Dateline Monday 8th December 2025

Good Monday morning I hope all is well with you and yours. Welcome to the penultimate Monday morning e mail from me at MM and Company for 2025.

Yikees it’s getting nearer and nearer, the big day is on its way and there is no stopping it not that anyone would want to stop it, as the song says  it’s the most wonderful time of the year

The Waitrose puff pastry mince pies are awesome, perfect with an espresso or two, on the packaging it says” better when heated” OMG they are dead right, normally I can’t be bothered to turn the oven on wait for it to warm up then put the one single mince pie in the oven for five or seven minutes but I tried it on Saturday afternoon, I have to tell you cold puff pastry mince pies are great hot ones are AWWSOME .

I just do not get people’s stupidity, some bloke decides to pepper spray innocent travellers at London Heathrow Terminal Three, the place is swarming with police and security, he is very quickly nicked and chucked into a Police van sadly people needed hospital treatment, flights were delayed, other passengers were anxious and what did he achieve what was the message he wanted out get out there who knows? Same as the twits that threw apple crumble and custard or was it raspberry crumble at the glass cases displaying the Crown Jewels, they were protesting against rich people, basically the protestors were just displaying outright jealousy.

Awful news from Goa in India where a tragic night club fire claimed 25 innocent lives.

And so the dreadful destruction of Ukraine by Prick Putin continues, daily hundreds of drones and numerous missiles sent over by Russia to destroy Ukraine infrastructure, he just doesn’t get it, Ukraine will not give up territory to an aggressive imperial power that invades a sovereign country and takes land by force, does he not know what happened to Germany 80 or so years ago.            

Soap box time

TWO YEARS AND 60 DAYS since innocent and murdered Israeli citizens’ bodies were taken by the violent, medieval, barbaric terrorist group Hamas who had murdered them in cold blood to be held as bargaining chips against the Israeli Government.  So far some of these deceased people have been repatriated to their families for a decent burial and closure however the bodies of 1 person remains in the Gaza Strip; Hamas claims it doesn’t know where the body is located.

The civil war in Sudan is still raging, innocent people are being massacred and STILL no keffiyeh scarf wearing halfwit knumbskulls are on the streets protesting, it seems they do not care if the war is Muslim against Muslim.

Another issue from David’s Soap Box, EUROVISION, a number of countries threatening to pull out of Eurovision if Israel is allowed to compete due to the act that Israel was DEFENDING itself from the barbaric bloodthirsty murder cult that is Hamas. I don’t remember any country wanting to pull out of EUROVISION after the UK headed by socialist multimillionaire Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair invaded Afghanistan and Iraq with his mate President Bush. War is war but when it involves Israel defending itself it takes on a new dynamic i.e. what these pathetic countries are saying is “how dare they (Israel) defend itself”.

Off the soap box now

Sad news that the English Cricket team have been once again well and truly beaten by Australia in the second Ashes test.

Congratulations to Brit Lando Norris the new FI World Champion he clinched the title in Abu Dhabi by coming third, he drove a very careful race he only needed to get on the podium to win and that he did 😊 his first Fi Champion title Congratulations to Max Verstappen he won the Abu Dhabi FI Grand Prix.

That’s it from a David point of view for this week.

MM and Company news update

Portugal

Miranda, Joana, Rita and the team at AIM DMC Portugal have told us that Hyatt Hotels has announced that it will open four new properties within the next two years, the Andaz Lisbon is expected to open in Q1 2026, with 170 rooms and a rooftop venue, The Standard, Lisbon, is set to open in 2026, the project will repurpose the historic Palácio Santa Clara into a 197-room hotel. The Hyatt Regency Vilamoura will add over 250 rooms near the Vilamoura Marina, Additionally, Hyatt will be in Cape Verde with the Hyatt Regency Cape Verde Sal.

Vienna

Martin Evelyn and the team at e+o DMC Austria have told us that the Mandarin Oriental, Vienna has restored a heritage landmark in the heart of the city's First District. Located within the historic Ringstrasse, the hotel was originally a courthouse, now a new hotel with many of the existing architectural fixings preserved such as the ornate staircases, ceilings, and original wall finishes. The hotel has 138 rooms and suites, many overlooking a peaceful inner courtyard that serves as the hotel's social heart, home to its fine dining restaurant, brasserie, café, and bar. Vienna's most iconic landmarks, including St. Stephen's Cathedral, the Imperial Hofburg Palace, the Vienna State Opera, and the Golden Quarter, are all within easy walking distance.

And that is about it for this Monday, you know as much as I know, wishing you an outstanding day and an awesome week ahead. Remember only 17 shopping days left till Christmas Day, OMG MORE PANNIICCCC