Rapid rhyme #33/ Melissa the mouse

I talk to them, they talk to me

in easy stages one two three

First greet them with a bright “Good Day”

and ask them if they’ve time to stay

Then if they have, ask how they are

and have they had to travel far

Are they alone or with their spouse

Do they live in a hole or house

It’s truly magic, meeting friends

the joys of walking show no ends

 

Some of you may know that I go for a walk most days.  I talk to the trees and anything else I encounter along the way.  In these days of Covid I have changed my route and now I mostly go through fields, woodland, along the river and canal.  I stay away from roads and people as much as possible!

Today I had a real bonus meeting and conversation.  Apart from the cattle, horses, swans, spiders, grasshoppers, and birds, that is.

I quite often come across a dead mouse, or vole, and that’s what I saw this morning, and then……she moved.  It was a teeny tiny mouse, and her name was Melissa.  I know that for a fact because she told me.  You may think me a little potty, nuts, crazy, or whatever.  I don’t care.

I asked Melissa if I could take a few photographs to remember her by, and she agreed.  In fact she was quite happy and so that her friends on Mousebook could see what a big girl she is she asked if I could put a Pound coin alongside her to compare with. A pound coin is 23.43mm diameter.  That is 0.922 inches in old money!

Melissa was exploring her neighbourhood for the first time but couldn’t remember how old she was.   Baby mice grow up very quickly.  After just six days, they have fur and can move and squeak.  After 18 days, they are ready to leave the nest.  Female mice can start having babies when they are just six weeks old.  They can produce 10 litters every year, with up to 12 babies in each litter.

She soon went back to the nest which was accessed by a small hole in the ground.  Another of her siblings popped his head out to say a quick hello but disappeared and didn’t want his photograph taken.

Seriously though, folks, isn’t she gorgeous.  So much so that I am not sharing her space with any other friends I met today.

How did we manage without sex education. — Broadsides – A collection of bits and pieces

I bet you spill your drink whilst reading this very serious article from John!

We didn’t know how to kiss.  No one told us how.  No one showed us what to do.  There was very little on the TV  and the kind of films we went to see on Saturday mornings didn’t have any kissing in them.  Abbott and Costello:  no kissing, Tarzan: no killing, Dean Martin and Jerry […]

How did we manage without sex education. — Broadsides – A collection of bits and pieces

A little bit of Dad

In my final Lundi limerick yesterday I used the hamlet of Acton and linked it to the fact that it played a large part in my Dad’s life.

In the process of digging out a bit of real life background, rather than the normal wikipedia, or google sources, I rummaged through the suitcase that I brought away from Dad’s house after he died at the grand age of 96.

Mum had died nearly 11 years before and everyone expected Dad to follow fairly swiftly after. He was, after all, a hard working farm labourer, who had relied on Mum for meals, clean clothes, and a welcoming home. We had all, of course, forgotten his hard upbringing, his determination, and his adaptability.

Within a couple of weeks he had bought himself a microwave. “I’ve always wanted one of these but your Mother would never have one”, he said.

He went on to cook his own meals, wash, dry, and iron his clothes, vacuum the house, and thoroughly enjoy the whole new leaf that he’d turned over. My little sister (three years older than me), who lived a few miles away, kept an eye on him, had him over for Sunday lunch and, over the coming years, gradually helped him more, according to his needs.

Anyway, this isn’t meant to be a definitive history of Dad, purely an extension of the information about his link to Acton.

The suitcase I mentioned earlier has quite a few Bibles, and other books, in it, each one has a story to tell. Dad was a Methodist Local Preacher from the age of 20 until failing hearing, and health, caused him to retire, although he remained ‘on the books’ until his death, and received several certificates of Long Service, even up to 75 years service! It just could not be done nowadays!

Dad was a marvellous preacher. Inspiring, knowledgeable, plain speaking, always linking to everyday life, articulate but never verbose. In everyday life you would never dream that he was a gifted and effective preacher. He was a quiet, mild mannered man whose goodness shone out for all to see, always willing to help, support, and encourage all that he encountered.

First out of the case is a School photograph from 1922 when Dad was 12
How smart they all are, and I love the bicycle parked around the corner! Dad would have done a couple of hours work before going to school and would have many jobs to complete when he got home.

Sunday School prize that Dad received from Acton

Note the Superintendent was John Matthews, an uncle

and a 19th birthday present from an Auntie

A present from the Local Preachers Association on his recognition service as a preacher (Oct 14th 1929)

21st birthday gift to Mum

An article that appeared in the Local Preachers Newsletter after Dad died

Lundi limerick #105

Thinking of Acton I’m glad

so special to Mum and to Dad

It’s where they first met

and their future was set

Such a wondrous life they both had.

