Ten lives and second chances

Little Lady

2012-01-30T00:05:00.001Z

Bloggie friends!

I am now a proud auntie to my first niece! I mean I love my four nephews but it's nice to have a niece too!

I apologise for the quality of the pic! Oh but she had these perfect little hands with the longest fingers ever! And nails! It's like she had a French manicure while in the womb! Yay!

Charlie says: I glow in the light of the sun.

Have a great week, all!

Happy February!!

Fire of the Dragon!

2012-01-23T00:05:00.001Z

Bloggie friends!

Happy Chinese New Year! It is the Year of the Dragon and when the Dragon roars, you sit up and listen!

The Dragon tells you this year is not a year “to be doing things by half”. (source)

The Dragon tells you this year is a time to “act on your dreams as the Dragon gives you the best chance to make them come true”. (source)

The Dragon has spoken! Go forth and conquer! Make all those cherished dreams into reality - you know what they are and you know what needs doing, so go, go, go!

Charlie says: I stand in awe after a session with my silverine pouch from Auntie Bin.

p.s. I did clean up his eye boogers after! LOL!

p.s. Just for info, Charlie's left tear duct is damaged due to an infection when he was a baby kitty, so it needs cleaning regularly but it's nothing to worry about!

How Lady Gaga helped my story submission success!

2012-01-16T00:05:00.003Z

Bloggie friends!

One of my flash fiction stories has been accepted for publication! Hoorah!

This wonderful opportunity came via gorgeous Debbie over at Bookworm Bites Back.

She blogged about how Caroline Smailes (author of In Search of Adam) was putting together an anthology of flash fiction stories inspired by songs shown in YouTube.

All proceeds of the anthology will be given to One in Four a registered charity which provides support and resources to people who have experienced sexual abuse and sexual violence.

This is probably going to be my first and last story publication success this year so forgive me if I enjoy it a little.

And it’s also for a great cause. More details of Caroline’s anthology project and One in Four may be found in her blog.

The anthology will only be available as an e-book, I think!
:-)

Charlie says: I glide further up the carpet with just one of my toys!

p.s. Huge congrats to all whose stories were chosen especially those of my bloggie friends: Theresa Milstein, Simon Kewin, DJ Kirby...!

p.s. The song that inspired me? Lady Gaga's Bad Romance! Oh yes!

Keep warm!

Two tins tied together with a piece of string

2012-01-09T00:05:00.001Z

Bloggie friends!

It’s the second week of January 2012 and I’ve absolutely nothing of excitement to report (apart from the little matter of me nearly ditching the blog and leaving Blogworld on Friday for good when Google removed my blog - but that’s another story) !! LOL!

Charlie says: I move further along the carpet to play with my toys.

p.s. Thank you to all of you who talked me off the virtual ledge of Google Headquarters (lovely Jan, Kim, Marg, Cheri... all of you, all of you!)

p.s. Also thank you to my lovely special scrummy friend who lent me their mobile number - because I don't own a mobile phone or want to!

To unlock my Google accounts I had to get a verification code and the Google Bots would only recognise a mobile number for them to send me this code.

p.s. I say bring back the Pigeon!

Happy Blogging!!

A Leaping Anecdote

2012-01-02T12:02:00.004Z

Bloggie friends! 2012 is a Leap year so here is my leap year anecdote.

A few leap years back when I was so young and ever so foolish, I won a leap year bet at work by marching to my male manager and asking him to marry me.

Luckily said male manager turned me down but not after he had an apoplectic fit of laughter bringing on his indigestion and causing him to take the afternoon off to see his doctor - but let’s not dwell on that.

Now as I look up Leap Year on Wiki I discover these amazing facts (as yet unverified and unsubstantiated so I deny all liability for false information) that if the man turned down such a proposal made by a woman during a leap year, they were liable to:

1) Pay her £1.
2) Buy her 12 pairs of gloves.
3) Or fabrics for a skirt.

Anyway! I still think I got the best out of this as the bet I won was for a pint and pub dinner!

Charlie says: I see the New Year in by taking it easy.

Happy leaping 2012 everyone!

The Morning After the Day Before 2011

2011-12-26T11:30:00.005Z

Bloggie friends!

The Final Bad Poem of 2011 by Old Kitty

Ahem.

My head is the size of Jupiter

My belly the size of a monster

I ate cake with indulgence

Drank mulled wine without abeyance

So now I suffer with flatulence! Heheh!

******************

Hope your celebrations were as fun as Charlie’s!

Here he is enjoying his pressies! Oh yes, feel the excitement! LOL!

SEE Y’ALL IN THE NEW YEAR!!! (Well maybe the morning after!).

Jingle Bells All the Way!

2011-12-19T00:05:00.000Z

A Poem to Make You Weep (cos it's jolly awful!)

by Old Kitty

Here is my Christmas tree

In its pot, all happy!

Decked in lights and not much else

Now all it needs are some presents!

Charlie says: I sleep in awkward pose and wait for Santa.

Bloggie friends! Charlie and I wish you all a most beautiful Holiday Season!

Tricky Kitty Reaches for the Stars!

2011-12-12T00:05:00.001Z

I wish I could escape into Charlie’s head as he sniffs Tricky Kitty!

Charlie says: Crazy cat lady is not making sense.

Oh but I am!

On the 14th Dec, lovely Janice Horton’s book “Reach for the Stars” is launched and to celebrate she’s holding a “where would you wish to escape to” PARTY! Celebrations start here!

And Tricky Kitty?

A fiendish trick played on me by gorgeous Janet Sumner Johnson! She held a trick or treat party and Charlie won the trick! Yay! Thank you lovely Janet! There was an extra pack of yummy jelly beans too but I ate them. Ahem.

Dashing through the snow!

Cucumbers are Cool.

2011-12-05T00:05:00.003Z

Bloggie friends!

Not much happening in Old Kitty’s world so here is Charlie and his attempt at showing some Christmas spirit!

Charlie says: I wear Santa hat for nobody.

And here is my attempt at more Bad Poetry!
*************************
Avoid like the plague by Old Kitty

Such a stick in the mud
Was Brian, the boy next door
And worse was his good for nothing brother!

But they were thick as thieves
And did exactly what was said on the tin
And were over the moon when I legged it.

Just as well I didn't peg it.

:-)
***********************************
The above is my entry to the gorgeous Madeleine’s Cool as a Cucumber Blogfest – a feast of more clichés you could shake a stick at!

Deck the halls with boughs of holly – tra-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-laaaaa!

Chicks, Coffee, Charlie!

2011-11-28T00:05:00.000Z

bootilicious babe
brave, beautiful and brainy
glass ceilings beware!

This is an entry for the Mookychick blogging competition, FEMINIST FLASH FICTION 2011. Enter now.

Thanks lovely Patsy for the info about the above!

Charlie says: Mine's a cattuccino with extra sprinkle of nip please.

Wonderful bloggie friends!

I can't wait for December, can you? It means, Christmas, holidays, pressies and fun work parties (LOL!) and more presents!! How exciting! I'm excited, I hope you all are too. And if you celebrate something else not Christmas then I hope you all have a fabulous celebration too! And please may I join? Yay!

See y'all in December!

p.s lovely Madeleine is having a Cool as a Cucumber Turn a Cliche into Something wonderful blogfest! Now I normally run away from blogfests but this sounds like "something up my street"! LOL! Details here:

Jingle bells all the way!

Old Kitty - 0, Techonology - 1

2011-11-21T00:05:00.001Z

Bloggie friends!

I am thankful for SOME new technology.

Seriously, for one who doesn’t own a mobile phone and never will, one who pooh-poohs e-readers and all things e-format, one who will never drive a car or learn to and one who continues to but fails to learn to swim or ride a bike or rub her tummy and tap her head at the same time, admitting to this is a Big Thing.

You see over the weekend, my pc crashed catastrophically. The only way I could revive it was to reset the whole thing to “factory settings” circa 2005/2006. LOL!

Yes I lost all my writing and documents. Note to self: always back stuff up! Grrr!

