Mum not so good today. She had a hypo last night and is back on a drip and was on oxygen. Her wound opened again and now has a bigger plaster. Maybe a wee stitch would be better?

Guess what carol each bit of gobbledygook refers to.

1) Move hitherward the entire assembly of those who are loyal in their beliefs.
2) Nocturnal time span of unbroken quietness.
3) An emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good given to the terrestrial sphere.
4) Embellish the interior passageways.
5) Diminutive masculine master of skin-covered percussionistic cylinders.
6) Omnipotent Supreme Being who elicits respite to ecstatic distinguished males.
7) The first person nominative plural of a triumvirate of near eastern heads of state.
8) Tintinnabulation of vacillating pendulums in inverted, metallic, resonant cups.
9) In a distant location, the existence of an improvised unit of newborn children's slumber furniture.
10) Proceed forth, declaring upon a specific geological alpine formation.
11) Obese personification fabricated of compressed mounds of minute crystals.
12) Jovial yuletide desired for the second person singular or plural, by us.

Answers:
1) O Come, All Ye Faithful
2) Silent Night, Holy Night
3) Joy To The World
4) Deck the Halls
5) Little Drummer Boy
6) God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
7) We Three Kings
8) Silver Bells
9) Away in a Manger
10) Go Tell It On The Mountain
11) Frosty the Snowman
12) We Wish You a Merry Christmas

...is improving slowly apart from ripping her wound open and having to get a plaster for it. A plaster?! She is very weak and can't walk without the zimmer. It seems funny to see your mum like an old lady shuffling along. And I won't go into the effect the surgery has had on her bowel...!

The doctors have been complaining that she is not eating. The reason is that the food is awful and stone cold. Not much she can do about that.

...is improving slowly apart from ripping her wound open and having to get a plaster for it. A plaster?! She is very weak and can't walk without the zimmer. It seems funny to see your mum like an old lady shuffling along. And I won't go into the effect the surgery has had on her bowel...!

Can anyone tell me why Desert Island Discs is not available as Listen Again on the Radio 4 website?

I only caught the end of this morning's programme and it was John Rutter and I heard him saying he was a "sort of agnostic". How can you write religious music and not believe?

Mum not so good today but that might be because they have taken her off the insulin pump and forgotten to give her any manually. They also forgot to put her oxygen back on last night so she did without it all night. Oh for the luxury of one-to-one nursing in ICU!

Still no results back.

We kept the Feast of the Massacre of the Innocents this morning at St C's. It was delightful that we were joined by little Adrian (under 2) for the service. But we tried to cover his ears for the readings. I hope he isn't kept awake with nightmares.

A survey showed that people who attend church are less likely to suffer from depression. "The higher the worship frequency, the lower the odds of depression and mania," says researcher Dr Marilyn Baetz, of the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, who carried out the study.

Hmmm. I wonder if they included clergy in that survey!

Yesterday mum was moved on to a 'normal' ward so we are really pleased that she seems to have finally turned that corner. She is still very weak and tired but that determination is lurking underneath. Still on oxygen and blood sugar playing up but now she is eating a little so hopefully that will sort itself out.

We hope to get results back on Thursday, but the doctor yesterday implied that her heart is still a concern.

Found mum much improved today. Oxygen by nose prongs and able to concentrate a bit better and talk some. She was moved to another High Dependency Unit while we were there so that feels like a step in the right direction. She overheard the nurses at handover saying she has cancer so asked if that was true. The nurse also told us that she had a lot more taken away than we first thought so I think we need to speak to a doctor again. She seemed okay about the cancer though - just wanted to know what it is. Good sign that she is asking questions.

Readers of my blog will know that there is a moose loose aboot this hoose. A moose that likes Jaffa cakes. Every morning there is evidence that it has been scampering around my kitchen seeking what it can devour, stedfast in its search.

