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Monday 24 December 2018

It's been a long year

It's been a long year.

As my old governor used to say, we are where we are. With Gina Miller to thank for the Commons 'meaningful vote' in January, it's now panning out that there are three not improbable options. Either the Commons accepts the Robbins Treaty as is, or the EU scrap the 175 pages that deal with the backstop and the Commons accepts a modified treaty, or they reject the whole thing and we leave on 29th March. All other options - a new referendum, withdrawing Article 50 - are less probable, though still of course possible. Apropos the post below, let's hope that the time that most MPs will spend away from the febrile atmosphere of Westminster and back home in 'Leave' Britain will help them flush the baleful elitist poison from their systems. 

And now for a day or two I'm going to forget Brexit. The gallon of Zwetschke Gin I made with Tanqueray back at the end of August is now being served to visitors with great effect; it's really no different to Sloe Gin, but a novelty to the locals, for whom Gin based tipples are something unknown. 

So once again my most heartfelt good wishes for Christmas and the New Year to you all. Eat, drink and for those of you so inclined, skin-up. Have a good one, all.

20 comments:

Dave_G said...



All the best for the Season and New Year to you too Radders. Many thanks for a year of insightful and thought provoking posts that have been a joy to participate in.

Looking forward to the 'excitement' that 2019 will be bringing us!

Dave_G

Stephen J said...

Felicitations Raedwald, enjoy the snow, we only get drecht here in SE London.

As you can probably tell from the timbre of some of my comments, I would love to skin-up, but for the last few years that and drinking have been a no-no, I have to face everything full-on nowadays...

Let us hope that Theresa goes easy on us all in 2019.

Oh to be back in Rasquera.

Billy Marlene said...

Thanks for another year of enjoyable reading with my, ever more sensible, breakfasts.

Have a great Christmas and let us hope that the next one will be spent reflecting on our re-birth - free of EU tyranny!

DiscoveredJoys said...

...and a Prosperous New Year (none of this Project Hysteria rubbish!).

jack ketch said...

good wishes for Christmas and the New Year to you all

Bah, HUMBUG! (being the correct response).

:P

Sackerson said...

I was trying to fathom the meaning of the phrase "skin up" but The Feast Of The Circumcision is 1st January so I guess that's it.

Domo said...

Roll a cigarette I believe

DeeDee99 said...

Many thanks for all your interesting, informative and inspiring posts last year Mr Raedwald. Happy Christmas and may we all have a healthy, prosperous New Year as an independent nation - again.

jack ketch said...

I was trying to fathom the meaning of the phrase "skin up"

Is it not a reference to some practice of The Lizard People?

Sackerson said...

@Jack Ketch: now, that makes sense to me.

Poisonedchalice said...

Likewise Raedwald, I trust you will enjoy your Christmas and I'll bet there's more snow where you are than where we are!

John in Cheshire said...

Isn't it also the last Christmas for all the UK MEPs?

I wonder how they are spending their time over the Festive period; Cons and Labs probably drowning their sorrows, UKIP celebrating that the finishing line is rapidly approaching.

Also, how may UK apparatchiks are there in Brussels? Have they started packing and looking for a new job? I hope they are not absorbed into our domestic civil service swamp because they are badly contaminated by their association with all things EU.

Anyway, Merry Christmas to everyone.

Cascadian said...

A Merry Christmas to you all, even conflicted non-believers (such as I), the days are getting longer, brighter days are ahead.

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas and Happy New year to all at Raedwald

Here is Jonas Kaufman with a rendition of "Oh Holy Night".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBJObglpL9A

Best heard with good speakers

Is it my imagination or does Kaufman's voice sound stronger and yet mellow in German. Its as if his vocal chords are tuned to German.


DP111

Anonymous said...

A very steeped in the Christian celebration, in traditional happy Christmas to you Radders and to all of your nearest and dearest.

Ravenscar.

Charles said...

Thank you for a year of interesting reads. Nil ilegetimi carborundum. My Latin is a bit rusty.

Anonymous said...

A Happy Christmas to all and thank Raedwald for a very enjoyable blog!

Scrobs. said...

I think in the old days, I'd have filled the pipe bowl with Ogden's Gold Block and enjoyed a Johnny Walker Red Label, but that's no more...

Happy Christmas Raeders, if you'd have been building here now, you'd have ten more days off!

Billy Marlene said...

Sunny, frosty morning. Nice walk with the dog in Christchurch Park followed by a pint in the dog friendly Adnams Greyhound. Can’t be bad!

Raedwald said...

I used to enjoy the 'double' - pint in the Woolpack, healthy walk acros the park to Henley Road, next pint in the Greyhound. Which used to have the nurses' home next door.