Monday 24 September 2012

Raining Cats and Dogs

It's been pouring all day in Yorkshire. Have you read 'The Tailor of Gloucester?' It's one of my favourite Beatrix Potter books. There is an exquisite illustration of Simpkin the cat coming in from the rain wearing his big coat and carrying the shopping in his arms, and Simpkin hates rain. I remembered it when I came in today, cold and wet.

That expression 'raining cats and dogs' takes me back to a holiday in the days when we and some friends used to have holidays together. That particular year we had three five year olds whose favourite joke of the fortnight was

'What do you do when it's raining cats and dogs?'

'Take care not to step in a poodle!'

To five year olds it's still funny when you say it for the hundred and tenth time. For the rest of us - well, I still laughed, too, because to me there's just something very funny about the word 'poodle'. 'Oh my dear, what a little noodle of a poodle! Excuse me, madam, but your poodle did a doodle in the caboodle.'

In one of my Poppy Harris books about Hammy the Wonder Hamster, I had Hammy hearing that it was 'raining cats and dogs' and taking it, as he takes everything, literally. So he was unsurprised, but very worried, when he met a cat in the garden shed...

On the subject of cats and dogs, the Sunshines are seriously considering getting a dog. Or possibly two. LOS was brought up by a Cavalier King Charles paniel, so they may adopt one. I'll keep you informed.

And finally -

Dogma - the puppy's mother

Dogmatic - this dog is pre-programmed



3 comments:

sciencefreak12 said...

Pugnatice. Theirs one you did not put.

Dogmatic -- what my brother is.

Do you like dogs or Cats more? What is your favorit breed. Mine is a husky.

margaret mcallister said...

My favourites are Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, but so long as a dog has a happy, co-operative personality it doesn't matter. Though I would sort of like to walk around with a deerhound or an Irish wolfhound cos they're almost as big as me!

sciencefreak12 said...

Lol I've never have heard of those dogs.