This is a funny little tale about my compulsion with scissors and clippers. For reference – Lourdes Water is Holy or Blessed Water from the shrine of Lourdes, France that Roman Catholics visit. Enjoy!
Category Archives: humor
Pretending to be Lori Loughlin
We Americans assume that the rest of the world knows our current social gossip and every other stupid thing that we do. As an aside, did you know that a thing is an old English/Frisian word which means a gathering? The title of this post refers to an actress with less dramatic skills than me who has made a fortune making Hallmark movies. How to explain Hallmark movies? Shmaltzy movies where there is always a happy ending and they use the same actors again and again. It so confusing when you think, “wasn’t she in Alaska last week with creepily handsome veterinarian?” Now she is in a Cajun Christmas where they all eat turducken. It’s not just Icelanders who eat gross food…
Lori Loughlin was recently jailed for a ludicrously short period of time for committing fraud to get her underachieving kids into a good college. LOTS of money was involved and there were other famous perps such as Felicity Huffman who shamefully decided to admit her guilt and take the punishment. Is it just me or did anyone else admire Martha Stewart’s chutzpah when she just admitted her guilt to insider trading and went straight to prison? When released, she walked out, head held high, with a handknitted poncho. Who knew she would be Snoop Dogg’s Bubala? If you are wondering about the Yiddish words, one of my DNA sites revealed, at Christmas, that I am now 1% Ashkenazi Jew. I am embracing all parts of my heritage and I really love Yiddish words – they have that onomatopoeic quality to them.
Why am I pretending to be Lori Loughlin? Having looked through the provisional list of who gets vaccinated in Texas: I am right at the bottom in Group D. That means I will probably have to stay in personal lockdown until April or May. Batshit crazy does not count for anything nor do dodgy cysts in lungs. Teddy might be included in one group of essential workers because he works in Energy.
Just like Lori Loughlin I am also going to prison, figuratively, for the next four months or so, and will I do any of the life affirming challenges I set myself? No and **** No. I really tried in 2020. I wrote funny blogs, I was positive, friendly, checked on elderly family and friends. At first, I lost weight and exercised. One of my neighbors said, ‘there was not a pick on me’ – a chicken reference. I could not bring myself to mix socially so gave ALL of my attention to Teddy. Sometimes I played BOO, other times I walked towards him like a penguin and tried every conceivable way to make him laugh in a difficult time.
Meanwhile I was not processing that I had lost all my contract work with no hope of any more for some years (and how that would affect my self-esteem). I had no inclination to work with the public although I bow down to those that did. My OCD made it impossible for me to be rational about the pandemic. Still wiping down all the packages with disinfectant wipes, even the squirrels’ food. After the summer my mental health faltered in increments, not helped by forgetting to eat but not forgetting to drink…
What I really want to know is, will you still write to me? Physical visits are out but I need some contact with the world. I might create some more Vlogs since Sit Down Comedy was well received. It was exhilarating putting on some makeup and washing my hair – Woo Hoo! I met one of my neighbors in the street and she seemed concerned that I would continue (post vaccination) to be social or even host parties. I said yes but I don’t think it was the truth. Just like everyone else, I have changed profoundly during 2020. I hope I am not less kind but perhaps a little less compliant. Do I really need more societal contact or do I need to live a solitary life better?
I hate to be the one that says it but I really think life will get worse before it gets better and we will be wearing masks for much longer than we think (if we care about other’s safety). Those vaccinated soon will not be fully immune until the second injection and if you don’t get it, will that invite Corona virus mutations? If you are able to, just go to prison with me, and maybe next Christmas will be worth celebrating. If not wear a mask, long after vaccination.
Sending off to Amazon for an orange jumpsuit – only method acting for me, darlings!
Wish for a HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2021 and keep your expectations low without giving up hope.
Sit Down Comedy
During this really terrible year, my mood has been boosted by comedy. It doesn’t matter if it is funny animal videos, comedy shows or stand up comedians. I created a wee video of me telling you a bedtime story from back in the day. The tale will be even more fun with a glass of wine, some snacks and your feet up on the sofa.
