TimRam

Xmas Eve: make a minestrone (I'm a superb cook, honest!). Follow Santa's progress on NASA website. Visit local pub and maybe midnight mass (although I may still be on the church-watch register)
Xmas Day: Santa's presents. Poached egg, salmon and cream cheese bagels. Family presents. Dinner with home made crackers (think I once put diamond ear rings in as the gift). Queens speech (everyone stands for NA). Games and party food.
Boxing Day: Everyone gets each other a gift costing £1
Films: Its a wonderful life, A Christmas Carol, Black Mirror White Christmas
Carols: God Rest You Merry Gentlemen
Despite my age, Xmas is still magical for me, I'm very lucky and know that alot of others are not.

2 episodes to go in our house - done and dusted later tonight. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Nice to hear Elland Road singing anyway last night.
 

Not exactly new joke but a good one from Andy Carroll:

Why don't the other reindeers have a red nose like Rudolph.
 
It's because they can't stop as quick as him.

Footballing Brain - Eranio
Head - Roy Mac
Heart/Passion - Stimac
Stamina - Archie 
Left Leg - Alan Hinton 
Right Leg - Charlie George
 

Footballing Brain - Paul McGrath 
 
Head - Roy McFarland 
 
Heart/Passion - Dave Mackay 
 
Stamina - Archie Gemmill 
 
Left Leg - Aljosa Asanovic 
 
Right Leg - Charlie George 
 
 

This episode takes some beating...

Sat in my garden in a previous dwelling where the back garden ended in a serried wall of trees with wetlands beyond. Had all manner of wild animals come visit. Deer, foxes, hedgehogs, enormous dragonflies, rats and lots and lots of squirrels. Sat one afternoon in the sunshine chomping though a huge bag of pistachios whilst catching a few rays and reading a James Ellroy novel, when after a while, I became aware that I was being watched rather inquisitively by a very large and very clearly pregnant squirrel. She was pretty unusual as they're busy little creatures and typically quite timid, but she was sat really quite close, on her haunches with her paws entwined and for quite some time. She looked like she was praying.
So I chuck her a pistachio... It lands close to her feet and she doesn't flinch, not one iota, rather she scoops it up and shells it in one swift movement and chomps it straight down. Then she re-adopts her praying pose. I chuck her another, then another, then another. Pretty soon there's discarded shells flying all around her since as fast as I could land them near her, she could extract the tasty bits and wolf them down. Soon she begins stuffing them shell and all into her cheeks, then she starts running around and around a small apple tree, making a huge fuss of burying a few, only to dig them up and eat them mere minutes later. I'd had no idea that squirrels buried food and it was joyous watching her obvious delight at finding this funny looking massive hairless squirrel who was quite generous with his scoff. By late afternoon, she'd helped me polish off the entire bag and was literally sat no more than a few feet from me seemingly enjoying the late afternoon sunshine as much as I was.
This became a regular gig, so much so that I dubbed her Dyson as whenever I'd venture out with treats, she'd be there in a shot and would swiftly hoover up whatever I put down. Soon, she'd even sit on the window ledge while I was washing up or sitting in the kitchen too, even without the lure of nuts. My GF of the time of course hated it. 'You can't feed a squirrel pistachios' she'd moan. Why not I'd ask? 'Pistachios are expensive' she'd reply. Well I bloody feed you don't I, I'd think without saying. I didn't really like her very much. 
I'm not sure how many litters Dyson produced, but as is nature's way, a couple of years after our first encounter, she was eventually killed by one of her offspring (I assumed) after a prolonged and pretty vicious fight high up in the tree canopy. Don't mind admitting it saddened me quite a lot, even though I know that's how nature works and that it's nothing more than the cycle of things.
Anyway, next time you see a squirrel, instead of muttering about rat's with tails, chuck the little bugger a nut or two and think of Dyson, because one man's vermin is another's funny little furry mate. We're all God's creatures after all, assuming one believes in such things and we all share the same planet. 
And apologies for the huge digression from the core subject matter of this thread! 
As you were ?

I'm glad Mercedes have withdrawn there complaint. Max is a fantastic driver and deserves to win the championship over the season he as had. Moving onto next season the FIA and stewards and Massi need more clarity to every team with regards to rules so we don't have the farce of a controversial end to a season again. It would be great if we could get the likes of Ferrari and McLaren fighting it out with Red Bull and Mercedes for the championship next season. 

Yeh, but what was the sex like? ?

Red Dwarf last 2 series were very high standard and a return to form.

In 20 years nobody wants to be apologising for a line that is now seen to be offensive.
I say this in jest, but even the much loved Only Fools & Horses hasn't escaped having episodes edited before shown on TV now.
We're in an age now where rather than not watch, it has to be cancelled and deemed offensive.
Reality TV shows have also taken over as they are easy sells, load them up with celebrities dancing around, sitting in a fake jungle. 
 

Sage words told to me by a builder mate several years ago after I'd had to apply 3 coats of a very well known retail paint. I switched to trade paint (better coverage, higher opacity, better durability, usually cheaper) and have never looked back. 

This one has to be mentioned as well. Nigel Clough wouldn't have liked it with two last touches with the outside of the boot...

Not forgetting of course, the Frannie Lee, interesting VERY INTERESTING! just look at his face goal ?
 

Well spotted, extra tripe for you my good chap.

Best one Wanchopes v Man U on his debut. Did not even win goal of the month on match of the day (daft lot).
Couple I cheered loudest. Nigel Pearsons in the Playoff final v WBA and Jack Marriotts second v Leeds in 2nd leg of Playoff semi final.

Was Nigel his nickname???????

Yes get in there Derby
A much need 3 points get in
So happy