Christmas Eve

This evening midnight Mass is being broadcast live from the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King in Liverpool. When I walked up there this morning I expected the place to be a cacophony of noise, hustle and bustle as technicians, riggers, cameramen and directors made their preparations.

Image how pleased I was to find quite the opposite. Apart from some cameras and booms all neatly cordoned off and stacked at the back of the church the place was an oasis of calm and peace. At times during my visit I was the only person there in that wonderful space, but I never felt alone.

The strong sun shone through the stained glass and cast a beautiful blue light on the plain but beautifully embroidered altar cloth which bore the legend - Glory To God, Peace On Earth.

The streets outside the cathedral were covered in treacherous frozen, hard packed snow and half way down Mount Pleasant my feet went from under me and I was thrown into the air where I performed a triple salco with back pike and twist and just to increase the degree of difficulty I threw in a 180 degree turn for good measure. I am sure that the most supple and flexible blipper,breathe, baby, breathe would have been most impressed.

Last time I remember flying so high was in a football match in Primary 7 when I was on the receiving end of a tackle from wee Bobby McDade who was always hard but fair, if uncompromising. At 10 his stubble was so thick he had a permanent three day shadow.

Luckily there was no one else around to witness my fall from grace. So apart from a dent to my spectacle case, and a smaller dent to my pride I have come to no lasting harm and, dear blipper, you will be pleased to know that no camera equipment was damaged in the making of this blip.