Archives for posts with tag: creative writing
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Lou’s heartache

February 5, 2013 //
2

love sick lou-1

With the new crammed living conditions, Lou’s heartache flared up again. He is head over heels in love with Skeleton and doesn’t know what to do. Skeleton on the other hand finds his attention extremely scary and doesn’t want to have anything to do with him. She is in a steady relationship with Monster and has no intention of leaving him. Young Lou is quite depressed about it all and lies around a lot, doing nothing but staring into space.

This of course affects all the Dedes in a way and everybody has an opinion. I had to think long and hard about how to deal with it, and finally made up my mind last night: I am going to write a follow-up book to ‘Hermit’s Web’ in which Lou’s sufferings of unrequited love are recounted. A book just gives me that much more space to characterise everybody involved in more detail. I am really excited about sitting down and writing a longer story again and of course taking all the pictures to go with it. And don’t worry, the reports of daily life will continue on the blog.

When I told Lou about my plans, he just shrugged his shoulders and said: “Who cares, she still won’t love me”, but I thought I could detect a slight smile around the corner of his mouth. I think he might be just a smidgen pleased that somebody finally takes his pain seriously, even though he would never admit it.

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Categories Art, Books, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships, Social Network

Caught

February 3, 2013 //
4

pig catflap

A building site does have a strange attraction, doesn’t it! There is so much to see and do. No matter how often I tell the Dedes they shouldn’t go there, they just can’t stay away.

This morning they kept their voices down so they wouldn’t alert me to their whereabouts, but of course I could make out the pitter patter of their feet in the old living room. When I opened the door a fraction to check out what they were doing now, I heard the ca-lonk, ca-lonk of the cat flap opening and closing and saw them all escaping onto the deck. Only fat little Pig, the last one, got caught in it.

Pig’s mate Professor was very distressed about the accident and tried to pull from the other side. It must have hurt a bit, as Pig was  squeaking and squealing. I’m pretty sure the entire neighbourhood thought we were preparing it for our  Sunday roast. My biggest worry was that the noise would attract Nosy Neighbour’s attention and he would come over.  I couldn’t have coped with him on a Sunday morning, so I quickly helped Pig out. But I was certainly not impressed that they had ignored my warnings yet again.

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships

Daredevil’s trick

February 2, 2013 //
4

daredevil on framing

The Dedes are under strict instructions not to go on the building site (which is just across the corridor) particularly when the builders are there. It is just too dangerous for them and I don’t want them to distract the workers. But today is Saturday and no builders are around and of course the cheeky little things know how much I like to have a sleep in.

When I got up, I heard something going on behind the closed door in what used to be the living room. Sure enough, when I opened the door I saw Daredevil sitting high up in the framing waving to a group of Dedes on the floor. He didn’t look too comfortable. The Dedes on the floor were chanting “jump, jump, jump….”

Daredevil is not a bright spark and a real loud mouth. You know, he is one of those puppets who, when you tell him you have ran a marathon, he would have ran two in a day and won both to boot. He always has to top your story, any story! Of course the other Dedes have great fun daring him to do silly things and watch him shit himself. He is usually unperturbed and goes ahead with any request, but he does it very, very slowly to give someone a chance to step in and rescue him, before he loses face by trying to back out.

Most of the time he counts on me. He knows exactly when the Dedes make too much of a racket  I will come along and have a look at what’s going on. I will tell them off, they look stupid and Daredevil is saved. His plan worked once again. I lifted him off the frame and shooed the others out of the room.

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships, Social Network

New Year’s resolutions missing

January 30, 2013 //
5

Detail throwing hands

Now we are in a pickle. Remember, at the beginning of the year I had collected all the New Year’s resolutions from the Dedes and promised to publish them at the end of January. With the move, all the household items were hickeldy pickeldy put into big cartons and stored away. Guess what’s missing now? The little black lacquer box in which I had put all the New Year’s resolution for safe keeping. It was sitting on the mantle piece all this time, but now nobody knows who packed it and where it has gone. Detail asked all the Dedes one by one whether they had seen it, but nobody seems to know anything. It is just like it had never existed. In the end she threw her hands in the air and said she will never understand how we all can be so careless. If she had been in charge of the move, it would be all neat and tidy.

“But we never would have finished in time” Mouse remarked.

“Good luck with searching for things over the next few weeks, then” Detail  said and left her standing there.

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life

Wonderful news

January 27, 2013 //
2

devil news

For most of the Dedes it was very hard getting up this morning. Admittedly, this is the case most days. But today it was particularly difficult as they were working hard to tidy up the house yesterday. They are not even half way there. Worse, the house is in a bigger mess than ever. Luckily it is a long weekend and they have an extra day to finish their chores. Understandably, breakfast – which they had on some already packed boxes – was a very quiet affair today. That is, until Devil came running in, barely able to hide his excitement.

