Archives for posts with tag: life
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Lunchtime politician

June 21, 2012 //
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It is very wintery now and it rains a lot. The beauty in our country is that it never rains for very long. Sometimes we have all fours seasons packed into one day.  Yesterday lunchtime it was like summer and I grabbed my sandwich and headed for the bench at the library, which is nicely sheltered from the wind and drenched in sun. I had hardly settled, when Ducky passed by. Ducky wants to stand for office in the Dede Society and now he makes everything his business. He has an opinion about everything and everybody. Most of the time he doesn’t even acknowledge me but obviously he had heard something and of course he had to stop today.  He towered over me with the sun at his back and said: “I hear you have difficulties with Lou! Can I help in anyway?”

I had to shield my eyes and squint to look at him “No, not really,” I replied. He didn’t move and went on to tell me how well connected he is and that he could get Lou into a really good puppy school if I wanted. I just let him talk, there is no need to interrupt him, he doesn’t like listening much. I know I should have said something, but I also thought what’s happening in my house is not such a big deal . I am very much one for keeping it in the family.

Finally he gave up but not without saying: “You know you have to stop them early. Lou is a nice young lad, but you don’t want to him to go around and pee on every lamp post!”

He is a puppy for god’s sake, I thought, but was so pleased to finally get rid of Ducky. If I’d said something, he would have started again…

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Categories Art, craft, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life

Piece of cake

June 17, 2012 //
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It was Philosopher‘s birthday yesterday. He loves chocolate-hazelnut cakes. I used my grandmother’s never-fail recipe and made one to take round to his place in the afternoon. He lives in this derelict boat at the bottom of my garden. Mostly he keeps to himself pondering about the world and the great beyond, except for when he goes for walks with me on Wednesdays. Only Detail visits him on a regular basis.

I wanted to take Deutsch Fraulein with me as I know he has a crush on her. He certainly would have loved that, but Deutsch Fraulein was nowhere to be found. So I went by myself and as it turns out it was a good move, as I could talk to him about Lou. Philosopher should be able to help. After all, he is in the same boat as Lou, but handles his desires more maturely it seems.

He offered to take Lou fishing one weekend and speak to him – man to man. Good on him. I only hope they are not going in the boat he is living in, it’s certainly not sea-worthy! But I kept that to myself.

I’ve just noticed, I haven’t seen Lou all weekend.

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life

Penitent?

June 15, 2012 //
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Friday is always a busy day at work. So I didn’t have much time this morning, when I put Lou’s breakfast out. I was already running late and was just finishing  wiping down the bench when he came skipping into the kitchen.

When I saw him I just blurted out: “We have to talk… tonight.” Admittedly it sounded a bit too demanding but it certainly had the right effect. He stopped in his tracks and looked at me inquiringly as if he had no clue what I wanted. I hate it when people hint at a problem and then don’t spit out what it is. In a mellower voice I said: “Scaring people is not on”. His head went down and he covered his eyes with his paws. He knows very well he was naughty. It was difficult not to laugh, but I know he knows and plays it well…. He knows he is very cute and gets away with much more than the average puppet.

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life

Unpleasant incident

June 14, 2012 //
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Skeleton visited me again to give me this photograph of Lou as proof that he is very scary. She said, she came home from grocery shopping for Monster. (She herself doesn’t eat for obvious reasons. I learned this the hard way… First time I invited her and Monster for ice cream…. I really don’t want to talk about it!)

So, she came home from shopping. Full bags in one hand, mobile phone in the other, just finishing a conversation with her mum. She opened the door and out of the darkness jumps Lou. She dropped everything, but with incredible presence of mind took this photograph with the mobile on hand. She says it happened all in a flash… Lou got terribly excited, jumping up and down. All she could do is run for her life, leaving the bags behind and all. He was chasing her up the stairs, yelping hot on her heels. Thankfully she made it under the bed in one piece. He can’t go there, it’s too low for him, but he was panting outside for a very long time.

I look at the photograph and all I can say: I can imagine it must have been a very frightening experience for her, but I don’t want to take sides… I love them all. I guess I will have to talk to Lou.

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life

The other party

June 13, 2012 //
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Last night Monster and Skeleton Edeltraut popped up from the flat under the bed. They are an item since the not so amicable break-up of Monster and Deutsch Fraulein. Skeleton Edeltraut spends more time under the bed now than in the closet with the rest of her family.

Mostly they keep to themselves, but last night Monster was all chevalier and raised their concerns about my decision to take in puppy Lou. Monster says Skeleton Edeltraut fears for her safety with Lou romping around the house all day and half the night and sniffing around everywhere. Skeleton didn’t say much, just nodded every so often to support what had been said.

