Today a chunky little spider niagara’d splutteringly out of the cats’ bowl and into the sink as I changed their water. He stayed motionless for a second then realised he was still breathing, and that some Evil Being was poking him with a kitchen towel. Brave spider, he never stopped battling; after a bit of frenetic ping-ponging I got him to STAY ON THE TOWEL! long enough to deposit him behind the fridge, there to dry out calmly and rebuild his life.
Oh Joy and great Cheer!
Just one of countless Reasons to be Cheerful, as we are reminded by the late and wonderful Ian Drury and his merry Blockheads:
Exactly! And are not we all left grinning?
What else?
Well, how about a jaunt in a Barefoot Park? Such was the subject of the ‘article of the day’ 19.11.12 in TheFreeDictionary http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ (itself a cheer-bringer).
Here’s an enticing excerpt:
"Popular in Europe, barefoot parks are places where visitors can dispense with shoes and safely experience various landscape textures underfoot. Their well-maintained terrain affords visitors the opportunity to walk across different types of soil, wade through streams, and even practise climbing—all while barefoot. Some parks offer activities such as foot gymnastics, in which people can practise picking up objects with their feet."
Haven't we all ached to set our feet free? Particularly those of us with but a strip of gravel for a garden, that the cats think is their outside litter tray.
Dancing, of course, unlike sporty activities, is a fabulous reason to be cheerful, particularly when wobbling to Brown Sugar, or to La Bamba
Other beam-inducers:
The perfectly-timed arrival of a huge and mysterious parcel full of something extravagant for Christmas (surely?) just before we went out;
Cat wrapped round the settee, responding to my enthusiastic 'Who's-a-good-boy-'den?' with that sullen indifferent stare honed by cats everywhere;
Being whisked through glorious hill and dale in clattery old London underground carriage, now reborn as exotic-island train;
Lidl and Poundland - packed with bargains and ever-smiley staff;
Radio 4, specially Ed Reardon's Week and in spite of unbearable bouts of cricket (avoidable on FM);
And can we forget the delights of an impulsive weekend away//a new job//new hair//new snakeskin shoes (just PRETENDING to be snakes), or communing with old friends not seen for aeons (they can run - but they can't...). Oh Deep and Joyful Cheer!
Well, it's Tomorrow now. The postman brought another Reject for one of my practically-famous magazine stories, the cat's pooped overnight behind the setee, and the microwave exploded my porridge when I wasn't looking. Aaaarrrggghhh - I can't go ON with this cheerful stuff!
Well maybe just once more... But I shan't be Exuberated.
Here is a gladsome glimpse of Penguins at Waddle. Don't miss the brilliant demonstration of baby transporting about two minutes in! (though baby doesn't look entirely sure).
