Dark...

Well, I must say that today has been pretty bloody awful as far as the old mercury is concerned. Dia-bleedin'-bolical in fact. It has been nothing but straight down rain and cold all day. The sky (during those very few moments this afternoon when it was not entirely dark) could be described as having been Thames Brown in hue at best. [ and I do mean Thames Brown, rather than James Brown]

I have had a creeping sense of discomfort these last few days, a grasping, clammy sensation that something was not quite right chez moi. I could not however, for the life of me, quite put my finger on it. Could it have been those oysters? A bad wine?
Perhaps, the culprit was none other than that particularly creamy Brillat-Savarin which followed dinner one chilly evening last week.. Nope, I was confounded.

What the Devil was it that ailed me? Irked me? Got my goat?

The answer of course struck me earlier today while I showered. It seems that I shan't have to concern my physician after all. Neither cheese nor Ostreidae related, the matter was a simple case of blog guilt - 11 days had passed since my last entry - it had obviously become something of a burden to my somewhat lightweight subconcious "I".


With all that kybosh in mind I now propose to you another top ten list! This time I am rather unsure as to the content of said list, or indeed the order of merit that said list would follow. Nonetheless, a top ten it shall be...

The top ten absolutely undowithoutable Christmas films, [including cartoons and TV shows] that any Christmas worth it's salt must have.

10: The Great Escape.
"Afraid this tea's pathetic. Must have used these wretched leaves about twenty times. It's not that I mind so much. Tea without milk is so uncivilized. " This is the business. Stiff upper lips,  The Bosh, Steve McQueen, Tom, Dick and Harry and that crazy motorcycle jump.

09: How the Grinch Stole Christmas [TV 1967].
"All the Whos down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot, but the Grinch, who lived just north of Whoville, did not. The Grinch hated Christmas - the whole Christmas season. Oh, please don't ask why, no one quite knows the reason. It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight. Or maybe his head wasn't screwed on just right. But I think that the best reason of all may have been that his heart was two sizes too small."


08: Holiday Inn.
Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire play a couple of "song and dance men", wooing the same "gal".
There is a lot of worrying about the lack of snow. It snows. Bingo sings "White Christmas".

07: Die Hard.
"Just a fly in the ointment, Hans. The monkey in the wrench. The pain in the ass." Brucey gets his vest rather dirty in the classic caper in the Nakatomi Plaza building during a pre Christmas party. Christmas in Hollis by Run DMC playing on the intro don't hurt none neither.

06: Home Alone.
"Keep the change you filthy animal". Macaulay Culkin gets left behind by his stupid eejit parents, who leave for Paris for a Christmas holiday. The kid utilises some grandly evil tricks to fend off the hapless would-be "Wet Bandits" from his property. It's action all the way in a "it's-only-cartoon-violence" way that will have you laughing your arse off whether you are 6 years, or 7 years.


More to follow, and some clips - if I can work it out.