Christmas tree
Originally uploaded by Greygriffin.

Michael came round and helped Eve decorate our Christmas tree, while I was working on icing the Christmas cake. Then we got out the ‘interesting’ beers and whiskies, and talked and talked and talked. We got out my copies of Robert Herrick’s Select Poems and Palgrave’s Golden Treasury and read a few poems together, Michael specializing in pronounding Burns’ Scottish poems.

I always enjoy reading poetry out loud: the challenge is to read the words so fluently that they sound completely natural, even if the language is that of 400 years ago. Back when I was studying Finnish a dozen years ago, we used to go to a bar after the Thursday evening lesson, and I’d always get out my copy of Palgrave’s Golden Treasury and pass it around for each to read a poem in turn. It was a lot of fun – I’m sure the others will still remember.

Mimosa
Originally uploaded by Greygriffin.

It’s traditionally bad luck to change a boat’s name; on the other hand, neither Eve nor I really like the name ‘Mimosa’, and as you can see it looks like the name’s letters (and grey dolphins!) were cut out by a previous owner’s child.

I think it would be nice to name our boat after one of the ancient Greek sea nymphs, the Oceanids and Nereids. Most of the names are pretty wierd by today’s tastes; two which seem suitable are Electra and Doris (Doris was a popular name in England around the start of the 20th century and sounds sort of old-fashioned; I had a great-aunt called Doris).