This week, Kerfe Roig selected the words:
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Gentle thoughts mingle
Before they softly drift off
Tenderly as one.
Harsh thoughts crash and bash your mind.
Never turn the eyes that’s blind
The Christmas Email 🎄
T’was the night before Christmas, I’m peeling the sprouts,
I’ll regret it tomorrow of that I’ve no doubts.
I’ve spent hours wrapping pressies for under the tree.
Everyones socially distancing so it’s up to me.
This year’s been a bummer so I thought let’s spread the joy
(cough) Here’s our news which is bound to annoy.
Lets start with grandpa well he’s loosing the plot
he’s been stalking the estate quite a lot.
Since they said he can drive no more,
he’s been acting like a bear with a head that’s sore!
Hubby has been busy washing hands and making masks
when people get too close he takes them to task.
Jerome, Cathy and Hermione are fine,
in and out of school all the time.
Fighting over computer, laptop and tablet …all of them mine!
We’ve all had to isolate at different times ,
we’ve done as we’re told to avoid fines!
We’re all sick of watching the neighbours breaking the rules.
How will we ever be rid of this Covid surrounded by fools.
The chickens stopped laying last week,
the hamsters are missing we’ve not heard a squeak.
We’ve had our fair share of hospitals and Ambulances too.
But to be fair in lockdown there’s not much to do!
My goodness is that the time,
I must get this sent then open the wine.
Merry Christmas to you and your bubble,
let’s hope 2021 is less trouble.
The Vaccine is coming we’ll all grow two heads..I don’t really care, in 100years we’ll all be dead!
She knows how I feel
Her body curled round my feet
A paw touches me.
This week’s #carrotranch prompt is here…
December 3, 2020, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story that includes family traditions. It can be related to any holiday or situation. How does the tradition impact the story or change the character? Go where the prompt leads!
December 3, 2020, prompt.
Title. Childhood Christmas
Nothing ever happened until Christmas Eve. Mum took us all shopping on the bus.We’d buy all the food and tree, all six of us had a bag to carry. When we got home decorations were made and hung.
Then Mum started the baking and the boys would pinch it.
In the evening the Turkey and veg were prepared. At eleven pm they all went to Midnight Mass with Dad.
I was too young so mum and I stayed home and decorated the tree. I loved staying up late and when everyone got home the tree was magically ready.
CHAPTER 4
“Ican’tsee,Ican’tsee” scritches Squeezy. Two muttwits, all earflaps and furry bodies, obscuring the High Street, handlebars, all else “Ican’tcontrol–“
Paddles is in a state of shock snifz yu–
Don’t move! barks Bananas
..Kama, Karma, Karmaaa…
Wot yu doing? Squeezy’s gotta squeeze the handlebars Paddles can’t eyeball anything neither, the little Pug being all wrapped ‘round his large snout.
“arhhhh!” Squeezy scritches, trying to move her handpaw from the control but stuck under the weight of both fourlegs.
Don’t move Bananas yaps into Paddle’s thick earflap until…
The mowta whizzes down the High Street, completely out of control, flashing past Tuffy and GitOrrf! in a blur of sniffy fourlegs, whinny skinny roundlegs and Kama, Karmaaa…
Woaa, is that Paddles hanging off the front? wonders GitOrrf!
Nah, mate Tuffy corrects, bit of a sausage hanging from chops just a cool Bananas, init!
At a speed never intended for the mowta, all control is lost, thanks to thems pink and yellow fluffy lumps preventing Squeezy from doing wot she needs to do with handpaws on handlebars. The entrance to Herdwick pooping park rushing up to meet thems.
Jump! yelps Bananas.
Wot?
Jump, yer fluffy muttwit and both fourlegs bail out, leaving Squeezy with a perfect view of the pooping park gates sweeping by either side. Loss of weight – coz Paddles is a right heavy four – causes the mowta to yaw this way and that, throwing the accordion high into the air. It crashes down in a squeezy, wheezy whine onto the grass, right beside Nutz.
Erh, snifz yu he barks at the wheezing thing.
