Ninja Granny

This was just too funny to not post! But I did get mom's permission to do so - she is up for a good laugh, even at her own expense, so good for her! Twice in a row she KO'd the poor fella in the ring with her.

Merry Christmas!

A very happy and blessed Christmas from us both, to our friends around the world ... including the one or two who still read this blog!

A happy Christmas to all who read our blog

Mark & Rose wish all our friends, family, and others who read our blog - a very happy and peaceful Christmas. Enjoy your families and relationships. As we have placed the nativity scene centrally in our little lounge again this year, we are reminded of the the most amazing thing in all our lives - that God so loved the world that He gave His son ...

Christmas Day 2007

Ashleigh and Rose smile for the camera before tucking in to yet another one of Rose's fabulous Christmas meals - it was just the three of us this year, so it felt a little bit 'small' without having extra family around - but we had a great day.

A Very Happy Christmas

Rose and I wish you

a very happy Christmas

and a blessed 2008

This whacky Christmas card? Long ago we just kind of fell out of the madness of thinking we had to send out dozens and dozens of cards to absolutely everyone we could think of - it was when postage costs from Zimbabwe just became silly - but when we get cards from people we love and care about, we do wonder about that choice. This year I tried to make a point of sending a card to everyone in my workplace, with a personal, handwritten note, done with a real fountain pen! If I had thought about it more, perhaps I could have done that for those people we DO love and care about - but alas we missed the posting deadlines. Maybe a half-decent New Year's resolution is in the making! Oh yes, the whacky Christmas card is the work of Nicholas Gurewitch

Anyway, here is a picture that better represents what we think - that the wise still seek for God.

Well done BBC Three

Sunday night on BBC Three was an absolutely fabulous live production based on the nativity of Jesus. Set in Liverpool, and featuring the music and landmarks of Liverpool, it was a wonderully creative and contemporary retelling of the lovely truth of the coming of the Messiah. Now there may be some trying to ridicule or rid Britain of biblical Christianity, but I think the message of hope and the love of God shined through this production. Knowing a little bit about production (just enough to be highly dangerous) I can say that this must have been a huge undertaking by the BBC, and I tip my hat to all involved. I was really glad that work colleague, Keith Partington, told me about this, and doubly glad that we have time-shifted television here.

It is on again over Christmas weekend on BBC One and BBC Three: details here

One thing I wonder if others noticed was the irony in using John Lennon songs, after he once declared the Beatles were more popular than Jesus, to announce the birth of Jesus.

Christmas ideas for the wife

Christmas Day, part 2

Ashleigh, caught in the very act of pinching a taste of the turkey as it is carved.

Ever since she was old enough to reach the food, Ponk has wandered into the kitchen, or past the carving table, or just happened to be near the braai, when the food was 'just cooked' and ready to be taste-tested. She get the tradition going this Christmas meal!

Christmas Day, part one

It has been really fabulous having Jools & Ed, and Ashleigh with us this Christmas. We were woken by our youngest, around (civilised I guess) 8am, with her attempt at reviving the old family tradition of the kids singing carols outside our bedroom, to wake us up for gift unwrapping. She had already made the coffee ... translation: I want my presents! Jools and Ed were finally coaxed up - not morning people at the best of times, and we had a great time exchanging many wonderful and thoughtful gifts. Then a mad rush as five of us had to share the one and only bathroom, and off to a family service at Grace Community Church. The photo above is walking back home after the service.

Then, all hands to work in getting ready for Christmas lunch, which was a huge feast, completely over the top because we all had contributed just so many goodies for the day. We had fun. Lunch came onto the table just as Her Majesty was talking to the nation, and we finally had our Christmas pudding around 6pm. Completely filled to the gills with rich and exotic foods.

Christmas Paper

A bit of fun with a paper produced for our Christmas gathering. As I type, Julie and Ed, and Ashleigh are just driving in, from Oxford. I think double clicking the image may give you a larger version.

Moo & Jason's boys

Michelle sent us this picture, taken today, of Rhys and Matthew. It will be a second Christmas for Rhys, and first of course for Matt. Boy, will we miss them this year!


This photo of Rose was from last night, as we spent a few hours walking around the town centre of Worthing, doing some late night shopping. It was not as busy as we had expected, and we were able to finish most of our Christmas purchases reasonably early.

Our tree for 2006

Of Christmas lists and criminal minds ...

So, it is less than 10 days before Christmas ... Rose and I have spent a couple of hours in our newly aranged guest room, sunny side of the house, working out Christmas events, meal, family visiting, and what we each might like for a Christmas gift. I knew that Rose is pretty hard to buy for, but one stocking filler request floored me ... she first heard about this book listening to Jenny Crwys-Williams on Joburg's Radio 702, and found it quite hillarious.

Synopsis of the book ...

All women want to kill their husbands some of the time "Where there's a will, I intend to be in it," wives half-joke to each other. Marriage, it would appear, is a fun-packed frivolous hobby, only occasionally resulting in death. But when Jazz Jardine is arrested for her husband's murder, the joke falls flat. Life should begin at 40 - not with life imprisonment for killing your spouse. Jazz, stay-at-home mum and domestic goddess; Hannah, childless career woman; and Cassie, demented working mother of two are three ordinary women. Their record collections are classical, not criminal. Cassie and Hannah set out immediately to prove their best friend's innocence, uncovering betrayal, adultery, plot twists, thinner thighs and toy boys aplenty en route but will their friendship survive these ever darker revelations? Sexy, funny and wise, Kathy Lette's irresistible new novel is about women not Having It All But Doing It All. It's about how today's mother is often a married lone parent. It's about the fact that no woman has ever shot her husband while he was vacuuming. This is Kathy Lette at her brilliant best, casting her trade mark caustic eye on what goes on in the bedrooms and kitchens of ordinary married couples. A novel which will strike a cord with married women everywhere and ensure that, from now on, they all read the small print on their marriage licenses.