Exultation

Some blogs endure and some fall by the wayside as the art form known as "blogging" advances through the years. Recognition is important in any industry and The Laughing Horse Blogging Awards have become something of  a highlight as each blogging year draws to a close. Even as I write these words, The Awards Committee are in a huddle, debating sub-awards and commendations as well as fixing on the blog that will  take the ultimate prize - "Blogger of the Year for 2021".

To refresh your memory, here's a list of past winners:-

2008 – Arthur Clewley for “Arthur Clewley”

2009 – Daphne Franks for “My Dad’s a Communist”

2010 – John Gray for “Going Gently”

2011 – Ian Rhodes for “Shooting Parrots”

2012 – Kate Steeds for "The Last Visible Dog"

2013 – Tom Gowans for “A Hippo on the Lawn”

2014 – Meike Riley for “From My Mental Library”

2015 – Lee George for “Kitchen Connection”

2016 – Steve Reed for “Shadows and Light”

2017 - Keith Kline for "Hiawatha House"

2018 - Mary Moon for "Bless Our Hearts".

2019 - Jenny O'Hara for "Procrastinating Donkey"

2020 - Cro Magnon for "Magnon's Meanderings"

Monsieur Magnon's reign will end as this troubled year also reaches a shuddering halt. He has worn the "Blogger of the Year" crown with dignity and pride, waving gracefully to jubilant crowds as he travelled to and from LeClerc each week. More recently, he has wowed the burghers of Brighton and Hove with his swashbuckling tales. The Laughing Horse Committee wish to put on record  their gratitude and admiration for the way in which  Cro Magnon has conducted himself these past twelve months. It will be a hard act to follow - that's for sure.

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Llandudno 3 pm ish

 I was walking back to my car when I heard a sing song Welsh voice say “ Hello John!” behind me.

A woman pushing an expensive looking baby buggy had just crossed the road .

She looked familiar but I didn’t know who it was at first.

Initially, I thought she was a relative of a hospice patient, but I wasn’t sure

She was, in fact,  my divorce solicitor .

I hadn’t seen her for over two years.

She asked me how I was and I confirmed that I was fine, working full time and doing ok

“ How are your dogs ?” She asked “ The Scottie who was so poorly? “ 

I thought it strange that she had remembered George so well and I updated her briefly whilst keeping things light

“ Do you know that you worried me more than any other of my clients have ever done ” she admitted, suddenly serious  and I laughed nervously and asked her why that was

“You were so crushed when I first met you “ she said.  “all you were worried about was keeping all those dogs safe at home” 

And she squeezed my arm when I told her I had a “new” rescue bulldog at home.

“I’m not surprised…..” she said, before we parted, “You do look so different now….so much lighter”

She didn’t resemble the “cut throat “ solicitor described by my mediator either.

This meeting caught me on the hop,so to speak…….to see yourself through someone else’s eyes, especially by someone who doesn’t really know you is always a tad emotional .

I shook her hand and said thank you.

And remembered that I had not managed to thank her before

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Day Out

 

I didn’t want to sit and read a book

I wanted some breeze on my face 

I wanted to see people.

I took myself off to the Mostyn Gallery which was holding an exhibition called The Ultimate Kiss by Jacqueline de Jong. 

I’m not a fan of avant-garde and so DeJong’s early work depicting erotic and violent scenes with hybrid monsters did bother me. But her later pop art work with its cheerful , jolly colours was eye catching, even to an art dunce like me.

I preferred the first one above, a more traditional piece….a self portrait.

I mooched around Waterstones and bought Alan Cummings’ autobiography then walked to the pier to buy a coffee, so I could sit and watch the world go by.

The light started to change and the temperature had started to drop when I walked back to Trinity Square. strangely I bumped into my divorce solicitor coming out of her sister office there. We had an odd conversation that I will share tomorrow 

I bought pulled pork and cauliflower cheese for supper

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New year

 As the year closes out

I remember

These things

Expectations

Are deceiving

And reality

May be better

Than you think

May the new year

Bring new perspective

And a spring

In step

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What To Do

 I’m at a loss of what to do today.

There is nothing interesting at any of the cinemas I usually go to.

Stage wise Oliver Twist is on in Chester’s Storyhouse  but the tickets are a bit too expensive and I’m not enamoured  enough to buy a ticket and drive the fifty mile round trip on such a grotty blustery day.

At Theatr Clwyd I see there are just Welsh kids’ stuff on offer and everything else seems shut.

I’ve walked the dogs, drank coffee and listened to radio 4 

I’m going to get in Bluebell and go somewhere

I’ll post the photos later

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