This year I´ve been finding the hiatus
between my Christmas preparations and the big day itself rather
depressing. As long as I was busy doing something positive – and I
DO NOT mean laundry! - I felt quite cheerful. But now that the Christmas
tree´s in place and decorated, my house looks festive, my cards have
been posted and my presents are wrapped, I think Now what?...and
start to brood on my health problems and doctors´ appointments and
the kind of doomy gloomy stuff that I´ll have to face in January.
There seems to be a sudden silence that comes between the sad
tinkling sound of Christmas baubles shattering on a tiled floor and
church bells joyfully heralding Christmas Day.
Enough of this! I´ve found my own
personal solution. It may not be everyone´s way of banishing the
blues on a cold, rainy December day but it certainly works for me. I
simply click on BBC Radio 4 Extra´s Listen Again feature -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4extra/programmes/a-z/player
- where I have an entire week´s worth of my favourite comedy
programmes. In the past few days I´ve been cheered immensely by
various funny folk such as David Sedaris, the cast of the vintage
Dad´s Army / Steptoe And Son series and the hilarious members of the
panel in I´m Sorry I Haven´t A Clue. I always particularly enjoy
the daffy definitions of the ISIHAC comedians. Here´s a small sample
of those which have kept me laughing today:
pensive – something you can write
with while draining the potatoes.
dogmatic – a dog without a clutch
aperitif – dentures
cherish – rather like a chair
bumbling – jewellery for the buttocks
(May only be understood by the British!)
lackadaisical – a bicycle made for
one. ( Ditto by those acquainted
with old songs.)
menacing - male voice choir
gear – alcoholic drink for
ventriloquists
Gandhi - a bow-legged ventriloquist
gateau – a French ventriloquist´s
boat
Got a touch of the winter blues? Don´t
despair. A smile may only be a couple of mouse clicks away.
