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It will probably make me sound like some kind of Scrooge character – but, apart from my kids (and my dad this year who’s staying with us) generally I don’t buy Christmas presents. It seems like a total waste of money to me – and I’m more that a little tired of all the Christmas marketing that seems to start earlier and earlier each year. I tell people not to buy for me but some still do – but I insist if they must that they don’t spend much money.

Christmas has  just become so over-commercialized it’s beyond belief. It seems that people all over the world get themselves into financial difficulties because of the intense pressure to spend placed on them by stores and their own family as they feel the need to equal the spend of better off family members.

I also don’t buy into the ‘good will to all men thing’, why the hell can’t we be nice to each other all the time…? And just avoid the people we don’t get on with Christmas holidays or not… The religious aspect is meaningless to me – I’m an atheist – so do not feel the need to celebrate the birth of a fictional historical character. I loved Christmas when my kids were young, but now they are teenagers it’s lost it’s charm!

To tell you the truth I’m not sure what it means to me any more – perhaps all it is to me is a great meal, an excuse to close business down for a few days and take a break, and a bit of time to spend with family (the ones I like), and friends.

As I write this, people the world over buying things they can’t afford for people that in many cases neither need or want their gifts – getting themselves into financial difficulty – whilst elsewhere other people starve.

Christmas! What a load of crap…!!!!

Why not use the money to help people less fortunate than you instead…

Recently, I wrote a bit about Geoff Holt the quadriplegic sailor preparing to set out to be the first quadriplegic to sail the Atlantic unassisted. Well this morning he set out at 10am local time to do just that – and plans to arrive in Tortola in the British Virgin Islands in 17 days time. As well as the challenge of the expedition, this is a bit of an emotional journey for Geoff as it was in Tortola that Geoff had the accident that caused his disability in 1984.

We only met Geoff a couple of weeks ago – he’s a fantastic guy, great sense of humour, and has a warmth to him that leaves you feeling like you’ve known him for years…

Suffice it is to say that we wish Geoff and his team (personal assistant Susana and cameraman Digby) the best of luck and a safe journey across the pond!

If you’d like to know more about Geoff you can read his story in his book Walking on Water

I’ll admit it. I’m not the world’s greatest fisherman. Not by a long way. But I have to say I’m quite proud of this Garfish (88cm) I caught recently.

Having spent many an afternoon fishing for small bait fish and catching either nothing or very little, Sunday was no exception. I’d spend a couple of hours sat there watching my float bob up and down while small fish stole the bait.

Getting a bit tired of this I decided to just put on a bigger hook and more bait – not thinking I’d necessarily catch anything – but felt safe in the knowledge at least if there was a few pieces of bait on the hook I might at least not to have to be brining it in and casting it out every two or three minutes. First cast my float shot under the water within seconds – and I knew I had something half decent as soon as the line went taught.

It was a really fun fish to bring in. If you imagine a mini-swordfish jumping out of the water and throwing it’s head around in anger – that’s about the best way to describe it. Once I’d got it in, I didn’t know quite what to do with it – there was no way I was putting my fingers in that mouth! So – it was soon out of it’s misery and heading for the dinner table next day…