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December the 13th

Comments

1. At 07:37 AM on 13 Dec 2006, wrote:

   Less Christmassy, but more newsworthy, sorry Annasee. I just read in The Guardian that the family of Ms Clennell, one of the murdered women, had been scouring the streets of Ipswich over the past two days looking for her, but now they have one visible memory of Paula. She is a mother-of-three who had not been seen since 1am on Sunday, & a few days ago gave a television interview when she was asked about the killing of Ms Adams and Ms Nicol, she said that she and her friends were "wary about coming out now". But for herself, she was prepared to take the risk, because she needed the money. Less than 48 hours later, she too could be dead.

2. At 08:23 AM on 13 Dec 2006, wrote:

   Is it me, or does the centre wise man look rather annoyed?

3. At 08:33 AM on 13 Dec 2006, RobbieJohnDo wrote:

   Annasee

   That's just plain showing off. Your card and your strapline on the same day!

   Do you have friends in high places?

4. At 09:36 AM on 13 Dec 2006, wrote:

   Annasse, absolutely smashing card. I'm not the sentimental kind over childrens' pictures but I have to say your daughter has great talent. I will show my artist husband later to get his impressions.

   I'm now even more jealous and believe that Eddie Mair is deliberately spurning me.

   HelenS not Christmassy in one sense, but it is a time that we should be thankful for our fortunes and turn our minds to those who are less fortunate. How dreadful for the family that their last impression of their daughter/girlfriend/mother/sister should be the one from the news. Puts me in mind of our heroin debate.

   Mary (keep safe everyone)

5. At 09:51 AM on 13 Dec 2006, wrote:

   RJD (3) ahem...well, since you ask, I did happen to mention Katherine Jenkins & Hayley Westenra late last night (on the Beach, I think) and this is the result! Perhaps someone else wants to meet them???

   I am excited to have the strapline published. It was so long ago I'd almost forgotten it! Getting more true by the day, though, don't you think?

   FFred - think you're right about the annoyed one. Earlier that same year we had a 16 hour delay at Dubai Airport during which she amused herself drawing pictures of everything, including an excellent one of a very angry-looking Arab man next to us. As in, right next to us. So he could see it. Fortunately he laughed....

6. At 10:22 AM on 13 Dec 2006, wrote:

   That is a fantastic Christmas card, no question about it. I love the expressions on the three wise men - they don't look too impressed. Not sure about the typeface, but that's a minor thing. I can't wait until my own son (he's only a year and a half) can create such things.

7. At 11:38 AM on 13 Dec 2006, wrote:

   Now that is an excellent card. Far more Christmassy that the mass of stuff in the shops!

   Hmm, that Magi is looking a bit askance, isn't he?
   Is it because it seems to have taken Joseph up to 40 days to realise what gender the baby is?

8. At 12:33 PM on 13 Dec 2006, Er Hackenbush wrote:

   Woneerful erawing.

9. At 12:48 PM on 13 Dec 2006, RobbieJohnDo wrote:

   Er Hackenbush

   I think that your keyboare is wiree incorrectly. It seems to be issuing an "e" every time you type "e." Can I suggest that you have it checkee out or at least cleanee.

   RJe

10. At 01:09 PM on 13 Dec 2006, wrote:

    I have a uzilizy program which can make any key produce anyzhing, so iz's no big eeal zo gez zhe e key zo produce e, or zhe z key zo produce z, for example.

    xx
    ee

11. At 01:24 PM on 13 Dec 2006, wrote:

    Is "Er Hackenbush" perchance German today?

12. At 01:36 PM on 13 Dec 2006, wrote:

    proeuce e I shoule have saie! buz whaz is a fellow zo eo ane how zo reverse zhis zroublesome ane eifficulz effecz ane gez back zo normal eiscussion ane auzomaze zhe eamnee zhing?

    bezzer eo iz quick before zhe whole keyboare goes zozally eafz.

    all zhe besz
    xx
    ee

13. At 01:45 PM on 13 Dec 2006, Vyle Hernia wrote:

    Is "Er Hackenbush" perchance German today?
    Nay, a relative of Mrs. Er-um who was briefly in a Jennings novel.

14. At 02:07 PM on 13 Dec 2006, Whisht wrote:

    that card is fantastic!
    Annasee you have a very talented daughter!

    honestly! Not that it gives me any deeper insight but I used to be an illustrator and really appreciate the marks she's made (swirl patterns for one King, arcs like a rainbow for another, diamonds for one king's beard..)

    honestly - I really like it! Thankyou!