But I didn’t lose any pictures of Charlie, my angel kitties and those of my sister and her kids’ visit to England from Australia in 2009. I only managed to keep these precious pictorial memories because of these:

Yes bloggie friends, if it hadn’t been for digital cameras and their little diskettes and if it wasn’t for Boots the Chemist able to transfer photos to CDs, I’d have lost my beloved pictures too.

Charlie says: Over the weekend, I read the papers and fluff up my furrs.

p.s. I didn’t lose all my stories – luckily I sent a load out to critiquers and to myself via email so am able to retrieve these.
p.p.s. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Smile please!

2011-11-14T00:20:00.000Z

Bloggie friends!

I returned home from a most trying day at work only to find these pushed through my letter box:

They are pics of Charlie taken by two different neighbours!

I knocked on their doors to thank them and was regaled by tales of how Charlie keeps them entertained by his shenanigans when he is out and about.

Well I was most touched!

Charlie says: I search for neighbourly extra treats.

Here's to ending each of your days with a smile!

And here's a purrfect way to start: a free ebook by the talented Ellen (Normanda) Whyte of a Katz Tales:

http://www.lepak.com/Katz%20Tales%20Christmas%20Givaway.pdf

A tale of a lost cat, the humans who care for him and his adventures before he is found again! Awww it's just lovely!!

And another: why not join lovely Janice Horton's launch party for her book "Reaching for the Stars" about a celebrity chef with a lurid private life who then goes missing and the reporters who set out to find him.. it's a romance! LOL! Out on the 14 December? Details here.

See y'all soon!

A Very Naughty Post - be warned! and a serious p.s. about Jack the cat

2011-11-07T00:05:00.001Z

Rick of Life 101’s recent blog post about typos and their hilarious - and in his case more serious consequences - got me thinking of the working title of a recent short story I wrote.

The title was “The Last Shift”. I sent my first draft to a trusted critique partner who then immediately replied asking me if I was serious about the title of my story.

Bloggie friends! Of course I sent him “The Last Shift” not realising I had written the word “shift” WITHOUT the F.

Charlie says: I lie here, un-amused.

Pic of Charlie taken last Saturday, 5 November (Guy Fawkes’ Day), when fireworks were exploding everywhere and he was trying to be super cool about the noise!

Happy Autumn everyone!

**********************************************
p.s. I don't know if any of you were following the news story about Jack the Cat who was lost by AA Airlines cargo people (baggage handlers dropped his cage and he fled) in JFK airport? He was found after two months, starved and wounded. He's now gone to the Bridge. Just read the news here. I'm so sorry Jack for what was done to you. Run free now.

Darkspell, Fangs, Rumpy pumpy and Bad Poetry!

2011-10-31T00:13:00.000Z

A Bad Halloween Poem by Old Kitty

It’s time to stir the witch’s brew
And bake a cake with a spider or two.
It’s time to dress up as a ghoul or a monster
And turn the cat into a bright orange lobster!

It’s time to go out and trawl the streets
Trick or treating for some gooey sweets!
It’s time to turn off the lights and stay unseen
It’s time to scream out “Happy Halloween!”

Charlie says: I search for treats only.

Bloggie friends!

Do you like magic? Here is lovely Elizabeth Mueller’s book Darkspell launched today!

Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary . . .until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold. As seer of Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter’s protector against the darkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magical realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own. Will love prove thicker than magic?

Available here.

Or vampires? Gorgeous Theresa Milstein's story Allured is in Fangtales "an anthology of vampire tales for teens".

Available here

And if you like a bit of rumpy pumpy Texan style - good ol meat eating "lettuce is the devil disciple" Travis Erwin's book Feedstore Chronicles will be launching on 1st November! Details here.

Phew! Off I go to make way for November at last! But just to say: I love my vegetables and am a proud vegetarian! LOL! Take care y'all!

A salute and a tiny boost for a big ego!

2011-10-24T00:10:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!

To whoever decided to get a perfectly good apple, shove a stick in the middle of said apple and THEN dip the lot in thick milk chocolate instead of toffee – I SALUTE YOU!

:-)

Now bloggie friends! This came just in time to give me a little writerly ego boost!

If you scroll down the list of accepted submissions, you can just about catch “A Haiku by Jennifer Domingo”! Yay!

I’m particularly happy about this because The New Sun Rising publication has been fraught with difficulties but I think the publication itself has been salvaged. The hope is that it will be out as a commemorative anthology in time for the anniversary of Japan’s devastating tsunami. So double yay!

Charlie says: I smell for introoders.

Is it nearly November already!!??!

Highlighting dense fluff

2011-10-17T00:05:00.004+01:00

Bloggie friends! These are some of my highlights in the past week:

I baked Herman! He was very yummy if a little dense! LOL!

I entered this writerly competition. Unfortunately I saw it the day before the deadline and rushed off an entry with the minimal edits and re-writes. I doubt I’ll get anywhere! Let that be a lesson to you all budding writers – never rush your stories!

I tried my hand at “fluffy American pancakes” with varying degrees of fluffiness success!

I swooned at the Aussie vs All Blacks rugby game (the match was pretty awesome too LOL!)

Charlie says: All week I search for autumn.

Yes, bloggie friends! It’s only 68 days to Christmas!

Herman - my new best friend

2011-10-10T00:05:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!!

Meet Herman.

Herman is a friendship cake mix. And yes, a friend gave me this mixture. Hoorah! It’s great to know I have friends. LOL!

Apparently I’m to look after the mixture for ten days. I’ll need to stir, talk (ahem), mix and add stuff to it.

On the tenth day I divide the mixture into five. I keep one part and then give the rest to four others.

Of course I hope I find four other friends to whom I can offload Hermans 1, 2, 3 & 4 to! Oh dear!

I then add lots more ingredients to my own Herman mixture and bake.

Come back in a few days to see how my own fiendish Herman fares!

Charlie says: I sit on the router and scramble the network.

See y'all soon!

Through the net curtain darkly

2011-10-03T00:05:00.000+01:00

As I continue to edit my short story for this competition, Charlie sits on next door’s posh shed admiring his potential feathered snack.

Disclaimer: Picture shot surreptitiously through my net curtains! LOL!

Charlie says: I admire how tall the fir tree is.

(I think there's a lesson about perspective here! Thank you, Charlie!)

Happy October!

Today is a Yellow Day for Livestrong!

2011-10-02T00:05:00.001+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Today, Charlie and I are pledging to go yellow for Livestrong Day!

Set up by the Lance Armstrong Foundation, Livestrong seeks to “fight to improve the lives of people affected by cancer” through raising funds, organising support groups, etc.

Comments are off for today in the hope that you visit the above links, share your own personal experiences (if you wish) of this disease or just make a pledge to wear yellow and/or donate and/or just find out what Livestrong is all about!

Have a lovely Sunday!

83 freckly words

2011-09-26T00:05:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Finally posted my submission
All week it took me to write.
83 words for this here competition!
Now it’s time for a chocolate bite!

:-)

I have another story I’d want to write for this week, so my blogposts will be scarce again (stop cheering at the front!) but I will visit y’all as always!

Apart from this Wednesday. I am totally off-line this Wednesday!

Charlie says: I continue to snooze and show my freckly toepads.

Pic taken yesterday (Sunday).

Enjoy!

Fright night

2011-09-23T00:05:00.003+01:00

Bloggie friends!

The nights are drawing in, there’s a little bit of autumnal weather in the air, I continue to pretend it's summer and this headline just frightened me:

Snow forecast for Britain in October (source)

LOL!

And here is Simon’s Cat doing something we with furry friends could so easily relate to.

Charlie says: I snooze now.

Have a fab weekend everyone!

Thaaar she blows!

2011-09-19T00:05:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!

I may be sporadic with my blog postings this week (stop cheering at the back! LOL!) cos I’ve decided to try and crack this writing comp (thanks to the ever so fragrant Patsy and fab womagwriter) and need time and space to do this.

That’s the plan anyway!

In the meantime, today is MEOW LIKE A PIRATE DAY! And here is Charlie being all pirate-y!

Thank you to the ever so creative Jan of Jan’s Funny Farm for the fabulous graphic of Charlie!!

