Music

Nil Desperandum

His music only had a slight impact on my record collection in the form of the second Sweet Relief tribute album, but I was saddened to read today of Vic Chesnutt's death on Christmas Day.

Sweet Relief is a charity that "provides financial assistance to musicians who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability, or age-related problems".

Vic Chesnutt was paralysed in 1983, and according to his obituary in The Independent was facing "mounting medical bills of well over $50,000".

He appears to have taken his own life. Many of the lyrics on that tribute album point towards such an eventuality. But I always preferred the very last two words on the album artwork: Nil Desperandum.

Angels

Advent

After a gap of about twenty years I've had an Advent Calendar this year! Better than that, I was given two, both containing chocolates.

Here then are Cadbury's and Hotel Chocolat's interpretation of an Angel. I'll let you guess which is which.

(If you've not noticed, I think the one on the left is a fairy, not an Angel - she seems to be carrying a magic wand. My five year-old niece Abigail explained the difference between Angels and fairies: Angels don't wear shoes. Sadly that sagely advice doesn't help for this pair.)

Chilterns and Thames Valley

Into the snow

Distance: 5.59 miles
Ascent: 6 metres
Duration: 2 hours 3 minutes

Walk 7: Widbrook Common and Cliveden Reach

Three years after moving to the area we've finally started exploring the local area. And what better conditions could you want for walking along the Thames across from Cliveden? The still water reflected the colourful trees beautifully while the snow provided a perfect backdrop.

I suspect this is a walk we'll repeat a few more times before we move on from the Thames Valley.

Album

Thea Gilmore: Strange Communion

It's not the same these days.

Since we moved away from Suffolk I've not performed the December Ritual.

It wouldn't be the authentic anyway. Down here we don't have a Market Square decorated with small Christmas Trees lit with tiny white lights. There's no tidal river along which to take a moonlit walk. The streets are never quiet, even after midnight.

There's new music too: Thea Gilmore's released a Christmas album of her own and it's very good. I wish I could do without the pop-ditty of That'll be Christmas but if I did I've have to discard lyrics referring to "muddy boots on a Welcome mat" and "faith, hope and gluttony".

It was always going to take something special to displace The Darkest Night of the Year, but this might just fit.