Friday, 7 June 2013
Thursday, 6 June 2013
Living walls
I was googling something and came across these pictures. These walls are pretty and very low maintenance...
Labels:
gardening
Wednesday, 5 June 2013
The handsome stranger
This story is by a Brazilian writer, Fernando Sabino, an old favourite of mine. It's a loose translation, but you'll get the story... It takes place in Rio de Janeiro, many, many years ago. I hope you'll enjoy it.
A teacher was waiting in line at the bank, looking forward to cashing the check for her monthly wages. A tall, well dressed, handsome man was waiting in another line. He smiled at her. She blushed and looked away, but her eyes had been warm and welcoming when he smiled. She decided that he was also a teacher drawing his money for the month.
The line moved, it was her turn, and she was distracted counting her money, carefully wrapping it in a paper tissue and putting the neat package in her handbag. She looked around for the handsome man. He had vanished.
She sighed, left the bank and hailed a taxi. When she reached for the handle, an arm appeared and opened the door for her: "Allow me. I was about to get into this taxi, but you were lucky and got here first..."
It was her "teacher."
"May I ask your destination?"
"I'm going home," she answered.
"Where would that be?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"Well, perhaps we're headed the same way and could share the taxi," he said with a smile.
"I live in Rio Comprido."
"Now, that's a coincidence! I live very near Rio Comprido. May I accompany you?"
She was aprehensive, didn't want to appear to be an easy girl, but what could she do? If she refused, she might never see him again. He was so nice and polite, so handsome... and that smile! She just shrugged, feigning indifference, and entered the taxi. He entered after her.
The young woman gave directions to the driver, then discretely looked at her companion. He was sitting very still, his gaze fixed ahead, but he still had that smile. She thought it was strange, almost sinister.
His hand moved and she thought he was reaching for her hand. When she looked down, she saw the gun pointing at her.
"Open your handbag very slowly," he whispered. "Place the little package with the money by my side. Any reaction from you and I'll shoot."
Shaking from head to toe, keeping her eyes on the gun, she fumbled into her handbag, felt the package and placed it on the seat next to his thigh. He casually picked it up, put it in his pocket, put the gun away and told the driver, "I'm getting off here." As the taxi slowed down and came to a halt, he continued, "I'll give you a call later, darling," while he kissed her on the cheek. As he left the car, he added, to the motorist: "Get her home safely, please."
She was completely confused. She even thought he might actually ring her...
The taxi resumed the journey. After a few moments, she came to her senses and started shouting, "Stop the car! I've been mugged!" The driver stopped, turned around and asked how was it possible, why would her boyfriend mug her?
She explained everything in a very confused manner, but he understood it in the end.
"Shall we go to the police station to report it?"
"How can I report it? All I could tell them is that I was stupid enough to give a lift to a well dressed, smiling stranger! They won't be able to do anything. You'd better take me home."
She had to borrow money from her sister to pay the taxi fare. When she told her what had happened, the sister shook her head and said, "What were you thinking? How could you allow a complete stranger to ride with you?"
"Ok, ok, I was stupid. But how am I going to survive the month? How am I going to pay all the bills, get to work, eat???"
The sister was very practical: "You could get a loan. I know somebody at the bank and he can cut a few corners so you can get the money quickly."
They went to the bank by bus. The guy from the bank was very helpful and sympathetic when he heard her story. In no time at all the forms were filled in. "All I need now is a photo ID with your signature and we're done," he said.
She rummaged through her handbag looking for her ID card, but found something else: Her neat tissue wrapped package containing her money!
"I don't need a loan. I found my money!" She was crying with joy, but laughing uncontrolably at the same time.
Her sister and the bank employee were visibly puzzled.
"I gave the mugger a sanitary pad!"
A teacher was waiting in line at the bank, looking forward to cashing the check for her monthly wages. A tall, well dressed, handsome man was waiting in another line. He smiled at her. She blushed and looked away, but her eyes had been warm and welcoming when he smiled. She decided that he was also a teacher drawing his money for the month.