May y’all have an oooh- arrrrr and if you prefer, an oooo-er missus kind of week! Yay!

Of course I’ll be visiting y’all as much as I can!

Trains, bakes and giants

2011-09-16T00:05:00.001+01:00

Bloggie friends!

What does one do when unable to travel to work and forced to take a precious day’s leave because all trains to London have been cancelled due to “overhead wire problems?”

Bake cookies!

Thank you lovely Martine of Silencing the Bell for Beths’ Famous Oaty Cookies recipe.

The cookies were so easy to do and so so so so so yummy!

Thank you National Express East Anglia train company (not).

Charlie says: Now I sit on your glasses and look even more gigantic.

Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

Mistaken identity

2011-09-15T00:05:00.001+01:00

Bloggie friends!

The fruit below is a quince! Not an apple!

All this time I thought these funny small trees growing wild in the estate where I live were just dwarf apple trees producing this really weird looking apple.

Except that they weren't apples, they're quinces. LOL! And the great thing is that Sue -the nice lady who looks after the estate - says I could pick them to my heart's content and make jam out of them! Yay! Cos you mustn't eat them raw as apparently the flesh is bitter.

Charlie says: I look like a giant kitty in this pic.

Have a fantastic Thursday!

Party of the Willow

2011-09-14T00:05:00.001+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Today, I've gatecrashed adorable Talli Roland's celebratory launch of her second book "Watching Willow Watts"!

The theme of her party is to come as your alter ego. So without further ado:

"If I could be anyone, I'd like to be..."

RIZZO! Only as played by the wonderful Stockard Channing in Grease (1978).

Why? Cos she's a Pink Lady! She wears black pencil skirts! She's a bad girl with a fragile passionate heart! And Stockard Channing steals the show from gorgeous Olivia Newton John's Sandy after she sings this song.

About Watching Willow Watts: available here and here.

For Willow Watts, life has settled into a predictably dull routine. But everything changes when a YouTube video of Willow's epically embarrassing Marilyn Monroe impersonation gets millions of hits. Instantly, Willow's town is overrun with fans flocking to see the 'new Marilyn'.
When a former flame returns seeking the old Willow, Willow must decide: can she risk her stardom and her village's newfound fortune on love, or is being Marilyn her ticket to happiness?

Charlie says: I watch and I learn

Happy Wednesday! Go Talli!

THANK YOU!!!

2011-09-13T00:20:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!

I just wanted to sneak in a huge THANK YOU for your kind words and time reading my little silly story yesterday! Awwww you are all shiny sparkly stars!

Charlie says: I sleep now on your writerly pad.

Happy Tuesday!

My story on a postcard

2011-09-12T00:05:00.001+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Are you able to fit a whole story on the back of a postcard? The answer is YES, YOU CAN!

Here’s mine! LOL!

And the lovely Ellie Garratt’s and gorgeous Margo Benson's too.

But typical me I’m reading my story and thinking – yikes – it ain’t finished, needs more work – why on earth did I send this story, tis melodramatic rubbish...!

Ahem.

Charlie says: You get postcard, I have toys and treats.

Thank you wonderful Suzanne of Four Crazy Cats for this very special surprise for Charlie! As you can see he couldn’t wait for me to open the box properly - he went completely doollally!

Happy Monday everyone!

Lockers in the Amazon

2011-09-09T00:05:00.001+01:00

Bloggie friends! Yay it’s Friday!

And did you hear about how Amazon are planning to install “lockers” in shopping centres/areas – the idea being that you order from Amazon then pick up your orders yourself in these lockers? I found the news article here.

Good idea? Bad idea? Apparently it’s already a reality in the US! Really?

It’s just we have zero tolerance where I work for using the work address to have personal stuff delivered and I’m never in when my Amazon packages arrive – but luckily I’m able to collect my packages from the post office later – so it’s not a problem really.

Anyway! Today is MO CATS DAY!!! More cats on the internet equal a very happy Old Kitty!

Thanks Ann of Zoolatry for the graphic!

Charlie says: Fresher catnip than these equals a very happy Charlie.

Have a lovely weekend everyone!

One day I shall write a story about this...

2011-09-08T00:12:00.004+01:00

Bloggie friends!

I may have gotten the art of feigning nonchalance as yet another woman puts on her make up during my train commute to work but I'm yet to do the same when a man decides to change his shirt and shoes and comb his hair while the train chugs along into London.

Charlie says: I run inside from the rain.

The weekend beckons bloggie friends! Yay!

53 Shiny New Words

2011-09-07T00:03:00.002+01:00

Bloggie friends!

I am horrified to report to you all that I wrote a total of 53 words of my shiny new short story after taking Tuesday off to do be all writerly creative.

That’s from starting at 9 am sharp and finishing… just before midnight! LOL!

Yes, I got most stuck delivering that oh so important knock-out first sentence!

Oh but I did rustle up a mean courgette cake and baked a pizza from scratch! Yay!

Charlie says: I discover the bath tub. I do not like it.

Happy Midweek!!

Sheepish things

2011-09-06T00:30:00.004+01:00

Bloggie friends! Look what I discovered yesterday:

1) This is Wool Week! It’s a week to encourage lots of woolly ideas like knitting and hugging sheep! Of course there is a serious side to all this wooling about - apparently sheep population is declining and the wool industry is going through a very woolly phase at the moment from the rise of the use of synthetic fibres. Crikey!

2) The ever so fragrant and beautiful Doris Day’s new album in 25 years was released yesterday! Yes, The Doris Day! She with the voice like “syrup dribbling over corn” – someone else on the telly (I can’t remember who) said that, hence the quotation marks.

My Christmas wish list has begun!

3) It truly is only 110 days to Christmas.

Charlie says: I want new blankie.

Thank you all so much for your kind words about my stinky poo poem yesterday!! You are all shiny beautiful stars!

A Tale of a Tail

2011-09-05T00:05:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!

I started writing this stinky poo of a poem on my commute to work yesterday and thought I’d hold its world preview here - you lucky things!!

Consider yourselves warned! LOL!

***************************

Charlie’s Tail by Old Kitty

This is a tale of Charlie’s tail
A feline limb, a magnetic broom
Of fur and fluff
It drags with it
All of Nature’s best
And unwitting beasts
Clumps of mud and stray twigs
Lost leaves – dried and shrivelled
Even ants with their military might
Do not stand a chance
As Charlie’s tail sweeps all under him – a quiet hurricane.

********************************

Charlie says: I turn off pc for your own good.

:-)

Of Cobs and Best Tokens

2011-09-02T00:05:00.001+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Before I show you my yummy Cob bread, does anyone need extra bonus tokens from Best magazine for their short story competition?

The tokens were published each week in their mag plus extra ones.

So if you’d like an extra two please do email me! You need to have four to enter the competition.

I have my story all written for it – I’ll never win but YOU MIGHT!!

This is a great opportunity to crack that oh so elusive and ever so shrinking commercial women’s magazine fiction market. Thanks lovely womagwriter and Patsy for the heads up!

So, without much further ado, here is my Cob! Ta-da! I halved the amount of the ingredients from this recipe!

In the meantime, Charlie gets high on pruned bits of old potted catnip!

Have a fantabulous weekend everyone!

My Staycation temptation, part 1

2011-09-01T00:09:00.004+01:00

So far, I baked this chocolate chip banana loaf but do not understand why all the chocolate chips sank to the bottom? LOL!

In the meantime, Charlie helps me tidy the bed.

Tomorrow I shall wow you all with my next baking project.

Bloggie friends, I hope to introduce you to … The COB! (It’s a big round bread thing!)

p.s. Has anyone been tempted by Bad Blogger’s very tempting “Try the updated Blogger interface” link that it insists on putting up on my dashboard?!?! Bad blogger! I just know that if I do click on this link it'll all end in (my) tears! So I won't, na-ah!

Holidays are such fun! Love you all!

The Long Weekend

2011-08-26T00:06:00.003+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Today sees the start of the August Bank Holiday holiday here in the UK – so I'm going to have a lovely long weekend with a few extra days off too.