Enjoy! Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Festive Greetings to all. 💕
Just call me Isobel…
Meet Fluffles, a new temporary resident in Katniss’ old house. It makes my heart sing to see something furry enjoying it. Fluffles aka Fluffless (she keeps losing bits of her tail in skirmishes) is looking out pensively asking Nut-Mom to turn off the rain. Nut-Mom has the power to provide banquets of pecans, peanuts, sunflower seeds and apple cores but not weather.
Fluffles runs up as soon as I open the back door and very politely asks for a snack. Her sometimes friends are Polar, who has bright white spots on his ears, Floppy with one ear down and Big Foot. Little gray squirrels have white markings on the back of their ears so that a predator from above thinks they are bigger than they are – bio mimicry. When it is quiet, I can sometimes hear one of them ‘chappin’ or knocking on the door.
Corn-dad provides the corn cobs which I can’t stake in the ground. I know we are not alone in our lunacy because I have been searching for squirrel furniture on the web and there is plenty of it. They usually just get an occasional treat but cold weather has arrived with a vengeance. It is hard to stay warm when it is below freezing when you were just born a few months ago. They are the glossiest squirrels for miles around with white fat tummies. The video below will explain the title.
Sincere thanks to Janey Godley for keeping me amused in this crazy time!
Nutcrackers…
…are they naughty or nice? My husband can’t stand German Christmas nutcrackers. In his mind they are akin to the clown in the Stephen King book IT, or any clown for that matter. As a result, I have one pathetic little nutcracker that someone gifted me. My neighbor has a huge collection of them and Teddy would run shuddering from her house. He doesn’t like their mouths and won’t accept the logic that they are NUTCRACKERS!
We live in a German area of Texas so nutcrackers are just a part of holiday life, much like scary tree roaches in the summer. To my joy, I noticed that our village (the Township is divided into villages, each with grocery stores, cafes, doctors, dentists and other essential stuff) had new holiday decorations. We are now guarded by giant silver Nutcracker soldiers. It is a big upgrade to the ancient ‘doves’ which look like pigeons or geese or some other mutation.
Early one morning I went down to our Market Street and saw this window display, above. My friend forwarded me a article from Saxony, in Germany, where traditional Nutcracker makers have created a new Virologist with mask.
Do you see what he is standing on? Let’s stamp this Corona virus out!! The woodcarvers are struggling like many other businesses. Click here for the article – Saxon Woodcarvers.
This is my tiny nutcracker and tiny tree and tiny elf. Teddy hasn’t noticed him yet… On a brief segue, I read the book IT many years ago and have never felt the same way about clowns/bridges. At the time I had to trek through our very dark hamlet in northern Scotland to the school at the top of the hill. I crossed a railway line and then a wooden bridge across a stream. One very dark morning a heron flew out from the bridge just as I was crossing. There were some choice words directed at the poor heron.
Happy Thanksgiving
Enjoy your meal
Get some exercise
Drink enough water
Thank you to all the essential workers, hospital staff and food banks for everything you to do every year and especially this one. ❤️
Silvery Pixie
No, I haven’t had a psychiatric break – I just wanted to see what my gray hair looks like. If I was a guy this cut would be so sexy but even so I quite like it. It is more salt and pepper than silver – that is literary license…
I had a light bulb moment when I realized that I can’t even go out to restaurants for many months so why bother dyeing my hair every few weeks. My hairdresser was trepidatious but cut it so cleverly if very short. I have come to terms with the fact that I no longer suit long hair (and perhaps never did). See A History of Horrid Haircuts for reference.
I thought that the texture might be softer but it is not…but it is much less itchy. When all of this is over I might decide to color it blonde again (or pink or peach) or not. My eyes have darkened to almost all gray and I suit different colored clothes.
