2020 December – Pictures, Frosty, Support Bubble, Booby Traps, Christmas Chew Stick, New balls please, New Years Eve

Pictures

This is a picture of me helping Mum put up pictures.

Mum has finally got around to framing the graduation pictures of the offspring.  It’s only taken a few years.  But that’s typical her.

By the way that’s not her weight thing next me, that belongs to an offspring.  They’re all way fitter than Mum and do things like half marathons and play football and futsal.  Mum says she’s quite happy with her walks and a bit of gardening or enforced DIY, thank you all the same.

Anyway, today’s the day the pictures go on the wall at last.

She says it will be like a rogues gallery.

Well they’re her offspring, so she’s only got herself to blame.

 

Frosty

This is a picture of me out on a frosty morning walk.

It was quite brisk out there I will say.

And this is me after having a well deserved rest.

I couldn’t even be bothered to get into bed.

 

Support Bubble

This is a picture of me on red alert.

Usually there are quite a few people in and out in December.  Mum says this year, because of Covid-19, we will all have to be in some kind of support bubble.

So that’s what I’m keeping a lookout for.  I’ve no idea what it is (and lots of other humans seem pretty confused about it too as it happens) but I’m pretty sure I should be able to spot a support bubble if it turns up.

 

Booby Traps

This is a picture of me looking hard at Mum.

It’s very nearly Christmas, so I have  put a strategically placed tennis ball in full sight as a prompt to remind her that I exist and that I matter.

Sometimes I do feel as if she takes me for granted you know.

I also left a tennis ball on the stairs.  Mum said that was very nearly a disaster, for her at least.   And I left one in the kitchen and her bedroom and next to the front door.

Mum says she feels as if the house has been booby trapped.  She has gone round and tidied them all away.

I expect I’ll get them all out again tomorrow.

 

Christmas Chew Stick

This is a picture of me with my Christmas Chew stick.

It seems the same as all the other chew sticks but I won’t make a fuss about that.   A chew stick in the paw etc.

 

New balls please….

This is a picture of me after I have opened my presents this year.

I have been gifted some new booby traps.

It was quite difficult to get them out of the bag but I have triumphed.  Now I’m sleeping off all the excitement.

And this is another of my presents.  This one is squeaky.   I’ve had one of these before and I can now de-squeak these particular toys in under 5 minutes.

Mum says she’s not complaining about that at all.

 

New Years Eve

This is a picture of me out for a walk on the eve of another New Year.

It’s quite misty as you can see.  This is a good thing because there are other people out too but I can’t see them.    If I can’t see them, I’m far less angsty.

I’ve been with Mum for over 4 years now and this year has been the strangest so far.   Not so bad for me because I am mostly happier in isolation (apart from my closest family) but not great for humans in general I feel.

I expect there is still some way to go with this Covid malarkey but let’s hope next year is a better year for everyone eh?

 

 

Saffron’s recommendations this month:

Music: Feel this is now a Christmas tradition, so here’s a selection of mixed tracks you might enjoy:

Iris – Goo Goo Dolls

Dancing With Tears in My Eyes – Ultravox

Digging your Scene – The Blow Monkeys 

Wicked Game – Chris Isaak (moody)

Where is the Love- Black Eyed Peas

Wind of Change – Scorpions

Lady Marmalade – Patti Labelle or try the (racy) Christina Aguilera Moulin Rouge version if you prefer

Higher and Higher – Jackie Wilson

Funkin for Jamaica (NY) – Tom Browne   this is for you Marc :)

Sign Your Name Across my Heart – Sananda Maitreya

Smooth Criminal – Michael Jackson.   Cool anyway, but this is the one with the impossible 45 degree lean – watch the video – clever, clever.

 

 

Reading: If you haven’t read this then you really should.  Out loud to little people works well.  All the Mowgli Stories by Rudyard Kipling, published by MacMillan & Co.  First appearance of Mowgli in 1893 and the stories are still good today.  

 

Film: Well, the most streamed film on Netflix was 365 Days but given we’re family friendly (more or less) we’re opting for something more Christmassy – aka – The Grinch.  Which is actually a great story.  Choose from either the nightmarish 2000 Jim Carrey version (like it lots) and the 2018 animated Benedict Cumberbatch version.  Both big hits starting to chart globally back in March (lockdown?).

 

In the news:

A new mineral, dark green in colour and named kernowite is discovered in Cornwall (Kernow is cornish for Cornwall).  Kinda expecting Superman to turn up next…..timing might be useful…

The UK completes its final separation from the EU, four and a half years after the referendum

The number of patients with the virus in hospitals exceeds 20,000, surpassing the peak of the first wave in April

31 Dec: Another record high daily Covid-19 case figure is reported, with 55,892 new infections

A 90-year-old British woman, Margaret Keenan, becomes the first person in the world to receive the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 jab

A group of former rugby players begin a claim against the game’s authorities after being diagnosed with early signs of dementia saying that repeated blows to the head from playing the sport are to blame