It is a sure sign that the festive season is upon us ? along with the ever-rolling passage of time ? when another edition of ?Woppend? appears on the bookshelves. Thus it is that the seventeenth edition of Peter Woolcock?s annual collection of cartoons is now on sale ? as always, in perfect time for Christmas giving.

In what its author describes as ?a potted history? of the year, it is fun to revisit each page and remind ourselves of the squabbles and laughs which have blighted and brightened the Island. Indeed, since it is a sure bet that the great reading public will have forgotten many of the incidents the cartoonist captured in in his inimitable style, the added explanatory paragraphs which only appear in the book are a useful tool which adds to the reading pleasure.

Woppend?s cover illustration is always the extra tickle of the funny bone, and the result of considerable thought, but this year the cartoonist has taken a slightly different tack.

?Although the simmering, ongoing Independence/Referendum saga seemed to hog the headlines and thereby justify its position as Woppend 17?s cover, in an effort to get away from the pesky subject I did a m?lange of various topics which cropped up over the year, along with their relevant page references,? he says.

Quotations are another addition to the annual book, and this year?s includes a particular favourite of the cartoonist: ?Entrenched belief is never altered by the facts? ? something he considers particularly apt these days, and food for thought.

While politics provide plenty of ?meat? for Mr. Woolcock?s weekly cartoons in , such ?predictable perennials? as Bermuda?s traffic problems, Berkeley Institute, tourism initiatives, crime and drugs, and uproars in the House, are also addressed.

There are, of course, some occasions when inspiration is a little harder to come by, and others when on Monday the cartoonist is ?sure? he has ?the one?, only to have it overtaken by something else on ?drawing day?.

There are even the odd occasions when he has resurrected an old cartoon and simply replaced the heads ? sadly because the situation has not changed or improved in the intervening years. These he categorises as of the ?Here we go again syndrome?.

?One such cartoon I traced back to 1986,? he says. ?Why waste a perfectly good cartoon covering the same situation again when you?ve got one done already??

Repetitive topics brought up annually by Members of Parliament without further action are candidates for repeat cartoons.

?Every year somebody in the House stands up and says, ?Mr. Speaker, may I draw the attention of the honourable members to the low level of the quality of debate in this House? We really must pull our socks up. This is the House of Assembly and we have a responsibility to keep up the level?. ?Whereupon Mr. Barritt gets up and says, ?Mr. Speaker, may I propose that we set a time limit on members being on their feet?. Mumbles of approval from various quarters, and that?s it. The House then proceeds as it has done for years.

?The next year the whole process is repeated again, and again nothing changes, so you try to think of a new slant, and end up changing the heads on an old cartoon because in Bermuda what goes around comes around.?

Indeed, ?visual? is key to every idea for a cartoon.

?Talking about discussing a subject which is amorphous has no visual benefit, which is the breath of life to me,? he says.

While Mr. Woolcock is a little envious of the bolder, broader latitude major overseas cartoonists seem to enjoy, he is not of that ilk.

?I am a ?milk and water? cartoonist compared to my contemporaries in the US,? he says. ?They are far more outspoken and audacious, but I really don?t think that approach fits in with Bermuda life.?

Subjects he never touches include drugs, AIDS, domestic problems, and cases which are .

Since his work is never offensive, but virtually guarantees a chuckle every time, it constantly amazes him how many people come up to him with a nudge and a wink and ask when he is going to publish a book of his ?secret file? of contentious, racy and/or naughty cartoons.

?The reality is I don?t have a secret file of incendiary cartoons, so therefore there will be no book,? he laughs.

He does, however, have a resident arbiter looking over his shoulder each week: Ethel, his beloved wife of 54 years.

?If I hear a quick intake of breath and see a slow shake of the head, or she mutters, ?Surely not?, I know I am going to crush it up and throw it in the wastebasket,? he says.

With 17 editions under his belt, the question inevitably arises: ?Any thoughts of retiring??

?Oh no,? comes the swift response. ?It keeps the old brain working.?

Which is, of course, good news for his devoted following.

?Woppend 17? is sold at the Bermuda Book Store, the Bookmart, A.S. Cooper?s, Miles Supermarket, The Supermart and Washington Mall Magazines in Hamilton, at the Book Cellar and Robertson?s Drug Store in St. George?s, White and Sons and Lindo?s in Warwick, and the Paget Pharmacy. The price is $14.95 per copy.

For collectors, back issues of some editions are available at 50 percent off. For further information ( Ivan Smith at 295-5881 ext. 162.