spice mixes. I refuse to pay exorbitant prices for everyday items.
Then I decided to bake some Christmas ‘gifts’, but nothing has gone right with that either – I just haven’t done any serious baking for years and I seem to have lost the knack (well, I hardly ever baked years ago anyway – I’m a salad/savoury kind of cook). We don’t really give presents in our family and Christmas Day up the country is going to be fairly simple this year, but I did want to take something.
Might get a photo (or two) with good light up the country though. Might even get some good photos of the kangaroos in the lower farm fields. Even better still, I can set the tripod/camera up indoors and while we’re watching the sun go down over the valley floor, some long exposures might be possible – my brother’s farmhouse is set relatively high on the hill overlooking the surrounding valleys and the light is very beautiful at dusk.
Hope you have a very enjoyable Christmas with family & friends Roger.
Very much looking forward to seeing your pictures from the country…sounds wonderful. Have a wonderful Christmas yourself, Victoria, with your family:)
Ah, the exemplification of the hypocritical christian Scrooge. Well done Roger. Merry Christmas.
And a very Merry Christmas to you too…thanks for a year of interesting posts.
A very happy Christmas to you, Roger. 🙂
Many thanks, Misky, and the same to you:)
I agree completely, Roger, that homeless people sleeping in shop doorways is very inconvenient. Don’t they have an uncle in the country that has a cosy little apartment above the garage? And I am happy to see that you were shopping on a Sunday. It’s always more convenient: the chauffer can keep the Rolls on the double yellow line and not be bothered by those annoying parking people in silly caps.
Best wishes to you and Jenny. Suzanne sends a hug.
Thanks to both of you and a very Happy Christmas from Jenny and I. I should also mention that it’s good to know that other thinking members of the public realise how selfish homeless people really are:)
“For God’s sake, all the churches are empty, why can’t they go and lie down there.”
O, such dark humour. It got a laugh that only Jonathan Swift could entice out of me.
What’s worse was you were talking of the homeless, and I initially thought you were talking about the early-bird shoppers that camp out before a store opens. They have their own special way of ruining Christmas.
A very Merry Christmas to you and your family, Roger.
Cheers, Nate, and the same to you. Illegitimi nil carborundum 🙂
That is my new favorite phrase.
🙂
“Are there no prisons?” asked Scrooge. “Plenty of prisons,” said the gentleman, laying down the pen again. “And the Union workhouses?” demanded Scrooge. “Are they still in operation?” “They are. Still,” returned the gentleman, “I wish I could say they were not.” “The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?” said Scrooge. “Both very busy, sir.” “:Oh! I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course,” said Scrooge. “I’m very glad to hear it.”
He certainly could pen a phrase….even write a book or two. Apposite reminder that times don’t change much:)
Thoughtless in the extreme I would say! Make the place look untidy. I am sure you are going to have a gorgeous christmas day, hopefully with those dreadful children who have their grandfather wrapped around their sweet little fingers. I would wind them up to full throttle if I were you.. have a good one.. c
Many thanks, Celi. Here’s wishing you and John have a wonderful Christmas, with at least an hour not working. I bet you could give the Virgin some useful advice about having babies in barns:)
Luckily they chose a girl in a warmer climate! Sensible angel. c
Or just got tired of looking for a virgin..:)
have just realised we could have drawn a homeless people parallel there.. c
…homeless people parallels are everywhere…that’s the problem:)
I love your clementine photo – that’ll do me fine for Christmas. Haven’t asked for anything personally. I’ll be happy with a family meal and good company- the priceless things you can’t buy. A very merry Christmas to you and yours, young man.
“Young man” …that’s the best present I’ve had! Have a fabulous Christmas with your family:)
Joyeux noël Roger! Regards, james
And the same good wishes to you, James. Thanks:)
Thank you very much Roger. Regards, james
🙂
Bah bloody humbug! All the best to you and yours Roger – here’s to a merry one and a happy healthy 2014.
And so say all of us:)
Only you can pen such a Christmas greeting. I hope you, Jenny and your family enjoy your suitably austere but lovely celebration. 🙂
Have a lovely Christmas, Karen:)
I believe it’s a cunning plan – or even a conspiracy – by the homeless ones to cause you to trip over them so they can grab the parcels you drop and make off with the swag. You’ll never be able to identify which tramp it was, so they get away with it, and on Christmas Day they will all be having a great party in one of those empty churches …
So even if the meek don’t inherit the earth, they’ll still get my pressies:)
As all imaginative thoughts such as those expressed above seem to have totally deserted me this busy morn, may I just wish you and your family the kind of Yule which would bring a satisfied sigh on one’s lips at the end of the day on which the whole world is supposed to be merry . . . and thank you for all the fabulous ‘reading material’ throughout the year!!!
A very happy Christmas to you, Eha, and thank you for being such an appreciative audience:)
I’m still laughing about Cromwell’s Christmas and possibly the only thing you and I have in common with the Puritans. But I hope you and yours enjoy the week (decorations or no).
Thanks Michelle. A very happy Christmas to you, Steve and the chickens:)
Merry Christmas!
…and to you too:)
Merry Christmas to you and Jenny, Roger. We have everything we need (but I’d still eat that clementine.)
Don’t you touch my clementine…you’re worse than those homeless people! Happy Christmas to you and MTM 🙂
Every year, I give fewer gifts and more to charity, paying for schooling and supples for children in developing countries, for example. My friends don’t need any more junk, I don’t need the headache of entering a mall, and these kids need a break.
I hope your holidays are memorable, Roger.
Have a lovely Christmas Roger. Will you go for Champagne , oysters and foie gras? And, as they say in Germany, ‘einen guten Rutsch ins Neue’ ( a nice slide into the new year…, rather apt I think…) tom
Excellent idea, Tom. I shall whizz down that very same slide….here’s to you and yours. Happy Christmas:)
“Are there no work houses? Are there no prisons?” Bah Humbug! Or perhaps “There’s more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!” ;P A very merry Christmas to you indeed sir!
Many thanks and a Happy Christmas to you too:)