The debonair Basil Marigold's

Christmas is a day of blessing and a day to acknowledge the unepected. Today I experienced both. Through my love of Jelly Babies, delivered unto me the gift of 3kg's worth. I decided that I should open one of my blessings and Lo, the first one out was this, 'wee' thing. I call it Monster Jelly Baby! Also, as it's also Christmas Day please also note the cross like shape of the Jelly Monster! Coincidence?

I am sat at the computer right now. Having been previously warned by a weather App that the area I live in is due some more heavy snow. As of yet it hasn't arrived, but according to my friend who lives in Nottingham, no more than 9 miles away is reporting heavy snow. I am laughing now but I suspect we haven't been completely missed!

I have seen another gift that I would prefer for christmas this year, from anybody who is willing to show just how much they appreciate me. It is a Globe in a stand; It's great to be aware of your geography isn't? Good to have knowledge of the planet you live on, so why not buy me a globe so I can keep up to date with the world. It is diamond cut mother of pearl gemstone panels, creating a 40" Globe. The Oceans and Seas are mother of Pearl and it is set in a 24kt Gold stand, because? Well, why not. All this for the princely sum of £200,000 it tells me on the website. I have no idea why I came across this website, all I can say is it may have involved me looking at £20,000 fountain pens by Conway Stewart. One of these pens would also be acceptable as a Christmas present, if you are feeling to tight to get me the globe. Thanks in anticipation. Did I mention how much I love my wife?

'A few days ago I found myself in PC World. Not often this happens and it was fairly enjoyable as I haven't window shopped for PC stuff and gadgets in a while, so it was good fun. One of the things I saw and had a chance to have a quick play with is this little beasty; The Apple Ipad. The piece of kit that somehow, and despite not having a market, it appears to have created its own. I cannot say that I was initially a fan. I failed to see how it was an exceptional piece of kit that provided any added value to what you can do with a laptop. It has no USB, It has no Multi tasking functions and it was not cheap. It shouldn't work, when compared with the functionality of for instance a Notebook, which has more functionality and is half the price. Though, now having just physically held one I now know it is exceptionally beautiful. It truly is a wondrous design and feels remarkably substantial and not quite as awkward to hold and use as I previously thought as I checked out

For those of you that know me and know my default literature setting. I am an avid Science Fiction man I shall continue to be so, regardless of the down the nose snobbery that Sci fi authors and fans experience from the literary types. I will always prefer to have the opportunity to walk with Paul Atreides through the deserts of Arrakis, in 'Dune', or discuss psychohistory with Hari Seldon on the planet of Terminus, from the 'Foundation' series of books, created from the minds of Frank Herbert and Isaac Asimov. I for one would rather not have to visit Fanny Price in Mansfield Park, or participate in some turgid lesson on manners in the company of Elizabeth Bennet. I would, saying that, like to see how Elizabeth Bennet's manners helps her when Darth Vader arrives overhead in Meryton in his TIE Fighter but that another book. I think the main reason why I do have a passion about the Science Fiction genre is that there are no limits to what you can write or project f

Being a kindly soul I offered to take my mum and her partner to the garage to collect their car which had not been starting of late. We went via a big shop, so as if the car was fixed they could be dropped off to the garage and drive themselves back. Which seemed a great plan and it went well. When we arrived at the garage the mechanic said that he turned it over a few times during the day and it started first time so couldn't find a fault, he did say that if it doesn't start then ring him and he'll come up and look at the car on the drive. Now there's a good service. We transferred across their shopping bags to the boot and then they went off. I reversed and then left the garage but had to wait to turn into the road. So after a few minutes I turned into the road to drive home, happily confident they would be far away from me. As I turned the corner and headed to the lights I then saw their little red car pulled over by the pavement in a little parking area. My immedi

