'Well, Well, Well...'

Life is a funny old thing, isn't it? I am rather HOPELESSLY behind with my Christmas shopping and card writing this year and am having to admit defeat as far as some of it is concerned but although my usual plans have been scuppered this year I have had TWO lots of great news this December to cheer me up and make it seem more like the kind of idillic Christmas I long to find each year...

The first is news that a long standing friend of mine who is a REALLY nice guy, has just informed me that he has found his TRUE LOVE! No wonder I had not heard from him for a while (I had been too busy to contact him, either!) as he has been spending lots of time in a 'loved up' state! I am tickled pink to hear this good news as the 'old boy' has had somewhat of a bumpy ride life wise this last two or three years and its about time 'lady luck' knocked upon his door!

WHAT a relief to get some GOOD news at the moment, eh? BOY this year has been a hard one to love!!

On a similar footing I am content with my lot this year because I know that two more of the people I care about in this world are going to be TOGETHER again this Christmas after a period of being 'prized apart' through ill health. The road for both of them has been particularly treacherous for some time and the road ahead is not going to be without a few bumps in the road either but I am SOO HAPPY to know that this Christmas my two friends (pictured here) will at least be reunited and able to sit around the telly or a warm fire TOGETHER with friends and family close by for the big day.

 People get so 'hooked' on money and things to do with money but in reality I find its HUMAN things that truly make the world seem a better place. My wish for all of you reading this is that you too will soon be blessed with something WONDERFUL to celebrate this Christmas...

P.S.) Off to my Christmas Quiz at Shorelink Writers later today. Its going to be MAD and lots of festive fun - expect a report on here tomorrow!

Toodle pip!

'Zat You, Santa Claus?'

You know the more I listen to my copy of 'Cool Yule - A 50's Christmas' the more I love it! If I haven't convinced you to get yourself a copy yet then maybe this post will spur you into action. Louis Armstrong was a real enigma with his totally unique voice and with Jazz being all the rage in the 50's its amazing really that 'Satchmo' was only an occasional visitor to the U.K. charts during the decade.

'Zat You, Santa Claus?' (1953) by the great man is proving to be one of my favourite tracks from 'Cool Yule' and Louis sense of timing is just so brilliant on the track! Fun lyrics and that cool, groovy feel make the song the ultimate Christmas song. I have no idea whether the song was ever released here as a single but if it was it wasn't a hit. How often does that happen though? That an artists best work either fails to chart or is never released as a single, I mean? But then, in these days of downloads the 'single' format as we knew and loved it has been made redundant for now every track on any album is effectively a single and able to get into the charts if it sells enough copies...

Old fashioned me really HATES that, you know? There was something really exciting as a kid in the 70's about discovering your favourite artist or band had a new single out. The joys of discovering a great track on the 'b side' was all part of the fun as well and then, of course, there was the picture sleeve and (if the artist you loved was big enough) the excitement of seeing a new interview pop up in 'Record Mirror', 'Jackie', 'Popswap', 'Disco 45', 'Look-In' or other magazines/musical newspapers. Once the song was in the charts you could even delight in getting the lyrics in 'Disco 45' so you could sing a long yourself!

Sadly, all of that has now gone out of the window. Who really ever bothers putting together a CD single anymore? If they do chances are that it has only tracks on it from the parent album... There isn't anything for kids to collect anymore, tacky badges, sticker collections, picture discs have all passed away leaving only maybe a T Shirt or a 'Deluxe Edition' of an album to encourage anyone to take more than a casual listening interest in an artist.

So, I guess if I was able to get a message to old 'Satchmo' up in heaven today I would send him warm Christmas greetings and thank him for reminding me in 2013 of, the simple, innocent things in life and of my precious childhood. I know my inclusion of a Gary Glitter magazine cover is controversial here but I grew up loving Gary, his style and his music and however badly things have turned out since, I cannot simply re-write my whole life nor stop loving someone who is part of the very fabric of who I am. After all, as Christmas itself often proves to us all, loving someone does not always mean that you get on with them, understand them or can communicate with them, does it?