Is anybody else finding shop assistants especially delightful this year? Like everybody else, I've been struggling against the crowds in the shops this last week. Then I get to the check-out and the workers are so calm and friendly. I'm amazed and impressed. Restores your faith in your fellow citizens.
I don't envy them their job.Having to put up with the demands and rudeness of all the self obsessed people that are about these days.
And they'll probably be out of work after Xmas.
When I was a student I had jobs in various shops over a number of years, and I know the pressures and how you have to smile when dealing with pains in the arse, but this year I feel the staff are exceptional in their friendliness. They seem to have an endless flow of good humour and witiness.
Well, that's Christmas Day and Boxing Day over for another year.
My long-term partner upped sticks about five years ago and that was very much a mixed blessing because on the one hand, it meant I had to iron my own shirts but on the other hand it meant I didn't have to spend another Christmas Day with her family.
Swings and roundabouts, as they say.
Anyway, my only female company in the last five years has been a cat who adopted us about 20 years ago.
On Christmas morning, I woke up with what felt like a cold (apart from the runny nose) so it wasn't a great start to the day.
Things got decidedly worse, however, when I came downstairs and found the poor cat had shuffled off this mortal coil.
I was almost inspired to write a song before I remembered Gilbert O'Sullivan had beaten me to it.
Sorry to hear about your cat.
Thanks for your condolences, folks. 
Quote: Briosaid @ 23rd December 2019, 11:00 PMWhen I was a student I had jobs in various shops over a number of years, and I know the pressures and how you have to smile when dealing with pains in the arse, but this year I feel the staff are exceptional in their friendliness. They seem to have an endless flow of good humour and witiness.
That's because of Brexit.
Sorry to hear about the cat, Rood.
Quote: BTF @ 29th December 2019, 1:02 AMSorry to hear about the cat, Rood.
Thanks, BTF.
You probably know Mark Twain travelled quite a lot during his career as a writer but did you know he was so fond of cats that, whenever he was away from home for an extended period, rather than be "catless" during his time away from his own domestic felines, he would hire cats to live with him wherever he stayed?
Not only would he pay an appropriate rental fee to the owners of the borrowed cats but, before moving on or returning home, he would leave additional money with the owners sufficient to ensure that the cats never wanted for anything for the rest of their lives.
A nice guy!
Sorry for your loss Rood but it sounds like an ending to a long and contented life. I don't think any cat could ask for more than that if they could speak. Not including the Cat from Red Dwarf for obvious reasons.
This year my bro's crib welcomed their first pet in the form of a tiny black kitten for my niece. She was very nervous but was still playing and will soon settle in to a life of Riley I'm sure. I stroked her a few times without trying to pick her up and she seemed to notice the second time and gave my hand a sniff before darting off.
Cheers Tarby.
Yes sorry to hear about your Cat
Sounds like they had a nice long innings and passed peacefully anyway,
Thanks, Steve.
Many years ago, my partner and I used to have a roast chicken every Sunday evening and I had the bright idea of putting the carcass out on the back lawn to see if I could attract something interesting like a badger or fox.
Sure enough, every week the carcass would disappear shortly after I put it out on the lawn but whatever was taking it was, rather annoyingly, doing so when I wasn't peeping out of the window.
Eventually, however, my persistence paid off and one evening I was watching the carcass sitting on the lawn when, suddenly, from behind the garage came a cat.
It moved suddenly and swiftly and very much in the style of cats that one often sees in cartoons - its body almost hugging the ground, very little discernible leg movement and generally travelling as if it were on casters!
It darted out, picked up the chicken carcass in one bite and darted swiftly back to wherever it had come from behind the garage.
Oh well, it wasn't an exotic visitor like a fox or a badger but, on the positive side, she did become a little friend who remained for a long time. I honestly cannot remember how long she was with me but I'd be very surprised it wasn't 20 years - and she was an adult when she first arrived!
And a good 2020 to all of you, and let's hear it for CATS, whom I always love.