Sunday, December 25, 2011

Peace And Goodwill To Almost Everyone

BUNYIPS from all over are converging on the Billabong today -- except for Young Master Bunyip, who arrived last night and poured rather too much enthusiasm into celebrating the miracle that is fermentation. The scamp remains prone, more out of his bed than in it, moaning softly and evincing no interest whatsoever in a loving father's offer to whip up a large serve of bacon, eggs and fried bread. Indeed, the mere mention of food just inspired a series of bizarre noises which a medical man might identify as being very close to retching.

Let him steep in the toxic legacy of his solitary revels. It is Christmas, goodwill prevails and it will be much easier to prepare the evening's Christmas feast if he remains out of the way for the next few hours. Precious little sentimentality yet clings to the Professor's jaded heart, but Christmas fans what is left into a  bonfire. Is there a better day than this? Not at the Billabong, where three generations will stuff themselves rotten. The nieces will be explaining Angry Birds to Grandpater Bunyip, who will want to know why they are so upset. Grandma Bunyip will be protesting the vast quantities of food and keeping a keen eye for too much garlic going into the spinach pie. And tonight, atop the pleasure of family, numerous old friends will arrive to help empty the cellar.

From the other side of the fence comes a dreadful, inept racket. The neighbour's kid, a bright and polite lad of 12, has evidently found an electric guitar in his stocking and is now playing Sweet Child Of Mine, which is winning. Further off, you can hear delight in smaller voices and the odd adult shout of caution. New Bicycles? Whatever the amusement, the laughter is contagious. Sitting on the porch, coffee steaming, the ground drying after a dawn shower and with a wattle bird shrieking that the cat is on the prowl, it's a perfect moment.

Enough! There is work to be done. Tasty animals, lamb and turkey, need to be prepared, and the vegetarians -- every family has them -- must have their hunza pies and eggplant parmas knocked into shape. So it's back to the kitchen and the steaming pots.

But before hauling bird from brine, a word of thanks to all this little blog's readers and commenters. May your Christmas serve as a reminder that, annoying as they might be and often are, it is family and those who love us who matter most of all.

Merry Christmas to all. God bless us every one!

17 comments:

  1. Merry Christmas to The Bunyip and his family, and many many thanks for all the posts. Looking forward to more next year!

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  2. A very merry Christmas to you and yours, Stanley (?). None of this happy holidays nonsense! And thanks for your comeback and elegant commentaries.

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  3. And a very merry Christmas to you and your menagerie at the billabong professor.Looking forward to your wit and wisdom in the new year.

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  4. Well put, Bunyip.

    I think that's what our PM was trying to say with, "At Christmas, for at least one day, we can all live the life we'd most like to live, a life of loving kindness for those we care about most."

    Merry Christmas to all at the Billabong.

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  5. More power to your pen prof!! Have a great day!

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  6. Good on you Professor. You've had yet another successful year and your fans look forward to reading your thoughts next year. May your golf scores reduce as much as Julia's approval rating and Collingwood play the entire four quarters next year.

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  7. Thank you wise and benevolent Bunyip. And a very merry Christmas to you and the rest of the Bunyip bunch, too.

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  8. Here's another commenter who looks forward to new posts from the Billabong and quietly admires your mastery of both language and reasoning.

    Merry Christmas to you and yours.

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  9. We have celebrated all of the above, plus the return of yourself to the blogosphere, and come through without mishap so far!
    Now if only those radio people could resist playing that damned John Lennon christmas song with its anachronistic "and a new one just begun" when it hasn't yet, plus the banshee wailings of Yoko at every chorus.
    Blogstrop

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  10. Best wishes to you and yours, Prof. And thank you so much for the entertainment and illumination you provide so eloquently.

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  11. Merry Christmas Bunyip. I will be waiting with eager anticipation your new post solstice epistles.Remember 2012 is the year of the zombie apocalypse so have a shotgun handy.May the billabong remain cool and comforting.Keep up the great work!!

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  12. Pocket Guide For 2012

    1. Addressing the water.
    2. Presentation of the Fly
    3. The Take
    4. The Strike
    5. Expletives (Deleted)

    May you sink many barbs in the New Year Prof. but reserve your best and sharpest, not for fish, but for hypocrites, dissemblers and mountebanks.

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  13. Merry Christmas and happy Boxing day Bunyip, hope you all had a great day.

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  14. Merry Christmas and a Happpy New Year Professor. Thank you for the blog. You are always the first on my list of blogs that has to be read followed by Catallaxy files, followed by Andrew Bolt's, followed by Gerald Henderson's. I am looking forward to more of your wisdom in the New year.

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  15. Merry Xmas and New Year to you Professor and best wishes for your and your family's health. One of the things I can look forward to is your writing on this blog it's a daily must reed.

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  16. All the best Prof. I particularly liked the term caring-industrial complex you used today.
    Maintain the Logic!

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