Friday, December 31, 2021

The Royal Zebras


It's ridiculously warm here for practically January -- about 60º F yesterday. I took Olga for a walk along the high street in the morning and wore shorts! And then I ate lunch on our garden bench in shorts and a t-shirt. It's bizarre.

Olga literally ran rings around me on her walk. She has the attention span of a gnat, and she zigzags down the sidewalk from one smell to another. I ran into an acquaintance from work and was trying to talk to her and her two kids and manage the dog at the same time, and as a result wasn't paying attention when Olga stopped to pee on a tray of cyclamens on display in front of the florist. Argh! Fortunately she only hit one plant. I bought it out of a sense of obligation.


The rapacious parakeets were back on our bird feeder, and in fact we were running so low on suet balls that I walked to Homebase to buy another tub. God forbid we should run out over the holiday weekend.

You can see once again how blue that front ringneck's feathers are. He really stands out in a crowd.


Homebase still had stacks of Christmas trees out front. I counted 35 in this area alone. They were giving them away, but who wants a Christmas tree for any purpose after Christmas? Maybe for mulch?

A man walked past me as I was taking this picture and said, "Kind of sad, isn't it?"

He then proceeded to ask me all about my camera, which always makes me a little nervous because I'm afraid it might be a prelude to being hit over the head and robbed. But I suppose a robber wouldn't ask questions, would they? "Hand it over -- but first, how many megapixels is it?" Besides, this guy didn't look very threatening.

The garden center at Homebase was just as sad as the exterior, with dozens of live Christmas trees in pots  waiting to be sold. I'd say Homebase severely overstocked on trees this year.


I could have bought a vase shaped like a zebra with a crown. Weirdly, I kind of like them.

The afternoon was spent lolling around the house. I'm mired in "The High King" by Lloyd Alexander, another Newbery book, and I'm not enjoying it. It's the fifth book in a series and I haven't read the others, and as I've said before, fantasy novels with kings and swords and magic are not really my thing. Maybe my Newbery patience is just running thin. I'm more than a third of the way in and I'm seriously considering quitting it entirely, but then I couldn't say I've read all the Newbery winners, could I? So I suppose I'll suck it up and keep going.

We also watched a laughable '70s horror movie called "Ants!" that I remember from my childhood -- specifically, the scene where a licentious Suzanne Somers gets bitten to death in bed while in post-coital slumber. Dave just rolled his eyes. It's on YouTube so feel free to share in the horror and mirth.

40 comments:

  1. Suzanne Somers or gold-crowned zebra vases. I’ll take the vases. (Admittedly, I kind of like them, too.) Enjoy your cyclurinamens! Very responsible of you. (I know how much you love plants, but training Olga to pee on them so you have an excuse to buy more may be a bit much.)

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    1. If anything, I want FEWER plants, not more! LOL

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  2. Wishing you and Dave, and Olga a much better and Happy New Year. I shall think of you this lunchtime as we are going to the pub( probably in the garden as it is so warm) where you and I had a drink with the dogs ! I don't think I have been there since that time.

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    1. Hope you had fun at the pub! At least the weather cooperated. (Down here, anyway, we didn't have any rain!)

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  3. I always wondered where the distinctive aroma of cyclamens came from. I know what you mean about fantasy novels with magic kingdoms and wizards and knights on horseback etcetera - so damned boring but you must soldier on Sir Stephen if you are to be granted The Ring of Newbery!

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    1. I persevered and completed my quest, brave Sir Pudding! On to the next installment in the Newbery challenge!

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  4. I never know how anyone can continue to read a book that isn't grabbing them. I never hesitate to ditch if I'm not enjoying it.
    Like you, I love the Zebra's.
    I wish a good happy 2022 to you and Dave with lots of good health.
    Briony
    x

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    1. If it weren't part of a larger challenge I'd have quit it. I rarely quit books, though. I really try to see them through because sometimes they DO get better. Happy 2022!

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  5. Happy new year to you all. Is there a prize for reading all the Newbery winners? letters after your name? It would take a pretty big incentive for me to read about kings and swords and magic.

    I like Olga's considered opinion of cyclamens.

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  6. I love that you bought the cyclamen your dog watered. You really are a good soul!

    Not a fan of the zebra vase, myself. The potted Christmas trees though? Are they Norfolk pines? I'd be snapping a couple of them up. They grow nicely in the house.

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    1. Not Norfolk pines -- they're true pines or junipers. Not really anything we want or need, but I suppose someone might buy them cheap to plant them out. (I've read that most potted Christmas trees die anyway, though.)

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  7. At first read of your title, I thought it meant crosswalks that had the royal stamp of approval- like a pot of jam. Which set me wondering what could make a crosswalk special.. Nutty.
    Happy New Year, and give Olga a pat for me.

