DECK THE HALLS WITH ....

...... no, that was a different time and place. In New Zealand Christmas time is in mid Summer.

No snow covered pine trees, blazing fires and holly. It's more like beach trips, swimming, outdoor BBQs and getting drunk in the sun.

I'm going to catch up with some old friends and go for a frolic.

"I'm sure that I could pull these birds if I tried"

I could ask one of my neighbours to join me to make it a double date but I'm worried that as he's gotten older he's also gotten stranger. Maybe it's the medication interfering with the chardonnay.

I've noticed that my friends are getting stranger as they age. I cannot see a difference in my own behaviour as I feel that I'm still thinking as ,and doing the things the same as, when I was twenty. I guess it's just them and inferior genetics.

After some beach frolics and, with luck some hanky-panky I think that I'll climb a few of the mountains around where I live. When I say mountains they're not like the ones I remember as a boy with edelweiss growing at the top. No, they are called mountains just like the Welsh call their hills mountains. At the top of these it's usually manuka, and punga growing with, if you're lucky (and quick) some electric puha. This can really get the Christmas spirit going (not that silly old Holy Ghost thing).




Since Benny died I haven't had anyone to correspond to who has the same religious, political and national  socialist outlook. The new guy is OK, more on the socialist leaning side. I like him because he stirs things up a bit. I wish he'd really have a go at all of those mealy-mouthed christians catholics who follow him but I guess that he has to toe the line a ..... hold on.... he doesn't have to toe the line. They can't impeach a pope -they can murder them as has happened over the ages and I think as recently as 1978 with John Paul I, but that's just a risk of the job, surely.

"What do you think Goddy?"

The new guy Francis wants to change The Lord's Prayer. That's good. Richard's goddy pal Angry Jesus has  had a half-arsed go at it see: HERE

But the silly old guy can't even get his pope's sorted out so I don't hold out much chance of his new prayer being accepted.

Anyway, Francis maintains that the current wording that says "lead us not into temptation" is not a good translation because God does not lead humans to sin. His suggestion is to use "do not let us fall into temptation" instead.

Personally I think that this is just being a bit pedantic. Catholics and other christians are not exactly known for their attention to detail and understanding of facts and reality so as they've gone on for ages parroting this prayer, why change it?

Oops! I think I've wandered off my Christmas them there. Sorry about that and Fröhliche Weihnachten.