“We’ve got a message, we’ve got a message…” He sang and danced around. You might remember he is responsible for the Facebook page and it is all new to him. Of course everybody looked at him and waited. Then he told us this morning he found a lovely message from Cape Town on Facebook.

“Where is that?” Lou, the puppy asked. “Shush,” said Smuggy

“It’s in South Africa, Lou! And I think it is our first official friend there. So it is quite something”

“The blog can be read everywhere in the world, so what’s the big deal?” Smuggy pointed out. “Cut the crap and get on with the story.”

Devil took his time. He enjoyed having everybody’s attention. “But… wait there is more, the young women didn’t ‘find’ our blog… she got the Hermit’s Web book for Christmas from her aunt and she loved it! She was ‘looking’ for our Facebook page!”

“This is indeed interesting,” Mouse gave Devil a hi-five.

“Thinking of it” Detail piped up, “we never heard back from Arindam, who won the book in the Super Dede 2012 competition! He mustn’t have liked it and is keeping mum!”

“Oh, no, no” Mouse defended our friend from India. “He loved it too. He has send an email to Dietlind privately. I don’t want to disclose what is written in emails, but I can assure you, he liked it a lot. You have to take my word for it!”

“We don’t have all day to pat ourselves on the back,” L’Artiste interrupted the celebrations rudely. “Let’s get on with our chores. Otherwise we will never get them done. I want to knock off at 8 tonight. Miss Viwi continues her interview in ||:::VEGGIETORIA::|| and this time it’s with me!”

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships, Self-publishing

The big move

January 26, 2013 //
3

devil bonfire

It is amazing how time flies. The first month of the new year is nearly over. I haven’t told you yet, but the Dedes have to move by the first of February. Yes, they have been evicted from their large space in the living room and I don’t know yet where they are going. The space will be definitely smaller for some time to come. The reason? The builders are moving in! The Dede mansion gets a spruce up.

All the Dedes will be busy chucking out stuff over the weekend and they have to find themselves new comfortable corners in the house, where they are not in the way, yet I still get to them easily. I hope these temporarily crammed conditions won’t lead to more quarreling.

I finally found out what Devil wanted to do with those matches. He wanted to burn all his love letters he had stashed away in an inaccessible corner of the studio. I never knew he had them. When I saw him piling up paper in the backyard, I ran out shouting: “Stop, stop, stop!” He looked at me surprised, as if he wanted to say, what does she want now?

“I just read the paper. Do you know there is a total outdoor fire ban in Auckland this weekend? Please, don’t get us into more trouble!”  When I realised what kind of documents he wanted to burn I asked curiously: “Why do you want to destroy them anyway?” Just between you and me, I would so like to get my hands on those.

“I am worried that someone might read them. I certainly don’t want to compromise the ladies who sent them.”  Then he shrugged his shoulders and said: “And you have to let go of the past at one stage, don’t you!”

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life

Devil makes a stand

January 25, 2013 //
5

devil makes a stand

Devil visited me last night to borrow a box of matches. No idea what he needs them for, Dedes shouldn’t play with fire. They are not water tight and I am pretty sure they burn quite well to boot. Hesitantly I gave him a box, but while I was looking for them, I asked him what his opinion is about the feud that is brewing between Minor and Detail.

“Ah, girls….” he said. “Look at their history… Detail and Chance are half-sisters, Detail is a solo mum and now Minor is giving her mother grief. You get the picture? You better stay out of it!” he advised and it looked as if he wanted to leave. But then he stopped and turned around. “You know what annoys me the most about the entire story?”

“No, but you will certainly enlighten me” I answered expectantly.

“What about Rob? Has anybody actually ever spoken to him? How do you know he is not fair-minded! Everybody just assumes he is a bad boy…  How come?… Is it his hideous handkerchief?” He got his own hankie out and tied it around his face. “Imagine… One day someone decides all Dedes with horns are bad, what would happen to me?”

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Categories Art, Fun, Life, Relationships, Social Network

Here comes Chance

January 24, 2013 //
2

minor and rob-2

Chance kept her promise and met up with her niece Minor. After a long warm hug, they sat down and Minor immediately started spluttering on about her mother Detail. She plainly doesn’t understand her anymore. She has become increasingly short-tempered and the most infuriating is that she seems to be able to listen to everybody else and give good advice, but not her own daughter. All her friends come flocking to her and pour their hearts out, but when it concerns her own daughter, she is incapable of listening, let alone  understanding. She constantly pesters Minor to let go of Rob, the scoundrel.

