The Ramblings of Guise Dugal

The boys of the NYPD choir
Were singing “Galway Bay”
And the bells were ringing out
For Christmas day
Fairytale of New York, The Pogues feat Kirsty MacColl

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Got up early, around about 07.00 and clambered out of bed. Well, clambered is a bit strong aword, it was more like the movement of tectonic plates.

Twas the morning of Christmas, and I went to my window to see whether my bargain with the Fat Man had worked. I pulled back my curtains slightly to look out over the bay, hoping to catch the sight of my giant armoured war death-dealing peace-keeping robot mecha or at least my Squirpion army to lead me to it’s location. The Fat Man, however, must have decided he wasn’t going to be threatened and my mecha and mutant militia were nowhere to be seen.

I have my doubts on any of my other wishes being fulfilled.

Still, I rallied up Tim and we headed off down to t’ other brother‘s flat to set up a DVD recorder we’d bought him for Christmas. It was quite a peaceful walk, wandering through the streets of Weston before 8am on Christmas Day.

It took us a while to get it going, and I caught glimpses of Yogi’s First Christmas on Boomerang in between set-up programs.

It’s weird, I spent the last part of November and early December really pumped for Christmas, really hoping for that ‘oomph’ at the end, but even classic cartoons couldn’t deliver on the day. Not sure what I was expecting to be honest.

2006-12-25 – Christmas 2006 – Guise as
Black Peter
Originally uploaded by Guise Dugal.
2006-12-25 – Christmas 2006 – Guise’s Loot
Originally uploaded by Guise Dugal.

We got back and went to Mum’s living room, and I – donning my black jogging bottoms, black hoodie and “Bah Humbug” Santa hat – assumed the role of Black Peter to hand out the Christmas presents.

Funny thing, Tim and I felt, for once, a little guilty about t’ other brother having fewer presents than us at Christmas – primarily because he gets stuff throughout the year – so this yea, we bought a few extra gifts for him. Lo and behold if he doesn’t have almost twice as much as us under the tree from his friends. I have asked Tim to remind me of this next year if I start showing signs of sympathy.

I was surprised by some of the Loot I got this year, I hadn’t actually asked for anything and so everything was, as it should be, a surprise.

I ended up with: some Marks and Spencer cook books (Eat Well; American; and, British); a 2007 calendar; two new shirts; Lynx deodorant; a pen, magnifier and key fob set; DVDs of Life of Brian and IT; Hogfather illustrated screenplay; and, a family size George Foreman Grill.

I was quite satisfied with some of te Loot I arranged for Tim, including a range of DVDs (including the Transformers RiD box set I tried to get last year!), and his very own Power Rangers SPD morpher, because: OH, THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING IN THE STOCKING THAT MAKES A NOISE, said Death. OTHERWISE WHAT IS 4.30 A.M. FOR?

I think I managed to recapture his youth a little. Now I just have to beat it down a little with a sock full of stones to keep it in place.

I spent the est of the morning watching Mythbusters Christmas specials until it was time for me to cook the Christmas dinner.

It was nowhere near as easy as the run-through, and everything was just going wrong, but I got there eventually. After eating it was time to clear up and wash up, I managed to catch about half of the Christmas special of Doctor Who and then finished up.

Then Tim and I crossed the road to drop the rubbish in the street bins, because the buildings’ bin was full already.

Still, everyone liked the food, and I think I got everyone what they liked for gifts. Think I did well on Tim’s, but then I like to think I can pretty much know what he doesn’t know he really wants better than he does.