Merry Christmas! I hope your home is warm and filled with family and good cheer today. As I write this, it’s just past 6am, Dad is up before anyone because he was coughing (just a tickle but it won’t go away) and didn’t want to wake everyone up. I’ll catch up on my sleep today. Believe me.
We had a different Christmas eve, my daughter is working retail (and loving it!) so didn’t get home until a little later. Mrs. Lowetide has strict rules about when we can start Christmas Eve and she’s a stickler for 100 percent attendance. Bottom line: I didn’t get a chance to crack my first beer until after 7pm. I mean, the world has bigger problems but OH the humanity!
Let’s see. Ziggy is fine, she’s my pal but Mrs. Lowetide’s dog. Yesterday morning I was making a fuss over her (“you are such a good dog!”) and scratching behind her ears (she loves that) when Mom opened the bathroom door and the dog bolted to her double time. Man. You do and you do and you do for these doggos and this is the thanks you get! I kid of course, Ziggy is a wonderful companion. If you are looking for a sparky dog who will warn you about rabbits and leaves and give hell to your neighbour John for absolutely no reason, get a Shih Tzu Pom. Not a great listener, but a steady talker. Definitely belongs in this family.
Mrs. Lowetide is fine, she yells at the television a lot these days. Maybe next Christmas the world will be a better one. She used to run but broke her foot five years ago, and has taken up walking. This year she bought one of those step counter dealies and is driving me crazy. Apparently I’m motionless and my step counts are a tragedy. Hey, I used to walk to get the paper every morning! Not my fault Al Gore invented the internet. Anyway, she’s great, definitely could have married better but I’m glad she didn’t.
The kids are great, this year has seen both of them get a sense of direction about where they are going. Not sure they’ll land in the spot they’re aiming for but they are both on a journey and have found their passion. I always knew what I wanted to do, so it was difficult for me to watch both sample and then move on. I pushed a little, not much but some. Mrs. Lowetide says it’s not my life to live, but the dog says she agrees with me. I think.
Be well, be happy, visit, hug, eat too much and stay up too late. Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead. Merry Christmas!
London Jon,
Thanks London Jon!
In Edinburgh for a few days and then onto Paris for a few & then back to London from 3-6 Jan. We are staying in St. James/Westminster.
Unfortunately we can’t handle spicy, but we are open to everything else…
New for The Athletic: Oilers’ fleet centre prospect Ryan McLeod finding the range with the Bakersfield Condors
https://theathletic.com/1487256/2019/12/26/lowetide-oilers-fleet-centre-prospect-ryan-mcleod-finding-the-range-with-the-bakersfield-condors/
I have plenty – what kind of food to you like and where in London are you staying?
Wow!!!
That is absolutely fabulous.
Thanks so much.
I like the Rufus version but I think this one is my favorite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt2FWAbXinY
– Love the Christmas font. You chose a stunning font for Remembrance Day as well. Makes it special
– 10 years ago I was celebrating my first Christmas with with my first son. Now he doesn’t believe in Santa but his baby brother who is 6 months old he’s helping him learn the traditions he loves so much. Such a nice thing to see.
– Keep doing what you are doing LT: I appreciate this place a lot.
Nice find!
Cohen didn’t know it at the time, but that song was written for Jeff to sing and Jeff was born to sing that song. Two incredible talents, combining to create a masterpiece.
Professor Q,
There’s this: https://youtu.be/cuLmf7DMPPo
Merry Christmas LT and all of the posters on here.
I don’t really know much about the song, as a young one, though yes it was sad when Cohen passed.
The story of it is very intriguing (you spurred me to research it). Cohen wrote it, was told by Sony that it and Various Positions would not sell, was fine with that I think?
Didn’t garner much attention except from Bob Dylan, who loved it and covered it live. I’m not sure if he has a recorded version somewhere? That’d have been interesting to have heard.
Then, John Cale’s version, 7 years after release. Attention started forming.
Then, Jeff Buckley, the son of Cohen’s friend, Tim Buckley, had his version in 1994. I hadn’t heard of it before, nor have I heard any Buckley song before, but I instantly got why it was iconic and sprouted the popularity. Almost Super Saiyan Platinum?!
Cohen himself seemed to be really touched by the versions of Buckley and k. d. lang, and seemed to have really enjoyed when lang had sung it with Tim Buckley and himself present (was it at the Hall of Fame induction of Jeff?). I might have misunderstood what Cohen said in the interview though because Tim had died in 1975…
I have absolutely no idea who was present with him, then. He was talking about being good friends with Jeff’s dad then went to the k. d. lang version, so I’ll have to rewatch.
EDIT: Ha! It was an odd and quick pinwheel transition so it made it confusing. He was saying that HE (he said “I”) was in the room for k. d. lang’s performance at the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and was touched. But it transitioned so quickly from him talking about Tim Buckley, and “I” was cut off in a way that made it sound like “he”.
Thank you for the Christmas research project, and thank you for the wonderful community here. Cheers for a great time of joy and celebration, and Oilers success.
Yes, Sweden/Finland to be shown on TSN3.
11am tomorrow – excited!
First time in 5 years I’m in the hemisphere for the beginning of the tournament.
Sweden game is at the same time which is unfortunate – I assume TSN will be showing that game on one of their channels mind you.
I’d go with Rufus Wainwright…but it’s close.
I am partial to the Jeff Buckley version but they are all fabulous.
