Sent by John Whitley
Hi there, and a happy holidays to all. Right now, I'm listening to Glenn Miller's band playing 'Jingle Bells' from a mix I made for my last show.
Christmas is almost upon us and here in Gib we're like many folks in the western world. Our Main street has been full of locals spending money we're not sure will be there by next month. Maybe it's smarter that way? It sure gets the lumps out of the mattress. We've also had an influx of Spanish as they find themselves with a better exchange rate as the pound collapses. It would seem that the English followed the USA model of 'Greed and business' a little too closely.
Sent by Ann Trudell
Gib celebrates Xmas big here I've been to two separate parties paid for by our bosses. A formal dinner dance (dress in a suit) type for which they laid on coaches and took us into Spain. Then a more casual lunch which was in town. Then us guys at work are heading out to eat some lunch on the 31st. It does my spirit good but my heart bad I'll be climbing on the 'Weight train' next month! That's if I can run and catch it.
Sent by Heather Sabella
Photo shopped by me!
Though everyone here has been complaining that its been the coldest winter ever. We've had some beautiful days. At the top of the Rock we had golden sunshine pouring down and warming us. At one point I had five apes laying around where the cable car comes in sunning themselves. I know it's been different for you. Mark Marshall just web cammed me and I saw the snow you guys have been getting. I love each and everyone of you but I am so glad I don't have snow in my weather pattern. I had to smile when a month ago all of Gibraltar was running around excited and snapping digital pictures of large hail stones. Some people even made diminutive snowmen from the ice. Could 'Jack Frost' have been hiding in my suitcase all this time? Besides these visitors from a higher altitude we've also had some extremely powerful storms come along and pound our little Rock. Just a couple of months ago another ship was sent to the bottom of the sea. Here's some video shot by a local reporter where you can see this large ship being pounded by the sea. I keep seeing a huge watery hand breaking it in two.
So, I did the Xmas show at the historical/hysterical Garrison library which is a truly wonderful building. Several hundred years old, chock full of ancient books and atmosphere. The room we performed in was pure unadulterated Victorian magic with it's tall, tall ceilings and two large fire places. The evening I had designed was 'Christmas in Gibraltar 1945': An hour long radio show broken up by a choir thirty-five strong who sang many lovely Xmas hymns and songs. The material and jokes for the show were borrowed from radio broadcasts during WW2. Now, as you know I'm not usually up for Xmas till...well...December and then not until Xmas week. So, this was very odd for me. I had been collecting radio shows & Xmas music for months. Standing in shorts on a 90 degree day during July pouring over newspapers and soldiers magazines from the period. Looking for mentions of what they were doing to celebrate Christmas and how was daily life? I listened to the radio shows and music over the months and slowly a plan came into form. Nothing written down but I was working on it. Then two weeks before the show my computer coughed up a blue screen which I did not like the look of and made me unsure I could keep it working. It was then that I decided to buy a new machine. Since all the sound files which I was going to to transcribe from were on the hard drive and the thing I was going to write with was the computer.
I found one at a good price and made the purchase. My new set up is faster and smarter than the older. I wish I were too. Days followed battling the new machine as I learnt just how fussy Vista was going to be. But...by the end I got the computers up and the script was written in just two days leaving me in a haze but with a plan called 'B'.
Now, as far as the show? It was like trying to herd cats. Too many lovely, smiling people telling me I was in charge and then constantly reminding me that we couldn't do things that way. I was grateful for the input but tired of the game plan. I was the new kid on the block with no real idea of the shape of the evening but by all accounts a good time was had by all. It was two sold out houses filled to the rafters with plenty f extra seats and fire codes thrown to the wind. We raised close to 1,500 dollars for the RAF benevolent fund and we made more money this year than others.
So, onto the next thing which in my case is cramming my lines for the pantomime and assuming the role of 'Cringe' one of the footmen to the 'Evil Count de Cash'. Not too demanding and something I won't repeat. The director has a habit of not running any of the moments or lines more than once. Therefore no-one can remember much and cares even less. She then gets angry because of this. I know you can see my smile.
I also went and saw my doctor here to get an appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon a few months down the road. It will be worth the wait to have him look at my body and send me for a scan. Perhaps, I can get my knee sorted out. It gives me much grief! But mostly I am well and looking forward to putting this year behind us. Art wise I feel a little cramped. I miss my familiar actors and the quality, humor and understanding they brought to these projects.
But, enough... I found this fun item posted on Yahoo about the New President elect...
Made me smile... I love and miss you so much and shall be thinking of you all through the holidays. Your friend always Andrew Dark
Judy Garland: Merry Xmas (My current fav)
