Hey, WP. Whilst I am sharing a life with Patch, I won’t be visiting any cities overseas anytime soon. Simple as. But London, yes, it will always sparkle for me.
If I could go back in time to Downtown Amman, Jordan 20+ years ago, that would be good. I think these days I’d feel a tad vulnerable, though, with folk travelling through to hostile environments.
But the fact is, after a transient life, there is nothing better right now than to continue decompressing. It’s taking a remarkably long time to ‘ get over’ a lifetime of staying resilient.
I had in mind something else to write about, but hey, a lie-in until 9.20am. And not just a lie but an actual sleep.
No biggie, you may be thinking? But walk 6 months in my moccasins, and you’ll get the drift.
He often gets me up early doors, and often that’ll be me awake and chipper (ish). Or he’ll go back to bed but still be up before it’s light and expecting me to follow suit.
This morning? Whoa, what a treat. I let him out ( and he went quietly without waking the hood) at around 5am. That was cool, no probs, but then we settled back down and knew nothing until after 9 am. Yikes! That’s a first.
When we did go out, the sunshine in a blue sky was waiting for us. The car had defrosted, and it was pretty mild all things considered.
Himself took the lead, and after inspecting some greenery came back to the car waiting for his chauffeur to get his steps ( caravan steps, that he needs to get in the back seat, or boot, whichever takes his fancy at that particular moment)
We head off and see/hear Santa and his brass band playing in The Square. ‘ In the bleak mid winter ‘no less. Words by the ever wonderful Christina Rossetti.
Out of the car and passing other peeps here and there, a smile, a ‘ hey’ or ‘good morning’ in one case a brief chat at the abundance of scarlet berries and another around why the Catkins are out.( We had no idea) It was lovely. The grass under our feet heavy with dew and sparkled in the sun. Surreal, explains it best. To be rested is sublime.
Have you ever performed on stage or given a speech?
Tim Rice was only 20 years old and Andrew Lloyd Webber 17, when the seeds were sown for what was to become a blockbuster of a musical.
On the stage of a little primary school in Birmingham, UK, along with class mates, we performed a short fifteen minute oratorio of Joseph and The Amazing Coloured Dreamcoat.
I get taken straight back there to this day when I hear the opening line 🎶 ” I closed my eyes, drew back the curtain…” Beautiful.
The world premiere of their latest collaboration, SherlockHolmes and the 12 days of Christmas was held at The Birmingham Repertory Theatre ( The Rep) on November 14th this year. Initially, for a short festive season only the show has been extended due to popular demand.
Oh, to be a Creative of such magnitude. One can only dream.
What are your favorite physical activities or exercises?
Walking my dog three times a day 🐾🐾
Once again, WP, I find that I have an empty page now, so I can fill it with words of another. My favourite poets are mostly from a time gone by, but today something different.
FEATHERS
Each morning I walk the valley treading the same worn path, though no bird flies over the same way twice, the bees attend different flowers, cicadas sing where yesterday there were none, and the hawk is scanning new trees.
A feather lies in wait for me, having fallen from the sky. No feather will fall in quite the same way; not in this spot, from that height, to be caught between two heads of rye.
The land looks the same each day but is different in a thousand small ways. We wake thinking one day is much like another, that we are still who we were the day before, or we can let ourselves be changed.
We are as new as the world we see; what looks familiar is not. Notice what is happening, be the response to your day. Be delighted, be surprised, expect feathers.
By Mary Walker, a contemporary poet from New Zealand
What is something others do that sparks your admiration?
Folk wisdom suggests you don’t know someone until you live with them. This I understand as people can be pretty clever at hiding their true selves.
I’ve never been a good judge of character, often someone turning out quite differently than I had initially/momentarily thought/decided ( a lesson there for me about not being judgemental in the first place)
Having said that, there are things people do that sparks my admiration. In fact, there are lots of things, but to be generous of spirit, that is a truly fine quality to be admired and totally respected.
Hey, WP. Like lots of people, I enjoy screentime, but it never occurs to me to watch cartoons.
There was a day I’d sit with kids and enjoy their squeals of joy over some slapstick moment-or watch them totally engrossed in a new animated movie. But that was way back when.
And so, with little else to say, I’ll do what I love to do at times like this-hand over the space to someone special.
The Guest House
This being human is a guest house. Every morning, a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honourably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.
Hey, WP. An easy one to answer today, with little thought.
A while back I stepped back from the Socials. It sort of happened organically, without planning. Maybe my subconscious giving me a dig, telling me time was passing at an alarming rate, and there were other things I could or should be doing.
All was well, no cold turkey going on, nada, and then I get wind of a WP buddy checking into Tik Tok early each morning for a few minutes whilst he’s out walking with his dog, Lily.
By now, the faithfuls will have gathered dogs are my thing. I couldn’t resist reinstalling the app and opening a new account.
I get to see them briefly during their walk, and after they are well gone, I’m still there, aren’t I? An hour later, watching cats knock items off shelves and dogs being so goofy, and I’m laughing, out loud to the extent Patch looks concerned, thinking I may need help.
But I don’t. I know I am back to spending too much time on Tik Tok, and I really should do less of it-but hey, laughing feels good!
What positive events have taken place in your life over the past year?
Spring 2024 was an absolute washout. We were robbed of what is a beautiful season. All that newness. Mother Earth awakening and showing us bursts of growth and colour for the first time in months. It didn’t happen then, but this year, it did, in a truly spectacular way.
Summer was a surprise, and what a treat! England basking in brilliant sunshine day in and day out.
Autumn, not to be out done was majestic. The colours so bold and vibrant.
There, we had three traditional seasons in a row. What will winter bring?
Personal events to celebrate included a very happy birthday, a car which passed its MOT. A clear mammogram and a lovely holiday with old friends.
For such a huge animal lover, I’m pretty much starved of seeing them in the wild.
I’ll get a whiff of fox or hear about ‘those wretched badgers’ ( that gets my hackles up, of course!), and I’ll get an occasional glimpse of a Muntjac, It’s all very sad, really.
We were out just before sun up this morning and crossed paths with an escapee pheasant, wandering lost and alone without his family ( they would have all be slaughtered at the hands/guns of nobs, yesterday)
We didn’t see today, but sometimes a rabbit, sitting close to the road, oblivious to the traffic-clearly in the throes of Mixymotosis- another horror cooked up by Man. The cruelty/abuse of animals will never end.
I’m presently trying to befriend a crow that hangs around here sometimes, but they are remarkably skittish for such a large bird. Oh, talking of birds, there was a Red Kite out and about early this morning, too.
Squirrels, how can I forget those. They’re always around much to the annoyance of Patch.
*I’ve taken the title for today’s DP from an autobiography by Gerald Durrell. ( 1925~1995)
Gerald Durrell
And now I shall go and read what the others have to say about wildlife they get to see. I’m sure bloggers from other countries are going to have more interesting sightings -ooh. I wonder if anyone will mention brown bears? I love those!
IN THE BOOMER PIGEON HOLE? 