Loathe as I am to kill the little critter with poison or traps, I fear that now I have no choice. Last night we found evidence that it had been feasting on a scented candle (Christmas scent).

I have heard that there is a thing you can plug in to the wall which emits a sonic sound or something which causes rodents and creepy-crawlies to head to the hills with a sore head and a ringing in their ears. I shall order one today and see if it works or not.

Pity I'm allergic to cats or I could get Tilly to visit.

Mum had another bad night and her oxygen levels dropped dangerously low. The doctors had to find arterial access but were unable to for some time. It seems to have been a dangerous time, but she has pulled through again. However they have now had to put her on a stronger mask which makes her look like the elephant man and she cannot speak through it. But she was sitting up with her eyes open this afternoon and able to smile a bit.

Hard to open the old eyes this morning when the alarm went off, but I'm up and raring to go now for the last part of the marathon that is Christmass in a corner of West Lothian.

Two lovely services last night with only a few complaints that I hadn't offered my usual Christmass joke. Have promised to remedy that next week. Any suggestions?

This morning we have a baptism at St P's so are expecting a full house. We are all bringing our presents in to have them blessed. I am wearing my new crystal sparkly earrings, my Angel perfume, and will take my DVD of the Sound of Music with singalong disc to show.

Then it's off to hospital to bring good cheer to one and all. My face is starting to hurt from all this smiling!:D

Merry Christmass to one and all
and may the Christ Child bless you this year.

We had our first little crib service for wee ones this afternoon at St C's and it was wonderful. Over 40 adults (many of whom were strangers to us) and about 15 children gathered round the crib and we listened to the story and sang a few carols. Then we handed out Christingles which were lit and we told the story of them and sang "It's rounded like an orange." One wee boy said plaintively that he wanted to sing Rudolph the Red-nosed reindeer so we did, very softly, and he was pleased.

Children went away calm and ready for Christmas. Adults went away with a sense of the spirit of the season. Perfect!

Didn't get in to see mum today but Son No 2 did and she was unable to speak at all, except to say "I love you." Fluid is gathering and she is very poorly.

8th Antiphon 24 December O Virgene

O Virgin of Virgins, how shall this be?
For before you was none like you, nor shall there be after:
Daughters of Jerusalem, why do you marvel at me?
That which you behold is a divine mystery.

This eighth antiphon was provided by a Franciscan friend who says her house use it happily. It seems to me appropriate to remember the Theotokos in this way.

These antiphons came from Kenneth Leech via the Magdalen House of the Rivendell Community

Saw mum this afternoon and she has gone downhill. She appears very vacant and uncommunicative and they are not sure why. It could be the painkillers so they have stopped them. Or it could be a TIA (wee stroke) or something more sinister. Her blood sugar took a leap as well this morning but they have sorted it out.

Spoke to the Consultant and all he could say was that it was cancer and that we'd have to wait a week to find out any more on that. He also said her other problems mean that she is by no means out of the woods yet. She appears to be heading for a chest infection too.

Keep praying.

7th Antiphon O Emmanuel 23 December

O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver,
the Hope of all peoples and their Salvation:
Come and save us, O Lord our God.

"Emm-anu-el" is Hebrew for "with-us-God," and can be
translated, "God is with us," or simply, "God with us." Matthew (1:23), quoting Isaiah (7:14), proclaims Jesus as the promised Deliverer, and as God with us, God in our midst, the Word made flesh and dwelling among us. Thanks be to God.

This blog thing is fine for dopes like me who can't design their own. My only issue is that the designs are all pretty boring or so garish you can't read the text clearly. They have just come up with some news ones but still no purple. Bah! So I thought I'd go for something Christmassy instead.

Took some time out today to go and get my Christmass haircut. Also decided to let them do the colour this time because I couldnt be bothered going through the whole rigmarole. Purple, I asked for. Or at the very least - plum. What did I get? Ginger. Now I shall have to wear a hat until after Christmass when I have time to re-do it purple. I have nothing to wear that matches ginger. This is not good.

