THANKSMAS

It is Thursday once again and I'm all of a rush so lets get down to it!

ONE] Today is the American holiday Thanksgiving: For all those Yanks reading this [probably minus 1], I wish
         you a day of pie-face-stuffing, merryment and songs round a fire, because that, my friends, is what I

         imagine it to be like. And whilst I [embarrassingly] don't know anything about this holiday as I'm too busy
         thinking about what to eat for dinner tonight to look on Wikipedia, I do know that the Americans have got it
         right. Why have one turkey-based holiday when you can have two?! Why indeed. I therefore suggest that
         we come up with a celebration that can be placed a month before Christmas; one that will bring families
         together, fill bellies and spread general joy minus the presents and the awful TV programs that keep people
         in one position for six hours. If, therefore, you have any ideas I'd very much like to hear about it. You have
         exactly a year to think about this unless of course you:

                   a] think that the world is going to end on 21st December and, 

                   b] you'd prefer to be at work

         You people can carry on. The rest - Step to it!

Now this is what i'm talking about. [table and Turkish rug not included]

..and on the theme of Holidays...

TWO] Tinsel isn't so bad: Have I gone absolutely doolally? Probably, but this morning saw me almost fall into
          the most Christmas-sy street-sweeper's bin I have seen and will probably ever encounter in the rest of my
          lifetime. There was silver tinsel and purple tinsel and red tinsel and an actual Santa toy dangling from the
          front of the bin to liven up [and give false hope to] the rubbish before it was plunged to its sad demise.

          I'm straying from my point, which is that if mismatched tinsel sprawled over a bin can make me smile at
          quarter past eight in the morning, think what it could do in a large, warm, colour co-ordinated room! Either
          way, rather than being annoyed at all the early hints of Christmas, embrace it with all your might until your
          brain becomes a sparkly, fluffy mush and then [and only then] will you be at one with Christmas.

HOW EXCITED DOES THIS MAKE YOU FEEL?!

[it did however take me ten whole minutes to find a decent photo of tinsel]

..and because I'm unavoidably on the subject..

THREE] The Birmingham 'Frankfurt Christmas Marke't has arrived: Don't all rush at once [no really don't. There's
             no room], but this is probably the second thing that brings in Christmas for me [the first being the buying
             of a real tree]. With its wafting smells of chocolate covered fruit, doughnuts, various baked German

             goodies [pastry and potato on one stall], beer by the gallon and hot fruity wine, this place
             oozes festivities. And just in case you don't know where it is, the lights added to this area can probably

             be seen from space so a quick googlemaps should do it. Don't believe me? Go and see [drink] for

             yourself! The largest outdoor market in the country runs from 10am to 9pm until 22nd December. If
             you're really lovely [lazy] you can buy all your Christmas presents whilst you're drinking in one giant
             swoop as there are hundreds [less than that] of stalls selling gifts! N.B Don't let this confuse you but
             you won't hear anyone calling it the 'Frankfurt Christmas Market' unless you:

                         a] are hanging around with people who are actually from Frankfurt or, 

                         b] you have no Brummie friends.

            So go and see the GERMAN Market and come back with lots of gifts for me and my belly.

You probably won't see anything more festive than this unless you come across the
Coca-Cola Christmas Truck at the same time. OH WAIT. It's in Birmingham's Centenary Square

 on Saturday 15th December
and in Covent Garden [London] on Thursday 13th December.

I'm not even joking.

FOUR] My Chili Plants are dying: NO FAINTING PLEASE. I could rectify this very quickly, except for the fact

           that the amazing odds and sods store I buy it from has become less amazing by selling soil no longer. If

           you know of a place [not to far from Angel - soil is heavy] that sells soily composty stuff for plants, please

           let me know. There isn't really anything in it for you though.

In the absence of a photo of my depressed plants, here's one of a thriving chili plant that

i'll probably never get to see up close.

Once again my weekend begins in twenty minutes.

See you on the other side.

Love

STANLEY