Outside Costa, wotz actually nicely placed inside Herdwick pooping park, Squeezy almost manages to get the mowta under control before it gently crunches into a table and umbrella. The umbrella tips over and drapes Squeezy in bold Costa logos.
..if your colours were lyk my dreams…red, go–
Boy George cuts out. Squeezy struggles from under Costa logos and emerges into daylight.
“sorry,MissusLavinka” Arjom scritches, wobbling up to help her off the mowta.
“sorry,MissusLavinka” Oskar scritches, the legless, furless dumb scratch held in both handpaws.
Snifz yu barks Nutz at the accordion
Flaplegs, init adds Boltz, unfazed by an accordion flying into the park and landing on the grass right before his paws.
Yeah, yor right Nutz gives it one final snifz and I think it’s a gonna, d’yu know wot I’m sayin‘, bruv?
▪
Usual same old, same old.
Lavinka gets Paddles ready for his guest appearance to the paying masses in the big city. She combs his fur over and over until static makes it stand on end in a blob of electric fuzz. She ties a Union Jack bandana ‘round his big head and completes the look with the gold-tinted aviators.
‘cept that, instead of the same old neon pink fuzz, Paddles is now cream coloured. Natural Chow Chow cream coloured.
“thereweare,mypatriotic,puffy-liondoggy” she takes his big furry snout between both handpaws and plonks a kiss on the tip of his black snout, all TLC.
Trouble is, Paddles don’t appreciate all the fuss. Coz all night long, Squeezy’s been washing all that pink out of him in the bath. He snifz of two-in-one shampoo and conditioner.
He wants to snifz his brekkers – but can’t.
Brekkers ain’t brekkers if yu don’t snifz it proper
That’s not gonna happen for a few days yet, not til his natural oils restore him to the handsome Chow Chow lyk wot he normally is.
And off they whine, on the mowta, towards West Pid. town center.
Dessert loving in your eyes all the waaay
They reach the corner of the Vape Shop at the top of the High Street.
“sitstillandbehave,thistime” Squeezy slowly whines the mowta down the pavement.
Me, behave. Me?
“fourmilesperhour” Squeezy scritches and don’t dare go one MPH faster.
Two streetlegs regulars watch thems trundle past.
Sharp as a pin, wot yuz are barks Tuffy to Paddles as he crawls by.
How can a fluffy four be sharp as a pin, One Ear? quizzes GitOrrf! between chomps of Greggs best brekkers bacon butty.
Tuffy, also known by the intimates as One Ear, sighs at his streetlegs mate don’t yu know nothink?
Sure, I know nothink GitOrrf! replies, a bit affronted by such snouty behaviour before a proper brekkers knows everything there is to know about nothink, init? not wanting to appear without intellectuals in front of Tuffy nothink I don’t knows about nothink!
The two streetlegs eyeballs the mowta whine down the High Street and slowly turn into Short Cut.
Let’s go ask Paddles sez Tuffy and see if he knows anything about nothink and off they trot. GitOrrf! carrying a sausage roll wot Paddles was promised – whenever.
▪
Bananas ain’t getting any peanut butter today – or any other day, judging by all the scritching going on. She takes shelter under the kitchen table.
“could’vehurtsomeone,withthatstunt” packmom scritches at her hindlegs pups, slamming brekkers on the table.
No noise from the pups.
“newrules” packmom continues “one,Bananasstayonthelead,atalltimes”
Pups remain noiseless.
Hold on a tic
“two,Bananasdon’tgonearotheranimals”
Pups still noiseless.
Wot the – hold on a tic
“andonlyLiisawalksBananas” packmom continues, relentless.
Now hold on– ah, hmmm, that’ll work
“don’twannawalkthedog” scritches Liisa, stomping her footpaw right beside the Pug’s earflap
Nah, corss yu do
“don’tevenlikedogs” scritches Liisa, stamping her footpaw again.
Yah, corss yu do
“that’stherules,orthedoggoes”
Lol!
▪
Outside, on Drakefield Road as it happens, Liisa wobbles along with her brothers and it takes no more than one short squirtz before [rule # one] Bananas is off the lead.
Oi, cool Bananas!
Snifz yu, Giblets
And [rule # two] Bananas is near other animals – wot that saucy muttwit Giblets is, anyways.
