Christmas

The Apocalypse has been cancelled

Sunday 23rd December 2012Sunday 15th May 2016Baggie

So the doomongers have been proved wrong once again. I don’t think a month, most definitely a year, goes by where some pseudo-soothsayer predicts the end of the world. Most can be dismissed as complete nutters but the danger is that many of them tend to be extremely charismatic and dupe the easily lead into their realm of fantasy. The 2012 Maya Prophecy somehow transcended the usual religous apocalyptics. Indeed the volume of books dedicated to this date has been unprecedented in modern history with even NASA releasing a statement and a video debunking the many theories of how the world would end. Not since the year 2000 and the y2k bug has the general populace taken an end of the world theory to its heart.

You are reading this post therefore one can safely say that the world didn’t end and there was no change in world consciousness. No messiah nor no supreme being waved a magic wand and destroyed the non-believers and made the lives of the believers spiritually enhanced. The Sun did not bathe the Earth in lethal radiation; the poles did not flip; ice caps did not melt; a black hole wasn’t formed at Cern; Planet X didn’t fly by and fire did not consume us all. Indeed we all still had to buy Christmas presents.

What was all this based on? Well apparently the winter solstice 2012 marked the conclusion of a b’ak’tun (the 13th – which is probably why many Westerners have such an easy time believing something bad will happen), a time period in the Mesoamerican long count calendar equivalent to 5,125 years, (in truth the precise end of this b’ak’tun is in dispute as it is not a precise art to deduce when the b’ak’tun began).

So the Maya believed that this would mark the end of the world? No. There is no suggestion that they even viewed this more momentously than the turn of a year. So whence did the ‘Mayan 2012’ prophecy industry germinate? Probably it says more about our own Western Apocalyptic view of the world, driven by the major monotheistic religions added to our Newtonian view of time as an arrow without any comprehension of the meaning of time to the Maya or any understanding of their culture.

Was this a wide known belief of the Maya? Actually no. There is but one stele in the relatively obscure provincial town of Tortuguero that mentions (it is the only mention) of the end of the 13th pik (b’ak’tun) unfortunately there is a large chunk of it missing and so anything that anyone infers from the remaining words is open to a large dollop of conjecture. If you actually read peer-reviewed translations of the stele (which I must rely on as my knowledge of the language of the Maya is non-existant), you get a completely different picture to most airport paperbacks. ‘[On 13.0.0.0.0] will happen, the witnessing/attending of the display of Bolon Yokté in the great impersonation (envelopment in costume and regalia).‘ For me this is reminiscent of a more contemporary source: ‘Say, say, two thousand, zero, zero party over oops, out of time. So tonight I’m gonna party like it’s nineteen ninety nine.‘ However it seems that to date it may only be me that has realised the connection between Prince and the Tortuguero stele. My theory (which is as valid as any of the other eschatologists) is that Prince is a time travelling Maya from the planet Nibiru come to save the world with his purply music – or indeed has saved the world with his purply music (that’s the trouble with time travel). Think I may have missed the market with that one though.

If you needed any more convincing before today that it was all a load of tosh, then there are many inscriptions mentioning future events and commemorations that occur on dates beyond the completion of the 13th b’k’tun. There is an inscription on the west panel at the Temple of Inscriptions in Palenque that refers to the 21st October 4772 A.D. Another at Coba gives an impossible date that is 41 octillion years in the future (this date is 2 quintillion times the current estimate for the age of the universe). So let us not get dewy-eyed over the infallibility of Maya (or any other) prophecies (or indeed the interpretation of ancient manuscripts) and hope that the 1000 or so (I wonder if there are as many as 2012) eschatologists that have filled our bookstores with tomes about the 2012 apocalypse have put enough of their savings away to see them into their old age.

Unless Harold Camping (or indeed another prophet who has not yet appeared on my doomsday radar) issues another apocalypse countdown, the next date for your doomsayer diary is Tuesday 19th January 2038 (the so called Y2038 problem) but we have nearly 25 years to sort that one out and friendly linux programmers already are on the case. So, tonight rest easy in your beds and look forward to Christmas and the year 2013.

Peace and Love

Baggie

When the Snowman brings the snow, well he might just like to know, he’s put a great big smile on somebody’s face

Friday 14th December 2012Friday 14th December 2012Baggie

It has been a while hasn’t it? Apologies but I have always had the caveat that ‘sometimes life will get in the way’ and strangely although we have nothing much of note I haven’t found time to spend the couple of hours it takes me to complete one of these updates.

