Merry Yule

After all the rushing around, getting stressed with the shopping, Christmas Day arrives and we can chill.
Being the only pagan in the family means I make a few concessions and move my celebrations on a couple of days.

It has been a quiet and pleasant day with just the three of us happy with each other's company; we've eaten the turkey, drank the Buck's Fizz and are looking forward to the pudding and brandy butter.

Let's hope the 'season of goodwill to all men' lasts for the whole of the forthcoming year.

Happy Yule and an even happier New Year to everyone.

Full moon yesterday; got the rustic star finished to top off the Yuletide tree. I'm pleased with the result, suitably decorative with that pagan style, very tasteful. Nicer than a glittery fairy with a pine frond up her ... dress for support.

Only another week at work then a week of rest and relaxation. We've nothing planned yet, except a visit to Mother-in-Law on the 27th, well you've got to make the effort, I s'pose.

It'd be nice to have some snow...

It's that time of year, again. The retail trade rub their hands together at the prospect of millions of customers buying anything and everything at inflated prices just to satisfy their Christmas urges.
Santas, sleighs, bells, turkey, puddings, cakes, holly, berries ... the list continues but rarely does it include Christ, His birth, or anything else that means Christmas. A shame if you profess to be a Christian. Most just indulge in the excess without a thought of the reason; not very Christian.

For me, I'll survive the season by staying with its origins, the pagan festival of Yule. I can celebrate the shortest day of the year and look forward to the lengthening days and the return of new life in the new season, without the falsehood and hipocrasy of a pseudo-Christian celebration. The tree went up today.

Well, another week has passed and no sign of a brown envelope! It has been fairly relaxed with training events spaced a little more comfortably. This has given me time to catch up with course development work. Tomorrow and Friday will be full days, so back to normal for a while.

Feelings are running a little high in the office with some personal clashes between line managers. The department manager is having her work cut out to keep the team on an even keel. The storm will die down but I think the underlying turbulence will continue for a while.

How do you feel about equality and diversity? I have no problem with the principle but when carried to extremes I believe the silent majority start to be excluded and this is as unfair as excluding minorities. There must be some balance - we must find a middle way.

Alex is doing really well at college, he achieved a B in a recent written submission. This has pleased him as well as us - it's great to see him enjoying the course and this is so encouraging for him.

Julie's new job is going well. She is organising her new place of employment in her usual inimitable fashion! Well done Ju!

Never trust an HR person carrying a brown envelope on Friday, or so they say. Today our HR manager presented her own department with 'at risk' letters, warning of the possibility or redundancy. Not a good thing to have to do - not a good thing to have done to you. I am not included, luckily, but it doesn't make you feel terribly secure to know this is happening in your own department.

Things didn't improve when a conversation with a colleague went 'a little off colour', our office already has a feeling of lack of team spirit, I think I might have identified a source. All in all a not too pleasant end to what was a reasonable week. (not including car salesmen!)

An evening out with friends at a quiz night lightened the tone and things are back on course for a good weekend.

IllustratorsUK, Yahoo group is getting busy and seem quite a friendly lot - must ask 'em for some advice on getting a good likeness with people ...

The First Step ...

Well that's it - I've moved into cyber space and started bloggin'!

I s'pose today's event promted starting a blog. I've developed a healthy disregard for car salesmen over the years and I thought that I had found one who was different. He seemed pleasant and down to earth when we were buying the car (see image above) and nothing was too much trouble, but today, less than 3 months after the purchase, and within the warranty period we are less than helpful when we want a minor problem with the heater fixed.

So any car salesmen, or women, out there - your reputation is rock bottom again!