From the proverb "After the Lord Mayor's show comes the dust-cart" ("donkey-cart", or "shit-cart"). Bringing up the rear of the Lord Mayor's Show is a team to clean the manure of the pageant's horses, So there you go - the early January doldrums after the Christmas / New Year festivities.

A re-mix of a tune from 2023 - Reduce that balance ... In my case that usually refers to the post Festive season request from my bank to bring down the level of my overdraft.. Ah well .. and a Happy New Year to the world of finance.

Like most people with a nice warm bed to go to - the only time I really think about those without a roof over their head - is at Christmas. Those Hughie's out there I hope they found something OK to take them through the winter at the very least.

In the businesses I've been involved in " the bonus" was handed out like Oliver Twist asking for more - you don't deserve it - I may give you something - but I may not. I thought the Victorian era was more than 100 years ago - may be not

I find the bit between Christmas and the New Year quite a good time to "chew the fat" -( I love that expression )- think it all over. I won't get too reflective for too long - honest - but it does no harm to take a step back and reflect on stuff.

From January 2024 - Lurgy. In the UK post covid a fair number of people wear masks when it gets to flu season. We had the worst of it here before Christmas - but it usually picks up again once the children go back to school.

Don't fear the opposition you'll get from trying new things, new directions or opportunities .

Continuing the New Year theme - new horizons , new oppotunities, chances to change direction - make e fresh start . Go for it !!

From 2023 - as positive as can be ..? Happy and peaceful 2026

Keane's tune arranged for guitar - in memory of Kate

This is for about 2003/2004 - recorded on steel guitars ( not sure why ) is Colin Arensteins arrangement of the piece.

No.3 - from 2023 - the Harry Potter theme - for Kate .

No.4 In the top 5 downloads is a mash up of Happy Birthday - for the Italian branch of the family - from 2023.

From a CD called "Phases" - a midi guitar project - this dates from about 2003 - I think .

Jona Lewie's unintended Christmas Song finishes off my collection of tunes for Christmas - but it is appropriately an anti - war song. It ties in nicely with that that almost legendary tale of the Christmas truce football match during World War 1. The Christmas Truce has become one of the most famous and mythologised events of the First World War. But what was the real story behind the truce? Why did it happen and did British and German soldiers really play football in no-man's land? La...

Happy Christmas !

Christmas Eve - a magical night - when Santa is on his way. Carrots for the reindeer, a glass of sherry by the fireplace, empty pillow slip left at the bottom of the bed and excited children trying to stay awake but wanting to go to sleep ready for the next day.

For us Christmas begins on Christmas Eve when family arrive and settle down for the duration. So the 23rd is the night before Christmas. This is my attempt at a Christmas tune.

Miguel Llobets arrangement ofthe Catalan Christmas Folk Song - " the son of the mother" - was apparently popularised by Seqovia who played it as an encore in recitals.

Bert Jansch's folk version of the Gustav Holst melody is one of my favourite Christmas tunes. "In the Bleak Midwinter" is a poem by the English poet Christina Rossetti. It was published under the title "A Christmas Carol" in the January 1872 issue of Scribner's Monthly,[1][2] and first collected in book form in Goblin Market, The Prince's Progress and Other Poems(Macmillan, 1875). It has been set to music several times. Two settings, those by Gustav Holst and by Harold Darke, are popular and ...