On a random note, do you notice my Frank’s sign on my never pierced ear? It has long been hypothesized that this vertical crease on your ear is indicative of cardiac disease. Given my family history, that is probably true but why worry? There is always a new pandemic or crazy election around the corner… 😉
I am so relieved
Today life magically went back to normal despite the chaos yet to come. Teddy and I walked to Kroger and sat outside with our lattes and celebratory snowman cookie. A lady sat down at the next table (6ft or more away from us) and asked if she was far enough away. “Of course”, we assured her, smiling widely. Shortly after a young woman came out and started YELLING down her phone. It was obvious that her card had just been declined at Kroger and she was pissed. There was sarcasm, “I am SO sorry you are having a bad day, Boo Hoo”. There were endless expletives, unusual in our wee forest. Our eyes and our neighbors got wider at this unexpected display – maybe she voted for the loser?? Finally she stopped yelling and turned to enter the store again. Just before she did, she apologized for the ‘show’. I said, ‘it’s okay, we all have bad days”.
This hilarious exchange provoked conversation between us and our neighbor. She told us that she was looking up scriptures to calm herself because of her relatives. I burst out laughing because I know the feeling. She was a black lady about my age and I just had a feeling she shared our political viewpoint even though our forest is very Red. I said, “Have you seen that car?” She burst out laughing and immediately took a photograph as we did. Has he escaped to Texas? She asked me what the passengers looked like and they were remarkably normal. Two white females.
It has been a terribly anxious week for all of us and we now have 1 million cases of Covid-19 in Texas so it is hard to truly celebrate. I literally risked death to vote – the election lady greeted us with NO MASK. There were no gloves or sanitizing of booths. There was one INCH between the voting booths and they made us vote for every bloody judge, township director and their dog instead of allowing us to just choose Democrat or Republican. I ran out of there like there was the devil on my heels.
May we be a kinder and more integrated society; there is no malice in my heart for anyone with a different political opinion but I need my leader to be decent.
WTH is on the chimney?
There was a huge clatter on the chimney after a thunderstorm. Teddy and I looked at each other – WTH is that? Sometimes a mockingbird sings noisily sweetly or a mourning dove coos down the chimney but there was silence…apart from the clatter.
Black vultures have no voice and make a strange grunting noise. This pair were just enjoying their lookout.
A lovely spooky moment as we approach Halloween!
Some good stuff
It is hard to ignore all our global crises, from the pandemic to catastrophic weather, but laughter truly is a medicine. My psychiatrist Zoomed me last week and I made him laugh out loud. He suggested I try a stand-up comedy evening and generally gave me a gold star for trying hard to keep the blues away. The next day, I felt low and overwhelmed but just watched one of my favorite Youtube comics. The First Minister in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, has been giving daily briefings to Scotland on Covid-19. Unlike ours in the US, her briefings are succinct, sensible and more importantly CORRECT!! A Scottish comedian, Janey Godley, does a voiceover of the briefings in a strong Glaswegian dialect. They make me howl with laughter because they are so familiar. I doubt that many of my readers could understand her so I have put a translation underneath. The First Minister approves of the voiceovers because Janey Godley keeps the real message intact within the comedy. WARNING!! There are a couple of F bombs in it (common parlance in Glasgow) but the other video below is more gentle and doesn’t need translation. Just one wee eff at the end…
Right here’s the official word and I will tell you (for) why. All the Sandras, big Jeanette, all the Pippa Dees (Tupperware like parties?) have all been cancelled. Nobody is going to Torremolinos (Jersey Shore style Spanish resort). We are all just chatting on the Snapchat Group. Stop going out. Stop meeting your friends. Stop going to the park and gathering together.
A Bunch of effing Idiots.
You have all been told.
Everybody is going to die if you keeping going about and going home with a virus on you. So, I’ve told you once and I’m not going to tell you again.
This the Official Line –
If I see any of you out there, I am going to take a run and put my toe up the crack of your bottom. So stop it. Stay in the house, wash your hands and keep your families safe. Effing snapchat your friends. I will be speaking to Big Teresa later. All of you; use your phone and STOP IT!
If you browse Youtube you can see the real briefings – that have no F bombs and are less fun! I know that we all need a wee massage at the moment so I hope you enjoy the virtual cat one below. I think you will understand this but let me know if you need a translation. Happy Weekend, Wash your Hands, Keep your Distance, Wear your Bloody Mask and Keep Safe. Most of all, keep laughing.
Postcards from Kerry 