“Mum, just doesn’t know Rob as I do” Minor said. “He has a heart of gold and he really loves me.”  She showed this photograph and Chance agreed they look like a lovely couple. Then Minor went on to tell her aunt that Rob hadn’t had a good start in life. He is not entirely sure where he comes from, so there they have something in common: Minor doesn’t know her father. But unlike her, Rob just fell in with the wrong crowd. Yes, he has done some naughty things in the past, but he wants to change and she, Minor, is the one who can save him.

“Can’t you talk to Mum?” she beseeched her aunt in the end.

“Mhm, I would love to, but you know as well as I do, if I say something, the shit would really hit the fan. Wouldn’t it? This would infuriate Detail even more.”

“I don’t know what I should do. I am at my wits end” Minor said resignedly. “She just doesn’t want to see my point of view. Maybe I really should elope with Rob. That’s what he wants! Start a new life somewhere else, where nobody knows us.”

“No, you can’t run from your problems, Minor. It would break your mothers heart and it will take years to mend.”

“I don’t care!” Minor responded huffy. “She doesn’t love me anymore.”

“Now, that is not right. On the contrary, she loves you too much.”

“So, tell me, what shall I do then?”

“Whatever you do, don’t burn your bridges! And don’t deliberately hurt in anger. Maybe write a letter to your mother. Explain to her how you feel. She can read a letter in her own time and take in what you have to say.”

“A letter? You mean on paper?” Minor exclaimed… “Can’t I just send her a txt?”

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships, Social Network

Call for help

January 23, 2013 //
2

detail and Chance

Minor asked her aunty Chance to meet with her. Chance is the half-sister of Detail.  It is sad to see, but there is not much love lost between them. The two sisters couldn’t be more different. It’s a classic case of personality clash. Detail, the older one, is certainly the more serious of the two. She takes everything and everybody at face-value and has to ponder about even the most minute aspect of an issue before she can make up her mind. She sees hurdles and stumbling blocks everywhere she goes. She wants to be loved by everybody and is a brilliant listener. When any of her friends have a problem, they love to talk to her, as she really takes the time to get into it and always wants to know every tiny little facet.

Chance is not dissimilar in the way that she takes everybody at face-value, but she doesn’t suffer fools gladly. She is a happy-go-lucky kind of gal. Her approach to life  is “if you don’t like me, it is your problem not mine” and leaves people to it. She never ever tries to convince others that she is right and she readily walks away from situations. Nothing is a big deal for her. If something doesn’t work out, she takes a crack at something else. This doesn’t mean she has no stamina, quite the contrary, but she simply knows when she has tried long enough –  she is so sure of herself.

A big bone of contention between the two is Minor. When Detail found out she was pregnant, she had to virtually grow up over night and take responsibility. Chance doesn’t have kids of her own and never settled down. And despite her being very difficult to grab hold of, and only swoons in and out of Minor’s life, the girl adores her like an absent father. Whenever she has big problems with Mum, she calls on her aunty. This fact hurts Detail a lot, but she would never admit to it openly.

With the going-ons lately Minor had to call her aunt for help and Chance promised to come round as soon as she has a spare moment, probably tomorrow.

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships

Detail at her wits end

January 22, 2013 //
2

minor and detail

Detail is at sixes and sevens at the moment, and this is a state she can’t cope with. She needs to be in control. Outwardly nothing much has changed between the two of them. When they are out shopping together, Minor follows her mother with a sour-face and when they bump into acquaintances, she waits patiently until Detail has exchanged the latest news. This is a feat on its own as Detail is as sweet as ever and interested in other people. She always wants to know more and her conversations are never short.

But when they are at home, we hear plenty of screaming matches with high pitched voices, followed by prolonged silences. It must be clear – even for the most dull-witted of the Dedes – that something is going on.

I asked Detail what Philosopher said to her on Saturday, very dispirited she replied: “Pretty much the same thing as ArtistatExit0 said in his comment to the post. In a nutshell, they think making mistakes is a necessary, yet painful, part of the learning process. There is absolutely nothing I can do about it, except to be there when Minor needs me. But why can’t she learn from my experience?”

And then she went on to tell me how much she sacrificed for the girl, she always wanted the best for her and what a lovely girl she was when she was little, then she always listened. Now as a mother, she could throttle this Rob, Minor calls her b o y f r i e n d, he must have seduced her daughter, even drugged her, why else wouldn’t she  listen anymore. Wouldn’t you think, she would know by now that her mother always knows best…

It was a barrage of words, unedited and difficult to make sense of.

“I just can’t take this anymore” she said to me in tears. “I don’t want her to make the same silly mistakes I did. I wish I had listened to my mother!”

“If you had listened to your mother” I said, “you wouldn’t have this beautiful daughter of yours! Would you?”

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life, Relationships, Social Network
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