Odds & Sods (again).

* Why is it now seemingly socially acceptable to stagger down the street at 9:32 in the morning carrying a beer/lager/cider can? When did that happen??

* The Store's car-park has a resident crow. Just the one, and very big and black and impressive it is, too. Today while we sat huddled in The Supervisor's car during our break to escape the cold, I noticed it stood a couple of feet away regarding us; head on one side and beady eye gleaming with the unnerving air of intelligence that birds have when they glare at you. I don't know what, exactly, it was thinking, but for the few minutes we held one another's gaze I had the overwhelming and disconcerting impression of being observed by something that was far cleverer than I was. And that didn't like me; at all.
     But it IS a beautiful bird.

*  The bathroom has finally been decorated! It's now yellow and clean and pretty looking. Just the floor to do now and then we'll move onto the landing/stairs. Mother and I are thrilled with it.
     One problem, though; the blind was taken down to paint around the window and despite casual assurances from the decorator that it would just "slot right back in", we can't get it back up.

* Bingo has developed the habit of panting heavily when he decides that the fire should be turned down. Not because he is actually too hot, you understand - he deals with that by lying on the cold bare floorboards by the door - no; he does it just because he thinks it should be turned down. As soon as we oblige, the panting immediately stops.
     Manipulative bugger.

* I've been re-watching The Tudors. Great fun. Beautiful clothes, splendid acting and fascinating story-lines choc-a-block with violence and sex. What's not to like?
     Have also been watching my favourite Doctor Who episodes (out of the million or so that they've made over the decades, I like about 10) to do my bit to commemorate the fact that it's been going for 50 years now. Or whatever it is that the TV and radio has been banging on about for the past week or so.
     Incidentally; those two television programs - along with the books I've been reading (this week, Burial Rites by Hannah Kent and The Midwitch Cuckoos by John Wyndham) and the various films and odd episode of C.S.I New York that mother and I have been enjoying together - have led to some very interesting dreams.

* My hair was cut yesterday and is looking neat and tidy again.
     Enjoy it while you can. It will be back to its natural state of mad, fluffy, kinked mess within three days; so if you want to see it looking like it does right now, right now is when you need to look.

* Turns out that the nice looking brown and white pony that has been inexplicably tethered in the little common that Bingo and I frequent is terribly friendly and (when you consider horses as a whole) uncharacteristically unafraid of dogs.
      It also turns out - as I found out when said horse started amiably walking towards us to say "hello" - that Bingo only likes ponies and horses from a distance. Up close, they scare him witless.
     Want to see a visibly disappointed pony? Go to the common near to the canal in Kidderminster with your dog and then apologetically but firmly tell him that he can't come any closer to say "hello" to you because your dog is terrified of him.
     Seriously, his head drooped right down and everything before he wandered sadly away back to his water bucket. It was both comical and heartbreaking to see.

* We had our first hard frost this Saturday just gone. At its mildest, the air has a distinct chill to it. By 5 PM at the latest darkness has kicked daylight into touch and taken control until 7 AM the following morning. And last Friday my bottom lip finally gave in to the cold as I trudged to work and split open. Winter is now here.
     It's lovely and sunny right now, though. I'll enjoy Bingo's walk, later if it stays like this.

* On the same topic; the night sky is absolutely bloody amazingly magically beautiful. Either all clouded and veiled and mystical or brilliantly clear and so emblazoned with stars that you get an excited chill tingling in your spine and your fingertips every time you look up. And Jupiter is visible at the moment, too. Just a few feet (or so it looks to me) from Venus. Grand stuff indeed.

* During a brief visit at SENSE on Saturday I happened upon a little doggy teddybear with an over-sized head that was due to be thrown away, (because it didn't have the required safety label attached to it; which you need to have in order to legally be able to sell it) and nabbed it before it faced the perils of the dustbin. I thought that Squidgum would love it, and I was right. She does.
     It has been christened - at her insistence - "No Name Doggy".
     =shrugs=

* I'm back in contact with Adam (have I mentioned him? He was the tutor at computer college. Plump and handsome and cheerful and clever. Fancied the pants off him. First time I've felt anything of that nature since Mike, all those years ago) again. The circumstances could be better; a lot better in fact (long, long story for another time), but we'll see.
     Yep. =nods= We'll see. ' Should be interesting, if nothing else.


...Oh, ack! Just looked at the clock and it's 2:45 in the afternoon already!? Where did today go?? I've got Bingo's walk, the housework, a job search and dinner to get done before mother returns at around 5 PM.
     I'll have to get moving sharpish if I want to fit everything in...

Toodles.

Alice x

Another Day, Another Funny Look...

~START~

The scene begins in the warehouse area of The Store. After stepping aside and waiting patiently for a forklift truck to pass by, Alice then recommences her journey to the cleaning cupboard. After watching this, a member of B&Q staff walks up to her. The following conversation ensues...

MEMBER OF STORE STAFF: Y'know, I've noticed that you always do that.
ALICE: (absently): Sorry, do what?
MEMBER OF STORE STAFF: (approving) Wait for the forklift. I've noticed that you always wait for it. Other people just chance it, squeeze through. I mean they shouldn't, because it's not safe; but they do. But not you. You always do as you're supposed to and keep your distance.
ALICE: (solemnly); Yes, well, I always have the greatest respect for anything that is big enough to crush me like a bug.
MEMBER OF STORE STAFF: (blinks. Nonplussed) ...Er...
ALICE: (smiles serenely)
MEMBER OF STORE STAFF: (doesn't know what to say. Blinks again. Walks off)
ALICE: (shrugs. Continues to cleaning cupboard)

~END~

The Question Remains.

The question remains;
Why did they die?
Why were they lost?
On whose whim? On whose lie?

Did they die for their country?
For the rich? For the poor?
Or perhaps for the future;
So the future held more?

Did they die bathed in glory?
Did they suffer much pain?
Did their souls stay there with them,
On that blood spattered plain?

Every year we remember.
Same day, every year.
We take time to remember.
Take time to shed tears.

They died so to teach us,
But the world did not learn.
There were more wars, more death;
More young lives took their turn.

Every year I feel anger.
Shed the same, angry tears.
When will the world learn the lesson?

- Maybe next year.


Written by Alice Collison; 11/11/08 at 11:03am

Happiness Is..... No. 6:

Happiness is.... finding that you have £20 worth of birthday money left and being able to use it to take your mother out to lunch, for no other reasons than you want to and you can.

=grins =

Alice x