Squeezy squiiiz, squeezy, squiiiz the accordion stretches this way and that. Paddles sits on his tartan blanket, wearing his Union Jack bib and gold-tinted specs.
To me – not at me! he barks at pedestrians throwing little metal bits – wotz being thrown more than normal.
Snifz yu, Paddles yaps Bananas, standing in front of him, her doughnut-curled tail wagging cheerily.
Yeah, right he grunts back, refusing to eyeball her.
Yor not pink, anymore Bananas snifz at him yor normal, nows
Squeezy squiiiz, squeezy, squiiiz
Yeah, thanks for that Bananas – or should I bark ‘cool’ Bananas – wot fourlegs are calling yuz for saving the mowta, wot don’t need saving
Sure thing, anytime
Right! And thanks for getting rid of the pink furs, wot don’t need unpinking
Corss, at yor service
Yeah, and biggest thanks is reserved for ‘thems’ Paddles stands up and sticks his big, natural-coloured fluffy butt into Bananas flat snout THEMS! giving it the aggressive wot don’t need glittering!
From beneath his natural cream coloured coat emerge a small yet solid pair of furry plum bobs – all lovingly spray-painted in red, white and blue glitter.
Yeah thems. Thanks a bundle Paddles barks cheerlessly. Another metal bit is thrown at him, bouncing off his butt and landing on the tartan blanket.
“bringinginthemoneeey” Squeezy sing-song scritches, squeezing her accordion.
Nice Bananas yaps, mesmerized.
Squeezy squiiiz, squeezy, squiiiz
This evening Martin at A Gap in the Cloud suggest I try an Acrostic Poem entitled Bah Humbug. Well what’s a girl to do?
Bah! Humbug a Christmas Acrostic Poem.
Blast I don’t like Christmas tide
All the clamour makes me want to hide.
Hope and charity have lost their stride.
Hauling home the endless shopping
Uncaring of the homeless, it is shocking
Must get, must have it’s all hype
Blaring adverts brash and trite
Unkind, selfish, too much spent on Christmas fare.
God’s gift forgotten, most don’t give a care.
Calling all ambitious animals a note from Lucy Mitchell.
*****
Sometimes, the best part about writing is that my dog is always snoring nearby, offering sleepy moral support as I sit at my desk, agonizing over my latest fictional romance.
Hi everyone it’s Sunday and time for Song Lyric Sunday.Our Host Jim Adams has given us free tickets to the Reptile House with his prompt. I did not take part last week because I had had an operation and been in hospital. I am on the mend now so, I am back!
All lyrics for this week’s choices are from AtoZ Lyrics.
So I have chosen, Peter Gabriel with Sinade O’Connor, with Blood of Eden.
Blood of Eden” is the third single from English rock musician Peter Gabriel‘s 1992 album Us, featuring backing vocals by Sinéad O’Connor. It narrowly failed to break the UK top 40.
“Blood Of Eden”
I caught sight of my reflection
I caught it in the window
I saw the darkness in my heart
I saw the signs of my undoing
They had been there from the start
And the darkness still has work to do
The knotted chord’s untying
They’re heated and they’re holy
Oh they’re sitting there on high
So secure with everything they’re buying
[Chorus:]
In the blood of Eden
Lie the woman and the man
With the man in the woman
And the woman in the man
In the blood of Eden
Lie the woman and the man
We wanted the union
Oh the union of the woman
The woman and the man
My grip is surely slipping
I think I’ve lost my hold
Yes, I think I’ve lost my hold
I cannot get insurance anymore
They don’t take credit, only gold
Is that a dagger or a crucifix I see
You hold so tightly in your hand
And all the while the distance grows between you and me
I do not understand
At my request, you take me in
In that tenderness, I am floating away
No certainty, nothing to rely on
Holding still for a moment
What a moment this is
Oh for a moment of forgetting, a moment of bliss
I can hear the distant thunder
Of a million unheard souls
Of a million unheard souls
Watch each one reach for creature comfort
For the filling of their holes
In the blood of Eden
Lie the woman and the man
With the man in the woman
And the woman in the man
In the blood of Eden
We wanted the union
Of the woman and the man
In the blood of Eden
Lie the woman and the man
I feel the man in the woman
And the woman in the man
In the blood of Eden
Lie the woman and the man
I feel the man in the woman
And the woman in the man
In the blood of Eden
We’ve done everything we can
In the blood of Eden
Saw the end as we began
With the man in the woman
And the woman in the man
It was all for the union
Oh, the union of the woman, the woman and the man.