Have been listening to numerous versions over the past couple of hours.
An absolute classic.
The beginning of that song is perfect. It’s somber but the melody delights, and the lyrics call out amazing images:
Well I’ve heard there was a secret chord
That David played and it pleased the Lord
But you don’t really care for music, do you?
Well it goes like this:
The fourth, the fifth, the minor fall and the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah
“All I’ve ever learned from love was how to shoot somebody who outdrew ya”
Is there a better lyric in any song ever?
Lowetide Bar & Grille…
A favorite hangout since April 26th, 2015. Sure there are some who piss on the rug & others who yell: fire Holland. An eclectic group who could probably save the world with LT at the helm. The talk of liquor & food, math & hockey keep me interested but the stories & our interactions keep me amused. Hopefully the hockey team aspect catches up to unite us all except for maybe…
Merry Christmas all & especially you Allan.
Merry Christmas to all except Flames fans. Thanks Mr. Lowetide for having the best uncover therapeutic site on the net.
Merry Christmas all! Hope everyone is stuffed, a little drunk, and happy with family!
I always wondered what the view was like from Mt. Crumpet
Haha,
Merry Christmas Harpers!
Merry Christmas to Lowetide and everyone here. This place truly is the best neighbourhood pub going, sláinte!
Merry Christmas to all Lowetidians.
Those enjoying Christmas at home with Family and those in far away lands.
My best wishes to all those afflicted with ailments, whether of the spirit or of the body. May God deliver to you health, love, happiness, and a metaphoric rock hammer (that you might escape what ever is afflicting you)
Little known fact:
The visual joke of Andy’s rock hammer being tucked into the Bible right after the first page of the Book of Exodus came from the film’s prop master Tom Shaw.
The Book of Exodus…..get it 🙂
Best Wishes from my Family to Yours.
I can see snow on Mount Arrowsmith from my backyard…and am happy if it stays there.
Enjoy!
Looking forward to your review.
Best wishes to Lowetide and to all who hang out here.
I still think it was kicked in.
The better half gifted me with a bottle of Shelter Point, for which I think she owes a stick tap to either Sheps or HH or both. Just one more reason to love this place. Merry Christmas (/etc) to all on my favourite blog, especially our host!
Be kind to one another during the airing of grievances.
Merry Christmas to all, and godspeed you Oilers.
And Happy Festivus for the rest of ya!
May your poles be well-polished this season.
Mariusz Czerkawski to all Lowetidians.
I am grateful for LT for creating this great community. I’m also grateful to be back in the Great White North even though there is no snow on the Island.
#Go Oilers
Merry Christmas you bastards.
And Hannukah Sameach to Sheps and all the rest of the Red Sea Pedestrians lurking hereabouts.
I was really worried this year. I thought the blog was going to split in half… and like a cracked Christmas walnut, it would be impossible to be make it whole again.
LT made the right call by banning political talk… and saved us all.
Not that such things shouldn’t be discussed somewhere sometimes. But if things can grow to division and hate, even here where there’s a culture of respect and rational discourse, imagine how Effed we are in the real world.
We as humans need to be better… not in our politics or our policy choices… but in how we discuss such things in the forums where such discussion is appropriate. Polite discourse.
That’s my Xmas Wish this year. (I’ll save Lord Stan for next year).
Have a Happy and Healthy Holidays one and all. Love you guys.
Merry Christmas all.
I hope everyone has a great holiday with family and friends.
Merry christmas lowtide and fellow followers
I started reading this site a wandering single man and now have 3 kids.
Merry Christmas to Ziggy and everyone! Thanks Al for all the hard work you put into the site. God bless Oiler fans we need it!
MERRY CHRISTMAS LT & fellow Lowetiders from London.
Me and the wife (we got hitched a few weeks ago) are spending our honeymoon exploring London, Edinburgh and Paris over the next 2 weeks. Not bar/pub people, but if anyone has any food (non-spicy) or attraction suggestions, I am all ears.
Cheers!
MERRY CHRISTMAS fellow Lowetiders!
May 2020 come with Good Health and an Oilers playoff race!!
LT, your sincerety shines through in your annual Christmas Post. A humble Family man. Blessings to you and your family.
A very Merry Christmas
And a happy new year
Let’s hope it’s a good one
Without any fear
John Lennon knew not Oilers fans.
Merry Christmas and/ or Happy Holidays to all here.
You mean Woodguy’s dog?
Skinner was called back up to the Condors – not a great sign for Starrett. Really too bad – terrible timing for Starrett to have injury issues – there was a path for him.
My wife could have married better as well LT! Bless these women with questionable vision!
I hope you’re all with those who mean the world to you. I’m enjoying our first Christmas with our daughter (6 months a week ago). We just returned home to Victoria after a few months of studying in Nice, France.
I’m grateful for my family, my country, my friends, and this bloody blog. I don’t know how I could be an Oiler fan without this community. Merry Christmas to you all, even HH.
Merry Xmas to LT and this great community, or in the words of Todd 2.0:
Site is abject competence.
Never fire LT.
Merry xmas hopefully the Oilers got a well deserved break
Happy Yuletide Lowetide!
Happy Holidays everyone.
Merry Christmas/Happy holidays to you too LT, and to all the Lowetidians!
Blind Boys of Alabama is my Xmas music today, Go tell it to the Mountain.
Merry Christmas LT. Fantastic year of reading. Peace and Best Wishes to all the readers on this site. Fantastic community.