Howya.
I hope you had a nice Christmas. Mine was peaceful. Back home, we tend to say ’twas quiet. I really enjoyed Christmas Morning Melodies. It was nice of Caroline to pop into the studio for a chat on-air. I told you she’s fantastic. Thanks for the compliments. She was chuffed.
I’ve been chuckling away to myself in the last few days. Christmas usually means lots of live football. However, quite a few games have been postponed owing to players testing positive for covid, or the terrifying omicron variant.
Why have I been chuckling? Well, a few managers and players have expressed bewilderment at the cancellation of games and the isolation of the perfectly healthy. Aston Villa boss Steven Gerard tested positive and was confined to his home. His exasperated number two, Gary McAllister, speaking before Villa’s game against Chelsea proclaimed; “But there’s nothing wrong with him! He’s perfectly healthy!”
Indeed, Gary. Across the leagues, players and staff who tested positive over Christmas and were subsequently sent home to isolate, have been taking to social media to declare themselves fit and well.
The World Darts Championship kicked out several players (including all-time great Michael van Gerwen) after they tested positive. van Gerwen is shouting from the rooftops that he’s been robbed, as there’s nothing wrong with him of course. It’s farcical, isn’t it?
This lunacy is putting lives at risk. NHS hospital workers are testing themselves several times a week. It has resulted in thousands of healthy nurses and doctors isolating at home at the worst possible time.
Hospitals are at their busiest at this time of year. It’s flu season. Flu never disappeared. They renamed it covid-19. It’s Vaudeville isn’t it? Imagine, they actually got folks to believe that flu took a couple of years off?
Before covid came into our lives the NHS was short 20,000 doctors and around 40,000 nurses. Now they’re sending healthy staff home because they failed a poxy test. There’s no doubt in my mind that people are dying as a direct result of this folly.
This is worth remembering next week should Johnson and Javid tell you that the NHS is on its knees and it’s time for more restrictions.
Anyway! It’s my birthday today. I was born on New Years Eve 1974. The midwife took one look at me and gave my mother a slap. I’m 47 now. El Froggo Tremendo gave me a very impressive bottle of scotch in a beautifully engraved presentation box and some other lovely presents too.
The dogs gave me socks and then promptly ate them. They were nice socks too. Ah well.
By the way, I am back on Sunday January 9th with Sunday Morning Melodies, for those of you who listen to that show. The Richie Allen Show returns the following day, Monday January 10th.
I had planned on coming back this coming Tuesday, but Caroline, Jeananne and one or two others intervened and said no, that I need a decent break. They’re right of course. I did a three and a half month run up to December 23rd. I barely made it. It’s not easy producing, editing and presenting 10 hours of live radio a week, alone. I’m knackered and will be all the better for the extra few days break.
If you’re new to the show, I didn’t make a joke just there. I work alone. There is no team in I. It’s madness, but as we say back home, it’s a grand madness. I’m back on January for another three and a half month run. It’ll be mid-April before I take a Spring break. I need to be mentally ready for it.
Thank you for listening to The Richie Allen Show and Sunday Morning Melodies throughout 2021. It’s been my privilege to produce the shows. To those of you who support it financially, thank you. Thanks also to everyone who came on the show during the year.
What will 2022 bring? Who knows? All I can say is that we’ll face it together. When it’s getting on top of you, remember that there’s always your Richie Allen Show Monday to Thursday at 5pm.
I’m off now to enjoy what’s left of my birthday. After all, you’re only 47 once.
Happy New Year to you and yours. Speak in just over a week’s time.
Richie