So what has been happening since the excitement of October and the start of November? Winter has arrived, the wind has a decidedly Siberian feel to it, indeed the north of the country has had it first snowfall (although none around here) and Christmas is around the corner (as is the End of World). I have been trying to use my remaining annual leave, even though I have still been in at weekends (and a mid-week meeting) in attempt to make sure the house is prepared for Christmas. The annual Christmas card photo has been taken, the decorations have been retrieved from the loft and Christmas baubles have been decorated.

Since the birth of Éowyn we have unwittingly created two traditions (if five years of anything can be called a tradition), namely a Christmas card photo of Éowyn (and since 2010 Amélie) in suitable Christmassy attire and a self-decorated Christmas bauble. Genevieve Gallery in Englefield Green allows you to paint your own pottery and at Christmas that includes baubles, angels and reindeer decorations in addition to the usual cups, plates, teapots etc. When Éowyn was a baby we thought it would be nice to make a bauble with her handprint on, and so we have gone back each year since and thus have a record of her growing hands. This year however Éowyn rebelled. She did not want her hand painted and, in fairness to our eldest, her hands are now probably a little too large for even the largest sized bauble. She did, however, want to paint one. So a new tradition was born. Amélie still created a handprint bauble while Éowyn let her creative juices flow and made her own design. We will see how this new tradition develops.

The former Christmas tradition was altered by Amélie. Éowyn loves to dress up and so convincing her to put on a Mrs Santa Claus outfit was easy. Amélie on the other hand seems to have an aversion to dressing up. If you recall she refused to dress up for the Halloween party at the Manor House in Dorset and so it was for the Christmas photo. We did however manage to get her to wear a red dress and a hairband with reindeer antlers. You will have to pop back on the 24th December for the annual Bagnall Christmas message, to see the fruits of that labour.

The question that has been occupying our minds of late has been the crucial decision of which school to put down as our first choice for Éowyn. We have visited each of the schools in the area, we have read the Ofsted reports and we have asked around people we know that have children in each of the schools. The decision is still to be completely made although we think we are erring towards a decision and it is probably on the side of the school that was at the bottom of the list before we started that process. Until we fill the form in and find out whether Éowyn has been accepted we will not mention any names but it has been interesting to see how reputations influence decision processes regardless of actualities and how it is actually hard to eliminate that reputation from the forefront of your mind. I suppose because we realise the importance of education and because Éowyn is bright, we want the best for her. A school that will push her and stretch her abilities and have the resources in order to be able to do that. Obviously we will not know until she goes there and she settles in. Time will tell and obviously you will read it here first.

Lucinda as you will recall suffered from appendicitis back in October and last week saw her six week follow up appointment. The surgeon was very pleased with the way she was healing and has discharged her from his care. However he did give her a little more information about her surgery and it was quite worrying. Effectively the surgery could not have been any later for her appendix was not only at the point of rupture but had already begun to ooze its poison into her abdomen and consequently the surgeon had to ensure that she was thoroughly cleaned out before sewing her up. It is frightening to think that any extra delay on that fateful day could have had a more serious outcome.

As you may recall that hasn’t been our only medical story of the last couple of weeks. Amélie has suffered from probably the mildest case of Chicken Pox that our family has seen. It started with a few spots on her abdomen. The next day there were a few more so Lucinda took her to the walk-in clinic. The nurse said that she was 99% convinced that Amélie had Chicken Pox and told Lucinda that it would probably get worse over the next few days but the spots would scab over and then she would no longer be contagious. Sounds familiar to anyone that has had Chicken Pox or knows anyone that has had it. Well, that is not how Amélie’s case developed. The spots had peaked on that second day and then just disappeared over the next couple of days. So we are unsure if she actually had Chicken pox or some similar disease or whether she just has a really powerful immune system and shook it off without breaking stride.

Amélie’s immune system maybe strong but she is not immune to the terrible twos. Amélie has always been a cutey and relatively well behaved but lately she has been throwing a few strops and refusing to do things if she doesn’t want to do them. She is more passive than aggressive preferring to sit down in the middle of supermarket aisle or pavement than throw a tantrum. She will stand with her arms folded and her lower lip in a pout as a silent protest to whatever it is that you are asking her to do. Although it is frustrating when you are in a rush but as the same time it is very amusing and I find it hard not to smile. I can never let her see that obviously. I will see if I can get a surreptitious photo and post it here for prosperity.