What is a Bank Holiday? I have no idea – but all I know is that it means a long weekend and a shorter week. Hooorah!

I’m hoping to perhaps spend my short break trying to reacquaint myself with my narcoleptic writerly muse but I know I’ll take the wrong turn and meet up with my cooking/baking one instead! Yay!

Charlie and I will be back late next week so in the meantime please be happy and healthy and enjoy some chocolate, if not, a nice cup of tea.

Charlie says: I meet my napping muse.

We hope our friends across the pond stay safe and take extra extra special care.

Have a peaceful weekend, everyone!

A taste of floral

2011-08-25T00:15:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!

This is my idea of living dangerously these days - trying out a handful of edible flowers - in my case some nasturtiums and violas.

Et voila!

I must admit I'd probably not have them again. They were very intense hot peppery almost bitter. Oh but they did look pretty arranged so daintily in my Eeyore and Piglet bowl!

Charlie says: I live dangerously too. I try gravel. (No he didn't!)

Yay it's nearly Friday!

Being far too precious

2011-08-24T00:05:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Yesterday I thought I was doing the right thing when I pointed out to the librarian of the university where I work that one of the library books has been defaced.

Someone went through the text with different coloured highlighter pens and scribbled in biro on the margins of the pages, and of course I was most appalled.

But not as appalled as said librarian who then replies with “Oh you are being far too precious about books”.

When I asked her to explain her statement she said, “That’s what people do to library books so people should stop being so sensitive about it”.

This, bloggie friends, from a fully qualified went to library school, custodian of all things literary, LIBRARIAN.

Will the madness never end!?

Charlie says: I like my hat.

Beautiful Sammy, Andy, Shelly and mum who gave Charlie his hat are having a most fabulous auction and commentathons to help them through a horrible financial crisis. We send them lots of hugs and purrs and are bidding for the bookmark!

Old Kitty sighs at her lack of metaphor prowess

2011-08-23T00:05:00.000+01:00

“The pages rustled like a lot of pigeons taking flight”
(From Terry Pratchett’s “I Shall Wear Midnight”, pp. 301)

The above is why I know I’ve got so much to learn with this writing stories malarkey!

I would never have created such a metaphor. Never in a million years!

Can you see and hear it bloggie friends?

I can hear the rustling of what must be the pages of a very big, very thick book. I can see the pages go whoosh and slap and feel the air disturbed as I would when caught in the middle of a flock of pigeons taking sudden flight!

The whole metaphor is so deceptively simple yet effective.

Sigh.

Charlie says: I too am deceptively simple yet effective. Ask Mr Klingon birdie!

Such fun with yesterday’s Star Trek blogfesting – thank you everyone and lovely Ellie! Yay!

All Aboard!

2011-08-22T00:09:00.004+01:00

Welcome bloggie friends to gorgeous Captain Ellie's Star Trek blogfest!

Here are my five most favouritist things about all things Star Trek - and mainly from the 1960's original series.

1) Tribbles – what's not to like? They purr, are furry and make most humanoids smile!

2) Lt Uhura’s sexy red uniform – hubba, hubba!

3) Dilithium Crystals – the words just roll off my tongue like liquid chocolate!

4) Seatbelts. Or Lack Of. Y'all must have seen the episodes where the crew on deck are attacked and they get flung about and out of their seats for lack of anything to strap them into their seats.

5) “Boldly going forward cos we can’t find reverse” lyrics from The Firm’s homage to the series and their classic catchphrases.

The end! Charlie and I consider ourselves confined to quarters for the rest of the journey!
:-)

She cannae take it!

2011-08-19T00:05:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Why do they make snacks look like cute and cuddly baby bears?!!?

See? I may love my snacks, but I also eat my greens! :-)

Now bloggie friends! The lovely Ellie Garrat will be hosting a Star Trek As We Know It blogfest on 22 August. All you have to do is list 5 of your all time favourite Star Trek things – characters, episodes – anything – and why!

I just had to sign Charlie up cos he’s a Trekker Kitty through and through.

Charlie says: I see Klingon birdie. Phasers set to stun.

Have a brilliant weekend everyone!

A shopping trolley too far

2011-08-18T00:05:00.000+01:00

The grocer's shop I go to always puts bargain stuff in a shopping trolley by the fruit and vegetable section so of course it's the first place I go to cos they do some amazing bargains -like the half price macaroons I got earlier last month!

So I'm browsing away when an elderly woman taps my shoulder and says, "Excuse me, dear, but that's my shopping trolley".

Charlie says: I hope my meaty chunks in gravy was the good stuff.

Is it nearly Friday?!? Hooorah!

The Anti-Bad Poetry League of Gremlins

2011-08-17T00:05:00.000+01:00

The Anti-Bad Poetry League of Gremlins
Got hold of my blog and did some bad things
They blanked my whole post
While I was eating my toast
But Hoozah! I’ve returned with more bad prose!
****************

Awwww thank you beautiful bloggie friends for noticing and emailing me about my blog post appearing as a blank screen yesterday. I have no idea what happened but hopefully all is back to normal!

Yay, I hear y’all say! LOL!

Charlie says: I deny all knowledge and need a new bed.

We are so sad to hear that little Dexter and Scampi of Maximus Spittimus have gone to the Bridge.

Dexter was the only surviving kitten from a litter attacked by a woman and her two children. It was hoped he’d be ok, but unfortunately the damage done was too great.

Scampi was 22 years old – he died peacefully surrounded by his loving family.

Run free and happy and healthy little Dexter and wonderful Scampi!

Have a loving Wednesday everyone.

Dragons and elves and brollies, oh my!

2011-08-16T00:05:00.001+01:00

They say that summer’s ending
In the middle of August they’re selling
Christmas trees in Harrods
When there’s 130 days to go yet!

Yes bloggie friends, this report reckons that the year’s UK summer is now well and truly finished.

Time to bring out the brolly!

As well as to get stuck into lots of writing competitions – thanks to lovely Patsy Collins for the info to this one!

They’re looking for fantasy short stories so y’all should enter!! Think dragons and elves and fairies, oh my! LOL! It’s free, the prize is an iPad and it’s global and in association with a big name publisher!

Charlie says: I fantasise about treats.

Happy Tuesday!

Misread expressions

2011-08-15T00:05:00.001+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Now I know I’ve got the sweetest face on this planet bar none (LOL!!!! I’m kidding!!) but really did the guy behind the baker’s stall have to say in all seriousness, “Cheer up love, it may never happen”, to me while I was concentrating very very hard on what pastry to buy off him?

Hmmm.

The above occurred during my lunch break yesterday at work.

Goodness knows what expression I must have worn as I gazed at all these pastries but couldn’t decide on whether to get the pain au raisin with custard filling or the cinnamon swirl. Or both. Ahem.

Charlie says: The lawn needs mowing and I continue my snooze.

Yes, it’s still Silly Summer time! Hooorah!

Fabulous publishing news!

2011-08-12T00:05:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!!

Amidst all the doom and gloom in the news was this flicker of light – a publishing sensation!

Bob the underground tube station cat and his bestest human friend James, have landed a brilliant publishing deal with big name publishers Hodder and Stoughton.

The book A Street Cat Named Bob: How One Man and His Cat Found Hope on the Streets of London will be out next year 2012 and chronicles how James nursed a stray injured kitty (he later called Bob) to health and how both have been inseparable since.

(source)

Bob comes with James everyday to help him sell The Big Issue (a magazine sold to enable homeless people to earn a legitimate income) outside Angel underground tube station.

Their story with lots of links, clips, pics may be found here.

Normally I feel most envious about publishing sensations reported in the news (I'm only human!) but this is one news item I really really love! I wish Bob and James - he has a doggy too - all the best for a bright and brilliant future!

Charlie says: I help you write your book once I find how to turn this machine on.

Have a great weekend!

Chewing the cud

2011-08-11T00:05:00.001+01:00

Bloggie friends!

There is something very wrong with this advert and it’s annoying me! LOL!

I wonder if you can spot it? You don’t need sound for it – just scroll to about 20 seconds in!