The line moved, it was her turn, and she was distracted counting her money, carefully wrapping it in a paper tissue and putting the neat package in her handbag. She looked around for the handsome man. He had vanished.
She sighed, left the bank and hailed a taxi. When she reached for the handle, an arm appeared and opened the door for her: "Allow me. I was about to get into this taxi, but you were lucky and got here first..."
It was her "teacher."
"May I ask your destination?"
"I'm going home," she answered.
"Where would that be?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"Well, perhaps we're headed the same way and could share the taxi," he said with a smile.
"I live in Rio Comprido."
"Now, that's a coincidence! I live very near Rio Comprido. May I accompany you?"
She was aprehensive, didn't want to appear to be an easy girl, but what could she do? If she refused, she might never see him again. He was so nice and polite, so handsome... and that smile! She just shrugged, feigning indifference, and entered the taxi. He entered after her.
The young woman gave directions to the driver, then discretely looked at her companion. He was sitting very still, his gaze fixed ahead, but he still had that smile. She thought it was strange, almost sinister.
His hand moved and she thought he was reaching for her hand. When she looked down, she saw the gun pointing at her.
"Open your handbag very slowly," he whispered. "Place the little package with the money by my side. Any reaction from you and I'll shoot."
Shaking from head to toe, keeping her eyes on the gun, she fumbled into her handbag, felt the package and placed it on the seat next to his thigh. He casually picked it up, put it in his pocket, put the gun away and told the driver, "I'm getting off here." As the taxi slowed down and came to a halt, he continued, "I'll give you a call later, darling," while he kissed her on the cheek. As he left the car, he added, to the motorist: "Get her home safely, please."
She was completely confused. She even thought he might actually ring her...
The taxi resumed the journey. After a few moments, she came to her senses and started shouting, "Stop the car! I've been mugged!" The driver stopped, turned around and asked how was it possible, why would her boyfriend mug her?
She explained everything in a very confused manner, but he understood it in the end.
"Shall we go to the police station to report it?"
"How can I report it? All I could tell them is that I was stupid enough to give a lift to a well dressed, smiling stranger! They won't be able to do anything. You'd better take me home."
She had to borrow money from her sister to pay the taxi fare. When she told her what had happened, the sister shook her head and said, "What were you thinking? How could you allow a complete stranger to ride with you?"
"Ok, ok, I was stupid. But how am I going to survive the month? How am I going to pay all the bills, get to work, eat???"
The sister was very practical: "You could get a loan. I know somebody at the bank and he can cut a few corners so you can get the money quickly."
They went to the bank by bus. The guy from the bank was very helpful and sympathetic when he heard her story. In no time at all the forms were filled in. "All I need now is a photo ID with your signature and we're done," he said.
She rummaged through her handbag looking for her ID card, but found something else: Her neat tissue wrapped package containing her money!
"I don't need a loan. I found my money!" She was crying with joy, but laughing uncontrolably at the same time.
Her sister and the bank employee were visibly puzzled.
"I gave the mugger a sanitary pad!"
Labels:
funnies
Tuesday, 4 June 2013
Monday, 3 June 2013
Very handsome birds
View_From_Here sent us photos of some spectacular birds. Thanks, View.
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| Sup - Polish Chicken |
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| Bleeding Heart Pigeons |
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| Flamecrest |
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| Formosan Magpie |
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| Golden Pheasant |
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| Green Jay |
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| Himalayan Monal |
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| Lady Amherst's Pheasant |
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| Nicobar Pigeon |
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| Quetzal |
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| Peacock |
Labels:
birds
Sunday, 2 June 2013
Saturday, 1 June 2013
Friday, 31 May 2013
Sounds familiar?
View_From_Here sent us a timely warning:
A.A.A.D.D.- KNOW THE SYMPTOMS!
Thank goodness there's a name for this disorder.
Age-Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.
This is how it manifests:
I decide to water my garden. As I turn on the hose in the driveway, I look over at my car and decide it needs washing.
