Chris Dowding - writer

Limerick's Christmas tree for 2009 has been widely touted as the tallest Christmas tree in all of Ireland. It is made of recycled steel from a couple of big construction projects, and sits on a floating pontoon in the Shannon River. Imagine the children's disappointment when they discover the tree lights cannot be turned on... because it has moved downstream, struck the Shannon Bridge and developed a 45 degree list. See the articles if you don't believe me:- http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/1121/1224259237463.html http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/Christmas-tree-crashes-into-Shannon.5845382.jp http://www.newstalk.ie/news/video-of-floating-christmas-tree-escaping-in-limerick/

We arrived in New York yesterday evening. We stayed at a hotel near the airport on the first night - there had been a snow blizzard the day before we arrived, so there has been snow everywhere. It caused a fair number of delays with planes and trains etc, so we were lucky we arrived after they'd cleared the runway of snow. But the snow looks great - we love it. Its very light and fluffly, at least until traffic has run over it - then its grey mush. We caught the subway (the 'A' as they call the particular line) into town this morning and moved to the hotel in Manhattan that Kerryn may have shown you on the list. It's basic, but its neat, clean and heated. When we go outside, Kerryn and I have been wearing thermal underware + clothes + jumper + jacket + scarf + gloves + beenie and have still been cold. Kerryn said I looked like 'a stupid elf' because of the way I'd arranged the beenie on my head. She pulled it down and folded the rim properly for me. We'v