 

There is not a lot to be said about Acton,  a small hamlet in Staffordshire. You could so easily drive through it without knowing and yet, without its existence, I may well not have existed!

The one building that is there, an old Wesleyan Methodist Church that closed in 2003, is where my father, Charles Matthews, went to Sunday School, then to Chapel. Where he met my mother Irene Lily Matthews, née Talbot. Where they first started courting,  all very prim and proper in those days. Where Dad first qualified for his  75 years as a Methodist Local Preacher.

I will add some photographs to a later post, and give a little more detail. I thought it appropriate that for the last of my two years worth of Lundi limericks (Lundi being french for Monday, for those who hadn’t noticed!!) I should write about somewhere extra special.

Thank you Acton. Thank you Mum and Dad.

 

 

 

Song Lyric Sunday – 20 September 2020 – Canadian music

Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. Jim has given us Canadian Music this week rather than a choice of words to be included in the title or lyrics.

If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.

When I first saw this prompt I immediately thought that I would find some music from one of the three Aboriginal groups,  Indians (more commonly referred to as First Nations), Inuit or Métis.  There is plenty of marvellous music to choose from and, surely, there is nothing more Canadian than that.  Then I thought perhaps that would be doing an injustice?  Would I be offending those who may not consider themselves to be Canadian, or who feel that their people will never be constrained by false borders dreamed up by outsiders.  Rather than risk offence I changed tack and decided to go with a song released on April 17 2020 by a young Canadian singer songwriter who first gained prominence at the age of only 13.

This song is about someone in a relationship who couldn’t care less for the other person and then 6 months later decides to crawl back. It’s the feeling of knowing how much they meant to you, but this time not letting them back in. (and she is only 17 now!)    I hope you enjoy:

You Broke Me First by Tate McRae

you broke me first

Tate McRae

Maybe you don’t like talking too much about yourself
But you shoulda told me that you were thinkin’ ’bout someone else
You’re drunk at a party or maybe it’s just that your car broke down
Your phone’s been off for a couple months, so you’re calling me now

I know you, you’re like this
When shit don’t go your way you needed me to fix it
And like me, I did
But I ran out of every reason

Now suddenly you’re asking for it back
Could you tell me, where’d you get the nerve?
Yeah, you could say you miss all that we had
But I don’t really care how bad it hurts
When you broke me first
You broke me first

Took a while, was in denial when I first heard
That you moved on quicker than I could’ve ever, you know that hurt
Swear for a while I would stare at my phone just to see your name
But now that it’s there, I don’t really know what to say

I know you, you’re like this
When shit don’t go your way you needed me to fix it
And like me, I did
But I ran out of every reason

Now suddenly you’re asking for it back
Could you tell me, where’d you get the nerve?
Yeah, you could say you miss all that we had
But I don’t really care how bad it hurts
When you broke me first
You broke me first

What did you think would happen?
What did you think would happen?
I’ll never let you have it
What did you think would happen?

Now suddenly you’re asking for it back
Could you tell me, where’d you get the nerve?
Yeah, you could say you miss all that we had
But I don’t really care how bad it hurts
When you broke me first
You broke me first
(You broke me first)
You broke me first, ah

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Tate McRae / Blake Harnage / Victoria Zaro

you broke me first lyrics © BMG Rights Management

Rapid rhyme #32

leaves are flying

I am trying

every day to rake them up

heap gets bigger

need a digger

make some tea and drink a cup

now I’m grinning

think I’m winning

bloomin’ heck there’s millions more

leaves decaying

I start praying

leaves will blow into next door!

Rapid rhyme #31

Owen, Beleaguered Servant, with No Talent For Certainty is a poet whose prodigious output simply amazes me.    His post, yesterday,  I’m Really Glad You’re Happy inspired me to write the following Rapid rhyme.  Do check out his poetry.  I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.

A Rapid rhyme is one that comes to mind straight away and is not edited or amended. By their very nature they can be rough at the edges, a little unfinished, but I like them!

Incidentally, trE, of A Cornered Gurl, has taken a liking to my idea and has started to produce her own Rapid rhymes, going one better by adding an audio file to them (I’m not ready to share my squeaky voice yet!). They are great, and an example can be found here.

Here is mine, inspired by Owen.