The blood of eden keeps running through me
running through my veins
the blood of eden keeps rushing through me
when I’m sure there’s none that remains
the blood of eden keeps running through me
I can feel it in my bones
that blood of eden keeps rushing through me
taking back what it owns.
*********
Next up The Serpent from Genesis.
The Serpent is from the Genesis Album to Revelation is the debut studio album by the English rock band Genesis, released in March 1969 on Decca Records. The album originated from a collection of demos recorded in 1967 while the members of Genesis were pupils of Charterhouse in Godalming, Surrey. It caught the attention of Jonathan King who named the group, organised deals with his publishing company and Decca, and studio time at Regent Sound Studios to record a series of singles and a full album. A string section arranged and conducted by Arthur Greenslade was added later on some songs. By the time Genesis had finished recording, John Silver had replaced original drummer Chris Stewart.
The Serpent.
Dark nights, the planets are set
Creator prepares for the dawn of man
You’re waking up, the day of incarnation
Said your waking up to life
Images he made to love
Images of gods in flesh
Man is wonderful, very wonderful, look at him
Beware the future
Here is my world and it’s waiting for me
Paradise before my eyes
I am alive in a new born world
This heaven will always be mine
I’m waking up, the day of man has come
I’m waking up, the day of man has come
And God created man from dust
With a soul inside his mould
And God created womankind
The vessel of Satan’s hold
Creator made the serpent wise
Evil in his tempting eyes
Man is wonderful, very wonderful, look at him
Beware the future
Here is my world and it’s waiting for me
Paradise before my eyes
I am alive in a new born world
This heaven will always be mine
I’m waking up, the day of man has come
I’m waking up, the day of man has come
Dark nights, the planets are set
Creator prepares for the dawn of man
You’re waking up, the day of incarnation
Said your waking up to life
Here I stand a child in a lonely world
See the serpent tempting me to evil
The guiding hand will help me on
The guiding hand will help me on.
**********
Thirdly we have Crocodile Shoes by Jimmy Nails.
“Crocodile Shoes” is a single by Jimmy Nail. It was written for the television drama Crocodile Shoes, and became a chart hit for Nail in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Sweden in 1994 and 1995. It is featured on the album of the same name.
Meaning of the song, list love.
“Crocodile Shoes”
Wine, beer and spirits all the time
Though I have you still she’s always on my mind
The rain falls down, I’m soaking through
I’m an old man inside a young man’s suit
My crocodile shoes are crying too
For they know how much love I have for you
Crocodile shoes
Crocodile shoes
Crocodile shoes
Crocodile shoes
Wine, beer and spirits take me down
The lights are low and there’s no one else around
The waitress sure looks pretty and that’s a bad sign
I smile at her still you’re always on my mind
With your
Crocodile shoes
Crocodile shoes
Crocodile shoes
Crocodile shoes
I’ve lost so much in a short time
Don’t see my kids how I miss my wife
I let the world slip through my hands
And now I’m talking to the only friends I have
Crocodile shoes
Crocodile shoes
Crocodile shoes
Crocodile shoes
They’re crying too
They’re crying too
Crocodile shoes
Crocodile shoes.
*********
Fourthly My favourite Imogen Heap with Headlock. No Alligators in the Lyrics but there are in the video.
“Headlock” is a song by British singer-songwriter Imogen Heap, from her 2005 album Speak for Yourself. It was the third single from Speak for Yourself, following “Hide and Seek” and “Goodnight and Go“. Remixed for radio as ‘Immi’s Radio mix’ and accompanied by a new all-vocal B-side, entitled “Mic Check”.
