Seen It All Now - Bah Humbug

Peter -

Our family had already cut down quite a bit even before Covid, and years ago started spreading the visits around quite a bit, which makes the whole thing longer-lasting and a lot calmer so more enjoyable.

I'm also in the fortunate position that most of my card exchanges are with people I do keep in contact with more than just once a year.

At least what TV ogling I do is only that which occurs when I visit my sisters, as I have no telly! It would not worry me one bit if they did not switch it on; but I know where I'd rather be than staring at some Christmas edition of EastEnders or Midwives, and that's where you are in your profile photo!!

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Pgk pgk -

They look delicious - I'll have to try and find the recipes!

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Bazyle, Michael -

I don't know whom this Jacquie Lawson person / company charges, nor how much, but I can't help thinking if you are going to use e-posts instead of physical cards, a personal message with one of your own photos attached would be more thoughtful and more appreciated.

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Going to be an odd Christmas. I think I will be on my own as my sisters' own families take priority in all this ' bubbles ' thing (why are aren't we allowed to use the long-established 'circles' ?).

One of my sisters and she told me she had a Christmas Day alone once, and found it quite relaxing. " What did you do? " I asked.

"Went into work for a few hours in the morning to do the cleaning because the regular cleaner was off sick, and spent the afternoon after lunch with wine and four films in a row".

I observed there can't be many people who can claim to have celebrated Christmas morning by voluntarily cleaning the crematorium where they normally work (as an administrator).

"Oh, I quite enjoyed it, " she said, "I was on my own, and I put the music on."

While watching my lathe creeping along on self-act on very low speed on a fairly delicate set-up this evening, I decided that I could spend Christmas morning in the workshop, have something of a Christmas lunch then just hibernate over a beer or two.

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I am but an innocent conveyor of information, Nigel

Bazyle had presumably missed the link which Peter Greene posted earlier

.... it contains many sample ‘cards’ and the prices.

My only ‘involvement’ is that we receive JL ‘cards’ from my Aunt ... at Easter, on our Wedding Anniversary, and at Christmas each year. She previously made her own cards, but is now not well-enough to do so.

We welcome them in the spirit in which they are sent.

MichaelG.

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Edited By Michael Gilligan on 18/12/2020 22:40:51

Just a bit more info on (the rapidly becoming infamous) Jacqui Lawson service. I use the service, not ashamed to admit it, for about eight years now. It's convenient, saves trees, and for me is cheaper overall than buying and posting traditional cards. It costs me £23 for two years, which allows me to send unlimited cards - not just Christmas, but birthdays, etc. It costs nothing for the recipient to view their card, or to send a Thank You note in reply. Don't have to worry about posting early for overseas friends and relatives either

When sending cards to the members of the club of which I am secretary, I just send a card to myself, then copy the link for viewing it into a normal email that then goes to the members. This avoids their email addresses being entered on the JL site which, I feel, is more secure and protects their privacy, not to mention easier for myself as there's best part of a hundred of them.

And some of the cards are really quite nice - not just a static picture of a tree or something, they are animated with music, and some allow the playing of interactive games - nice for the youngsters.

No connection other than as a satisfied customer.

Rob

Nigel,

That photo was taken 7 years ago at Grosmont - I forget what the loco was (B something or other) - on the occasion of my 70th birthday and just prior to taking the Moorlander to/back Pickering. The person in the background is my elder son who knew the footplate crew, hence the invite onto the footplate. Son is now the chairman of Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway.

The big trouble these days is that whereas years ago I used to be able to ignore the cold, I no longer can, hence workshop activities tend to stop whilst tv ogling tends to increase. (Doesn't say much for me does it.)

But yes, I know what you mean.

Peter G. Shaw

We have a friend who regularly sends JL cards.

A charge for the service? Yes, since someone has to be paid for setting up the programme.

We never use them, SWMBO much prefers the personal touch of her written words.

Smacks of the detailed bill for repairing the church organ:

"Hammering 6d, knowing where and how hard to hammer, 19/6" (2.5p and 97.5p for those born after 1971. But you get the drift )

A bit like the very urgently needed nut that you made at 9 o'clock one Saturday evening, to stop his central heating leaking, for the accountant up the road!

Howard

Michael -

Oh, I do realise the message was sent to me in all good spirit. I simply thought it rather impersonal. I can see though that the service may be the best option for some people.

I do receive a home-made round-robin " card " annually from one couple who are practising Christians; indeed, Elaine has practised enough to have become ordained. They do put a lot of effort into it, though. Pete uses his professional skill as an architectural historian to create a drawing of some detail of a real church, complete with description; and the letter part is always engagingly humorous - usually purr-portedly the observations by their cats of their human servants, but this year the felines have not yet settled into the new vicarage enough to put paw to keyboard.

(Not like another couple whose letters are genuinely well-intentioned but tended to be the so-serious, aren't-we-and-our-loin-fruit-doing-so-well type, casually mentioning 'Is promotion to Chief Cliche Officer and 'Er blossoming IT Consultancy, Tarquin's PhD in Mediaeval Mongolian Poetry and Letitia's R.A.M. Distinction in playing the Baroque Tuba. The kind of letter that makes one feel one has missed something somewhere.)

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Peter -

Thank you for that. Actually the photo on screen is too small to see anyone else.

I recall one of my Society's past (passed, in fact) members who was bought a driving day on the Swanage Railway, as an 80th birthday-present from his daughters. I don't what locomotive they used, but sadly, he no longer had the strength to operate the regulator. They let him stay on board though, so he still had the footplate experience for the day even though not actually driving.

He was an MoD draughtsman by career, no doubt properly apprentice-trained; but a fine craftsman as a model-engineer and I rather hope his model locos are still in service.

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Howard -

I hope the accountant does not notice the organ-mending invoice omits the drift and the understanding thereof...

And a merry Ba Humbug to all Model Engineers from St Albans DMES Committee

.....So which ugly mug on that 'Wanted List' is the erstwhile Bayzle?

I'm the handsome one. Recognised only by those who attend our Forum zoom calls. Some will also recognise Roy and Malcolm who have in the past written for Model Boats magazine.