As I start toward the garage, I notice mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mail box earlier.
I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.
I lay my car keys on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full.
So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage first...
But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.
I take my check book off the table, and see that there is only one check left. My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the house to my desk where I find the can of Pepsi I'd been drinking.
I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Pepsi aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over.
The Pepsi is getting warm, and I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.
As I head toward the kitchen with the Pepsi, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye - they need water.
I put the Pepsi on the counter and discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning. I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers.
I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the kitchen table.
I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I'll be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers.
I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spills on the floor.
So, I set the remote back on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill.
Then, I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.
At the end of the day:
The car isn't washed,
The bills aren't paid,
There is a warm can of Pepsi sitting on the counter,
The flowers don't have enough water,
There is still only 1 check in my check book,
I can't find the remote,
I can't find my glasses,
And I don't remember what I did with the car keys.
Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today,
I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day.
And I'm really tired.
I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it, but first I'll check my e-mail....
Thank you, View.
A.A.A.D.D.- KNOW THE SYMPTOMS!
Thank goodness there's a name for this disorder.
Age-Activated Attention Deficit Disorder.
This is how it manifests:
I decide to water my garden. As I turn on the hose in the driveway, I look over at my car and decide it needs washing.
As I start toward the garage, I notice mail on the porch table that I brought up from the mail box earlier.
I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.
I lay my car keys on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table, and notice that the can is full.
So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage first...
But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first.
I take my check book off the table, and see that there is only one check left. My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the house to my desk where I find the can of Pepsi I'd been drinking.
I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Pepsi aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over.
The Pepsi is getting warm, and I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.
As I head toward the kitchen with the Pepsi, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye - they need water.
I put the Pepsi on the counter and discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning. I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers.
I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the kitchen table.
I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I'll be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers.
I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spills on the floor.
So, I set the remote back on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill.
Then, I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.
At the end of the day:
The car isn't washed,
The bills aren't paid,
There is a warm can of Pepsi sitting on the counter,
The flowers don't have enough water,
There is still only 1 check in my check book,
I can't find the remote,
I can't find my glasses,
And I don't remember what I did with the car keys.
Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today,
I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day.
And I'm really tired.
I realize this is a serious problem, and I'll try to get some help for it, but first I'll check my e-mail....
Thank you, View.
Labels:
funnies
Thursday, 30 May 2013
This is for the "kitty moms"
TW and Sleuth have their hands full at the moment. This is for them and all the other cat lovers.
So lovely!
So lovely!
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Our feathered friends
We have new customers at our bird restaurant since we opened a "take-out" section. The two grease and seed balls that we hung on the window shutters were nearly finished, so I broke them up and scattered the remains on the window ledge. It was an instant hit with the great tits. They had never stopped for a meal before; only the blue tits frequented our fine establishment. The new customers like to get a nice lump of food from the buffet, then fly to the neighbour's (Monsieur Soup) wall to eat their meal.
There's a tree opposite the window, about 50 or 60 ft away. We call it the "launch tree." The birds congregate there, then launch themselves towards our window, flying in an endearing bouncy fashion. They land on the two telephone cables just outside the window and take turns to help themselves to the food. Peter observed one of the blue tits hanging upside-down on the cable, with only one foot on it, the little show-off! The great tits tend to chase the blue tits away if they dare land on the ledge at the same time, even if they're at the other end, hiding behind my herb pots...
We know that these things are pretty trivial for seasoned bird watchers, but as beginners, we're fascinated by them. The great and the blue tits are like teenagers from rival gangs; it's quite entertaining to watch their antics...
********
This great tit turned up after I had published the post. He was facing the wrong way, but he did come to the ledge for a nibble, eventually.
There's a tree opposite the window, about 50 or 60 ft away. We call it the "launch tree." The birds congregate there, then launch themselves towards our window, flying in an endearing bouncy fashion. They land on the two telephone cables just outside the window and take turns to help themselves to the food. Peter observed one of the blue tits hanging upside-down on the cable, with only one foot on it, the little show-off! The great tits tend to chase the blue tits away if they dare land on the ledge at the same time, even if they're at the other end, hiding behind my herb pots...