I’m really glad you’re really glad that I am glad you’re happy

I’ll help you now in helping me to help you change your nappy*

I think you think I think you’re cute but I think you are cuter

Especially now that you have let me see your great big hooter**

I like the fact you like the fact that I like facts of fiction

I say that you will say I do and I will say good diction

I’ll state the state that you are in is really rather snappy

I’m really glad you’re really glad that I am glad you’re happy

*Nappy = Diaper

**hooter = Nose

Rapid rhyme #30

None of us are poets, it’s very plain to see

we write some words and if they rhyme then it was meant to be

but there again if words don’t rhyme it doesn’t mean it’s prose

It may be verse, or something worse, a finger up your nose

 

None of us are poets, it’s why I wrote these words

to prove to you it’s very true that cows are seen in herds

A bull will come along to serve, that is his given task

He’s making love to cows all day and doesn’t have to ask

 

None of us are poets, I think I’ve proved that fact

but have a go, it’s fun to do, just sign the poet’s pact

Stand on your head, write with your toes, and sing a happy ditty

For those of you who think they know the rhyming word is kitty

Lundi limerick #104

I’ve chosen this one for a friend

the village this week is Bell End

Some may have a keenness

to think of glans penis

Be assured this will not set a trend

 

Bell End is a village in the English county of Worcestershire,  situated approximately 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south-east of Hagley on the A491, north of Bromsgrove and close to Kidderminster Stourbridge and Halesowen. It lies in the local government district of Bromsgrove.

On the western side of the village is Bell Hall, a Victorian Gothic mansion on the site of the original manor house. It was built in 1847 for Charles Noel, later a High Sheriff of Worcestershire, by the architect Edward Smith of Oldswinford.  

The village shares its name with the British slang for the glans penis.

 

Song Lyric Sunday – 13 September 2020 – Contrasts

Jim Adams’ Song Lyric Sunday gives us the chance to share familiar, and sometimes not so familiar, songs. Jim has given us Contrasts this week.

I have oodles of contrasts in the lyrics: Hot and cold, yes and no, in and out, up and down, wrong and right, stay and go. I reckon that’s enough to be going on with.

If you fancy sharing one of your favourite songs you can find out how to participate, and also listen to all the great entries, here.

The song I’ve chosen is “Hot n Cold“ a song by American singer Katy Perry. The song was written by Perry, Dr. Luke, and Max Martin and produced by Dr. Luke and Benny Blanco for her second studio album, One of the Boys (2008). The track was released as the album’s second single on September 9, 2008. The lyrics address an unstable romantic relationship caused by a partner’s mood swings.

I hope you enjoy it.

 

Hot N Cold

Katy Perry

You change your mind
Like a girl changes clothes
Yeah you, PMS
Like a bitch
I would know

And you over think
Always speak
Cryptically

I should know
That you’re no good for me

‘Cause you’re hot then you’re cold
You’re yes then you’re no
You’re in then you’re out
You’re up then you’re down
You’re wrong when it’s right
It’s black and it’s white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up
(You) You don’t really want to stay, no
(You) But you don’t really want to go-o
You’re hot then you’re cold
You’re yes then you’re no
You’re in then you’re out
You’re up then you’re down

We used to be
Just like twins
So in sync
The same energy
Now’s a dead battery
Used to laugh bout nothing
Now you’re plain boring

I should know that
You’re not gonna change

‘Cause you’re hot then you’re cold
You’re yes then you’re no
You’re in then you’re out
You’re up then you’re down
You’re wrong when it’s right
It’s black and it’s white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up
(You) You don’t really want to stay, no
(You) But you don’t really want to go-o
You’re hot then you’re cold
You’re yes then you’re no
You’re in then you’re out
You’re up then you’re down

Someone call the doctor
Got a case of a love bi-polar
Stuck on a roller coaster
Can’t get off this ride

You change your mind
Like a girl changes clothes

‘Cause you’re hot then you’re cold
You’re yes then you’re no
You’re in then you’re out
You’re up then you’re down
You’re wrong when it’s right
It’s black and it’s white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up
You’re hot then you’re cold
You’re yes then you’re no
You’re in then you’re out
You’re up then you’re down
You’re wrong when it’s right
It’s black and it’s white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up
(You) You don’t really want to stay, no
(You) But you don’t really want to go-o
You’re hot then you’re cold
You’re yes then you’re no
You’re in then you’re out
You’re up then you’re down, down.

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Katy Perry / Lukasz Gottwald / Max Martin

Hot N Cold lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc