Month: December 2016

Morning Glory*

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What 2016 Has Taught Me:

  1. We’re all going to die (see Bowie, Leonard Cohen, George Michael, Carrie Fisher etc) so must make the most of Today.  Every day.
  2. If you ask for money for providing a service, you may well receive it: have earned first ever-payment-for-walking-a-dog from the Newfoundland’s owner.
  3.  Life is cruel.
  4. Sometimes the thing that you’ve been dreading happens and it’s awful eg Seb breaking up with me.
  5. But time is beginning to heal my PTSD from the break-up.
  6. Having a wonderful new psychologist is helping too: it makes a big difference having someone to talk to who isn’t Mum or a friend.
  7. If someone asks you to do something, think about whether you’d do it that evening.  If the answer is no, Just Say No.  This is better than saying “yes I’d love to” and then wriggling out of it at the last minute.
  8. Am getting better at this.  Think am becoming more assertive.  Which is good.
  9. It’s OK to give up on friendships that are no longer working and to move on.
  10. Or to put people aside for a later date when you may be feeling better.
  11. No-one is irreplaceable.
  12. Except parents, relatives and siblings and one’s very best friends.
  13. Making new friends is important: have met some great new people this year.
  14. Have been brave enough to tell some of my friends why I find their company difficult at the moment and we are now working on this.  Am pleased with self for being brave enough to talk to them about it rather than just slagging them off to Mum or MadFatRunner behind their backs…
  15. Seb broke up with me and I didn’t die.  Still miss him terribly of course…
  16. Have had such fun at the new Bookshop and fingers crossed will work there one day.
  17. Tea and Leonard Cohen heals most wounds.
  18. Can live without alcohol and it’s been easier than I thought it’d be to stop drinking.  Have been sober for Four Months now!
  19. Love Newfoundlands.  Always suspected that would but now have one in my life, life is a hundred times better, fluffier and full of paws-the-size-of-dinner-plates:
  21. Although Mr Fluffypants is still my dog boyfriend:
  23. Nature is beautiful even in the most unpromising places, for example behind the shops in the village:
  24. Resistance training means results.
  25. So does Spin.
  26. And lifting heavy weights.
  27. And lots of walking.
  28. Pokémon Go is a great way to walk more and to discover local landmarks.
  29. Am grateful for my parentals and Tomorrow start being nice to them!
  30. Love my fluffy monster more and more each day:
  31. Am excited about 2017: maybe it will better than 2016 or maybe we will have to survive in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
  32. Which will be exciting.
  33. Also next Ice Age must be soon: mammoths, smilodons and woolly rhinos oh my!

Happy New Year everyone!
*2004.  Song by Leonard Cohen from the 2004 album Dear Heather.

Nightingale*

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Waking up with a start, I’m in an unfamiliar bed.  Switching my phone on to check the time, I see that it’s 5.30am.  Went to bed last night about 10pm so that’s not a bad night’s sleep.  

Creeping downstairs so as not to wake MadFatRunner, opening the door to the living room, orange cats slink behind me.  There are three of them living here.  In the kitchen I fill the kettle, switch it on.  The water bubbles.  Make a cup of green tea and a cup of coffee.  This person wags her tail from her bed in the kitchen:


“Good morning darling,” I whisper.  Her tail thumps against the plastic basket.

Carrying my tea and coffee back up the stairs, return to bed to listen to Leonard Cohen’s Dear Heather album on my phone whilst I write this.

So, last night we go to a friend’s house for dinner.  Manage to:

  1. Stay awake throughout the meal.
  2. Eat food.
  3. Make conversation with a group of people my age.
  4. Mainly we talk about dog behaviour and  horse behaviour so is fascinating chat.  With a bit of running and knitting thrown into the conversational mix.

Show you the Christmas tree and the household pooch – the most beautiful Hovawart in the world:


To discover more about Hovawarts take a look here:

http://www.hovawart.org.uk

Am posing with him in the attached photo too.  His head is beautiful but a bit too big to be placed next to own head in a photo as you can see…

Today I think we go to the stables to see the various new horses and maybe ride. 

Am having such a great time.

Happy New Year’s Eve everyone!
*2004.  Song by Leonard Cohen from the 2004 album Dear Heather.

Because Of*

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My legs are being crushed by a huge lion.  Waking, I see the fluffy monster on top of my thighs.  Someone has shut him in my bedroom with me.  Opening the door, I creep to the loo.  It’s freezing: Dad “heats” the parental home to just 12 degrees at night.  Slipping back under my furry blanket, shivering, I wait for the fluffy monster to make himself comfortable and drift back off to sleep.

Waking at 6.30am, it’s even colder than before.  But must get up, finish packing and make self ready for Spin (see attached outfit photo).

Here is graph:


Now, at last, am on train journey to MadFatRunner’s land.  Sipping my flat white, I gaze out of the window at fields, blue sky, bare branches.  The fog has cleared and it’s a cold, sunny December day.  We’ve already seen a black kite and a kestrel hovering above the road on the way to the station.

