yesterday

Strange! I wrote a blog entry on Friday, tried to post it, and it vanished. I'm deeply suspicious as to what will happen to this one.

Yesterday was all a bit strange. Pleasant sort of strange. I was in York for a study day, shared with excellent company in a beautiful environment. Nearby an order of nuns were having a big gathering day, and the younger and more able bodied were looking after the old, lame, and wheelchair bound, all of whom had that deeply joyous look that elderly nuns do have. A group of Geordie ladies were sitting at a table outside having morning coffee in the sun.

It was a race day, so lassies in in the sort of outfits you only wear for races or weddings were teetering up and down the street on scary heels, accompanied by cocky young men and swaggering older ones. And of course the streets were full of large and cheerful blokes in red and white shirts, curly wigs, face paint...

I don't mind the football, it's the tat I can't stand. Oh, and the noise.

If this post gets through, please send a swan over the mists to let me know.

Much

Can't hardly see out of me shrubs these days. What 'appens is, we get a few days of sunshine then a lot of rain, and before you can say snail the garden's shooting up like the blooming beanstalk. What with brackens and buttercups you could lose a small child or a dog in there. Come to think of it, 'er's five foot three and you could lose 'er in it.

Last night, she wanders out with a glass in her hand. Not a pair of shears, a glass. She settles herself down and says - isn't it lovely sitting out here on a summer evening! Scuse me, missus, isn't lovely sitting out here on a snail with a cotoneaster halfway up his shell and bracken on me 'ead! Like being in a blooming jungle.

If you see 'er, tell 'er to stop sitting around in the sun and get out and sort her garden. And I wouldn't mind a change of direction, neither.

Fingal

Why are they complaining about the rain? It's all water, and water is good! Bit cold, though, where She of the Stories lives, so she arrived in Mistmantle today. Funny how she can just do that. No swans, no tunnels, she just does it.

Apparently it's a bit freezing in Yorkshire today. I believe the white wreaths of mist look very pretty lifting off the hill. She bought summery fruit and veg today anyway, because she likes it, so they've been huddled around the fire eating summer quiche and little tomatoes. They're a funny lot. By the way, it's beautiful summer on Mistmantle, and we're already thinking about how to celebrate Midsummer. Definitely something to do with food. I can't understand why Urchin won't eat a nice bit of fish, can you?

noodles poodles apple strudels and other things that made me laugh

Yesterday, I was telling some small children about what happened at Pentecost, and said that the disciples all started speaking in languages they'd never learned, and saying words they'd never known, like bienvenu, guten morgen, bravissimo, apple strudel - at which they all fell about laughing, because apple strudel is one of those naturally funny words. I think I once told you that I love words that end in 'le' or sound as if they do. So when we went back into church I was thinking of noodles, poodles, and apple strudels.

I look forward to your thoughts about noodles, poodles, and apple strudels. Or fiddles, riddles, and taradiddles. (I believe taradiddles is a rhythm that drummers use.)

And later I had one of those 'I'm sorry, but it's so funny' moment. Delightful younger son just lent me another Terry Pratchett, 'Guards! Guards!'. I just started reading it in bed last night when husband was dozing off to sleep. There's a long exchange of passwords in the pouring rain, then the door opens - well, eventually, because 'the Door of Knowledge Through Which the Untutored May Not Pass sticks something wicked in the damp.'

So I lay awake giggling helplessly with my teeth clenched. Shaking. I hope I didn't wake him up, but I probably did.

virtual dolphin

This morning I was riding a dolphin across the sea. Well, sort of. It was toddler group today, and the alternative to a delightful small boy falling off a low level seesaw was for me to sit at the other end. These things may be sturdy, but they're not built for anyone over thirty-six inches tall. Still, the seesaw was a dolphin, we rode across the sea, escaped from pirate ships, got caught in storms and whirlpools (that bit was hard work) and fell in. Then we did it all again. Imagination is a wonderful thing. Dignity - well, I never did have much of that.

Have you read Happy Holidays, Hammy the Wonder Hamster yet? Quick, before he has his next adventure.

Oh, my legs will hurt for a week after that seesaw.

much and such

Everybody wants to be on the blog today, so

Bloomin' 'eck, 'ers been to the garden centre again, and we know what that means. 'Er and 'er friend went off on Wednesday and came back with them gro-bags and stuff, and summat to put in 'em. Tomaters and beans and stuff. Chances are the slugs'll have 'em, and them things are cheap in the shops anyway come summer. Mind, I saw some strawberry plants in there and I'm partial to a few strawberries. 'Er won't notice, not with all them 'olly'ocks and snapdragons and acky-leejy things to talk to.

Mistmantle seems to be all quiet just now, so I've hung up the Oakleaf Crown for the afternoon and gone out to see the island in spring. The blossom is still on the fruit trees, until a gust of wind sends a shower of petals over us. For some of the little ones it's their first spring, and all this is new to them. They've never seen bluebells before, or wriggly tadpoles. They're making daisy chains and planting out their own little gardens when they're not chasing each other up trees and down tunnels. Hide and seek is much more fun now that the trees are in leaf and everything's growing, and there are more places to hide. Fingal's repainting his boat, Urchin seems to spend a lot of time with Sepia just now, Oakleaf is learning to swim, and Catkin - oh, she's just Catkin.

Thank you, Your Majesty. And now, especially for the overseas readers - we now have a coalition government between the Conservatives and the Libdems. We have a Conservative Prime Minister, David Cameron, with five Libdem MPs in the Cabinet, including the Libdem leader as Deputy PM. To me, it's not the best possible outcome. But it's the one we've got, so let's hope good comes of it.

strange times

For all of you - the garden is full of frilly tulips and dandelions, the bluebells are coming up and it's been as cold as Siberia for a week. Husband gave the grass its first cut last week but it doesn't look cut, it looks chopped. Hammy is winning new fans at a wheel-spinning rate, and the study looks like a bomb site. The laddie mended the cow clock, so for the first time in a while we have a clock with a terrifying cow that pops out and moos loudly at you on the hour.

For non UK readers, we have had our general election and don't have a clue about who's running the country. No party had a clear majority so Labour and Conservative are hurling themselves at the feet of the Liberal Democrats offering cabinet posts, everlasting love, free sweeties, and even electoral reform. This looks like very good news for the LibDems, but how do you make those decisions without selling your soul? The Prime Minister has offered his resignation.

Perhaps we should ask the queen to take over and do it herself. I'll help her, if she likes.

Where's Crispin of Mistmantle when you need him?