Singing Christmas Tree

I am in England spending Christmas with my family for the first time in three years. I am very happy to be back spending a Christmas at home with the family and cats. However, in an excess of festive exuberance my mother, usually a woman of good taste, has spent actual money on a dancing Christmas tree. This tree sings and dances to "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree". When the tree sang for the first time the cat got frightened and ran away. Seemingly his tiny cat brain struggled to understand the anthropomorphism. Me too, for that matter.
In this time of recession please support the economy by buying Christmas tat like Mrs Singing Christmas tree here regardless of its utility. Merry Christmas, everyone.

Thanksgiving

Using the same clumsy titling system that I use my brother could call himself An Englishman in the USA. Wisely, he has chosen Ted in Texas instead. My brother and his wife generously hosted a thanksgiving for 13. I made the trip from Japan and my sister and parents managed the trip from England.
We ate deep fried turkey as cooked in the massive turkey fryer pictured. American cuisine and southern cooking in particular is often mocked and I have been as guilty as anyone of dismissing its virtues. I therefore now make the point of saying the food I ate during my stay in the USA was outstanding and on a par with anything Japan can produce. I enjoyed a wide range of food, from breakfast pancakes at a 50's style diner to New England style clam chowder and salt lick barbecue. All of which were delicious and of course much larger portions and much more fattening than the Japanese food I have become accustomed to. However, pride of place is taken by the deep fried turkey. Cooked in a vat so big that the oil used to cook it cost more than the turkey itself, deep frying it meant it only took 40 minutes to cook and retained it's moisture.
And so, in the great state of Texas, over a thanksgiving meal of deep fried turkey cooked by my brother and his wife I caught up with my family after more than a year apart and met some new American members of my extended family. And that is what I am thankful for.