Digging Ourselves Out Of Trouble

This chap is productively turning a negative into a positive. I like his style.

https://www.minds.com/blog/view/482456867075792896

Arilx

Puppet Master

I have a pet theory that goes something along the lines of this.....whenever I spot a table of books raising money for charity and they are going for a bargainous price of 3 for a quid I throw caution to the wind spending wise and take a punt on things I might consider more carefully under different circumstances. This was the case with "The Night Circus" http://gnatbottomedtowers.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/sparkles.html and again with "The Puppet Master" which I picked up between dancing sets at a fete Mythago performed at back in the summer.

Without wanting to give too much of the plot away it's set in Prague in 1898 and is akin to almost stepping into the frame of a surrealist painting. Drawing upon folklore it weaves between the main plot and in and out of Bohemian history as once again the power of women is threatened by the misogynistic Puppet Master. Layers of richness are added to the tale with the addition of vintage posters, old documents and dark Gothic illustrations. It holds out a nightmarish quality as the marionettes come to life yet it remains completely compelling throughout. A highly unusual read but I was enthralled.

Arilx

Sparkles

'Tis the season of all things shimmery and shiny...this year the trend really does seem to be "all things" getting the glitter treatment from female hairy arm pits [each to their own but not one I shall be following sisters] to beards proof here https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/258765483/unscented-glitter-beard-kit-ubs-beard?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping_uk_en_gb_c-accessories-costume_accessories-facial_hair&utm_custom1=409f04a1-7e86-4d67-b3f3-96ea0525fd43&gclid=CLaigq7kxskCFSsEwwodpooDiw

The seasonal madness has put me in mind of a story that I heard a few years ago..I suspect it's apocryphal but it amuses me nevertheless.....

A young lady had rather over indulged at a party and awoke hung over at her friend's house. Remembering with horror that she was due to have a smear test at the surgery later she realised she didn't have time to go home and freshen up. Running late and in a vain attempt to make herself half decent, she rushed into the bathroom and sprayed all the necessary areas with a borrowed deoderant. Arriving at the surgery just in the nick of time she was ushered in by the nurse, who having carried out the necessary procedure, smiled at her and said "you probably don't need to go to so much trouble next time!" She had picked up a can of spray glitter by mistake.......

Arilx

Two Robins

Normally with a blog post title like that you would either expect a folkloric content or a Christmas offering from me but this time may I offer something rather touching and different to the norm.

Yesterday I ended up with a free morning as my usual cleaning client had needed to cancel for this week. Rather than waste the time I grabbed the opportunity to catch up with a long standing chum who I've not seen for a couple of months. She's had her fair share of up and downs over the intervening weeks including the loss of her much loved Nan.

Although 95 and in poor health, Nan's still always been a major part of my friend's life and she played a pivotal role in her childhood. As I was leaving I noticed two robins sitting along side one another on her fence. Knowing how territorial and aggressive they normally are, I commented upon what an unusual sight it was. Her reply was unexpected but moving- "that's my Grandad and Nan" she replied. She explained that whenever her Nan had come to stay at her house and they had sat out on the porch they were always joined by a robin which she always believed to be her Grandad. Last week when walking the dogs in the local woods she noticed a robin criss crossing her path- this she took to be a sign that her Nan had died [she'd known for six weeks that it was only a matter of time] and when she got home she walked in to receive the news that this was indeed the case. Since then she said she has seen the pair of robins all the time in her garden and from this she has drawn great comfort. The funeral is on Monday.

Arilx

A Mystery Solved

Having recently joined the Strange Things Found in Churches FB group I have been scurrying back through the photographic archives to come up with some images to contribute. I've always enjoyed having a nose around churches but my interest increased frankly when we were looking for free/cheap things to do. For me it's as much about the history as the religion- that tantalising glimpse into the world that our ancestors inhabited and the clues they left behind into how they viewed it. Much of it mystifies me but intrigues me in equal measure. Often I haven't really got a clue what I'm looking at and there's a surprise round every corner. My digging around came up with this beauty last week.

Apart from knowing it's a 9th century Saxon carving of an animal head from St Mary's Priory Church in Deerhurst the internet is very quiet about it. I vaguely remember us seeing it when we were on holiday and us popping in when we were walking but beyond that clueless. I had idly wondered if it was some type of doe but then one look at those flesh ripping teeth put me in mind of a hound of some type. Similar conversations ensued within the group as the idea of a boar or even a horse [there is a passing resemblance to Mari Lwyd] was mooted. In the end though somebody came along with the right answer. It's the Deerhurst Dragon no less and you can read its tale here http://www.glosfolk.btck.co.uk/TheLegendoftheDeerhurstDragon. Having terrorised the neighbourhood for quite long enough it met a grisly end and had its head lopped off with an axe by the local farmworker George Smith. 

I am just so chuffed to have had this little mystery solved.

Arilx

Months

Months

January cold desolate;

February all dripping wet;

March wind ranges;

April changes;

Birds sing in tune

To flowers of May,

And sunny June

Brings longest day,

In scorched July

The storm-clouds fly

Lightning torn;

August corn,

September bears fruit;

In rough October

Earth must disrobe her;

Stars fall and shoot

In keen November;

And night is long

And cold is strong

In bleak December.

Christina Rossetti

It seems incredible to me that here we are at the end of another year yet again.

Arilx

Sorry seems to be the hardest word....

Actually that is not the case for me...I'm always doing that quintessentially British thing and apologising even if it's patently not my fault. Step on my toes chances are I'll say "sorry"- it's like an automatic reflex. For me it's that little two letter word- one consonant and one vowel and by not saying it often enough in the right context it's got me into all sorts of fixes.

Simply it's "no" when someone asks me to do something I don't want to. For all sorts of reasons over the years I've agreed to doing all sorts- I've known I've not wanted to do them, but actually verbalising that seems almost impossible...fear of letting people down, people pleasing..... there are many illogical reasons why I have been unable to politely utter that little word and even if I have, there's always been justification and reasons given. Except of late I have become a little braver. In understanding that part of my managing my stress levels and keeping my anxiety in check is down to me being proactive, I have said "no" twice in the last couple of months [not without worrying about what people will think of me I have to be honest] but I am discovering that the sky doesn't fall in. In fact the reaction has been absolutely fine after all others say it all the time without there necessarily being awful repercussions. That does not mean to say that I am going to be practising so called "safety behaviours" from now on but I shall trust my instinct and step outside my comfort zone when I feel ready.

'Tis a small step but definitely one in the right direction.

Arilx