Even my mother in the depths of her morphine haze noticed it. She is improving slightly, by the way, and is on to oxygen up her nose instead of the noisy mask. Still in HDU though.

6th Antiphon O Rex gentium 22 December

O King of the nations, and their Desire,
the cornerstone making us both one:
Come and save the creature whom you have formed from
clay.

God is in Christ, reconciling the world to himself (2 Corinthians 5:19 and Colossians 1:20), and breaking down the ancient hostility between Jew and Gentile, between one nation and another, between one person and another, making of us one building with himself as the cornerstone, one body with himself as the head.

Caught up with the Archers today and then continued listening to the afternoon play. It was excellent and very funny. You too can probably catch it again on their website and I recommend you do. Everything you ever wanted to know about the life of St Nick, and listen out for a Scottish St Francis.

The True and Inspirational Life of St Nicholas, by Caroline and David Stafford. A travelling show performs a knock-about version of the story of Santa Claus, in front of a street audience.

...continues to improve and may even go to a ward later today.

The power of prayer indeed.

What a lovely Nativity we had last night at St P's. Bruce stood in for me as God and made a jolly good job of it too. Harry was a hilarious inept angel. Paul was a masterful narrator. Gordon was the best donkey I've ever seen with a very scary bray.

But it was the children who stole the show. Mary and Joseph were humble and meek; the shepherds were adoring; the wise men were loud and commanding; and the angels who delivered the baby Jesus stole the show. Even if one of them did burst into tears at the enormity of it all. And the other fell off the step and I'm sure I heard God quip "Oh its a fallen angel!"

Thanks to Judy for producing the show and writing the hilarious script (in rhymne of course, this is Linlithgow after all!), and to John for doing the lighting. And I want a big star projected onto the wall of the sanctuary every week please!

5th Antiphon O Oriens 21 December

O Dayspring, Brightness of the Light Eternal
and Sun of Righteousness:
Come and enlighten those who sit in darkness
and the shadow of death.

In the last chapter of the Hebrew Scriptures is the prophecy of the Day when the Lord shall be revealed, a consuming fire to those who reject him, but to his own people a Sun whose rays bring light and healing and wholeness. Echoing it are the words of the father of John the Baptist (Luke 1:78-79), the last Messianic prophecy, the last inspired utterance before the birth of Christ.

It seems easier to post news of my mum's health on this blog and thus save me phoning and emailing all friends who have been kind enough to keep us in their prayers.

After emergency surgery to remove a blockage from the bowel, mum is now in intensive care at the Western General. These first few days are critical because of her heart failure and the risk of fluid building up and her heart not being able to cope. Yesterday morning was not good and her oxygen levels dropped to 83 but by last night she had perked up a bit and was talking more sense!

She asked if it was cancer and I said it might be. The hospital policy is not to say anything until they have got histology back. But one doctor has told me that it is cancer but they don't know whether it is ovarian or intestinal. Chemo is not an option though because of her heart.

We are taking each day as it comes.

4th Antiphon O Clavis David 20 December

O Key of David and Sceptre of the house of Israel,
you open and none can shut,
you shut and none can open:
Come and bring the captives out of the prison house:
those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.

The reference is to Isaiah 22:22 and Revelation 3:7. Though the earthly fortunes of the dynasty of David and of the Jewish people may rise or fall, God is the Lord of history, and nothing can prevent the fulfilment of his purposes.

December 18 1661 - Many Scottish historical records were lost when the ship Elizabeth of Burntisland sank off the English coast. The records had been taken to London by Oliver Cromwell and were being returned to Edinburgh.

December 18 1780 - Society of Antiquaries founded.

December 18 1870 - Birth of Hector Munro. He wrote short stories under the pseudonym "Saki".

December 18 1969 - Death penalty for murder was formally abolished in Britain.