If you can’t play it, the scene is basically this. A woman feels peckish and searches for chocolate. She finds one, takes the wrapper off and pops a chunk in her mouth.

The problem?

SHE DOES NOT CHEW. She pops a bit of chocolate in her mouth AND DOES NOT CHEW.

Now I know as writers of stories, authors are able to create make-believe worlds, characters and situations – but I truly think as story writers, authors should also make their stories a tiny bit believable too.

Now I also know this is an advert so realism is not to be expected but surely (don’t call me Shirley! LOL!) if someone puts solid food in their mouths, they ought to chew the darned thing? LOL!

Especially when it’s chocolate.

Charlie says: After I eat, I snooze

Nearly the weekend, bloggie friends!

Hope

2011-08-10T00:05:00.001+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Amidst all the looting and carnage and general bad things happening here in London and elsewhere in the UK - it is just so heartening to read of how groups of volunteers – mainly organised via Facebook and Twitter - are banding together to help clean up the mess left by the violence in their towns and cities.

The full news report of such community spiritedness may be read here.

And for once I shall refrain from being a silly old humbug about these new-fangled social networking sites as I normally am! :-)

Thanks to lovely Donna Hosie for also highlighting this fab Twitter happening.

Charlie says: I purr for light at the end of the tunnel.

Please take extra care bloggie friends in the UK and lots of hugs to all my global bloggie friends who were very kind to ask about me and Charlie!

You all ROCK!

Notes to self

2011-08-09T00:05:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Here is the reason why I must never forget my pad again!

I got inspired while on the train to work but because I didn’t have my notepad with me, I scribbled the beginnings of a story on the back of an invoice and in the back cover of my Join-The-Dots book! LOL!

Now if only I can make sense of my scribbles...

Charlie says: I sleep on the grass and hope it doesn't rain.

Have a very peaceful and calm Tuesday where ever you are!

How Publishing Really Works gave me Charlie

2011-08-08T00:05:00.001+01:00

Today is World Cat Day
To celebrate I’d say
How Charlie came to be
How he was delivered here to me

A writerly non-kitty blogger (gorgeous Jane Smith of How Publishing Really Works)
Sent out an S.O.S.
As Charlie was to be made homeless
So after my Ol kitty Girl died
In my grief, I soon replied

And so on March the 21st
In 2010, he burst
Into my heart he came
Life’s never been the same!

Charlie says: Rhyming S.O.S with homeless – pure awfulness!

HAPPY silly MONDAY!

With a little help from friends

2011-08-05T00:05:00.001+01:00

Bloggie friends!!!

I truly could learn a thing or three from Charlie!

He so dearly wanted to go go to Bora Bora for yesterday’s celebrations and because I am totally useless at photoshopping and couldn't send him, he just wished and wished and wished and never gave up and continued dreaming!

Thanks to the help and support of all his amazing pals, his dream came true!

Thank you, beautiful Jan of Jan's Funny Farm for helping him pack and flying him over!

Thank you, wonderful Alasandra of Alasandra the Cats and Dog for keeping him company!

Thank you, Gracie for hosting such a fun event!

So bloggie friends, keep wishing and hoping and dreaming! Never give up!

If dreams can come true for Charlie, they can for you too - yes they will!

:-)

Have a great weekend!

Hoaxin on Bora Bora

2011-08-04T00:05:00.000+01:00

Hands up those who fell for the hoax news item yesterday that reported how users of Internet Explorer have lower IQs!

*Me - waving both my arms in the air, like I just don’t care”! LOL!

Well of course I believed it – the BBC reported it!! - cos I’m so gullible and I do prefer IE to Firefox and others.

Come to think of it, maybe there is some truth in this, seeing how I got completely and utterly hoaxed!

Oh well! LOL!

Charlie says: I should be in Bora-Bora!

The fabulous Goodness Gracie is hosting a Bora Bora Day – a day where pets leave their humans behind and chill out on Bora Bora!

Unfortunately I don’t have photoshop or photoshopping skills so poor Charlie will just have to dream on! LOL!

Yay for more August silliness! It's such fun!

A slice of my inner Bard

2011-08-03T00:05:00.001+01:00

Bloggie friends!

What was my most unusual and surprising birthday pressie?

A pineapple slicer! Yay! From my sister who swears it works!

In the meantime - I saw this "Paws for Poetry" competition in Writer's Magazine! Yes, bloggie friends!! Permission for me to release my inner Bard and wax poetically about Charlie! Yay!

Charlie says: I applaud your poetry so long as it's about me!

p.s. my birthday was in July so the cake (also from my sister!) pictured with the slicer has long been consumed! Yay!

Silly August season continues bloggie friends!!

Three little herbs

2011-08-02T00:05:00.001+01:00

Once upon a time, there were three little pots who went to the Old Kitty academy of gardening.

Two were Basil and Chives, the other, Parsley and they were each all planted with hazardous seedlings.

But I took them away from all that, and now they grow for me.

My name is Charlie.

This bit of inspired madness was completely lifted from the original narration to Charlie’s Angels.

I just wanted to show my mixed successes with growing these herbs! LOL!

Yes, more August silliness, bloggie friends! Enjoy!

A dandy first

2011-08-01T00:12:00.005+01:00

First of August is here
It’s time to have some beer!
The sun’s come out
It’s summer’s last shout
So let’s all just cheer and cheer!

Charlie says: Hip hip zzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

Hope you all had great weekends!! I love that today, Monday, coincides with it being the 1st of the month. I just think it's dandy! LOL! Ok, off I go!

In the words of Scarlett O'Hara...

2011-07-29T00:10:00.001+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Some mad creature took over my blog yesterday but rest assured I’m back!

So here in 19 seconds is what I hope to do for the weekend!

Charlie says: I sleep too.

Thank you for all your kind and thoughtful comments, bloggie friends!!!

I shall stop being silly and take comfort in Scarlett O'Hara's positive and hopeful words: Tomorrow is another day! Yay! (OK, she didn't say, Yay! But you get my drift! LOL!)

Happy weekend!

Pity Party

2011-07-28T00:05:00.007+01:00

Bloggie friends! It's official! I am a no-talent loser!! And will never ever be good enough! LOL!

Not like the wonderful Simon Kewin, whose beautiful story got an honourable mention in the Clarity of Night short story competition! Yay for Simon! His fab story is here and it is beautiful!

My story? Nada. Cos I knew my entry was rubbish.

When will I ever learn that I'll never be the bridesmaid let alone the bride? I guess I'll confine myself to being the erm.. porter! LOL!

Oh but thank you all so much for reading and leaving such sweet comments, thank you!

And yay Simon, fairyhedgehog, Brigid and Four Dinners aka Maximus Spittimus's Two Legs!

Charlie says: There's gold in bad poetry writing.

Happy Thursday, everyone!

Not to worry - this bit of self-indulgent pity party is but a glitch in my otherwise perky demeanour! Oh but when I wallow, I wallow! I'm a drama queen darn it! I'm an artist, albeit a rubbish one! Ok I'll stop now! LOL!

Trolley Dolly

2011-07-27T00:05:00.002+01:00

Bloggie friends!

I was accosted by the rudest sales lady in my beloved grocer’s shop! Oh the horror!

She was trying to get shoppers to register for the shop's self-checkout system.

When I very very politely declined to register, the woman then barked, “Oh so you’d much rather waste time queuing at a checkout till? Do you have any idea oh inefficient that is?”

I replied, “Yes, of course I do,” and walked off in the wake of other shoppers who stopped and stared.

I felt as if a shopping trolley just ran me down deliberately!

I’m trying to forgive her as I know she was only doing her job but why do so with such aggressiveness? And why ruin my shopping experience like so when I was really nice to her too? :-(

Charlie says: I am either most appalled or just really sleepy! Or both!

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Tank tops

2011-07-26T00:05:00.000+01:00

Charlie’s fiendish foray into bad poetry writing lost me a few followers. Oh dear. I am so sorry! :-)

So today, let’s talk names bloggie friends!

I nearly trip over this little boy who decided it was fun to sit on a step in the middle of a moving escalator.

His name? Erasmus - as in “Get off that step, Erasmus, I mean it!” from his mum.

