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This year a number of well-known people have received awards in the New Years Honours List. These include:

*the Director of the National Theatre, Nicholas Hytner who receives a knighthood
*The actor Patrick Stewart who also receives a knighthood
*The Director Peter Jackson recieves a Knighthood aswell
*Painter Maggi Hambling gets a CBE
*Status Quo singers Richard Parfitt and Francis Rossi receive OBEs
*Formula One driver Jenson Button gets an MBE
*There is also an OBE for the Braun Formula One team’s former owner and technical mastermind Ross Brawn.
*River Cafe chefs Rose Grey and Ruth Rogers both get an MBE
*Champion gymnast Beth Tweddle receives an MBE
*Rugby legend Ian McGeechan recieves a Knighthood
*Dr Miriam Stoppard, is made an OBE for services to healthcare and charity
*Popular children’s author Dick King-Smith gets an OBE
*There is an MBE for Charlie & Lola author Lauren Child

But the vast majority of the awards go not to stars of sport, stage and screen but to ordinary people who have gone the extra mile to make a difference to the lives of people around them.

I am about to start reading the boxed set of the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, which I got for Christmas, I remember reading The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe many years ago so it will be nice to read the rest of the Chronicles. I have already seen the two films, and also the television series, which was given away with a daily newspaper last year. It will be nice to see how they compare. The Boxed-Set includes the novels

*The Magicians Nephew
*The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe
*The Horse & His Boy
*Prince Caspian
*The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
*The Silver Chair
*The Last Battle

I am Stil not very well & having to be in bed a lot, so having something to read and keep my mind active has been very welcome during my stay in hospital & during these cold dark days when I can’t get out much. So far I have managed to get through quite a few fantasy/Magic novels during the past few months and they are just my sort of novel. Novels I have read this year include:

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter & the Philosophers Stone
Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince
Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows

HisDark Materials by Philip Pullman
Northern Lights
Subtle Knife
Amber Spyglass

All the excellent novels by J.R.R Tolkien
The Silmarillion
Children of Hurin
The Hobbit
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Two Towers
Return of the King

I am a big fan of Doctor Who, and now that the Festive Season is over for another year & things are a little less manic, I have finally managed to watch the first part of David Tennant’s final two-part episode as Doctor Who. Entitled “The End of Time”, It sees The Doctor being summoned to the planet of The Oood, who are having disturbing visions about the return of the evil Master (John Simm) and events which could bring about the end of time itself.

Meanwhile there are those who are determined to bring The Master back to life at any cost (hmmm that’s probably not a good idea) and a Billionaire named Naismith has also acquired an alien device known as The Immortality Gate, which has the power to make people immortal & undo damage on whole planets. He wants The Master’s help to get it working again, needless to say the Master co-operates with the intention of using it for his own evil purposes

Back on Earth Wilfred (Bernard Cribbins) somehow knows something sinister is about to happen and is desperately searching for the Doctor to seeks his help, hoping he will save the human race and stop whatever is going on before it is too late…

The Festive Season has meant that many of Aardman’s wonderful animations have recently had a welcome repeat on Television and being a big fan, I have decided to watch them all again, so far I have seen:

Flushed Away
Curse of the Were Rabbit
Chicken Run
Grand Day Out
The Wrong Trousers
A Close Shave
Matter of Loaf & Death
Cracking Contraptions
Shaun the Sheep

Using an awesome collection of archive photographs which show how things really were & a treasure trove of memories from someone who was there and remembers it well, this is a nostalgic look at Britain’s Railways through the eyes of a chap whose boyhood dream it was to become an Engine Driver, but who was sadly denied due to medical reasons.

In the book he reminisces about his experiences of growing up with steam, getting his first job on the railway as a junior Porter and gradually working his way up until he becomes part of the senior management at the station nineteen years later, and goes right up to the point where steam is phased out in the 1960’s to make way for the then-government’s rather hastily thought out and executed plan of Modernisation & Dieselisation on Britain’s railways

‘Bless me Father, for I have sinned. I have been with a loose girl’.

The priest asks, ‘Is that you, little Joey Pagano ?’

‘Yes, Father, it is.’

‘And who was the girl you were with?’

‘I can’t tell you, Father, I don’t want to ruin her reputation’.

Well, Joey, I’m sure to find out her name sooner or later so you may as well tell me now. Was it Tina Minetti?’

‘I cannot say.’

‘Was it Teresa Mazzarelli?’

‘I’ll never tell.’

‘Was it Nina Capelli?’

‘I’m sorry, but I cannot name her.’

‘Was it Cathy Piriano?’

‘My lips are sealed.’

‘Was it Rosa DiAngelo, then?’

‘Please, Father, I cannot tell you.’

The priest sighs in frustration. ‘You’re very tight lipped,

and I admire that. But you’ve sinned and have to atone. You cannot be an altar boy now for 4 months. Now you go and behave yourself.’

Joey walks back to his pew, and his friend Franco slides over and whispers, ‘What’d you get?’

‘Four months vacation and five good leads’

Featuring some wonderful photographs, this is A Nostalgic and fascinating book which looks at the glorious heritage of lost railway lines in Britain using archive photos to illustrate the way things used to be aswell as accounts from those who worked on the railways and photos of how the area looks now.

The book is divided into these chapters Southern England, Wales, Central England, East Anglia, Northern England & Scotland. Each chapter looks at subjects such as Lost Routes, Lost Stations, Railway Works, Tunnels Bridges & Viaducts, Signalling, Lost liveries, Excursions, Engine Sheds, Repairs, lost Narrow Gauge Railways, Nameplates & Goods, on each of the railways.

The books also looks at the reasons why the closures were made and what became of the various structures afterwards and is a fascinating and nostalgic look back at a certain period of time, which is brought vividly to life through the means of words & photographs.

Fragrant Jingle Bells
Twelve fragrant days of Christmas
South Park -Mr Hankey
Shakin Stevens Merry Christmas Everyone
Mud – It’ll be Christmas this Christmas
Slade – Merry Christmas Everybody

In Dulci Jubiloby Mike Oldfield
Thank God its Christmas by Queen
Wombling Merry Christmas by The Wombles
Mariah Carey- All I Want for Christmas
The Cavalry by Jona Lewie
Slade – Merry Christmas Everybody

As it is the Festive Season I thought I would post my favourite Christmas songs, I will add more later

Wonderful Christmastime by Wings.
Driving home for Christmas by Chris Rea
Wish it could be christmas everyday by Roy Wood & Wizzard
‘Happy Xmas, War Is Over’ by John Lennon
‘Fairytale of New York’ by The Pogues & Kirsty McColl