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    1. The only zebra crossing Hyacinth Bucket will use is the one with the Royal Warrant. :)

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  8. Happy New Year Dave. It has been unusually warm here in Virginia too. I have worn shorts for the last three days! It was good of you to buy the plant that Olga christened!

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    1. It's so strange to be wearing shorts in January, especially here. In Florida I'd expect it, but not in London! (Or Virginia!)

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  9. I just LOVE the way the little parakeet in the background is peeking around as if to say, "Hey! Here I am!" Darling bird.
    Warm here too, even for Florida. I'm tired of it to be honest.
    I know you want to finish ALL of those books but damn, Steve! Life is short.

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    1. Life IS short, but I am so close. I have to just make it happen. I like that parakeet photo too! They really do have a lot of personality.

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  10. I agree, it's sad that so many trees were cut down for Christmas, and then not bought and decorated. Maybe it's time to stop cutting down the trees. You have a super day, Happy New Year, hugs, Edna B.

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    1. Hey, I agree! I think the demand for Christmas trees is diminishing -- I know a lot of people who don't bother with them at all.

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  11. There are so many things to love about this post... the parakeets, the zebras, you buying the Cyclamens... and you made me laugh "Hand it over -- but first, how many megapixels is it?" I love a good laugh in the morning. Thank you for that.

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  12. You are so close to finishing your reading project! You can do it, Steve! I know you can!
    Wishing you and Dave a New Year filled with good health and fun adventures!

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    1. Thanks for the moral support! I'm like that little train -- I think I can, I think I can...

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  13. Must admit, I thought the Royal Zebra title was going to tell us about some crossing (because of a peek of a crossing in the first photo). Then I saw the crowned zebra vases. Quirky, but at £18, maybe not.

    We've had 10 days in December with high temps ranging from 60-70f (15.5-21c).
    Of course, we've also had days where the temp would drop 30+(f) degrees in less than 12 hours. Expecting one of those days on Sunday, dropping from 65f to 31f (18c to -.5). I just call it roller coaster weather.

    Good luck in persevering with your Newbery reads (...soooo close). Feel the same way about the fantasy novels as you. Not my cup of tea.

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    1. Those steep drops in temperature always worry me. I'm afraid the birds and the critters struggle, but maybe they're equipped to handle it.

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  14. I, too, kinda like the vases, and I, too, think Olga pissed on the pant just to make you buy it!!

    HNY Steve, to you and Dave.

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    1. Thanks, Bob! Frankly, I wish Olga had pissed on a more interesting plant, but oh well.

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  15. I love cyclamen but didn't buy any this year. You reminded me of that! 60+ degrees!? We're in a deep freeze here and I'm not a fan of that. I want our 40s and 50s back. (and NO snow!)

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    1. We had a couple of cyclamens that lasted a few years, but I think all of them died last winter -- so it's just as well we got a new one, I suppose.

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  16. Too bad about all those trees. I hate to see such waste.
    I'll skip the "Ants!" but I did watch "A Rainy Day in New York" last night. I'm not normally a Woody Allen fan but I liked that one. I also watched "Serendipity" on Netflix which I also liked. The New York scenes in both movies were probably why I liked them both.

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    1. I've never seen "A Rainy Day in New York." I used to LOVE Woody Allen back in the '80s, before his personal scandals, but I haven't seen many of his recent films.

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  17. Wishing you, Dave and Olga a very blessed and happy New Year. oh well Olga was just trying to pee where she knew no one would walk in it.(laughing)What a wonderful girl. You are brave to stop and talk to a stranger and he is asking about your camera. Over here across the pond you need to act like you don't see anyone. If I see someone walking toward me I let them know not to walk up to me. These are beggers and probably robbers. (lol) I refuse to take a chance by having a conversation. (lol)

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    1. To be honest, she probably peed on that plant because some other dog had peed there previously. I could have bought a cyclamen loaded with dog pee from multiple animals! Happy New Year, Angelicastar!

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  18. You had me laughing about the cyclamen purchase. My aunt use to always make her own suet for her feeders. Have you ever tried making it?

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    1. No, but maybe that's an idea! The birds don't seem happy with the new suet balls I bought. I think they have more seeds and less suet and they're harder, which the birds don't seem to appreciate.

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  19. There's weird weather all over the place. We had minus 26 C for a high today.

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  20. We are finishing a heatwave and a cold front is expected for maybe a day or so ? Maybe Dave could make suet...Strangely, I don't remember many movies from childhood...Happy New Year and no the railroad tracks did not kill my casters.

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    1. LOL -- glad to hear the tracks weren't responsible. :)

      Happy New Year, E!

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