Erasmus! How unusual is that name?

Next, I’m taking down a phone message for my boss. The guy on the other line tells me his name.

“It’s Scott,” he says, “with a double tee then Sherman, as in the tank. Scott Sherman.”

Gerrit? Sherman Tank??

Charlie says: It is time to get out and write more bad poetry.

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Mutiny!

2011-07-25T00:05:00.000+01:00

Charlie says:

I sit on your mouse
So you won’t be able
To write more bad poetry
Upon this here table!

Move along folks, nothing to see! Or read!

:-)

A Bargain, a Big Thank You and Big Hugs to Kim!

2011-07-21T00:05:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends THANK YOU SO MUCH for reading my little story over at Clarity of Night blog. Thank you for all you kind and encouring and beautiful words! Thank you, thank you! You are all THE BEST!

I’m so happy I just had to treat myself to a bargain! LOL!

Charlie says: My treat is extra naps.

Amazing Kim of Musings on a Small Life and Fuzzy Tales is going for an ultrasound scan today and Charlie and I are sending her BIG HUGS and pink macaroons!

A story a day helps you work, rest and play!

2011-07-19T00:05:00.002+01:00

Bloggie friends!! I have been a little barren in the writing of stories department when the lovely fairyhedghog introduced me to this amazing competition held by the Clarity of Night blog!

The criteria is to write a 250 word max story inspired by this pic:

My story is here.

Fairyhedgehog's wonderful story is here.

Please do get inspired and join too!!

I know mine will never win (cos it's rubbish!) but it's my first story in like 6 weeks and what is a story without readers?? Hint, hint! LOL!

Charlie says: I take shelter from the rain.

This week is so going to be a little miserable weather-wise - rain, grey, dull, rain! But I still wear my sandals and make do with very wet feet and oh so lovely pedicured nails! LOL!

A Wag of a Tale

2011-07-17T00:05:00.000+01:00

This is a tale of Tilly
A dog so cute and silly
She ran up to me, a face full of glee
So I stopped in mid-stride
But Tilly then dived
Straight on the busy road
My heart set to implode.

I screamed “Oh please stop!”
As cars screeched and honked
Yet Tilly ran onwards
Like a furry fuzzy blizzard
Until a kind man with longer legs
Overtook her and grabbed her.

Dragged her towards me
He yelled, “Where’s the leash for your doggie!?”
I said, “That’s not my doggie!”
But Tilly’s tail wagged as I read out her tags.

“She’s called Tilly” I say and dictated her phone number
The man took his smart phone, rang and got an answer
And soon Tilly’s owner appeared, breathless and shaking
“I didn’t know she’d fled us” she said tears falling, hands trembling

So there ends our tale
Of adventurous silly Tilly
She gave us all a fright but was such a delight!

*********************

{The above happened yesterday at around noon – I was on my way to the shops when this gorgeous schnauzer – looking like Benny from the World of Hansel - came bounding towards me then tried to do a kamikaze}!

Alls well that ends well!

Charlie says: Tilly, it is much better to just lie around

A Bad Review

2011-07-14T00:05:00.001+01:00

“I saw your cat around today,” says another neighbour.

“Oh yes?” says I, brimming with pride.

“He’s not a people cat is he? He always runs away!”

“Er..”

“He doesn’t like being touched. He’s not a people cat at all!”

Charlie says: I am what I am

It's like when a book on Amazon for eg, gets rave reviews then starts getting bad ones and you realise not everyone will like this particular book. Then again sometimes some negative things are best left unsaid!

Nearly the weekend, bloggie friends!

Bouncy planets

2011-07-13T00:05:00.002+01:00

Thank you all so much for my best wishes!!! You are all beautiful stars! May only good things and happy events shower you all!

For my birthday I treated myself to a proper re-style haircut.

Nine inches were cut off and strands layered, head massaged and green tea sipped. Ahem.

Oh but I felt like a movie star when I left the salon with hair all blow dried, silky smooth, shiny and ever so bouncy!

Unfortunately like all good things - such gorgeousness came to an end the day after when my hair reverted to its normal flat as a pancake dull lustre!

Charlie says: Wheeeeeee!

Neptune - the planet - turned one whole Neptunian year yesterday. That’s 164.79 Earth years to you and me since its discovery in 1846.

I thought I’d just share that!

Midway to the weekend!

The Best Day Ever

2011-07-11T00:10:00.001+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Today I turn 42!

And far from feeling blue

I’ll bake a cake!

And drink milk shake!

And buy a shoe or two!
:-)

Charlie says: It’s a jungle out there!

And in answer to my mum's perennial questions of "How's the writing going? Any more published stories?" I reply, "Look behind you, a naked man!" before running away. LOL!

I’ll be off line tomorrow (Tuesday) so see you all on Wednesday!

Ecstasy

2011-07-08T00:05:00.001+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Now I could wax lyrical about how much I’m looking forward to the weekend BEFORE my birthday week (yay!) but hey, this is Blogger so here’s a visual showing just how it feels like to look forward to something so much. In writerly terms - I am showing not telling! LOL!

Charlie says: My birthday was on the 4th of July. I turned 9. Yes, the human forgot.

Have a brilliant weekend everyone!

Ah! Youth!

2011-07-07T00:05:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!!

So we got to the cinema where Bridesmaids was showing but unfortunately the tickets were sold out.

So we hailed a cab and went into the heart of London – the West End – where we traipsed to 5 cinemas showing this film – all sold out.

On the upside, the last time I scoured the West End was about 15 years before – when I was silly young and never thought twice about spending evenings clubbing and pubbing in one of the most touristy yet fantastically vibrant if rather scary heart of London!

Ah, memories! Ah, youth!

Charlie says: Ah, let me out!

Nearly the weekend, bloggie friends!

Popcorn!

2011-07-06T00:24:00.005+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Charlie hides his head in deepest shame at my lack of inspiration for a blog post and for anything remotely writerly!

Oh but tonight I shall be going to the cinema!!

I’m off to see Bridesmaids – a film that apparently shows that women can do funny! Yay! Hopefully it’ll help me get my writerly mojo back. And give me a chance to eat some salty popcorn!

Catch up with y’all soon!

The Green eyed monster

2011-07-04T00:05:00.001+01:00

Bloggie friends!

There I was standing in a crowded tube train carriage when this couple gets on.

The man says to me “oh wow - such long lovely hair” to which I automatically reply “thank you” because I’m polite only for the man’s partner to say something to him.

I would repeat what she said here, except she spoke in French. I only know she was unhappy because much as I think the French language is sexy – there was nothing remotely sensual with the way they spoke at each other.

True story.

Charlie says: Green is the colour of grass.

Happy Independence Day to all my fantastic American bloggie friends!

I'm off-line for most of today but I promise to catch up with y’all throughout the week.

Yay!

The Pad of I

2011-07-01T00:14:00.004+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Even the Pope is now twittering! LOL!

And he does so using his ipad!

And I bet he reads the Bible on his Kindle too.

I feel like such an anachronism with my landline, print books and second hand laptop from 2008.

Now off I go to do my usual – “dye the heck out of my grey hair” thing. I think I’ll go Mahogany this week – cos I’m worth it.

Charlie says: Looking perfect is hard work.

Happy Canada Day to all my gorgeous Canadian bloggie friends!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Banned

2011-06-29T00:10:00.000+01:00

I am browsing at a stall selling all sorts of plants and flowers at our local farmers' market when a customer behind me greets the stall owner with a cheery, “Hullo Deb, nice to see you branching out.”

Bloggie friends – it really does pay to be as nosey as me but not as loud. Yes, I burst out laughing so loudly I think I am now banned from within a metre of the stall.

Charlie says: You are pulling my leg.

Nearly the weekend, bloggie friends!

Jilted

2011-06-27T00:05:00.000+01:00

Oh Danny Boy – you promised me
To be mine for all eternity!
So were joking?
Were they all lies?
Cos now you’ve gone and married
Rachel Weisz?

[a riposte to the headline “Bond Star Craig, marries Oscar Winning actress Rachel Weisz")

Charlie says: I am shaken but not stirred.

