Happy New Year to you all and what a splendidly splendid New Year it has been thus far. Ms Playchute and I actually made it as far as celebrating the New Year in Paris this year and then, of course, we were awakened at midnight here by the enormous fireworks display which makes Byfield famous in these parts. (I’m sure I have written in the past but we have the tremendous pleasure of living in the same village as some fellow who works with fireworks and so whenever there is the most merest of excuses, the village is treated to a fireworks display which would put most large cities to shame.) This year’s pyrotechnic demonstration lasted only about thirty minutes but when you have already been asleep for some time the earth shattering, window rattling and bed shaking concussive explosions do tend to provide a bit of a surprise. The good news – Pippa is now clearly completely deaf and felt no need to join us in bed which is, believe me, a considerable relief. Continue reading “1 January 2006”
1 January 2006 – Amusements
One night a wife found her husband standing over their baby’s crib. Silently she watched him. As he stood looking down at the sleeping infant, she saw on his face a mixture of emotions: disbelief, doubt, delight, amazement, enchantment, scepticism.
Touched by this unusual display and the deep emotions it aroused, with eyes glistening she slipped her arm around her husband.
“A penny for your thoughts,” she said.
“It’s amazing!” he replied. “I just can’t see how anybody can make a crib like that for only $46.50.” Continue reading “1 January 2006 – Amusements”