Rantings of a Fluffy Monster

Between the age of 6 and 7 (my mates hear about this on a painfully regular basis), I lived on a 5x7 mile island called Boracay, in the Philippines. This is a picture of my Mum, sister and I in potato-sack trousers coming back from a shopping trip on a nearby larger island.Its a pleasure to share a moment or two of these very precious memories. 


The view from our bungalow, which was similar to the one in front.... 


My time was split between exploring the island in my pants, floating in the sea, avoiding the island's 'school' and being dumbstruck by the sunsets every evening. I hope to share some more pictures like this in the future, when I get my sticky mitts on them! 

This is one of many pictures my stepdad has done. I get to brag because my mug turns up in a few of his illustrations and luckily he is clever enough to make it seem that I wouldn't look like a complete twat in a pink beret. Its from a book cover called All Fall Down, by Jenny Oldfield. I wonder what those shifty looking characters behind me are saying? 

Cider + Sunshine = Morris Dancing, and the remainder is Wasps....Discuss.......I came to this calculation when I was enjoying some cider at the Wallingford Folk Festival. Morris Dancing just makes so much more sense under these conditions. 

The guys at www.2dobeforeidie.com have very kindly used a story of mine.
The point of the site is to recall a time that you hold dear in your memory - some people told of how they helped a person in the third world, or changed the lives of a bunch of kids...I did Breaking into Glastonbuty Festival. Tee hee.

I was very much inspired by a William Blake poem posted by Marv

So, I wrote this.

The Green-Eyed Serpent
Coiled on his stone
Surveying the world
From his barren, cold home.
Judging.
Peering.
No-one could see him sneering.

He saw all god's creatures,
Saw beauty and love
And knew he was different
To all those above.
Slither.
Coil tighter.
"My scales shine all the brighter."

He feels warmer now,
Hating all with lust.
Basking in their folly,
Flicked his tongue in disgust.
"Fools."
"Should you care,
You would love me and despair."

As night fell to the rise of the moon
Our serpent swayed to his very own tune.
So lonely, still, as the frost moved in
And fixed his smile in a frozen grin.
Colder.
So much colder.
None the wiser, nor the bolder.

As Rence has returned from his travels, I'm gonna make up some adventures for him to star in. I can just hear his banjo in the background....

Young Mr. Riggs
Likes wrestling with pigs
And the most he has wrestled is twenty
Singing Hey Nonny-No
It's a Wrestling I Go
And I'm slippin' on cracklin' a plenty.

The pigs were surprised
He was greased to the eyes
As he skidded around in their pen,
Singing Hey Nonny-No
It's a Wrestling I Go
Won't rest till a-hunderd an' ten.

Well Riggs he was brave
and a cheeky young knave
He slapped all the piggies with gusto
Singing Hey Nonny-No
It's a Wrestling I Go
And Oim drinking a glass of Lambrusco.

His fine apple sauce
Was forgotten, of course
It was buried in cobwebs and spiders
Singing Hey Nonny-No
It's a Wrestling I Go
Blow me if I've not made some cider.

Our brave Mr. Riggs
And his knackered out pigs
Went trotting out into the meadow
Singing Hey Nonny-No
We're a-wrestlin' no mo'
But we do like your cider, young fellow.

My housemate made me a drop-dead gorgeous hot baguette yesterday. Steak, Camembert, Horseradish and Waitrose Apple and Walnut Chutney. Also did a waldorf salad on the side. She rocks.
This Apple and Walnut Chutney is surely Cheese's best friend! The walnuts in it have gone just that little bit soft, and makes their scrunchiness just perfect. Shall have to purchase some Manchego and some Stilton, and get some experiments underway. Mate, your chutney's days are numbered!