Mom Nature continues opening her bag of surprises on a daily basis around here . A nor’easter began to hit our little area late last night bringing with it heavy wet snow, dull grey skies, slippery roads, and general upheaval. It makes an interesting early morning walk with a small creature who won’t wear his boots or coat and who’s tummy is four inches from the ground. I mean of course the Master of the house, Teeter.
And speaking of dogs (how’s that for a segue?) here’s a pile of doggie memes that have been waiting in the wings while holiday hahas took pride of place.
How it all began.
You’ve been warned.
Our Teeter would hide under the bed.
Around our house it’s cooked chicken hearts.
I am reminded of the episode of Nicky and the concrete wall. Yes concrete.
Am I a bad person for agreeing with this? Do I care?
Hey you signed on for it back when he let you call him “little shnoopy-poo”.
And there isn’t a lawyer alive who can dispute this.
It is a bit embarrassing when you know the dog’s name but not the owner’s.
A final word in “dog daddy” mode.
The word for January 19th is: Innovate /ĭn′ə-vāt″/: [verb] 1.1 To begin or introduce something new. 1.2 To introduce novelties or changes; — sometimes with “in” or “on”. French innover, from Old French, from Latin innovāre, innovāt-, to renew.
There’s an old adage here in the Maritimes: You don’t like the weather? Wait an hour, it will change! So far November through January has proven true to tradition. You want snow? We got snow? Ice? Slush? Rain? White? Green? Bitter cold? Mild? Sunny? Gloomy? High winds? Gentle breezes? We got ’em all – sometimes in the same day – and yer welcome to ’em.
Ah well nothing to do but grin, gird your loins accordingly, and bear it. So here’s a few memes – some left over from the New Year file – to set our chattering teeth into a smile.
Can’t be my writing – it’s legible.
A few Christmas leftovers?
A sad reminder of what was.
Hmmm… I’m not entirely sure of this one.
My tip of the day.
Tick the boxes.
I wish I had that problem.
Five years working on a new programme taught me:
My dearly missed Yellow Dog Granny’s favourite beverage.
A unsung suburban hero.
As is copy editig ….
Waiter! There’s a bear in my soup.
A plethora of puns that I know will mean a lot to you.
When I download this it was a joke; Now I’m not so sure.
The word for January 12 14th: Adage /ăd′ĭj/: [noun] 1.1 A saying that sets forth a general truth and that has gained credit through long use. 1.2 An old saying, which has obtained credit by long use; a proverb. French, from Old French, from Latin adagium.
Before we get all “holidays are over” there is still Epiphany tomorrow and someone I know is demanding a Galette des Rois. We’ll see what we can do. But in the meanwhile how about a few memes to energize a Monday?
Restraint
Okay let’s get the bad pun out of the way.
He forgot to say “Your call is important to us.”
Or the correct spelling of rythem rhythm.
Particularly that hack Dickens.
I reached that stage sixty years ago – I was an early bloomer.
I only wish – anyone got any weight they’d like to share?
A conversation at the UN?
No comment.
I never understood the man bun trend – now the pompadour I got.
Life imitating art?
I’m nor sure if Miss Manners ever addressed this problem.
I’m pretty sure this is AI.
Okay I lied about the pun.
The word for January 5th is: Hare /hâr/: [noun] 1.1 Any of various mammals of the family Leporidae, especially of the genus Lepus, similar to rabbits but having longer ears and legs and giving birth to active, furred young. 1.2 A rodent of the genus Lepus, having long hind legs, a short tail, and a divided upper lip. It is a timid animal, moves swiftly by leaps, and is remarkable for its fecundity. 1.3 A small constellation situated south of and under the foot of Orion; Lepus. From Middle English hare, from Old English hara (“hare”), from Proto-Germanic hasô.
As I have mentioned every Thursday I spend an hour or so Dancing with Parkinson’s. Each week Julia, our marvellous teacher, works with a musical theme. Of course our last session for 2025 included the perennial Auld Lang Syne. Though the words were familiar the melody wasn’t the one we are accustomed to singing.
It would appear that this may have been the tune that Robbie Burns heard when he “took it down from an old man.” in 1788. He deemed the melody “mediocre” and in 1799 it was published with the now familiar setting. Though the first verse may be the one he “took down” it appears that several stanzas that follow are of Burns’ invention. (As a footnote, the transcription on the screen takes the idiom “my jo” incorrectly as “my jove”: jo is Scots for dear, darling, sweetheart.)
Oddly in that version by Mairi Campbell the last verse is omitted.
There have been so many versions and arrangements of this traditional and very popular song. (How I wish I owned the copyright!) It has been covered by jazz musicians, pop singers, rock bands, brass bands et al. And who could forget Die alte gute Zeit by Ludwig van Beethoven.
Beethoven!! gasps my faithful, if inattentive to past posts, reader. I’ve written on a few occasions of the tireless work of George Thomson in commissioning and publishing parlour arrangements of folk songs of the British Isles. Beethoven submitted 175 arrangements of which all but 25 reached publication. Auld lang syne appeared in a collection published in 1818.
This is the only performance I could find on the YouTube but I’m not sure you could do better than Dame Flot, Sir Thom or Mark A as a vocal trio.
Unlike the Mairi Campbell version it includes the last and, though oft omitted, most post important stanza.
It answers the questions asked in the first verse:
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind?
And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere! and gie’s a hand o’ thine! And we’ll tak’ a right gude-willie waught, for auld lang syne
And there’s a hand my trusty friend! And give me a hand o’ thine! And we’ll take a right good-will draught, for auld lang syn
No matter which version we sing tonight let’s hold our old and new friends in our hearts, if not by the hand, and wish them well as the new year begins.
The word for December 31st is: Hand /hănd/: [1.noun 2. verb] 1.1 The terminal part of the human arm located below the forearm, used for grasping and holding and consisting of the wrist, palm, four fingers, and an opposable thumb. 1.2 A homologous or similar part in other animals, as the terminal part of the forelimb in certain vertebrates. 1.3 A unit of length equal to 4 inches (10.2 centimeters), used especially to specify the height of a horse. 2.1 To give or pass with or as if with the hands; transmit. 2.2 To aid, direct, or conduct with the hands. From Middle English, from Old English hand (“hand, side (in defining position), power, control, possession, charge, agency, person regarded as holder or receiver of something”), from Proto-Germanic *handuz (“hand”).
Jerry and I get around. In 2011, we moved from the USA to Spain. We now live in Córdoba. Jerry y yo nos movemos. En 2011, nos mudamos de EEUU a España. Ahora vivimos en Córdoba.
Telling the stories of the history of the port of Charlottetown and the marine heritage of Northumberland Strait on Canada's East Coast. Winner of the Heritage Award from the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation and a Heritage Preservation Award from the City of Charlottetown
Willy Or Won't He 