Éowyn on the other hand has been relatively well-behaved but when she falls off the behaviour wagon she really jumps off with both feet. It is usually when she is tired and not getting her own way however one slight aberration to this wave of good behaviour happened a couple of weeks ago while she was upstairs and unusually being very quiet. Lucinda crept upstairs to find out what she was up to and there she was quite happily drawing on the wall. I am sure nearly every child does it at sometime in their formative years but it still not what you want to see.

It may come as no surprise that we are using the threat of that most benevolent of dictators Father Christmas to install a fear of misbehaviour into our oldest. I am not sure that it is working as well as it might but at least her behaviour hasn’t meant that I have to follow up with my threat that if she finds herself on the naughty list (and she likes the song Santa Claus is coming to town so she understands the theory) that Father Christmas will only bring her an orange, an apple and a lump of coal. I mean where will I get a lump of coal in this day and age!

We have not yet managed to see Santa (although he did visit Éowyn’s school) this year. Last year we saw him at Peppa Pig World, unfortunately there has only been one non-weekend day so far this year where he has been available (he is a busy man). With the fact that I now work every weekend I have been unable to take her, however there are still a few days available so perhaps we will catch up with him elsewhere. Nanny Fran has gone one better though and has gone to visit him in Lapland. We would have gone too but felt that Amélie was a little too young and it would be unfair on our unborn son. So we will probably wait a few years and take all three children, depending on the report back from Nanny Fran.

There may not be another update before Christmas but as mentioned there will be the traditional Bagnall Christmas message on Christmas eve so please feel free to pop by to see the girls in their Christmas attire. Also, give yourself a festive ten points if you can name the Christmas song from which the title of this update has been taken.

Peace and Love

Baggie

Cheese! (with Dad’s glasses)

Like mother. like daughter

Like father, like daughter

Getting ready for the Christmas photo

Taken by Éowyn

I see you Daddy!

What’s going to happen?

Looking a little concerned

Frightened?

A strange glow

A glowing smile

Ghostly smile

Not quite a grin

Popstar

Ghostly children

School’s out for Summer

Sunday 22nd July 2012Wednesday 25th July 2012Baggie

A second write up in a week. When I get the opportunity I am a fast worker! The reason for this second write up is due the fact that last weekend I had managed to secure an extra long weekend off work and as this will be the last chance for an extended break from work until at least September (the joys of working for a sports-orientated television company!) so we squeezed in a number of trips. Unfortunately the weather had not improved and so raincoats and wellies were still the order of the day.

The week started with an unpleasant trip to the doctors. Éowyn needed her last set of pre-school inoculations. As we did not know how she was going to react and the fact that she is a Daddy’s girl we decided that I would take her. We prepared her for the experience as best as we could and promised her a present if she was a brave girl. Last Tuesday I took her into the nurse’s office and Éowyn walked in all bubbly and chatty, talking to the nurse. Even though we had prepared her the best that we could I still think that she did not know what was going to happen. She sat on my lap and the nurse gave her the first injection. It was think she realised it was going to hurt. Quickly before the shock could kick in, I turned her around and the nurse gave her the second. Unfortunately, she tensed up and tried to move her arm which meant that it hurt more and bruised quite badly. However, all was now over although that didn’t stop her becoming apoplectic for a couple of minutes. Even stickers from the nurse didn’t help but she did talk to the nurse afterwards and even thanked her and amazingly all was forgotten by the time we got home and as soon as she saw her Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom Magical Playset then nothing mattered. So she was a brave little soldier and deserved her present.

As I was off from Thursday to Tuesday we took full advantage and Thursday morning saw us heading down the M3 towards Peppa Pig World. As regular readers will know this isn’t the first time we have been to Peppa Pig World but as Peppa Pig is now Amélie’s favourite television programme as much as Éowyn’s, and now Amélie is more self aware it was fun to see her reaction to the park, especially to the characters dressed as Peppa and George. We managed to miss most of the wet weather although, as is the norm for this summer, the rain did begin just after lunch and so by 1400 we decided to head back home with two tired little girls.