Last week in June, bloggie friends!!!! Enjoy!!

The Loo Syndrome

2011-06-23T00:05:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!!

I was absent yesterday as I had a plumbing emergency!

But not to worry – I found what I needed to do via some amazing video clips on the internet, showing me how to tackle the “non-flushing loo syndrome” Ahem!

Ya know – living alone (with Charlie of course!) and being a gazillion miles away from family and friends, the internet has been such a godsend helping me keep my sanity and allowing me to live as independently as possible.

I mean of course nothing beats human one on one contact, but I really don’t think I’d have survived these past 3 and a half years alone without the resource and community that is in virtual land and blogworld!

Charlie says: Please be so kind as to open the door so I may greet the sun.

Enjoy your day, bloggie friends!

Inspirations on the Longest Day

2011-06-21T00:16:00.003+01:00

Bloggie friends!

I always say that one of the best writerly inspirations a writer may have is a furry friend.

Charlie teaches me to be optimistic and to seek opportunities in the here and now while simultaneously giving me frequent heart failures.

Here he is staring up at the bird feeder. What you can’t hear are my screams in the background for him to leave the birds alone.

Charlie says: Ooops there goes my snack.

Happy Summer Solstice everyone! Today is the longest day of the year - “when the sun is at its maximum elevation”. (source).

So while I’m all for the sun being around for today for as long as possible, let’s hope the 9-5 work hours don’t drag longer than they should! Ahem!

A Deuce of a Riddle - a (bad) poem by Old Kitty

2011-06-20T00:05:00.001+01:00

I wonder if you can guess – what all these explain?

Wet pawprints on the bed

A bedraggled furry head (Poor Charlie!)

A lawn grown green overnight

Not a blue sky in sight!

The answer is simply this

Wimbledon starts today – and so does some serious rain!

(Tis traditional!)
:-)

All pics taken on the Saturday just gone!

The best things in life!

2011-06-17T00:05:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!

The best thing about attending a conference for work?

The freebies!

Here you will find a Mr Piggy, a crazy pen with fabulous hair - a cube –thingy, a round pen holder that glows - no idea why – a calculator – erm.. a couple of fold up bag thingies… lots and lots of really useful stuff!!

Just don't ask me what the conference was all about! LOL!

Charlie says: I am not impressed with my small shadow.

Have a fabulous weekend, everyone! See you all soon!

For those about to ROCK!

2011-06-15T00:30:00.006+01:00

Bloggie friends!

In the time I’ve been blogging – lots of writerly bloggers ask each other what music they listen to when penning their best-sellers.

I thought I’d tackle this from a different angle by filching something I saw in the Guardian newspaper yesterday:

The paper asks:

“What music do your pets like?” (article here)

This follows on from reports that some sharks respond to AC/DC (Angus! Angus! Ahem! Of course you all know the legendary Angus of AC/DC?!?!?!).

You can leave comments under the article nominating what kind of music your pet likes!

The cats with taste like Barbara Streisand and Abba (yay!). LOL!

I’m yet to discover what Charlie likes!

Charlie says: I’m a little bit country, I’m a little bit rock n roll.

Oh it’s the middle of the week and yes this is a very silly post, hoorah! I hope you all discover your furry friends' musical tastes!

A Youthful Dark Tale

2011-06-14T00:23:00.005+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Did you know this week is National Crime Writing Week?!!? Oh yes it is! In the UK anyway!

Here is a link to 16 year old Claudia Hynde’s winning short story in the Young Crime Writer’s Competition! It’s suitably dark and a really good story too! Yay for her!

I only mention this because she’s young, she’s obviously creative and talented and she uses her local library – she had to, to know of the competition! So double yay for her!

I am using her triumph as my response to the current hullabaloo whipped up by a certain article about how kids can’t handle dark stuff in books. Theresa Milstein has a great post about it and all the links too.

Speaking of naughtiness!! My little bar of Thornton’s Dark Chocolate has the words “Unwrap me, eat me, love me” across the packet. I say, amen!

Charlie says: I bask in the light.

Peace and love to all!

Witty Repartee

2011-06-13T00:05:00.000+01:00

My manager: Where’s your report, it’s late.

Me: Eh?

Manager: The deadline was 1st May.

Me: Oh - you meant this year?

:-)

Not to worry bloggie friends, I handed said report and all is well.

It's just that I laughed so much at my witty riposte and she didn’t so I thought I’d share this here instead.

And it is Monday after all!

Charlie says: I listen for the sound of my treat box shaking and food pouch opening.

We hope you are all having a great start to the week!

Patience

2011-06-10T00:20:00.003+01:00

Patience is truly a virtue bloggie friends!

I ordered something online and clicked the "send" button - when everything stalled. So I did what I always do when this happens. I clicked on the "send" button several times.

Worried that nothing went through I emailed their customer services who very nicely replied quickly with the following:

***********************
Hi Jennifer,
thanks for your order. Yes, the form is filled out just fine, although it did arrive five times...!
***********************

LOL!!

Charlie says: The cursing and the fish woke me up.

Have a fabulous weekend everyone!

A Critiquer, the Yeti and Shameless

2011-06-09T00:05:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!!

What’s up with the weather? I’m back wearing my clown jumper and my yeti boots cos I'm cold!

Anyway! :-)

I finally got my little story returned from my fabulous critique-r and lo and behold – he’s only marked one thing in red. Usually my stories are returned covered in red pen marks and suggestions in red ink and lots of phrases crossed out in red, but this time, there was just one tiny edited word.

So I guess it’s good to go to find a home! Wish me luck bloggie friends! Yay!

Charlie says: I still have no shame.

It's so nearly the weekend!!

Habitual habits

2011-06-08T00:06:00.003+01:00

Bloggie friends!

One of the most annoying habits I did as a child was to eat the topping off cupcakes then leave the rest of the cake. I also used to just eat all the creamy filling of say, an oreo biscuit, but not the biscuits themselves.

I’d like to think that I’ve grown out of doing such bad things but yesterday, I did exactly one of these.

I bit off the creamy topping off a chocolate cupcake and left the rest of the cake in the packet. I completely forgot that I was at work and only remembered when a scream of “Who the bloody hell left a half eaten cupcake in the pack?” emanated from the tea room half an hour later.

I just hope work people don’t read this blog!

Charlie says: I have no shame either.

Roll on the weekend!

Two Left Feet to the Right

2011-06-06T00:05:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!

I hope you had a fabulous weekend! Would you believe it’s already Monday?!?

A little trivia I discovered about myself:

I like my Favourites column to the left of my screen and not to the right. I discovered this fact as I foolishly upgraded to Explorer 9 who decided to move my Favourites column to the right.

My brain could not cope with the move and went into meltdown. Explorer 9 was swiftly uninstalled to protect my sanity!

Do you think it’s because the left side of the brain supposedly likes order and logic while the right is for art and aesthetics?

Either that or I’m an old fogey, stick-in-the-mud and likes things just so!

Charlie says: No mud here, just dirt.

I’m offline on Tuesday, bloggie friends! See y’all on Wednesday and beyond!

Heartsease

2011-06-03T00:30:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Of course we all know what a little extra effort and a lot of tender loving care can do to the most unpromising of situations!

Take these heartsease - all of these were "rescued" from the same hardware shop where I got my hanging basket flowers. They started off as 6 plug plants all wilting and in dry compost. With a pot each and fresh compost and daily watering, they've blossomed.

Never lose hope, bloggie friends! With love and support, you can do it!!

Charlie says: Someone's bed needs tidying.

Have a great weekend!

A Terrible Truth

2011-06-02T00:05:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!

I’m a terrible person!

I’m all “Whaddya mean you’ve not read my masterpiece 912 worded story yet, Mr Volunteer Critique-er?!? Why haven’t you dropped everything and done so?! Where are your priorities, man?! So what if you have a wife and child to feed?!”

LOL!!

Oh I’m kidding bloggie friends!!! Of course I never said those things, but by golly, I’m biting the skin off my nails and thinking near enough those things! Terrible, just terrible!

Charlie says: Life is good with the fish at the end of my string.

