This is Day One of a new year, and I’m looking forward to batting any challenges that come my way into the ether-well, to the best of my ability, that is.
There is usually something there to try us, isn’t there? It’s part of the process.
From reading lots of posts from my fellow bloggers here on WordPress each day, I am reminded just how tricky this living thing can be for you all.
Patch, his health, and well-being may give me grave concern this year. Sometimes, he seems quite frail, and then the next day, he’s a bruiser.
So, I guess as far as I can imagine, the rollercoaster of caring for an elderly dog could be a mammoth challenge this coming year. Not quite as easy to bat that away into the ether as I first suggested…
To those of you lovely people who I haven’t wished the very best for 2026, I do now 💚
Thesedays it’s simply easy-going people I like to be around. A sense of humour does it for me, too.
I’ve had more than my share of the difficult, the ones who think they have got away with their passive aggression.
We are all complex souls and act in one way or another for a variety of reasons, I get that. And I blame myself totally for humouring folk in the past who think I fell off a Christmas tree.
My dad provided for us. We lived somewhere nice and were well fed, never cold, and with pleasant family holidays. But I still haven’t worked out why he had kids at all.
I felt us as siblings were just add-ons to the life he led along with his harem. Guilt tripping was rife with four wives( I mean he was married 4 times, lol) and a girlfriend or two thrown in for good measure.
It was constantly difficult for us to navigate our way through and around the characters and their personalities. None of them child friendly. Only my mom, who lived elsewhere, had any warmth.
And it’s warmth that attracts me today, people who give a damn about the world spining out of control, with leaders who should be locked up.
The ones who have compassion and understand how humans really mess with the lives and deaths of animals.
If you started a sports team, what would the colours and mascot be?
If it’s OK with you WP, I’ll simply stick with my original home team. Aston Villa FC. Claret & Blue. Hercules, the lion is the mascot.
..and guess what ? There is space on this page for the words of another. I know some of you are getting to love this poem as much as I already do.
Hope is a Thing with Feathers by Emily Dickinson ( 1830~1886)
“Hope” is the thing with feathers – That perches in the soul – And sings the tune without the words – And never stops – at all –
And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard – And sore must be the storm – That could abash the little Bird That kept so many warm –
I’ve heard it in the chillest land – And on the strangest Sea – Yet – never – in Extremity, It asked a crumb – of me.
AI says..The poem uses an extended metaphor comparing abstract hope to a resilient bird that lives in the soul, singing wordlessly but powerfully, sustaining humans through life’s harshest “storms” (gales, chillest land) without ever asking for anything in return, emphasizing hope’s innate, selfless, and persistent nature as a constant, free companion that offers comfort and strength.
You get to build your perfect space for reading and writing. What’s it like?
Deep in the woods is a little house. Smoke curls up from the chimney. A black cat with short white socks stretches on the front porch. A rocking chair is placed on either side of the freshly painted door. A soft turquoise, matte. Silver metal work gleams.
As the sun goes down, a light comes on and she appears. With a saucepan in one hand and a wooden spoon in the other she gently bangs ( maybe ‘ gently bangs’ is an oxymoron? You tell me) the two together, many times in succession. ‘ Kuti, Kuti, Kuti’ she calls, and an elderly Jack Russell appears, runs up the steps, brushes past her, and disappears inside. The cat follows.
The emerald of her fisherman’s smock, the blue of her Levis, and the mulicoloured paisley scarf tied around her head are a vision of grace. She turns and enters into the warm and cosy place she loves. The perfect writer’s retreat.
Errr… Maybe the old black BMW 3 series with a sunroof. The jags of yesteryear were nice, with that lovely chrome work and walnut dash. But they were heavy. Probably only do 3 minutes to the gallon, thesedays.
If you asked me what car I would like today, I’d simply ask for something reliable. Not one of the new bigger ranges where you have to dismantle the whole side just to change a headlight bulb.
When they first came out, I had the use of a brand new Juke. I loved that car! It was automatic too, which was fun. Almost drove itself. Had a problem with the transmissions at one stage. The lad at the garage told me that Nissan only use a cheap bit of plastic for the tube-thing.
Anyways, it eventually got written off in a car park with someone reversing into the side. Luckily I was inside the store at the time. ( Thesedays I see are driven by old people. 😂 So perhaps I won’t consider another.
I’ve mentioned the sunroof, err, grey please. Prefably with the £20 road tax. I guess that narrows my option, somewhat. There again, if I could afford a big show-off car, the cost of the tax wouldn’t bother me.
In the meantime, I’m happy enough in my little Peugeot 208. I have to use caravan steps to get Patch in and out of the back. But we manage..
Well, WP. I’ve shown up here this morning to write a post. Will that do?
Right then, brace yourselves.
Firstly, reindeer are the only species of deer where both the males and females grow antlers
But, thing is, Santa’s reindeer are winter-strong females, more than likely with calf.
There is a school of thought that Rudolf is the exception and probably a young buck.
There is a major clue to support this theory, the males lose their antlers after mating around the beginning of December.
The females retain theirs throughout the winter to protect themselves, their unborn calves,to help with foraging and defend their food sources.
It is a little disturbing to think of these mums-to-be out there throughout the night doing something so strenuous, but they are better suited for an arduous journey.
Strength is not the absence of weight-but the grace to which it is carried
At every opportunity, I will give the English textile designer,poet, and social activist William Morris a shout. Likewise, the Pre-Raphelite artists.
The Welsh poet W. H.Davies The Americans Christina Rossetti, Emily Dickinson and Sara Teasdale, from times gone by and lately Mary Walker, a contemporary poet from New Zealand.
And in no particular order, some I can think of off the top of my head. There are so many not mentioned here, too. Forgive me.
Personal choices will remain private…
English Mary Quant: Fashion designer/icon.
English Princess Diana: Global Humanitarian.
English Nick Ferrari: Journalist, radio host, tv presenter, newspaper man/editor
English C.S. Lewis: Author, literary scholar, and Anglican lay theologian.
American Timothy Leary: Psychologist and author.
Indian Mahatma Ghandi:Lawyer, anti colonialist activist, and political actionist and and practical philosopher.
English Ricky Gervais: Philanthropist, filmmaker,producer, writer, director, actor, comedian, and dog lover.
Irish Noel Fitzpatrick:Orthopedic-Neuro veterinary surgeon and visionary. Author and actor.
English Jane Goodall:Primatologist, anthropologist, and author
American Tom Petty:Musician, singer songwriter.
English Kim Cooling:Founder Animal SOS Sri Lanka.
Irish Bob Geldof: Musician, singer/songwriter, activist, humanitarian and Nobel Man of Peace 2005.
LBC Radio
The charities: League Against Cruel Sports. Compassion in World Farming, RSPCA, The Humane Research Trust, Animal SOS Sri Lanka, Water Aid, Refuge, War Child.
Close buddies, dog/animal lovers and guardians, all animal Rescue folk, Mother Nature and my boy Patch. 💝
And last but not least. All you wonderful bloggers here at WordPress.
There I was all ‘snug as a bug in a rug’.Cosy and warm, and then bam! I’m dragged brutally into the light. More than light. It was dazzlingly bright. It smelt funny, it was noisy, I was thirsty.
There were lots of people around watching as I was hung upside down by my ankles and smacked until I cried.Nice. I’m not sure I’d like to go through all that again!
They also forgot to mention a few things that wouldn’t be happening. That life would not be a bowl of cherries, or that it would be plain sailing…And nobody said it would be easy.
IN THE BOOMER PIGEON HOLE? 