Friday was the last day of Éowyn’s schoool year and as tradition dictates this was the time of end of year school concert. Armed with video camera as well as the more usual stills camera we were actually more impressed with the children on Friday than at the Christmas concert at the end of Winter term. Éowyn sung loudly and enthusiastically ans seemed to be thoroughly enjoying herself. However we were disturbed to see just how many of Éowyn’s friends will be leaving for their first year at school proper. Éowyn has another year and not only will she be one of the oldest in her year she will also tower above the others in the class, we will have to be very conscious of this advantage of physicality and she will need to learn to deal with this herself with our (and the teacher’s) help.

Since the concert ended at 1030 the rest of the day was ours, so we decided to take the girls to London. As mentioned many times before we have Merlin passes, and one of the many attractions that one can use them on is the London Eye. Unfortunately, by the time we arrived in London, the weather has turned cloudy and it was nearly lunchtime. Rather than queueing up (the queue was quite large) we decided to grab some lunch. The Merlin pass also gives you a discount of 20% on food at all the attractions and in the Rainforest Café. So rather than taking the girls to the usual haunts we walked across Hungerford Bridge (from Waterloo train station), skirted along the side of Trafalgar Square through Leicester Square to Shaftesbury Avenue and the Rainforest Café. The Rainforest Café lives up to its name with a jungle theme throughout the seating area and animatronic animals hiding in the bushes. Unfortunately the girls got a little freaked by the thunderstorm sound effects. The irony of seeking shelter from the rain in the Rainforest Café was not lost upon us either.

Leaving the Rainforest Café we retraced our steps to the South Bank (of the River Thames) and the London Eye. However the queue was now even longer and both girls were tired. The weather was turning even worse and with the low cloud it would not be a good view from the Eye so we decided that we would simply return to Waterloo and catch the train back to Staines (Upon Thames – as it should now be called). So it was a little unsuccessful as a trip, effectively we headed into London to have lunch and returned slightly soggy. Still it was an adventure!

We spent most of the rest of the weekend in and around home. I caught up with my friend Sanjiv who was over from India for 4 days (yes 4 days!) and his children. It was good to see him but far too short a time although the India meal that we had was delicious. Lucinda was working early on the Sunday so the girls and I stayed at home. However it did give me some Daddy and daughter time with both of the girls. the spectre of a busy August/September is looming so weekends like this are precious. Éowyn is growing into a little girl (definitely leaving the toddler days behind her) and Amélie is aping her sister in so many ways (not all of them good).

An example of the above would be from Monday. We decided to head to our local Toby Carvery for our evening meal. En route we passed my friend’s (and one of my Best men) house and so phoned to ask if he wanted to join us, which he duly did. We enjoyed our repast and were saying our goodbyes in the carpark (as the girls splashed in the puddles – the new summer sport!) Andy turned to return to his car. I was buckling Éowyn into her car seat and said ‘Say goodbye to Andy.‘ Éowyn turned to a departing Andy and shouted out ‘Bye, bye Mr Poo-Poo Pants!‘ Have no idea where that came from and it is a phrase that she has not used before but it was such a shock that I didn’t hide my smirk. Sensing this it encouraged her to say it again and turn to Amélie, ‘Say Poo-Poo Pants.‘ Which Amélie duly repeated. Obviously it is something that we do not want to encourage but it is difficult to tell her off when you are trying to surpress a laugh!

All of us have managed to avoid the current crop of summer colds but poor Amélie has been suffering. She had obviously eaten some milk protein and from her reaction over the last couple of days it is obvious that she still has her Cow’s Milk Protein Intolerance, so no challenging for a little while methinks!

The 2012 Summer Olympics are nearly upon us and apparently the weather is going to improve dramatically (at least for the South East of England) in the next week and we may even see 30°C. The Olympic lanes are coming into operation and I am not looking forward to the traffic chaos this will cause, fortunately the amount of traffic will drop as the schools are on holiday.

Before the Olympics begin though British sport has another hero to be proud of. Bradley Wiggins became the first British winner of the Tour De France and amazingly fellow Londoner Chris Froome finished second and to complete the perfect end to the competition Mark Cavendish claimed his fourth final stage victory. This took Mark Cavendish to the grand total of 23 stage wins past Lance Armstrong’s total of 22 into fifth place in the hall of fame a truly remarkable Tour for the British team.

It is amazing to think that 7 years ago it was confirmed that London was to host the Olympic games and now it is less than 7 days away it will be Christmas before you know it! well actually if you are worried about your Christmas shopping you can already make a start as the Harrods’ Christmas shop is now open.

Peace and Love

Baggie