Now the parentals have gone off to amuse themselves and am making the long and perilous journey alone.  Well, alone apart from:

  1. The tiny suitcase: full of fitflop boots, slippers, trainers, twenty pairs of knickers, fitness leggings, assorted sleepwear, ten pairs of socks and G-d knows what else.
  2. A shoulder bag overflowing with protein bars, straws, fudge, goji berries, water, apples, beetroot flapjacks and a fluffy badger.
  3. My purple rucksack stuffed full to bursting with: cosmetics, phone chargers, toothbrush, nail varnishes, notebook, The Favourite Game by Leonard Cohen, toothbrush, toothpaste, poo bags (for dogs).
  4. Pouch containing prescription sunglasses, train tickets, phone, external phone battery, headphones, Vicks inhaler nasal stick, railcard, loose change.
  5. Coat: pockets holding two pairs of gloves – one fingerless pair and one normal pair.
  6. Purple infinity scarf.

Can’t wait to see MadFatRunner and all the dogs, cats, horses and wild creatures!

Happy Friday everyone!
*2004.  Song by Leonard Cohen.  Appears on his 2004 album Dear Heather.

Villanelle For Our Time*

Posted on by waternymph88

In the Bookshop, drinking green tea, charging phone and listening to Leonard Cohen’s album Dear Heather.  Have just purchased Birds: The Art Of Ornithology for Mum for her birthday but will give it to her now in case 2016 kills either/ both of us…

Achievements Of The Day:

  1. Sleep right through the night, not waking till 8.30am.
  2. Make porridge and eat it.
  3. Walk to gym.
  4. Lift heavy weights at gym.
  5. Catch Pokemon and hatch eggs.
  6. Walk home.
  7. Make and consume scrambled eggs with broccoli and mushrooms.
  8. Find suitcase.
  9. And rucksack.
  10. Start packing:
  11. Am visiting MadFatRunner for a week tomorrow.  Yay!
  12. Finish packing.
  13. Wash self and hair.
  14. Tidy flat.
  15. Dad picks me up and drops me at the Bookshop.
  16. Write this.

Painventory:

  1. Toe: drop suitcase on it earlier.
  2. Headache: drop top of bed on head whilst searching under it for rucksack.
  3. Thighs:  from walking.
  4. Tummy ache: from broccoli overdose.
  5. Arms: from lifting weights at gym:


The wren of anxiety flies down my throats and flutters in my stomach.  Parentals are giving me a lift some of the way tomorrow but then will be subject to the vagaries of the rail network.  Fingers crossed for smooth running of trains tomorrow!

The attached photo is today’s gym outfit.  The puma is eyeing up the sheep for her lunch…

Happy Thursday everyone!
*2004.  Song by Leonard Cohen from the 2004 album Dear Heather.

Witness For The Prosecution*

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Having such a good day with Mr Fluffypants.  We’ve been out walking:


And now he’s sleeping on the floor and am watching the new adaptation of Rillington Place.  It’s not as good as the Richard Attenborough classic film 10 Rillington Place but am enjoying it nonetheless.  It’s such a great story: if rather horrible.  Fantastic acting by Tim Roth and Samantha Morton as Christie and Ethel and the chap who plays Timothy Evans is good: Nico Mirallegro.

Earlier this morning – before our walk – we watch The Witness For The Prosecution – a new BBC adaptation of Witness For The Prosecution, which is excellent and contains a gorgeous white Persian cat.  

We walk for three hours and catch lots of Pokémon.  Hatch my first ever Bulbasaur from an egg.  Look:


Sunrise happens whilst I’m on my way here:


Here are a few more of us from this morning:

Love Mr Fluffypants so much.  He’s an excellent companion for walking, cuddles and television watching.

On arrival home need to:

  1. Have bath.
  2. Make supper.
  3. Achieve early night.

Happy Wednesday everyone!
*1925.  Short story by Agatha Christie, originally published as “Traitor Hands” in Flynn Weekly.  Adapted in 1957 as a Hollywood film starring Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich and Charles Laughton – directed by Billy Wilder with screenplay by Billy Wilder, Larry Marcus and Harry Kurnitz.  The 2016 adaptation The Witness For The Prosecution stars Tim Roth, Samantha Morton, Nico Millalegro and Jodie Comber and is directed by Craig Viveiros with a screenplay by Tracy Malone and Ed Whitmore.

Last Christmas*

Posted on by waternymph88

  2. Some photos of my favourite things above.
  3. Achieve 2 hour Spin.
  4. Here is graph:
  5. Had fun.
  6. Arrive back to flat.  Locked out.
  7. Mum sorts out the situation.
  8. Put away shopping.
  9. Defrost freezer.
  10. Make lunch.
  11. Eat it.
  12. Listen to George Michael.
  13. Speak to psychologist.
  14. Watch Peep Show.
  15. Rest.

Happy Tuesday everyone!
*1986.  Song by Wham.  From the album Music From The Edge Of Heaven.

Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me*

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Watching Planet Earth II with the parentals and my fluffy monster.  He’s just been helping me to achieve a bath: sitting on the bathroom floor to keep me company.  So now am clean and dry and in sleepwear under my furry blanket.

