Well what a momentous day. I do believe that as a result of the election in America yesterday, the World today is a safer place. In my opinion for what it is worth, America has given the world a friend, someone that will at least talk openly and honestly, as opposed to someone who talks from behind a cruise missile. I was very impressed with John McCain though. He behaved like a gentleman all the way through. Maybe he was a tad too much of a gentleman at times. However, at 72 his time had probably passed him by.

Well here we go again people, its fireworks time once again. When I was a kid I was always back at the convent in Liverpool for bonfire night after spending the weekend at home for half term. In those days we had sparklers, bangers, ripraps, Catherine wheels and rockets. I hate to think what they have today, probably nuclear missiles and cluster bombs. Well it certainly sounds like that listening to the racket that goes on just outside my house. Once today is out of the way, its full steam ahead for Christmas.

We always had a Christmas party at the convent. However, for economic reasons we joined with the local comprehensive school down the road. The nuns always drummed into us to be grateful for whatever we received. Yes I even had to pretend to be grateful for my torch given to me by Father Christmas at the party. I think the organizers forgot that half the kids were blind and didn’t make any allowances when buying the toys. The trouble is, in a blind school, who the hell are you going to swap a flippin’ torch with! It wasn’t just torches for Christmas either that gave me a problem. The nuns had a weird sense of humour or sense of prospective. I didn’t find having to sit for 2 bloody hours through a silent movie much fun. That was the nun’s idea of a treat for the kids on a Saturday afternoon. Afternoons spent in an art gallery did not go down a wow either.

Okay folks it is now time for me to slink off down stairs again. I have not included my Manx tails article this month, as I attached it by mistake a couple of months ago.

Until tomorrow then people, enjoy the fireworks tonight and we shall meet again same place, same time tomorrow.

Tom Glassey, on the banks of the Silverburn River.