THE RUN UP TO THE HOLIDAYS …

… and they have come of a sudden this year with so much going on.  And what a year to look forward to, as Novello & Co. (with whom I signed this year) gradually start to promote works old and new.  I I have left a Christmas message to all friends in FaceBook, but I’ll repeat it here – with one change.  For my readers on this site you get an extra big present – see below.

Dear All,  As you may recall, two years ago I sent Higgs Bosuns as presents, to put the mass in Christmas.  Despite not sending any last year, several – I am told – turned up in Christmas Puddings.  I can assure you that the calorific content was not affected, though the normal lassitude following ingestion might have been.  Anyway, replies were, as always, gratifying, and I am glad that so many friends responded by drinking a quantum, thereby putting the particle in party.

So what to send this year?  Numerous organisations have proffered their wares to me in on-line catalogues: ‘unusual gifts for the discerning pedant’, ‘new analogue office tools including a range of retro pencils’, ‘unreadable books based on your previous purchases’ to name but a few; none of these hit the spot.

And that is what gave me the idea.  I am sending you all a dot (see below).  This dot is commodious enough to store a vast range of micro-organisms and will allow you to start your very own micro-zoo.  This could be the hobby for a lifetime, and has the great advantage over keeping larger living pets as it requires very little attention, once a safe place has been found for it.

I know several people squander their dots in off-the-cuff e-mail addresses, imagining that there is an inexhaustible supply.  But, please, save this special one for the purpose for which it was intended.  In the spirit of true giving, because a present means so much more when it is neatly wrapped, I have carefully packaged your dot for you in a pair of perfect parentheses.  And here it is:

With, as always, the best wishes you can possibly imagine, for the holidays and the New Year,  David