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).
22 comments:
What a wonderful happy blog, Dolores.
Count me in as one of those that want to “Save The Spiders”. The resilience of insects never ceases to amaze me. Long shall they live.
La Bamba brought back treasured memories as this was the first song I ever sang at a Karaoke. It’s very easy to sing as even if you lose your way you can just make Spanish words up. No one knows the difference.
I’m a huge fan of penguins as well. Both the bird variety and the biscuit. Have you seen the documentary film March of the Penguins, narrated by Morgan Freeman? It is a heart warming experience. As is the cuddly little cat in the picture.
The only thing I can take issue with you is your dismissal (not out) of radio 4’s cricket coverage. These are the best commentators around. In between lulls in the game their chat can wander into any field of conversation. Man bags was a popular theme for awhile there.
Fingers crossed tomorrow’s postman has good news. Magazine editors don’t know what they’re missing.
THANK you JW, you definite reason, you! And how marvellous that a whizz-bizman, artist, socialite & secret agent of your ilk can find the time to care for tiny creatures!
I remember John Peel telling us in his splendid monotone that the La Bamba lyrics mean, 'Goat, goat, goat'. Am full of admiration for your karaoke efforts on it - Beyond the Bamba!!
Also admire your devotion to cricket commentary; to me a collection of hysterical 'cake, cake, cake!' utterings. Shall now listen out for the Man-bag.
Good Morning Dolores,
Thanks for the translation of the lyrics. Next time I “sing” La Bamba I will use the English words-
“Oh goat, goat, goat
That’s a goat, goat, goat
Gonna buy a goat, goat
Goat, goat, goat
Go go goatie” Etc. Etc. Etc.
You can never have enough goats in my opinion. Or penguins. Or spiders. And especially cake. Yum Yum.
DD, have a nice day.
Wow, JW, it sounds FANTASTIC when you sing it! Shall we be seeing you on 'Strictly'...?
Look out for me on the next season of X-Factor, Dolores. I'm sure my goat song routine will get me into the second round. Trouble is what do I sing next.
How 'bout you? What would be your ace in the sleeve first round song that would wow the judges?
Well tonight, Dale, I'm going to be... Bryan Ferry singing his deeply moving version of "It's my Party (and I'll CRY if I want to)".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZbWCCWcQFs
The Goat will be hard to beat, of course - could I perhaps be a LaBambanette instead? I just wannabe a second round Contender!
Hi Dolores - what a sparkly pre-Xmas blog! Complete with spaced-out puss on settee, and with penguins too ! Which leads us to the question - why on earth didn't penguins evolve that way? Well the answer is because they evolved on ice and snow and not on earth - Ho! Ho! Ho!
Watch out for that joke in your Xmas crackers...
:-)
in my christmas cracker, sparkly pre-xmas CI?! But Nay - I've printed it out & stuck it Prominently on fridge!
(For Ho verily Hee Ho...)
testing
Or should that be 'trying', because I am, very.
Delighted to see you again, Dolores. All my eight-legged friends are singing your praises whilst strumming (harmoniously and simultaneously) on their silken webs.
Meanwhile, I ooohed and aaaahed at the charmingness of the penguins. We had crustaceans for supper. Those little ones would have loved them, but perhaps not the chips.
Thank you Merry Bilby & what a joy to see you (Beyond the Testing).
We heard on Rad4 yesterday that if you apply a clean spider's web to a wound, it will Stop Bleeding! (You may have known this). 'Clean' though - how does one shotblast a web? We have a huge choice in our corners but they're specially designed to catch muck & dust.
George suggested using them as 'humane fly traps'. Which may have occurred to spiders already. They'd be puzzled to see their booty then let loose into the wild , one imagines...
We were all listening to Radio4, Dolores ... you, me and George, and a few other people, perhaps.
The solution is patience, not shotblasting, I feel. First select your spider (the larger the better), wait for completion of web-spinning and then harvest immediately. Lay fresh web on non-stick surface and freeze for handy removal. Note: not much use at all for arterial bleeding, but pre-prepared, plaited and sterile webs could be used as tourniquets.
Personally, I think sticky plasters and bandages are much easier and cause less trauma and inconvenience to our hairy friends.
And don't forget, the helpless, paralysed booty (with innards turning to mush as we speak) will hardly benefit from being drenched and shot into outer space.
I loved your happy blog, Possum.
You are a tonic.
Just to add a cheerful "hello" to JW and Canary. :)
Yes - poor paralysed booty, Bilby - it's not their fault they're flies... So a quick clean boot-splat & they're off to A Better Place.
Dazzled by the web prep! - Heston Blumenthal will surely be in touch soon
The spell, er recipe, has been in my family for generations, Dolores, and is for your eyes (of newt) only. I told Heston that he is lucky to have his Fat Ducks etc. He will never get his greasy hands on my sticky webs!
That's the Spirit, Bilby - I spit on his fat ducks! (well, maybe not spit...). We'll set our well-webbed penguins on him
Hello Bilby,
Always great to hear from you. Best wishes to you and Araminta over the festive period.
I'm in lockdown mode at the moment, Dolores, although I have just been to CI's place. Looking forward to more Days of Dolores in 2013. See ya.
Take care in there among them other Lockees, JW. A wondrous Christmas to you and Merry Blogging for 2013
That very Pythonesque, Dolores! "I spit in the general direction of your fat ducks!" Lovely. :)
Hello, JW. :) I wish you, Dolores, George and Canary a Very Happy and Joyous Christmas and the very best of everything for the New Year. Araminta wishes all these things for you too.
Oops! 'That's'
Thank HEAVENS for your correction, Bilby! Inadequate apostropheing can be so upsetting - see what it'''s done to Lynn Truss...
And a Merrily Merry Christmas from George and me (I?) to you and Ara, and a sparkly 2013 full of wine and chocolate.
And again to CI, Expat & JW & Jon in the Vendée - we shall be frequently toasting you All during the festivities.
Huge Thanks for the Cheer you've brought xx
Hello all. Apologies for the recent silence from this side of the pond. The merriest of festive seasons to each and every one. Good health and much happiness in 2013.
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