A gold medal for a lark!

This morning Lula announced that she couldn't go to school today because ' I have lothd my memory.' OMD was lightening fast & said she'd probably left it at school so she'd better go & look for it there.

This was a good effort on Lula's part, but I think James deserves the gold medal for his demonstration of mental agility at a quarter to seven in the morning. I rise from my bed at this time, but I don't actually wake up until the clock has struck nine. Indeed I have been known to sleep walk until ten!

Needless to say, I'm an owl!

Chain charmer alert

If you'd like to see Melanie Moertel's 'Dark Chocolate' set of beads, please have a look at 'The Power & The Glory' in the 'Hands Up' section of my website.

Her beads are SO cool!.

'The Hug' by Tess Gallagher

I have a lovely poem for you today. It was incredibly hard to find a legible copy online & this is the best that I can find at present.

'But when you hug someone you want it
to be a masterpiece of connection,'

Isn't that perfect?

Alan Fletcher & 'The Art of Looking Sideways'

Today Ditsy Daisy would like to recommend two books by the graphic designer Alan Fletcher. 'The Art of Looking Sideways' has been my thousand page friend since I discovered it earlier this year & yesterday the substantial 'Picturing and Poeting' was delivered. How can I describe them? This article is helpful.

They're not to be looked at or read progressively - the idea is that you open them at any page you wish. They're rich with succulent ideas, images & inspiration. When I'm on an even keel I 'eat' books, but I lose this ability when I experience a blip. I'm particularly drawn to these volumes because it doesn't matter if your mind is in grasshopper mode - they keep up with you!

For the aforementioned reasons, I hereby declare that 'The Art of Looking Sideaways' & 'Picturing & Poeting' are Official Battle Books!

Will the world disintegrate?

Yeat's poem, 'The Second Coming' grows more pertinent day by day.

Are you ready for cute?

OMD ( Old Man Dickson) schlepped around the supermarket this morning & bumped into the cook at Ellie & Lula's school. On hearing the words, 'I saw your youngest daughter the other day' he mentally battened down the hatches in preparation for yet another list of Lula's sins. He judged in haste - the imp had actually been good.

Ellie & Lula go to the village school which is small & cosy. There is a stable door between the school kitchen & the dining hall - Miss Loopy is just about tall enough to look over the bottom section of the door. Mrs Ralph spotted the oik watching what was going on in the kitchen & asked if there was any problem; was there something she wanted? A drink perhaps?

'No fank you. My Mummy givths me a bottle of water every day so I don't need a dwink. Doeth your Mummy give you a bottle too?'

Mrs Ralph said no. 'Well I fink you should ask her for a bottle. You might get firsty!'

That's OK, but it's not the cute bit. This is. A couple of days after the bottle conversation, a little head reappeared at the kitchen door. What was the matter now? 'Did you talk to your Mummy - did she give you a bottle of water to dwink? You should never get firsty!'

It's not polite to discuss a lady's age, but I will tell you this. Mrs Ralph was very flattered!

The Postcardian competition draws to a close

Dance over to the Postcardian competition to see who will be wearing what. I wish I could have awarded everyone a prize - the Postcardians are a very special group!

Look around their websites & read their blogs - talent, intelligence & imagination are rife!