I see their point and I promised to talk to Lou as soon as possible. However, when they left, Monster turned around one more time and said:  “You know if you are not handling this well, it will become very unpleasant. Wait until Edletraut rustles up all her family!”

That was a threat in my opinion and he should not have said that. It would have been all good, if he had kept this to himself.

 

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life

Witch’s opinion

June 12, 2012 //
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So I spoke to Witch. She is a real classical one: old and ugly. Not one of those modern witches, who try to bewitch you with their good looks, but lack the necessary experience to keep you under their spell. This ability only comes with age.

Witch is not surprised about Lou at all. She says she can understand that Lou is attracted to Skeleton Edeltraut (in his dreams). Which teenage puppy wouldn’t love to indulge in a heap of bones. But of course he has difficulties confiding in me as he regards me as a parent.

Since Edeltraut is one of my skeletons, she must be at least 100 years his senior. So there is a huge age gap. Witch and I both believe he is mistaken when he thinks what he feels is true love. He has a simple crush, but for all the wrong reasons.

Witch mixed a potion  which she said would fix Lou’s problem. I had to use a trick to get Lou to take it. I packaged it up in a nice colourful container and told him it was a new energy drink I got especially for him at the supermarket. But he took one sip only and spat it out. Then slurped down a can of his own favorite drink. I believe the potion was quite bitter. Needless to say the attempt was a total disaster. And now he won’t speak to me for an entire week.

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Categories Art, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life

It’s all in the head

June 8, 2012 //
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Someone remarked the other day, they were surprised my puppets are just heads, they have no bodies.

This is an artistic statement: I am convinced that communication is largely a discussion in one’s own mind. Even if I sound like a real weirdo here, I have my doubts that one ever can get across precisely what one thinks. One can but try. The perception of the message depends also on the life experience and current situation of the receiver (on which we have no influence). I am pretty sure we all know how easy it is in particular to mis-interpret brief messages written on the computer.

With the puppets at least everybody knows they are totally imaginary. And this is the reason why they are only heads. It’s all in there….

By the way, they do have dresses for when they are performing. I have five simple black robes with hands, which they share around. So they are true friends, sharing their wardrobe.

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Categories Art, Life

Morning encounter

June 2, 2012 //
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I wanted to start this day by taking a photograph of a Tui. These native birds love to congregate in one of our trees in the front garden. Their beautiful song is just such an invitation to get up and get going.

Unfortunately Tuis never sit still and it wasn’t an easy task to catch one. The sun just touched the crown of the reasonably high tree. Only one of them popped up long enough for me to get a couple of mediocre shots. It’s good that I don’t need high res images, so I could crop it drastically. It’s not an artwork, it’s just to show what the birds look like with their shiny black plumage and the two curly white feathers on their throat.

I walked around the tree to get a better angle, and there I found this mean looking little cat sitting under the same tree also waiting for the Tuis. I guess he thought the song was an invitation for breakfast.

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Categories Fun, Life, Photography

An outing

May 30, 2012 //
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Recently the Dedes and I had an outing to meet some senior citizens. A friend of mine runs a social morning and we were invited to come along. The puppets were in fine form and behaved themselves (as long as I had them under control). Some of them became a bit cheeky when they mingled with the folks. They are brilliant performers and were quite a hit. I thoroughly enjoy watching people engage with them.

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Categories Art, craft, Fun, Hand Puppets, Life

Minor and Detail

May 27, 2012 //
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At the greengrocer’s I bumped into Detail and her daughter Minor. These two never fail to amaze me. Detail is such a petite thing, always neatly dressed and every strand of hair in the right place. She looks like she just stepped out of a fashion magazine, even if she only pops down the driveway to the letterbox. Minor on the other hand is a little cloddish, with her worn out sneakers and baggy jumpers. I thought she is only fourteen, but Detail corrected me, Minor is three month short of seventeen. She is much larger and taller than her mother and even though she stoops, her mother still has to look up to her.

Of course Detail wanted to know what Devil said to me the other day. It felt like I was at the inquisition. The three of us were standing in the middle of the aisle at the busiest time at the grocery shop. Don’t you hate these people? I felt very awkward, but she insisted on hearing the entire story and just wouldn’t let me go. I would have liked to side with Minor on that one: “Wha’ ever”

No need to ask Detail for her opinion on anything, she always wants to have more info before she can make up her mind.

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Categories Art, Books, Hand Puppets, Self-publishing
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