Friday 4 May 2012

Wayney Goes To Heaven


I think I may have been a little harsh with the entrants of the previous competition last night - I was suffering from a bout of bad temper caused by about 30,000 gallons of water falling on my head all day, and half a gallon of beer which was taken in a vain attempt to lift my spirits.

So, as a gesture of goodwill (as my bank calls it when they reluctantly agree to refund my own money which they have quietly stolen from me), I am not only going to wipe the slate clean of all negative points, but award each and every one of you a free and gratis bonus point for having entered into the spirit of things in the first place.

Friday is the worker's 'POET'S' day here in England (Piss Off Early, Tomorrow's Saturday), and this coming Monday is - thanks to a thousand year-long struggle by the Unions - a Bank Holiday, which means that all that dancing around the Maypole naked that we should have done on Tuesday has been put forward a few days for the sake of the economy.

Yesterday was a generally sad and depressing day anyway, beginning with the news that John's beloved Mabel was no longer a slobbering, farting presence in Blogtopia, and no sooner had I read that than I picked up the catalogue for the sale of the paintings and chattels of the recently deceased British painter, Craigie Aitchison.

It was so sad to see all his brightly coloured knick-knacks put together in a heap for sale and dispersal, and then I came across the painting (in the above bad photo taken straight from the catalogue - sorry) 'Wayney goes to Heaven', made after the death of one of his beloved Bedlington Terriers, depicting the doggie as a spirit floating upwards above the crescent moon.

That has always been one of my favourite of his paintings - I wonder what it sold for.

I think I mentioned in a previous post that Craigie's surviving Bedlingtons (two, I think) have now moved to Bath and are now in the care of a gay couple who were good friends of his, and who also happen to be friends with some friends of mine - I have yet to bump into the famous dogs on the street, but I am looking forward to it.

Craigie Aitchison used to arrive in the early morning at his studio to paint, and on his final day, he was found sitting dead in his painting chair with the two Bedlingtons sitting faithfully at his feet.

So, contemplating all the bright colours on a day as grey as yesterday had an insidious effect on me which I am going to try to dispel today.  Looking on the bright side, once these colours are out in the world, they never fade so long as they are never forgotten.

Right - today's quiz is a single crossword-puzzle clue (2 down) - 3 points for the correct answer:

Over-worked postman.

15 comments:

  1. How many letters ?!!!!!!! hahahahahahahaha. Boom, boom.
    Do I get yet another point ?

    ReplyDelete
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    1. You get one point for feeding me with the punch-line: "Too many", but I am going to immediately deduct it for spoiling it. Three points to me!

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  2. .....but I am the Fry to your Laurie, the Pete to your Dud, the Ronnie to your Ronnie.
    Please can I have my point back ?..... I was doing so well !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll think about it, but you'll have to be more... how shall I say... 'cooperative?'... in the future. Now get back in the cupboard.

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  3. C'mon Jacqueline, give the rest of us a chance! I'm trying to win a prize here!!

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    Replies
    1. You win a prize for your brilliant graphics, so don't be greedy. (The stuck pigs are a bit upsetting though...)

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  4. Friday is POETS day across the Pond, too. Thanks for introducing me to this acronym, Tom!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Is it? I always thought that 'pissed' meant 'angry', and pissing off was to become angry?

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    2. Actually, it does here too - I was just thinking of 'drunk' for 'pissed'. Carry on.

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  5. Uhhhh, this is the way to get more people hooked. There is nothing like a good reward system. One likes to work towards a goal! I want to win that toaster (or whatever enticing prize it may be)! Back off people! I mean it or I'm going to hurl a discarded suitcase wheel at you!

    (Please do not deduct any points for threatening other players.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ach so - you hev seen through my little ploy, eh Eeris? I vill deduct points WHEN UND VERE I SEE FIT!!!!!!!!!!!

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  6. thanks for this blog tom and thanks for your comment on TA MUCHLY
    As you can imagine I am kind of sick of grieving for loved ones ( animal and human)
    shit time
    jx
    ps love the painting too

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. With a job like yours, you could do with a little more luck at home, I would say. Oh well, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger? I think that you have pretty much found yourself in the position of having taken on a ministry - this is why you are loved by so many 'strangers'.

      And here's me moaning about the weather!

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  7. I will reward you a point and a half for your excellent German accent. And you spoke like a true dictator, too!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks. It would have been better if you heard me thumping on the rostrum as I was shouting, though.

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