15. At 02:24 PM on 13 Dec 2006, Er Hackenbush wrote:

    Well eone dvdryond.

16. At 07:20 PM on 13 Dec 2006, Jeremy Sellick wrote:

    re Christingle.
    Contrary to Mr Mair's comment, the Christingle is not 'a centuries-old tradition'. Although it originated in Moldavia about 250 years ago, it was introduced into this country by the Children's Society as recently as 1968. The Dean's decision to do away with the candle, which is only one small part of the Christingle, seems entirely reasonable. The important point is that the Christingle incorporates a source of light, symbolising 'the Light of the world', and a light-stick does that equally well, and in much greater safety. After all, in a group of 300 children, those towards the centre of the group are effectively unsupervised, and it takes only a moment to spill hot wax onto little fingers, or to catch the hair of the child in front. I wonder if Mr Mair would allow his small chilcdren to wander around at home carrying a lighted candle?

    PS. I hadn't previously seen a picture of Mr Mair; he looks every bit as smug as he so often sounds!

17. At 07:55 PM on 13 Dec 2006, wrote:

    Hi Annasee, my first post this morning said it was beautiful, but I had to get up very early & don't think I can blame the blog for losing it!

    Friends in high places, does that mean I can drop some names... oh no, I've got nothing to bargain for, shall save it for when I have!

18. At 11:02 PM on 13 Dec 2006, valery p (Tumbleflump Holly-Hippoface) wrote:

    Oooh - ouch Jeremy Sellick - light blue touchpaper and retire, you're going to have the the Eddie Fan Club after you and no mistake for that final remark.

    I do agree with you about the danger of the lighted candles, but I didn't hear the programme. In large groups that could indeed be a danger, but you can't compare that to a supervised lone child. At what age would you imbue them with the sense to be able to carry a lighted candle, should they pass a test? Children can't be sheltered from "danger", they should be taught how to avoid it. I gave (as suggested by a cook friend) my young daughter a small sharp knife when she was about 3, as she was desperate to "help" prepare vegetables etc, and I taught her how to use it. No point giving her a blunt one which might be safe, but useless and ultimately frustrating. Consequence, one keen and able teenager, who loves to cook.

    Bit of a ramble there, but draw your own conclusions.

    Annasee, I love your daughter's drawing, she should do your next cd cover?

19. At 11:31 PM on 13 Dec 2006, wrote:

    Yes Jeremy the fan club of which I am a member is not pleased.

    Having said that, as Eddie still hasn't seen fit to publish my advent calender picture I am in rehab at the moment with regards to his presentation.

    On a serious note, Eddie wasn't being smug. He drew out of the interviewee the proper and real reason for changing over to light sticks. He did not disagree a la Humphries and the morning crew, he just left it.

    Back to rehab.

    Mary

20. At 10:04 AM on 14 Dec 2006, wrote:

    I tried to write this last night & was so tired I pressed the wrong button & lost the lot. Grrrrr! Just wanted to say thank you for the lovely comments about daughter's card. She has read them all & is modestly pleased. She didn't know we had sent it in, so it was a HUGE surprise. A real confidence booster as the previous day we had had a meeting with her maths tutor (well-known franchise - never knowingly defeated - until we got there!) in which it was intimated (terribly sweetly)that her progress was somewhat less in maths than in art. As if we didn't know!!! We all felt a bit depressed as a result, but when we looked at the blog yesterday, suddenly all was well with the world again! And her maths has been done without fuss. Things are looking up...

21. At 11:42 AM on 14 Dec 2006, wrote:

    Get you Jeremy (16) smug, sardonic I think you mean?! Did you get your information from Wikipedia? Did centuries old mean it had to be located here?

    Valerie P has a good point; risk can't be avoided, but it can be managed. We take risks all the time, from the simple to the extreme, & a light stick is NOT the same for Christingle, symbolically or otherwise.

    
    

22. At 01:05 AM on 18 Dec 2006, Aperitif wrote:

    If anyone cares I think it was a remarkably sensible move to use light sticks rather than candles and can't imagine that the children would have any less fun. Three hundred children with lit candles in one place sounds a bit dangerous to me and this simple alteration reduces risk without spoling fun. Can't see that this is any reason to have a go at Eric though - he did his best with a "filler story". Blokes who don't like him are probably suffering from envy of his enormous wit.

    Can we have more real news please?