A Happy and Peaceful Christmas and Everything you want in the New Year to all our Readers

Christmas @ 32 degrees. Well it's different. This year, for the first time ever, we don't finish until Christmas Eve and we're not sure at what time even then. But, as we appear to have been the only ones working in the last week, I doubt if Monday will be a very productive day. Perhaps the odd policy or two, maybe a proposal or three but I don't think we will change the world. I jest!

Christmas shopping @ 32 degrees is also strange. It was baking yesterday and the fact that there were at least 5 times as many people in town all buying the same things from the makeshift stalls that the sellers had bought from the same Chinese wholesaler made it feel even hotter. Anyway, hands on wallet and purse, we plunged in. Went to buy the booze first - taxi to DSL where they kindly sell VSO stuff tax free (Oh joy, wine for Christmas!) and then on to Regent Street (the name is where the similarity ends, believe me!). Oh my, was it busy! But what an atmosphere!

Joy to the World, truly!

By 3pm, we were almost done and off home by taxi. It took 4 attempts before we could find one that would take us for the correct fare. Our complexion makes us look like tourists. I don't know why they try because there are no tourists here and any foreigners know the fare - $300 and not $600.

We will have a quiet Christmas at home with our friends Meg and Bill. The idea of a BBQ has been abandoned due to rainy season getting a little too enthusiastic, bless it! So BBQ will be indoors on the grill. No turkey? You say. You can get them but we though a break with tradition was in order. Boxing Day will be at home too and we will eat the traditional Christmas dish - Pepper Pot (without the cow's stomach and offal - just the meat) and then it's a countdown to St Lucia on Wednesday when all may go quiet for a while.

So, here's wishing you all a really great Christmas and I'll be back online in the New Year!