Dad is in his chair, resting.  Mum sits next to me on the sofa.

Achievements Of The Day:

  1. Sleep through the night till 7.15am or so.
  2. Discover that yesterday George Michael died of a heart attack aged just fifty three.  This is very sad.
  3. Listen to George Michael Twenty Five whilst walking to Pokestop.
  4. Collect special one-use incubator from Pokestop at railway station.
  5. Lily meets me to hunt Pokémon in the village.
  6. We see this person in the garden this morning:
  8. He (or she) climbs up onto the bird table to capture some bread that Mum has put out for the birds.
  9. We keep the fluffy monster inside for his own safety during the fox’s visit.
  10. Walk back into village again after lunch.
  11. Bump into a Spin chum with her Japanese Spitz.
  12. Walk home.
  13. Achieve bath with the assistance of the fluffy monster.
  14. Remember that we have cheese knives earlier.  Look:
  16. Now it’s dark again and am exhausted as usual.
  17. Need to rest so that am fresh for Two Hour Bank Holiday Spin tomorrow.

Happy Boxing Day everyone!

*1991.  Single by George Michael and Elton John from the album Duets.  Song written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin in 1974 and appeared on the 1974 album Caribou.  It was the album’s first single.

The Wizard Of Oz

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Just watching this classic with the parentals and preparing to go to Aunt and Uncle at 4.30pm.

Achievements of the day:

  1. Sleep through till about 6.30am then wake up Mum for a cuddle and fall back to sleep till eight o’clock.
  2. Make porridge and eat it.
  3. Walk into the village and catch some Pokémon.
  4. Speak to brother on WhatsApp.
  5. Seb messages me and am sad.  Miss him so much.
  6. Visit a fluffy friend:
  7. Isn’t she beautiful.  She’s just turned one.  She also appears in the attached photo.
  8. See a grey wagtail on my walk: bobbing about on the river bank.
  9. And a golden doodle.
  10. Listen to this:
  11. Make this photo of the fluffy monster:


Now need to:

  1. Apply some make-up:
  3. That is my new Urban Decay Moondust palette.
  4. Also will use these ones:
  5. Need to post this blog so can concentrate on the film.
  6. Although have headache and need to apply make-up and CBA.

Happy Christmas 🎄 Chanukah ✡️🎊🎁🎉 or Festive Season everyone!
*1939.  Feature Film.  Screenplay by Noel Langley adapted from the book by L. Frank Baum.  Directed by Victor Fleming.  Starring Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger  and Bert Lahr.  

In The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler (2007) : a textbook for screenwriters – this film is given as a perfect storytelling example of a character’s journey…

Joan Of Arc*

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Sitting in the Bookshop on my favourite grey chair.  

Achievements Of The Day:


  2. Push self hard at Christmas Eve Spin.  Show you my graph:
  3. Have coffee with Spin chum in the Bookshop.  And tea.
  5. My uncle has just arrived from Abroad and so need to entertain him now.
  6. Have just had lashes tinted.
  7. Show you new stuffs:
  8. Take some photos outside:
  9. Cuddle my fluffy monster this morning.  
  10. Bump into a dog-walking chum out with an Alsatian.
  11. Drink green tea.
  12. And San Pellegrino:
  14. Chat to my uncle and his lovely girlfriend.
  15. Do 15 minutes of ab exercises whilst waiting for my lash tiny to take hold.
  16. Listen to Leonard Cohen.

Have a lovely Christmas and Chanukah and festive season everyone!
*1971.  Song by Leonard Cohen.  Released as a single and on the 1971 album Songs Of Love And Hate.  

I Can’t Forget*

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My new neoprene wellies are here: see above photos and the attached one.  MadFatRunner says that will need comfortable wellies for my trip to see her from 30th December till 4th January as it’ll be muddy due to rain and run-off from the soil.  These are So Comfortable: feet feel encased in gloves and the soles must be padded inside.  Am so happy with them.

This also arrives today:


Have just cracked it open and am listening to I’m Your Man.  

The fluffy monster is on my windowsill, which is nice.  He’s been sleeping since my arrival here at six o’clock or so this evening. Now he’s clambered down and wants to go out:

Have let him out.  Right, where were we….

Achievements of the day:

  1. Walk to the pub to meet some chums for lunch.  It’s the same pub where lunched yesterday: 45 minutes.
  2. Here is lunch:
  3. Then visit a couple of shops with my chum.  Purchase a green Nars eyeliner to match new dress and a Nars lip gloss.
  4. And this colour changing rabbit light:
  6. Sometimes think that want to fill home with beautiful objects and then a colour-changing-rabbit-light somehow arrives.  Ah well.  Am enjoying his company.  Batteries are even included for once.
  7. Catch and evolve some Pokemon.
  8. And hatch some eggs.

Am exhausted after yet another day walking around during all the (few) hours of sunlight.

Happy Friday everyone!

*1988.  Song by Leonard Cohen.  Appears on the 1988 album I’m Your Man.