Tired of snow ...

 Poor Santa Claus.  With temperatures at their now normal minus eleven degrees Celsius there wasn't a child in sight at the Victoria Centre.  Indeed, there were very few adults either ... can you believe it? On the eve of Christmas Eve the shops were practically empty and the restaurants deserted?  

Economically these are tough times and with the inconvenience of the snow and ice the pre-Christmas buying spree just isn't happening. 

 The decorations at the Victoria Centre are attractive.

 But you can see how empty the place is at seven o'clock in the evening.  This is a time when you'd expect it to be buzzing but with an icy wind cutting through the walkways there were very few standing around. 

 Even in the streets around the centre there weren't the usual crowds. 

 And the ice and snow covered installation was totally empty!

 The main tree is too tall to get a proper picture.

 There's not a lot more to say about my visit to see the lights!  Apart from something to eat I did not buy a single thing!

 The Belfast City Hall is, as always, beautifully lit and the trees around it are covered in attractive blue lights.

Altogether my wee excursion took a couple of hours.  But it was bitterly cold.  The same kind of sensation you get when you eat really cold ice cream too quickly!  Even the bus home felt chilly - and that's unusual.
However the rectory is warm - I'm still trying to defrost the pipes without any noticeable success!  But many others are much worse off ... one lady today ... in her 99th year ... has a frozen mains pipe and so her supply of water is seriously affected.  Story after story of frozen pipes and broken down heating make me appreciate all that I do have.  Inconvenience though not hardship.
I did have to smile in one place when one person asked me, "How do you know your pipes are frozen?"
All I could think to say was, "There's no water when you turn on the tap!"
I'm wondering - how else would you know?
What concerns me more is whether there is damage to the pipes - and that we won't know until the thaw ... though that sounds like a while away yet!
Meanwhile the preparations continue towards the celebration of the incarnation.  Every time I read the Gospel as I celebrate Holy Communion these days I'm struck afresh with the phrase "God with us" and am filled with praise at the incredible love of God for humanity.

O come, Desire of Nations, bring
all peoples to their Saviour King;
thou Corner-stone, who makest one,
complete in us thy work begun.
     Rejoice!  Rejoice!
     Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. 

Church Hymnal number 135

Advent Antiphons.