The drum and bass artist High Contrast remixed the song. The artist Clams Casino also sampled the song in his song “The World Needs Change”. Furthermore, the song was sampled in rapper A$AP Rocky‘s song “Angels”, a bonus track from his debut album Long.Live.A$AP.
The video was filmed on 11 July 2006. The video premiered on Manchester-centric TV station, Channel M, in early September, before being sent to other music television channels for rotation.
Featured instruments include mbira, string bass, and a vibraphone.
“Headlock”
Distant flickerings, greener scenery.
This weather’s bringing it all back again.
Great adventures, faces and condensation.
I’m going outside to take it all in.
You say too late to start, got your heart in a headlock,
I don’t believe any of it.
You say too late to start, with your heart in a headlock,
You know you’re better than this.
Wear a different pair, do something out of step.
Throw a stranger an unexpected smile…with big intention.
Still posted at your station.
Always on about the day it should have flied.
You say too late to start, got your heart in a headlock,
I don’t believe any of it.
You say too late to start, with your heart in a headlock,
You know you’re better than this.
Afraid to start, got your heart in a headlock,
I don’t believe any of it.
You say too late to start, with your heart in a headlock,
You know you’re better than this.
Been walking, you’ve been hiding,
And you look half dead half the time.
Monitoring you, like machines do,
You’ve still got it, I’m just keeping an eye
(So what) I’ve been walking, you’ve been hiding,
(Don’t care) And you look half dead half the time.
(Will not) Monitoring you, like machines do,
(The end) You’ve still got it, I’m just keeping an eye
You know you’re better than this
I’ll make you start, got your heart in a headlock,
No I don’t believe any of it.
You say too late to start, with your heart in a headlock,
You know you’re better than this.
Afraid to start, got your heart in a headlock,
I don’t believe any of it.
You say too late to start, with your heart in a headlock,
You know you’re better than this.
*******
Fifthly, Lounge Lizard by Mott the Hopple .
Mott the Hoople are an English rock band, popular in the glam rock era of the early to mid-1970s. They are best known for the song “All the Young Dudes“, written for them by David Bowie. The song appeared on their 1972 album of the same name.
“Lounge Lizard”
Well I picked her up on a Saturday night
She’s a Pool Hall poison but it smelt all right
Oh ma, what a sight when I saw her in the light of day
She was a Speakeasy sleazer of the lowest degree
You should hear the stories she was layin’ on me
Said she got the lot, but she only spiked a few
She’s a Lounge Lizard, coming on strong
Who are you foolin’, yeah yeah yeah
Lounge Lizard, coming on strong
You gotta be joking just give give give
Now I don’t care if your boy’s name’s John
I don’t care where your Mother comes from
Just give it to me, just pull it through me all right
I don’t care if your make-up’s a cop
Well I don’t mind just keep your raincoat on
No conversation, my reputation’s [?]
She’s a Lounge Lizard, coming on strong
Who are you foolin’, it’s me you’re with
Lounge Lizard, come on strong
You gotta be joking, just give give give
She’s a Lounge Lizard, coming on strong
Who she foolin’, it’s me you’re with
Lounge Lizard, come on come on
You gotta be joking, just give give give
Lounge Lizard, coming on strong
Who are you foolin’, it’s me you’re with
Lounge Lizard, coming on strong
You gotta be joking, just give give give
Give give give
Give give give
Yeah Give give give
Yeah Give give give
Yeah Give give give.
******
And lastly Happy Together by the Turtles. No Turtles here, in the Lyrics or even the video! No just in the name of the group..
So there you have it Song Lyric Sunday. Happy Sunday Everyone.
When the pain is stubborn let’s have some chill out 💜 featuring Imogen Heap, who else?
Day fades slowly out.
The pain refuses to rest.
Float away on notes.
The brain can over come this.
Give in no use to resist.
Look what the Usual Muttwits are up to and never miss a date!
Stay up to date with all yor furry besties with the Muttwits of Westley Piddle 2021 calendar. Formatted for smartphone and PC. Simply download to yor device, or cut and paste the link.
Cheers everyone
Tales from the hutch
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🐘 Nancy is a storyteller, music blogger, humorist, poet, curveballer, noir dreamer 🐘
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