There are many reasons to enjoy Christmas, some may say that one of those is the plethora of festive food that rear its head at this time of year; I am particularly fond of Christmas pudding and cake. Stollen cake for example and there is little better than a nice Yule log and as always the odd one or two, perhaps three mince pies! So, I hope I have proved that there are typical chrismassy food stuffs, sold on or around the Christmas period. Ho, Ho, Ho so to speak. Sadly these, seen in the local shop, are probably not definable as Christmassy at all; In fact the polar opposite. Here we have a confectionary item, called the 'Cadbury's Creme Egg'. These are egg shaped, hence the obvious name and are routinely eaten at Easter. Now I understand that businesses are suffering in this economic climate but, and this is a fairly major but, much like vanessa feltz's, it is not even Christmas day yet and they are selling easter food. You see my problem with, although I adore t

I decided to venture out today. I had to travel 2 miles to dig out my Nannar's driveway as we have to be able to fit a car on it this coming saturday, so I took the bull by the horns and stepped outside. It took, roughly half a mile to realise I should have caught the bus rather than walk as I took a couple of photos to stress how brave I was!  Hard to believe that I actually set out at 9:30am, the freezing mist made the place seem a little like a Narnian wonderland, except without Turkish Delight, for which I'd probably sell out my family too, but that's another issue. The main one was the exceptional cold as I wound my way out of town and headed to nannar's village.  This photo for those who know the area is called 'shoulder of Mutton Hill'. I am on kingsway road and what I am photographing here is another stretch of road, called Nuncargate road, which is the one below and runs at a right angle to this hedge, between this hedge and that road lies a field wh

 It got cold, up North, in fact it got so cold white stuff fell from the sky and when I say fell I mean hurtled. While it was blanketing the Northern part of the United Kingdom I ventured out and took some photographs to show what Narnia would look like if it had ever had a development of Red brick terraced housing. It got pretty deep in a few days, as you can see from the garden, the washing line just about kept its lines dry, but the bench at the back didnt and became a little submerged, it still is, this must be the second week now. It is starting to thaw slowly, mainly because our temperatures are merely flirting with 0 degrees, they haven't consummated the above freezing relationship yet. It would help if they got their act together and did so. I might then be able to dig the cars out on the street.  As you can see from the third picture, captured during a snow shower, the car is snug in its snow lined blanket. While the outbuilding door is protected by a deadly ice portculli

If you do find yourself with a spare hour and a half and also possess the desire to watch a great film? then you can do alot worse than watch 'soldier of God'. It may not be a fast paced thriller but it is an exceptional well made film based, more or less in a tent in a desert during the time of Saladin and the holy crusades, about an assassin (the original meaning) and a knight Templar. I don't think you'll be too disappointed. If you like a film to ponder, obviously if your idea of a good film involves in anyway; Hugh grant or Cameron Diaz then you have my sympathy.

I have been addicted to some of the brilliant classic serials that BBC radio have sent out into the world over the last year. I was transfixed by the genius adaptation of John Le Carre's Smiley series. From 'Tinker, tailor, soldier, spy', 'Honourable Schoolboy', 'Smiley's People'. What is labelled the Karla trilogy too has been a revelation with George Smiley played by Simon Russel Beale and played so well over the radio, such a voice, and well worth checking out if you happen to be snowbound, or borrow the recordings from the library and listen to them in the car, etc. Now didnt think that this could be improved on so imagine my delight when the BBC decided to adapt what I think was their best TV series, ever released, yep that's right you all know. Right now and over the next six weeks we have Radio Adapting Robert Grave's 'I, Claudius'. Having heard the first episode, it is marvellous as it always has been, classics are timeless. Yet f

Having emigrated from the deep south, almost a decade ago now. I have become acclimatised to the harsh northern winters. I define harsh as under 10 degrees. In Devon, winter was tough if it got below 15 really. As most people then slipped on a jumper over the short sleeve tee shirt and muttered, 'Damn cold winter again'. Over the last week I have experienced the Northern snow, oft mentioned in hushed tones prefixed by the sentence 'Remember when we used to get snow?' or 'Not had snow like we used to have we..' Well, it seems we have now as I pass people who seem gripped in conversions beginning, 'Not seen snow like this for 20 years.' Admittedly being a bit of a snow novice they may well mean that Snow design has changed in twenty years and we are now back to the familiar design having gone through the ubiquitous desire of God to alter and modify the design of snowflakes, proving that maybe God is guilty of breaking the 'If it ain't broke dont fi