Thursday 1 January 2009

Happy New Year!

Well, we've had Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the Feasts of both Stephen and John, the first Sunday of Christmas, Holy Innocents and today, Christ's Circumcision. Only Epiphany to go, and then things will return to normal. And I, for one, will be glad. At times like this one can get heartily sick of the cathedral (having practically lived there over the last fortnight) and possessed of a yearning for anything other than Christmas bloody Carols. Lest anyone should misunderstand, let me here and now point out my deep and heartfelt love of this most ancient form of devotional music. But, like the Christmas turkey, one can have too much of a good thing. Once January 6th has passed and we have sung the Wise Men to and from the manger, we can return - musically speaking - to normal. And I can return to my normal frequency of blogging. I have neglected this poor site over the festive season, of necessity, being extraordinarily busy. But as I consult my new Shinglers of Sutton 2009 Ecclesiastical Robes diary, I find the blessed pages bereft of appointment, bookings, concerts and other engagements and filled only with such gentle and uplifting entries as...
  • Jan 1 1970: the half-crown ceases to be legal tender in the UK (boo!)
  • Jan 2nd 1946: King Zog of Albania deposed
  • Jan 3rd: Lord Haw-Haw born, and
  • Jan 4th: Donald Campbell killed on Coniston.
I think you get the picture.
Happy New Year!

10 comments:

Kitty said...

Happy New Year! Hope you and your loved ones have a very lovely 2009. x

ChickPea said...

Dearest Can Bass 1: Y'auld fraud !

Where'd you be without the summits and valleys of the geographical profiles inherent in our liturgical year ? I know the demands on the individual are enormous - but nowt comes from nowt. And I for one would miss the Traditional Church Year enormously. How boring things could be !

So I raise and pass my brimming Wassailing Cup to you, Esteemed Chorister, and then I pass the quaich to affirm friendship.

With all best wishes for 2009.

Kevin Musgrove said...

Oh I do miss the half crown...

Have a good 2009 cb1!

Nota Bene said...

If Shinglers of Sutton is the shop I've passed on many, many an occasion, then it'll also be the place that has caused me to ponder on many, many occasion "Why there?"

All the best for 2009, may you soon return to normal rituals

Liz Hinds said...

I loved the half crown. It was so chunky; it felt like real money.

Troy said...

My grandfather used to visit us ever week in the 1960's and he always gave me a half-crown. It was a useful amount of money then to a young teenager.

Suburbia said...

Hope you enjoy your spare time!
Hapy New Year

Anonymous said...

I was 6 when decimalisation came in, and had only just got to grips with pounds, shillings and pence. Like Liz, I remember the half crown as a pleasingly chunky coin; it was also the price of a Ladybird book, my favourite read at the time. Anyone remember Bunnikins' Picnic Party?

Gadjo Dilo said...

C of E carols must be awful, Mr Can Bass, with respect to what is otherwise a rather nice denomination. Come here to Romania: I sing carols (etc) in the choir here and they're different every time - I make up a variety of meanings for the words that I don't understand!! Seriously though, Happy New Year. Pace, as we say here.

January must be the month when the crappest things happen; and the day when King Zog of Albania was deposed was also surely a Monday.

Nota Bene said...

If I was not a republican at heart, I think I would like a King called Zog. It would amuse me every single day. But it probably sounds fine in Albanian