Balance

In times such as, these when fear and hatred could become my overriding feelings, I have to seek balance and to remind myself that there are many people going about their daily lives doing amazingly selfless things who do not court attention and remain beneath the media radar. My thoughts today are with those in Paris

"True religion is just kindness"

Joanna Lumley

Arilx

Being Catty

My chum Ice Badger and I compared notes about our felines at the weekend. Hers are currently getting up to some rather niffy antics inside the house as they don't want to brave the rain and she's had to reinstate the litter tray as a short term measure. I commiserated with her remembering how awful Psychocat was in that respect. Thankfully Humphrey is extremely well mannered and clean thank gawd! This reminded me of this cartoon I'd seen the previous day. I shared it with IB and we were both able to smile at it in an eye rolling kind of way....

Drat that cat!!

Arilx

Remembrance

"In remembrance of the fallen and the future of the living."

Royal British Legion

Nail Cutting.

[Image from morguefile.com]

It never ceases to amaze me that the most mundane of chores can have a whole raft of folklore attached to it. I encountered the following rhyme from some folk related tome I read ages ago about how the day you choose to cut your nails can make all of the difference [who knew!!]

"Cut them on Monday you cut them for health

Cut them on Tuesday you cut them for wealth

Cut them on Wednesday you cut them for news

Cut them on Thursday a new pair of shoes

Cut them on Friday you cut them for sorrow

Cut them on Saturday see your true love tomorrow

Cut them on Sunday the devil will be with you all week."

If you've got white marks on your nails heaven help you- the outcome really depends where you land. A couple of examples are in Japan it means a new set of clothes is winging its way to you whereas in Massachusetts it's indicative of how many fibs you've told.

You don't want ridges on your nails...that foretells of approaching death whereas if you have a prominent half moon at the nail base this means you're of good stock.

If you want to harm somebody else try walking over the nails of that particular individual but remember you need to be in Germany for that one to work.

You can even tell the character of a person by their nails. One who has broad nails has a gentle disposition whereas small nails means they are obstinate and angry. Absolutely what you don't want is someone with black nails as this means you're dealing with a cheat or perhaps someone with a love of gardening or even poor hygiene. In the immortal words of my great grandmother when she saw a fellow with dirty nails travelling on the bus "that chap's nails are so muddy you could grow peas under them."

Evidently it is a matter fraught with danger beware!

Arilx

Rain Didn't Stop Play.

My Dad is of the opinion that if you always waited for a fine day in this country to do something outside you'd never do anything. Up to a point I'd have to say I agree with him. It's been a bit of a grotbag weatherwise this weekend in this 'ere part of the world but it's given me the chance to use my red poppy brolly whilst taking an amble when running errands yesterday and the mist and drizzle didn't put a halt to our plans today either.

We've sneaked over the border into Surrey for the traditional burning of the sticks which is held in Brockham every November. Hosted by the Rampant Rooster Morris side us, along with a handful of others, are invited for a spot of dancing and then to cast our sticks which have been broken during the year onto the dying down bonfire left over from the Firework Extravaganza the previous evening.

I've not done this gig before but it marks the end of the dancing season apparently...except nobody seems to have told Mythago because we've got dates in our diary for December, January and February still. Long may it continue. Huzzah! However, it could be the end of it for me because Humphrey seems to have requisitioned my kit bag and upcycled it into a feline bed. I shall have to wrestle that back off him I see!

Arilx

Group Hug

I read somewhere this week about someone referring to all the rain as we've had as "Cuddle Weather". I'm not a sentimental soul but the simplicity of it just struck a chord.

Arilx

Nothing Amiss

Maybe this fun little video seems rather surreal to some. In the weird little corner of the world which I choose to inhabit this seems all quite normal. The only thing I have yet to see is a whole side coming out of a single telephone box...perhaps that will be rectified when I'm dancing out tomorrow!

Apparition by Stealing Sheep

Arilx