Friday beckons close by!! Yay!

Rude Cacti

2011-06-01T00:31:00.004+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Thank you all so much for your input to my conundrum! You are all shining beautiful stars!

I shall be very brave and stick to my little story - it feels complete. Yay! Now off it goes to my reliable critique-ers! Yikes.

Yesterday, I said goodbye to my 12 year old “rude cactus” when I came home to find this:

I called the cactus rude because it grew into what looked like two fingers making a V shape. Ahem.

Charlie says: I am innocent of all cacti massacre and show you my back of disrespect.

It’s the 1st of June! Wow!

Conundrums

2011-05-31T00:05:00.001+01:00

Bloggie friends! Please help me!

If you were to read: “send us a story of no more than 2000 words” would you think they want a story of anything from 1 word to 2000 words?

Or do they want 2000 words exactly?

It’s just I think I have a story but the final word count is 912 so maybe it’s too short and won’t qualify.

My brain’s trying to work this conundrum out and can’t seem to get a straight answer! LOL!

What do you think?

Charlie says: I think it is snack time.

I love long weekends just gone! Yay, more please!

Small Print

2011-05-27T00:31:00.004+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Earlier last month, I came across this competition – got all excited – until I read what the competition organisers do not categorically want.

“Avoid cat and dog stories”.

And the title of my story? The Cat Who Came to a Dog’s Dinner.

Always read the guidelines, the small print and/or the tiny writing under the space where you are about to sign, bloggie friends!

Charlie says: I look for signs of next door.

Finally, it’s Friday! Have a great weekend everyone.

It’s a 3 day Bank Holiday weekend here so see you all on Tuesday!

Sing-a-long-a-blogger

2011-05-26T00:05:00.002+01:00

Bloggie friends!

Here is a song for Blogger done to the tune of Neil Sedaka's Oh Carol:

Oh Blogger!
I am but a fool!
I may be an oldie
No need to treat me cruel!
You hurt me and you make me cry
I write a fabulous comment
Then you go and die.

LOL!!

If you want to hear the real song, go here.

Let's hope Blogger is calm and happy today!

Charlie says: Today I watch Bird TV.

Nearly Friday, bloggie friends!!!

My secret book on the side

2011-05-25T00:05:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!

I have a confession!

One of the most common question asked around blogosphere is “what are you reading now”?

I’m ashamed to say that while I continue to plough through the sci-fi anthology I’ve been reading for nearly two years – ahem – I also have a secret book going on the side.

The book is about the only thing keeping me awake during my long commutes to and from work. Yet I’m so embarrassed I cover the book up behind my freebie newspaper whenever I want to have a glance!

But as I know you’re all very understanding bloggie friends, I thought I’d come clean and share with you my little secret.

Here’s The Book.

Please don’t judge me!

Charlie says: I have my own dot.

It's nearly the weekend, bloggie friends! Huzzah!

Stories of Victorian Webs

2011-05-23T00:05:00.001+01:00

A short story - shelved - for over a year. It was a story barely alive. Bloggie friends, we can rebuilt. We have the technology. It will be better than before. Better… stronger… more readable!

With sincerest apologies to the Six Million Dollar Man. LOL!

Happy Victoria Day to all my Canadian bloggie friends!

Here is a hanging basket of mystery flowers especially for you!

Please be so kind as to ignore the cobwebs that seemed to have sprang up overnight in the background!

Charlie says: I am not amused.

Pic of Charlie taken yesterday! Happy dayz!

Ain't no mountain high enough!

2011-05-19T00:06:00.007+01:00

Silly snail, silly snail
Crawling up my door
Silly snail, silly snail
Don’t you belong on the ocean floor?
If I ask you, silly snail
Why you do what you do?
Will you reply, like George Mallory
And tell me, “Because it’s there”?

Charlie says: I prefer fish.

George Mallory (mountaineer, 1886-1924) when asked "Why do you want to climb Mount Everest" allegedly replied "Because it's there".

Have a great day and weekend!

Delusions of grandeur

2011-05-18T00:05:00.002+01:00

Bloggie friends!!!

I started writing a blog post about my sweet elderly neighbour but then the post grew into a proper story!

So forgive me please and understand the writer in me cos I seriously did think “Gosh darn it, this is far too good for a blog post – no I can’t share , I won’t, don’t make me but when it's published, then I'll share, oh yes I will!"

LOL!

Who says blogging isn’t inspirational?!?! Who says I’m not a paranoid selfish delusional crazy person?!?! :-)

Charlie says: I just lay here and wait for next door to call.

Have a fabulous mid-week, everyone!

Mess of Eton

2011-05-17T00:07:00.005+01:00

Bloggie friends!!

You are all so wonderful that I made a big batch of Eton Mess in your honour!

Eton Mess – mash up some strawberries with a dash of sugar, a drop of liqueur, mix with crumbled up meringue and add a good dollop of low fat soya single cream alternative.

H-E-A-V-E-N in a bowl.

Charlie says: I give you more evil eye.

Today the lovely Ann Best launches her memoir In the Mirror. I’ve ordered my PRINT copy and look forward to receiving it. Yay!

Have a peaceful day!

I'm a published poet! LOL!

2011-05-16T00:03:00.004+01:00

Bloggie friends!

I’m so tickled pink!

One of my haiku poems got accepted for publication with New Sun Rising: Stories for Japan – the charity anthology whose sale profits will go to the country’s earthquake relief efforts.

And I’m totally dumbfounded because the editors picked what I thought is the weakest - and yet the most personal - out of the five I sent.

So there you go! Sometimes wearing your heart on your sleeve, works!

Charlie says: There's something fishy going on!

Enjoy your day!

Oh the inhumanity!

2011-05-14T00:05:00.001+01:00

Hello there bloggie friends!!!!!

Awwww Charlie and I got so cut off from y'all for NEARLY TWO DAYS!

OH the INHUMANITY!

LOL!!! But yay that we're now all connected again!!! Blogger - you are one crazy internet creature!!

It's the Eurovision Song Contest here today - and so me and Charlie will be singing along and clapping to hours and hours of crazy songs!

Charlie says: I try to hide behind the strawberry plant but Blogger found me!

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!! I'll hopefully catch up with y'all!

The Little People

2011-05-12T00:26:00.000+01:00

Bloggie friends!

My work colleague was relating how one evening, she told her five year old she was happy at losing a bit of weight, only for her son to point at her belly and say, “But you still got a big tummy, mummy!”

Talk about being brought back down to earth by little people!

Charlie says: I think I hear next door preparing my snacks.

Here's to a truthful Thursday!

Sure of you

2011-05-11T00:14:00.003+01:00

Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.

"Pooh," he whispered.

"Yes, Piglet?"

"Nothing," said Piglet, taking Pooh's paw,

"I just wanted to be sure of you."

from Winnie-the-Pooh by A A Milne

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Bloggie friends

2011-05-10T00:17:00.003+01:00

In March this year, one of the bloggers I follow, Jane Kennedy Sutton announced she was taking a break from blogging. Yesterday Jane’s husband posted on her blog that she died last Friday.

I’m still trying to make sense of the complex reaction I’m feeling. I don’t know Ms Kennedy Sutton personally. I’m only a very recent follower. My interaction with her was confined to me reading her posts and leaving a comment. She only posted once a week.

Yet when I read her husband’s announcement, my heart fell with a thud. I cried.

I know that having social networking “friends” may not seem real to some. But my sadness at her passing is most tangible.

I guess it’s the shock that I won’t be seeing her regular posts on Mondays any more. I guess it’s the very transient nature of this brand bad new world of social networking that’s hitting me hard too.

Take care everyone. I’m off to go and hug Charlie! x

Betwixting

2011-05-09T00:05:00.001+01:00

Bloggie friends!!

I’ve created a new snack!

I call it: Banana and lashings of chocolate spread betwixt buttered toast. Yay!

Oh ok, it’s probably already invented but this is my staple since I’ve stared at a blank screen all weekend (yes I have!) contemplating a story to enter for the Global Short Story Competition. Do enter too if you want!

Charlie says: I put my best paw forward.

Happy Monday!