Wednesday 26 December 2012

Well, this picture says "Christmas" better than I ever could!  All the felines in our house ate normally, and there were no feathers anywhere.  Pity about the heat, not good for 2 of my fellow residents (Buttons is black and Sasha has long hair), but I was absolutely fine - small and lithe with enough white to help reduce heat absorption. 

Heard one of our visitors say he'd finished  Ian Rankin's "Standing in Another Man's Grave" and how much he'd enjoyed it.

Quoting The Telegraph - the retirement age for detectives has been raised  so Rebus is now out of retirement and finds himself as a civilian working in Edinburgh’s cold case unit, which, as viewers of TV’s 'New Tricks' will know, is the sort of place where they bung the geriatric sad-sacks who’ve never had a life outside police work and can’t face retirement. He still rarely sees his daughter and has, in the words of one hostile observer, “no current relationships, other than with the bottle and anyone who happened to sell tobacco”.....and it only gets better!

Sunday 23 December 2012

Christmas Eve and a poem



 " 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse...."

I'd be most surprised if there was any HINT of a mouse in our house.  Imagine what our reputations would be if one of those furry little things was seen here!  But a visit from Santa (St Nicholas), would be quite a different kettle of fish (yum, what a lovely thought).

This poem, "A Visit from St Nicholas", was published in the early 19th century and attributed to Clement Clarke Moore

File:Twas the Night Before Christmas - Project Gutenberg eText 17135.jpg
 
 
 
 
 
The poem has inspired many parodies, adaptations and references in popular culture eg in the film "Die Hard", Theo alerts his friends to the SWAT team's arrival with the first line of this poem, and in the Garfield comic strips of December 1983, the text of the poem was drawn above scenes of Garfield acting as the storyteller.  Even a "Tom and Jerry" cartoon featured the first line.
 
Enough culture, back to mice......counting them is a very good way to fall asleep.........nite.

 

Thursday 20 December 2012

WIN! WIN! WIN!



 
  All you have to do is put your name and phone number on the raffle ticket when you have made a purchase at bookmark. 

You  might be lucky when the draw is made and win this beautiful luxury edition of "Kirstenbosch, the most beautiful garden in Africa".
 
The draw will be on Saturday 5 January 2013

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Snippets of interest

Have come across a book of answers that Charles Saatchi ( the name "Saatchi" means "watchmaker" in Iraqui Arabic), has given to lots of different types of questions eg
"Would you describe yourself as a gentleman?" to which Saatchi replied "Certainly. On the basis that a gentleman is a man who can play the accordion but doesn't". 

"What can adults learn from the young people of today?" to which he replies "Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery?"

If Saatchi could pose any question to Charles Darwin, James Joyce, Adolf Hitler or Henry V111, what would it be?

Charles Darwin : How was your theory of evolution received when you arrived at the Pearly Gates?

James Joyce : Have you ever tried reading one of your books?

Adolf Hitler : Would it all have been different if you had found success with your paintings?

Henry V111 : Which is more painful, gout or syphilis?

 
Time for a brush, a purr and slumber after so much thinking.

Tuesday 18 December 2012

Rush, rush, rush...

 
Still got time to read even with all the Christmas rush going on around me!  There'll be lots of new books coming in to the shop before Christmas including the new Zapiro, more John Platter Wine Guides (it's bright orange this year), "Remarkable Gardens of South Africa", cookery books and more...
I think this is much better than the original "Fifty Shades".  "Fifty Sheds of Grey", inspired by THAT trilogy, is an entertaining parody about the greatest love of all : the love between a man and his garden shed. 

 
My favourite book has to be "I Could Pee on This".  As sales have been so good it will only be available again early next year, so plan ahead and order now.  The authors of this collection of poems say these are my fellow felines at their best and 'reveals their true artistic and neurotic genius'.
 
 

Monday 17 December 2012

It's happening, it's here, it's NOW...

At last, she's finished it....well, we, the feline family, would call it a work in progress, but let's give her some credit......it's going to the people that matter.  Quirky, offbeat and unusual in its style, but hopefully will inform, stimulate and entertain you, the reader...or readerS as there may be more than one!

Tuesday 11 December 2012

Dreaming of a new address

It was a very long night watching mum type and then get frustrated when we all wanted to sit in front of her on the keyboard. She said she needed to see the screen and it seemed we were in the way.  It's only because we wanted to be near her, funny creatures these humans.
It looks as if the blog is almost ready for public viewing.  I like what I've seen because it's cat oriented but I do have a vested interest as the columnist.

I'd love her to move house- I've heard there's a type of house called a meows which humans spell mews. THAT would be a wonderful address, a bit like having a personalised registration plate on your car.  Back to my resting phase.

Saturday 8 December 2012

Saturday's update

I'm the face behind Tabby Lloyd and since I munched my Whiskas this morning it's all been rather hectic.  Lots of stretches before I settled down to browse through the "Rough Guide to iPads", had to 'paws' a lot to absorb all this technology. 


I've decided to write my more regular column once the season is over and I'm a bit more competent, but I will  put in the odd guest appearance meantime. The black boy cat (aka BBC), in our household would like to move in on my territory and sees himself penning "Diary of a Peeping Tom".  We'll see about that.  Pushy pusskins indeed. I'm off to read the Cat Body Language book and see what his wagging tail is really saying.

Friday 7 December 2012

PC : Patient Cats

Another day and another lot of punching keys (gently most of the time), and bookmark's feline journalists are champing at the bit.  One of our cat columnists, Tabby Lloyd - 'tabloid' for those who haven't the energy to work it out, or, can't believe I even though of it in the first place, is miaowing in readiness.  She'll be informative, even controversial at times, and will be keeping her ears to the ground which is easier for her than us humans due to our height.  As sleep has overcome the cats, so it must with me.

Thursday 6 December 2012

Having kittens...or whatever the literary equivalent is

We're nearly there, a few things to write, edit, rewrite and so forth.  A few photos to liven up the proceedings....and then, we'll be up and running (a slow scamper might be more accurate).

WATCH THIS SPACE, or the one that will soon be filled!