Yes, this is where I've arrived today - at a somewhat nondescript number with few associations (unlike next year's!). What first comes to mind for me was 1968, when I was 21/22, being such a tumultuous year in a number of ways, largely negative, though that was mostly only labelled so in hindsight.
Here is this year's portrait, taken yesterday in mood
un poco serioso:-
And here's some recent pics of my two co-habitees as well as two of the most regular visitors.
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| My dear, sweet Blackso (at least 15 years old) enjoying late Summer sun. |
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| Noodles (12 or 13), having recently had his annual check-up and jab. |
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| Heckie (Hector), next door's pussy, who gets locked out so often that he seems to spend more time here, where there's always a welcome at the permanently open window. Not yet 2 years old, he hasn't been neutered, unfortunately, (despite my mentioning it to the owner) - and his behaviour is now showing that he hasn't been. A bit of a disruptive little scamp, but a sweetie nevertheless. |
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| Patchy (about 7) whose home is round the corner, about 300 yards away, where he's one of a number of cats, but for well over a year he's been coming here at least twice a day, for 'breakfast' and 'dinner', and now started sleeping here overnight too. I could never turn him away, the big, plump 'cushion' that he is. |
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| Blackso again, taking some 'Golden Slumbers' |
So that's where things are at, dear people - surviving by toddling along from day to day, with some grand company of contented pussies.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RAYBEARD! and many many more too, old chap! that green sweater is a good colour for you. I am happy to see you looking so handsome!
ReplyDeleteand pussie pix - how wonderful they all are!
1968 WAS a bad year in this country; I was 13 and just becoming aware of what was outside the walls of my own home - war, death, politics, racism, gay people (my uncle). suddenly there was more to life than just going to school and learning the latest dance steps and following baseball.
"think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound, everybody look what's going down."
"ball of confusion, that's what the world is today, hey hey."
"anit it's one, two three
what are we fightin' for
don't ask me I don't give a damn
next stop is vietnam"
Very many thanks for that, Anne Marie. your wishes are ever so dearly appreciated, and I'll carry them around for the rest of the day with a warm 'glow' inside..
ReplyDeleteGreen has always been my favourite colour, but that emerald sweater is so almost fluorescent, that I don't ever wear it out of doors for fear of attracting too many curious glances, being someone who's at an age that cannot successfully carry off wearing such conspicuous flamboyancies.
Yes, pussies are all content - and these four are all here currently sleeping in their self-selected locations.
Not too many of us around who remember living through 1968, which turned out to be one of the most significant of last century.
Must be honest and say that I had to google your three lyric quotes. I did recognise the last one but couldn't remember who sang it. They all sum up that heady time of when it started being okay to give 'authority' the finger. We didn't know it while it was going on but that was a pivotal time in all our lives.
I'm doing nothing special today save for an intention to go to the pictures in a couple of hours - hardly 'special', so it's a pretty routine day.
But going to try to catch some shuteye first, catching up on what i missed when Blackso, as is his wont, woke me up at 4.30 a.m. trying to butt my head of the pillow to get up and give him brekkies. And since he won't take no for an answer I just had to obey.
'See' you next time - and 'ta' again!
Happy birthday
ReplyDeleteMay you have many more cinema buns on seats years to come
Thank you, J.G. Fighting against the slowing-down sometimes seems like a losing battle, but we'll not give in SO easily.
DeleteAt first reading I thought that you'd made a typing error in your wish, but it took only a sec or two to realise that it works quite as well with an 'N' as an 'M'. I shan't de-base your well-wish by hoping that they're all 'cream ones', so 'grassy arse' all the same.
Happy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteGod knows I love the furry creatures...ain't their love great?
1968 was the first year I can really remember as I was quite young. The thing that sticks out in that memory is that shiny new color TV my father brought home that year, and the frightening images that were on the news that he watched. I didn't understand all those images but felt frightened by them and thought the world a scary place.
Thanks so much, F.B. Even though my 'flat-mates' can be maddening at times, their warm companionship and their reliance on my keeping them content does keep me sane.
DeleteI wasn't actually sure that you, being such a doggy person, had the same affection for pussy-cats. As you know, there are people who have a very clear preference between them - or even a love for one and antipathy for the other. But I'm reassured to know that you appreciate feline affection too.
That was very astute and precocious of the infant you to find the events of 1968 a bit scary. They were, but as a young adult I think my uppermost emotion was bewilderment and surprise at at the rapidity and scale of what was going on. No one can deny that it was a defining year.
Thanks so much for your wishes and taking the trouble to comment. I'm quite moved.
Well, look who is 68 today.
ReplyDeleteAnother year has gone by and somehow we have endured. On birthdays, I am always reminded of Sondheim's anthem to survival.
Good times and bum times, I've seen them all,
and my dear, I'm still here
I've run the gamut A to Z, three cheers and
dammit, c'est la vie
I got through all of last year
and I'm here
Lord knows at least I've been there
and I'm here
Look who's here
I'm still here
May you and your precious little ones have a blissful and joyous year.
A Happy Birthday and hugs from my two little ones.
Paul, very grateful for your wishes which I'm pleased to accept with open arms. If I hadn't got one from you there would have been a big hole here!
DeleteI'm appreciating these particular S.S. lyrics now as never before. Until today I'd always seen them as coming from 'someone else' but I ought to start identifying with them more readily now. He is as perspicacious in this Follies song as he's ever been.
I'll pass on your good wishes to my co-habitees and reciprocate them to you and to your little pair. (How I wish it was possible to see a photo of them, but don't worry too much. In my imagination they couldn't be more perfect.)
If me and my own two can have at least a modicum of good health for another year (without any more tumbles) I'll be more than satisfied.
Thanks again. Your wishes mean an awful lot to me.
Hi ya Ray! I hope you have been having a marvellous day. Happy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteThank you for that wish, Sol. Haven't done anything special today, but as long as I can get through it without any accidents that'll do fine for me.
DeleteWishing you a very happy birthday (a day late and more than a dollar short) and a year filled with all good things... and cats! Sending a huge hug from across some seas and down and around a bit.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mitch. Actually my day IS the 15th - I posted the above at 6.30 a.m. on that morning which I see has been dated 14th. So you weren't late at all - except for the fact that I'm reading it now at 7.20 a.m. on the SIXTEENTH. Oh, should I give up? Anyway, 15.10.46 is the day - or, as you might say, 10.15.46. (Oh, blow it all!)
DeleteNevertheless your wishes are welcome and I accept them with gratitude, and will share them with the pussies. Ta!
Belated Happy Birthday! Hope you had a great day!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks to you too, T.D., though you will see from immediately above that you weren't late at all in terms of your own time,even though I'm only seeing this on the 16th.
DeleteYesterday was as routine as ever, though of course I'm delighted to accept the sentiments behind your remark. Much appreciated, Sir.
As usual I'm late to the party.
ReplyDeleteI hope this next year is your best one yet !
OOXX
Your greeting and wishes are always welcome, Dr Spo - and are accepted with gracious thanks.
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