Not quite the bleak mid-winter.
It has it seems rained non stop since we got back from Genoa and looks like it will continue to rain until we leave for Spain, where of course it rains mainly on the plain.
But here we are mid-way between Christmas, feast of consumerism and maxing out credit cards in order to help the economy, and New Year, time for resolutions, or should that be revolutions.
The agenda for 2012 appears to be setting itself as a continuation of the 2011 agenda.
So more agonising over Europe and the Euro.
More Afghanistan.
More broken Britain.
More recession.
More all in it together.
More extravagant expenditure by those who have it to spend.
More tightening of purses by those who don't.
More Con-dem government.
This year the bleak mid-winter might drift into a bleak spring and a bleaker summer especially if the threatened recession actually materialises.
So I think that an early night is called for on Saturday followed by a quiet and reflective New Year's Day.
2011ended as years tend to do by the Archbishop preaching at Canterbury Cathedral followed by 'outraged' of Tunbridge Wells demanding that he keeps his nose out of politics, this because he quoted from the long exhortation in Cranmer's Prayer Book the 350th Anniversary of which happens to fall in 2012:
If ye shall perceive your offences to be such as are not only against God but also against your neighbours; then ye shall reconcile yourselves unto them; being ready to make restitution".
He went on to suggest that maybe rioters and bankers helping themselves to what perhaps wasn't rightfully theirs i.e. bonuses or trainers from Loot-locker, had something in common.
But given that David Cameron had announced that we were still a Christian country it seemed reasonable to me, if not to 'outraged' of Tunbridge Wells, for an Archbishop to remind us what exactly being a christian country might mean.
Of course 350 years ago things weren't exactly quiet on either the religious or the political front, with upheavals and executions as the political pendulum swung between protestant reform and catholic supremacy, things are certainly quieter now.
Cranmer was burnt at the stake in 1556 after Queen Mary, a Catholic, assumed the Throne.
2011 ended with more deaths in London and Manchester and there is little to encourage us to believe that 2012 will be any quieter or more peaceful.
We will it seems remain a divided and torn society in the year ahead so I think that the precept of Micah might offer the best and most positive hope for a New Year:
Do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.
That would be some revolution ..........
It has it seems rained non stop since we got back from Genoa and looks like it will continue to rain until we leave for Spain, where of course it rains mainly on the plain.
But here we are mid-way between Christmas, feast of consumerism and maxing out credit cards in order to help the economy, and New Year, time for resolutions, or should that be revolutions.
The agenda for 2012 appears to be setting itself as a continuation of the 2011 agenda.
So more agonising over Europe and the Euro.
More Afghanistan.
More broken Britain.
More recession.
More all in it together.
More extravagant expenditure by those who have it to spend.
More tightening of purses by those who don't.
More Con-dem government.
This year the bleak mid-winter might drift into a bleak spring and a bleaker summer especially if the threatened recession actually materialises.
So I think that an early night is called for on Saturday followed by a quiet and reflective New Year's Day.
2011ended as years tend to do by the Archbishop preaching at Canterbury Cathedral followed by 'outraged' of Tunbridge Wells demanding that he keeps his nose out of politics, this because he quoted from the long exhortation in Cranmer's Prayer Book the 350th Anniversary of which happens to fall in 2012:
If ye shall perceive your offences to be such as are not only against God but also against your neighbours; then ye shall reconcile yourselves unto them; being ready to make restitution".
He went on to suggest that maybe rioters and bankers helping themselves to what perhaps wasn't rightfully theirs i.e. bonuses or trainers from Loot-locker, had something in common.
But given that David Cameron had announced that we were still a Christian country it seemed reasonable to me, if not to 'outraged' of Tunbridge Wells, for an Archbishop to remind us what exactly being a christian country might mean.
Of course 350 years ago things weren't exactly quiet on either the religious or the political front, with upheavals and executions as the political pendulum swung between protestant reform and catholic supremacy, things are certainly quieter now.
Cranmer was burnt at the stake in 1556 after Queen Mary, a Catholic, assumed the Throne.
2011 ended with more deaths in London and Manchester and there is little to encourage us to believe that 2012 will be any quieter or more peaceful.
We will it seems remain a divided and torn society in the year ahead so I think that the precept of Micah might offer the best and most positive hope for a New Year:
Do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.
That would be some revolution ..........
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