December 19 1904 - The "Scotsman" newspaper moves to new offices at North Bridge in Edinburgh, remaining there until 1999.

December 20 1560 - First General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

December 21 1846 - Robert Liston, who was born in Linlithgow in 1794, performed the first operation in a British hospital using anaesthetic(ether).

December 21 1988 - Pan Am 747 blew up and crashed at Lockerbie, Dumfries, killing 243 passengers, 16 crew and 11 Lockerbie residents.

December 22 1715 - James Stuart, the Old Pretender, arrived at Peterhead. He stayed for only a few weeks.

December 22 1965 - Maximum speed limit of 70mph was imposed on all roads unless a lower limit was in place.

December 22 2000 - Pop mega-star Madonna married movie-producer Guy Ritchie at Skibo Castle, putting Dornoch into the media spotlight.

December 24 1165 - King William I (Lion) crowned at Scone.

December 24 1650 - Edinburgh castle surrendered to Oliver Cromwell.

December 24 1856 - Writer and geologist Hugh Miller died.

December 24 2004 - Priest in Charge Ruth Innes fell backwards off the altar step at St Peter's Linlithgow just before the service was to begin and hit her head off a pillar, requiring 8 staples without the help of any anaesthetic. What an old pro!

3rd Antiphon O Radix Jesse 19 December

O Root of Jesse, you stand as a sign to the peoples;
before you kings will shut their mouths
and nations bow in worship:
Come and deliver us, and tarry not.

Jesse is the father of David the King. God took David from his father's house, and made him King of Israel, and made the kingship of David an earthly symbol of the Kingdom of Christ. The antiphon refers to Isaiah 11:1,12 and 52:13-53:12.

2nd Antiphon O Adonai 18 December
O Adonai, and Leader of the house of Israel,
you revealed yourself in the bush to Moses in a flame of fire,
and gave him the law on Sinai:
Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm.

"Adonai" is the Hebrew word for "Lord," and is traditionally used in place of the Great Name of God, revealed to Moses out of the burning bush. Christ is the Lord who delivered the Israelites out of bondage (Exodus 3) and made them a people for himself.

Please pray for my mum who will be operated upon today is she is strong enough. There is a blockage in her bowel which I believe is quite serious. But she also has heart failure so it's even more risky.

And pray for the surgeons and staff in the Western General hospital who have been superb in their care.

Oh no! There's a moose loose aboot this hoose!

A noise woke me last night, but I decided not to explore. Turns out it was an opened box of Jaffa cakes falling to the floor. (In my defence, I didn't know it was opened - thank you Son No 2.)

But as I cast my eyes around the kitchen this morning I see there is evidence in the form of little black 'things' scattered here and there. And on my dining table too which had not a crumb but some wrapping paper.

Oh no! I have just found a half-eaten Jaffa cake in the corner of the downstairs loo. Maybe the packet wasnt half-eaten by my son after all. Maybe the mice have been at it for days munching their way through the lot.

Just what I need. Jaffa cake loving mice.

1st Antiphon O Sapientia 17 December

O Wisdom, you came forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from one end of the earth to the other, mightily and sweetly ordering all things:
Come and teach us the way of prudence.

Christ is the Word and Wisdom of God (John 1:1, associated by early Christian commentators with Proverbs 8:1, 22-31), existing with the Father and the Spirit from all eternity, through whom all things were made.

Went to the local garden centre because I'd been told they had a purple Christmas tree. They did and pretty spectacular it was too. Actually it was lilac and rather chic with white baubles. Mind you, it is a fine line between chic and tacky. I went for chic - but then I would. However, it didn't appear to be for sale so I just adored from a distance.

The other thing which caught my eye was the plethora of village scenes which light up with fibre optics, play music, move skaters round a pond or a train round the village. There were loads of them. Why would people want a village inside their house?

And not a nativity scene in sight. Not even a fibre optic one. I know, because I looked. Very hard. Now that would be something.