Tuesday, August 30, 2016

No Jadoo Problems Here


One of the little annoyances that goes with living in London is the constant surge of flyers, restaurant menus and advertising circulars through our letterbox. Every day we come home to find a pile of paper just inside the front door, and we dutifully pick it all up and throw it all away. I'm not sure I've ever received something through the letterbox that I've found useful.

It's not stuff delivered by the mail carrier. It's delivered instead by guys with backpacks full of circulars, going door-to-door. People put stickers and signs on their letterboxes saying "No Junk Mail" but I doubt that they do any good. Besides, this isn't quite mail.

Anyway, a few days ago we got a little card from a person professing to be a "doctor," and it was pretty entertaining: "From birth a gifted spiritual healer and advisor -- I can help solve all your worries regarding bringing back loved ones. If your loved one, husband or wife walks out on you, I can help the most powerful spell to bring him or her back immediately."

The "doctor" also promised help with business issues, exams, addiction and "voodoo, black magic and jadoo problems."

A consultation cost £10.

It might be the most entertaining junk mail I've had in a while. But I threw it away with all the rest.


I took Olga on our West Heath walk yesterday afternoon. We spent three hours out and about, photographing the autumnal seed pods of the cow parsley and, in Olga's case, taking a swim:


Once again, proving her Teflon nature, the dog shook off every bit of dirt and water after her romp in that pond. By the time we got home, she was dry and white as snow. She's sound asleep this morning, still recovering from her antics.

Dave and I finished "Stranger Things" on Netflix. We loved it. We're now starting Season 5 of "Orange is the New Black," which Dave thinks has jumped the shark -- we'll see. We also watched two episodes of "Bojack Horseman," which I'd never seen before, and I laughed until I cried! We'll definitely be coming back to that one.

15 comments:

John Going Gently said...

Just as many here.....can you believe it!

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Jadoo means magic in Persian and Indian languages. It is the oldest, most mysterious performing art of India. Traditional magicians, or jadoowallas, are heirs to a magical tradition that dates back to the dawn of human civilization.

Ms. Moon said...

What if we have Jadoo problems and don't even know it? Maybe you shouldn't have thrown that card away.

Marty said...

I should have saved myself the time with Professor Google and just read Yorkshire Pudding's response. Don't ever let it be said your blog isn't educational - the next time the term "Jadoo" comes up, I'll nod knowingly.

Red said...

Our junk mail is delivered by the postman. There are two days when we get fliers along with the paper. Junk mail is too good of a name.

Sharon said...

You have me laughing at the junk mail ad you got. I was picturing this guy healing people "at birth" with his tiny magic fingers. My junk mail doesn't even make it into the house any longer since I have to retrieve my mail from the central mailbox location. I now sort it and toss out the junk in a handy waste bin before I head back to my place.

Jennifer said...

Olga looks like she's enjoying that pond! Haha.

At least occasionally your junk mail is kind of interesting. Ours is never anything but credit card offers and fast food coupons.

37paddington said...

I too was wondering what jadoo problems might be. Also I keep hearing about Stranger Things. I might have to look into it.

e said...

Same here though I have to give that "doctor" credit for at least being a bit entertaining...Love the shot of Olga...You must have the world's happiest canine.

jenny_o said...

If I hadn't googled Jadoo before reading YP's reply, I would have thought he was poking fun as usual ... heavens to murgatroyd, he's right!

Olga must have beautiful skin under her fur with all those mud pack treatments.

And my son has mentioned Bojack Horseman very favourably. I want to see it! Sadly, we don't get it on our plan.

Steve Reed said...

John: It's a national curse!

YP: Thanks for looking that up! I'm embarrassed to say I didn't even bother -- I just figured it was some superstition. Which it is.

Ms Moon: True! Maybe it's like insanity -- you don't know it if you have it!

Marty: I'm glad my blog is contributing to the betterment of my readers. LOL!

Red: I just keep thinking how wasteful it all is. There's something wrong somewhere if it's cost effective for businesses to churn this stuff out by the millions in the hopes of getting a handful of responses. Paper should be more expensive, not to mention postal rates!

Sharon: If I could keep it out of my house, I would!

Jennifer: She always loves the pond. I try to keep her away from it if she's carrying the Kong, because it sinks!

37P: I would say definitely look into it. But be prepared for creepiness. It's disturbing.

E: Absolutely. Credit for inventiveness. Maybe Jadoo made me blog about it? At least I didn't link to his web site!

Jenny-O: "Heavens to Murgatroyd" -- I love that expression. So Bugs Bunny. Bojack is available via Netflix online, if you have access to that.

shoreacres said...

I was most interested in your cow parsley. The seeds look much like our prairie parsley, but I see they're different genera. I'm really rather fond of the seed stage of many plants. These are particularly nice.

The Bug said...

I keep hearing about Stranger Things - I think eventually I'll just have to give in & watch it!

Lynne said...

Steve, FYI, I don't let my dogs swim or go in ponds with algae. I had a friend whose dog loved swimming in ponds, no matter what. He died after swimming in a pond with a certain kind of algae that when breathed in caused his death. Therefore, for us, those slime covered ponds are a a definite no-no. Just thought you might like to know since I never considered it before!

Steve Reed said...

Shoreacres: I like the seed stages, too! I was unfamiliar with cow parsley before I moved to England. Maybe it's just something we have here in the UK...?

Bug: Do! It's a great show!

Lynne: Thanks for the warning. That's actually not algae on the pond, it's duckweed. Perfectly harmless as far as I know! The pond itself is muddy but it's a common gathering place for dogs, so I don't think it's dangerous.