’Tis the season to be jolly!

Blogpost No12 December 2022

I started writing this last week but decided to wait for a few seasonally appropriate musical items to be ready to share with you and also to be a little closer to the end of this year to say - THANK YOU for your continued interest and support. I think this is the first time I’ve managed to make good my promise of a Blogpost every month! Well done me!

Here’s how this post started last weekend:

As I type (Dec 10th) , light is streaming in through the Sun Room windows and birds are chirruping happily outside. It’s also freezing cold. Literally. When I walked Sweep down Kirk Michael beach this morning … the seaweed had frost on it! The moon, which was gloriously full 4 days ago, was bouncing golden light off the cold grey waves. A beautiful way to start the day.

And today - Dec 16th - it is still freezing. So much so that after donning my extensive winter walking gear, in the dark, I could hardly stand when I stepped outside. It had hailed overnight and the hail then stuck together in sheets of slimy ice. I couldn’t get further than the first hedge past the house, which I needed to assist me in turning round and headed for the field where at least there was some grip and Sweep could have his morning constitutional!

Since last we met dear reader, not a lot has happened and yet … so much occurs on a daily basis. We are, of course, on the run up to Christmas once more with my own celebration of another trip round the sun between that and the new year. Another year? We must count ourselves lucky to still be here.

I’ve edited a few musical moments from the second half of CC&Friends at the Centenary Centre Peel IOM last month. I’ve used some footage from Christy DeHaven’s iPhone which she cleverly placed at the back of the stage … interesting angle and sound but it offered more selection and I think it works well with Bob’s handy iPhone work out front. During the solo section at the beginning of this set I could clearly hear my gorgeous nephew, Aaron, singing along wholeheartedly. You can see me beaming at him after finishing We Spoke Today. You may be able to hear his deep baritone voice just in the background? I was really moved by this beautiful and unexpected connection. For those who don’t know, Aaron has Cerebral Palsy and direct communication is a challenge. That he knows my songs well enough to sing them is a joy I can not adequately describe. Bless his great big beautiful soul. We all love him so much!

I have actually put up the tree and list making was this week’s task - which I chose to accept! I think I’ve been naughty and nice in almost equal measure … that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

As it is that time of year, I thought I’d share an accapella version of In The Bleak Mid Winter … something I recorded especially for Christy DeHaven’s Saturday Live Lounge show on Manx Radio … I think she’s going to air as many local artists as possible doing Christmassy songs for her Christmas Eve show … here it is for your seasonal delight:

And while I was thinking about Christmas songs I thought I’d also share a delightful Christmas song Michael Fix and Allan Caswell wrote last year. Michael invited me to record a new vocal for it this year, for a submission for a possible Christmas Movie! It’s got past the first level of acceptance but we don’t hold our breath … it’s lovely to be considered all the same. Anyway here it is “Till Everybody’s Here” … hope it gets you in the Christmas mood:

It’s been another wild ride this year. Writing, producing, mixing and mastering 9 songs for the Children Of The Sea has to be my highlight. An unexpected and creatively rich experience in-between the daily routine that is our life at the moment - looking after mum as best we can. The creative process continues of course with the necessity to produce a book chock full of the stories/Inspirations/Lyrics and (as-yet-to-be found/created!) Artwork that will house the CD of songs. I have high hopes for its manifestation late spring/early summer … wish me luck!

With only two live shows this year I feel somewhat challenged by life’s continued strangeness. Losing my connection with Daphne’s Flight has to be the lowest point but life is what it is and we all deal with it as best we can given the myriad twists and turns of a world we have little influence over. In the end we can only be true to ourselves.

The two shows here on the island were each magical, up-lifting events that I will treasure always. CC&Friends has become a beautiful musical force for good. Perhaps we’ll have chance to play together again in 2023?

In between these highs and lows lies a treasure of experience I never anticipated. Looking after mum, though hugely challenging, has its moments of hilarity and joy. Bob and I continue to be amazed at how much we’ve learned and continue to learn and how it’s an ever-changing landscape we will never be able to truly catch up to. Mum, bless her, is oblivious to it all seconds after it’s past. But we remember. We are her witnesses.

Talking of Bob … he is my ROCK! I give thanks every day for this bright, bouncy, beautiful, patient, hard-working, dedicated, hilarious, soul-searching Human! We are truly blessed.

On that positive note dear reader … I shall sign off by saying … may the coming year bring you eternal hope, joy, stillness and peace in equal measure. And may we meet again … on life’s strange meandering path … soon.

I truly appreciate you!

Endless blessings … and keep rising above the turbulence!

Christine x