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| The restaurant |
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| Launch tree and "waiting" cables |
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| A well behaved customer |
We know that these things are pretty trivial for seasoned bird watchers, but as beginners, we're fascinated by them. The great and the blue tits are like teenagers from rival gangs; it's quite entertaining to watch their antics...
********
This great tit turned up after I had published the post. He was facing the wrong way, but he did come to the ledge for a nibble, eventually.
Labels:
birds
Monday, 27 May 2013
Sunday, 26 May 2013
The lightness of marble
I came across these pictures and I find it incredible how the artist managed to create the illusion of lightness and transparency from a hard material like marble.
The artist is Raffaele Monti (1818-1881).
The artist is Raffaele Monti (1818-1881).
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| Motherhood |
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| Detail |
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| The Sleep of Sorrow and the Dream of Joy |
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| Detail |
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| A Veiled Vestal Virgin |
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| Detail |
Labels:
art
Saturday, 25 May 2013
So proud of my niece!
Guest post by CC
[CC kindly sent us some photos of her niece Laura's time in Africa. I put the post together by copying CC's comments on the blog and what she wrote in the emails.]
Laura is traveling to a small village named Naivasha. It is 1.5 hours from Nairobi and she is going on a volunteer program to help children in an orphanage/school for 4 weeks. I am so proud of her for wanting to do this you cannot imagine it. She had wanted to do something like this and researched it for the past year. She is 19 years old and has traveled extensively with all of us but this is a wee bit different --- She is really looking forward to it as are all of us (her family) and I have no doubt it will be etched in her memory forever.
******
I want to thank all of you for your prayers and well wishes for my niece Laura --- I am so grateful for them --- and she is too!
My sister has been able to speak with her only once, but she sends her photos and texts when she goes into town every few days (to use their wifi..:-) ) She is extremely happy, she said the kids call her mom and she gets spontaneous hugs all the time... I am soooo happy for her. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I do have a few photos she has snapped and sent:
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| En route to Nairobi |
| The resort where she goes to use wifi ... What a beautiful view (and what a difference from where the orphanage is... poor little ones ... Sigh) |
Most of these orphans have HIV---kind of abandoned at this place. It is run by a private couple -- they have no funding -- just donations. Every time I feel humanity is just getting worse and worse, I find out about these stories and smile, realizing there are more wonderful people than not. Thankfully!
[Thank you, CC. Laura is as beautiful and as generous as her auntie... ]
Labels:
children,
friends,
guest posts,
heartwarming,
nice stuff,
travel
Friday, 24 May 2013
Thursday, 23 May 2013
Safe shopping
View_From_Here sent us this video. It's very funny. Thanks, View.
[You need sound for this one...]
[You need sound for this one...]
Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Monday, 20 May 2013
Sunday, 19 May 2013
Quick joke
Two men we're sitting down for a break in their soon-to-be new shop...
As yet, the shop wasn't ready, with only a few shelves set up.
One said to the other, "I bet any minute now some pensioner is going to walk by, put their face to the window, and ask what we're selling."
No sooner were the words out of his mouth when, sure enough, a curious old woman walked to the window, had a peek, and in a soft voice asked,
"What are you selling here?"
One of the men replied sarcastically,
"We're selling ass-holes."
"Without skipping a beat, the old dear said,
"Must be doing well... Only two left."
As yet, the shop wasn't ready, with only a few shelves set up.
One said to the other, "I bet any minute now some pensioner is going to walk by, put their face to the window, and ask what we're selling."
No sooner were the words out of his mouth when, sure enough, a curious old woman walked to the window, had a peek, and in a soft voice asked,
"What are you selling here?"
One of the men replied sarcastically,
"We're selling ass-holes."
"Without skipping a beat, the old dear said,
"Must be doing well... Only two left."
Labels:
jokes
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