tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post6549333857236186482..comments2024-03-28T21:10:52.795+11:00Comments on Elephant's Child: Words for Wednesday 17/12/2020Elephant's Childhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06650565833097914052noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-17281145163803131352020-12-19T14:35:02.201+11:002020-12-19T14:35:02.201+11:00Steve: Not a problem. Many of us are very busy -...Steve: Not a problem. Many of us are very busy - and I think we are all hoping for the best in the year to come. Stay well, stay safe.Elephant's Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06650565833097914052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-2582486910847227892020-12-19T09:58:41.678+11:002020-12-19T09:58:41.678+11:00Looks like am the only one behind in participation...Looks like am the only one behind in participation hahahaha have been very busy and hoping for the best in new year. Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08057451484908161434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-59524289673436321612020-12-19T06:54:10.630+11:002020-12-19T06:54:10.630+11:00Bea: I grew up with the 'all Greek to me'...Bea: I grew up with the 'all Greek to me' phase too. I wonder whether that is my German father's influence. How did I forget 'it's raining cats and dogs'?Elephant's Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06650565833097914052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-65672936342949371362020-12-19T05:53:26.744+11:002020-12-19T05:53:26.744+11:00Idioms are great fun. There's a German idiom m...Idioms are great fun. There's a German idiom meaning 'it's all Greek to me!' that makes me smile and it's: ich verstehe nur Bahnhof! Literal translation: I only understand train station. :)<br /><br />As a kid I would laugh at the expression 'It's raining cats and dogs' because the visuals it brought to mind.Beahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07886227825064266814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-13741789082347712122020-12-19T05:36:00.701+11:002020-12-19T05:36:00.701+11:00Thank was purrfect:)Thank was purrfect:)Sandra Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03814573408898140885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-4767173671662094472020-12-19T05:31:46.095+11:002020-12-19T05:31:46.095+11:00Dear Dee: Thank you for joining us. I hope you a...Dear Dee: Thank you for joining us. I hope you are well and that your eyes are behaving.<br />Your day sounds very familiar. One task, interrupted by another - definitely busy as the most industrious bee.<br />Jazz and himself snore in unison. They are not musical.Elephant's Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06650565833097914052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-31072614290157231692020-12-19T05:12:04.952+11:002020-12-19T05:12:04.952+11:00Dear EC, just a short-short-short story: As the da...Dear EC, just a short-short-short story: As the day passed, she realized that she'd been busy as a bee, flitting from one task to another. Taking the clean socks to the bedroom and opening the drawer of socks. Then sorting them all, then looking down and seeing the cat's fur on the rug, then flitting to the hall closet to get the sweeper and discovering that a winter jacket had fallen on the boxes there then decluttering them then . . . well the day passed, midnight came. the bed beckoned but one more flit to the office to look at the next day's entry for the Jacquie Lawson Advent Calendar. Ah, lovely and a game too. More flitting; more busy-ness; then, yes, flitting to bed, relaxing and finally . . . snoring not like the bee's buzz but the cat's yowl! Peace. Deehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00612299013780771262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-47984663110795480612020-12-18T19:23:41.175+11:002020-12-18T19:23:41.175+11:00Charlotte (MotherOwl): I hope she has kept her st...Charlotte (MotherOwl): I hope she has kept her stores and may (in the fullness of time) post them on her new blog.Elephant's Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06650565833097914052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-65815898911679152052020-12-18T18:34:40.624+11:002020-12-18T18:34:40.624+11:00... only sad she deleted the old one, but too mny ...... only sad she deleted the old one, but too mny unhappy thoughts may cling to it. The stories were brilliant, though. Charlotte (MotherOwl)https://www.blogger.com/profile/01059356989361649639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-23159593543004277312020-12-18T18:33:12.546+11:002020-12-18T18:33:12.546+11:00Thank you. Good news indeed. Thank you. Good news indeed. Charlotte (MotherOwl)https://www.blogger.com/profile/01059356989361649639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-47084034193443688492020-12-18T15:05:23.294+11:002020-12-18T15:05:23.294+11:00Well done! That's a lot of animals. ;-)Well done! That's a lot of animals. ;-)Diane Hendershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07563115165301223420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-91288666354837094862020-12-18T06:15:24.536+11:002020-12-18T06:15:24.536+11:00Nilanjana Bose: I am so very, very glad that you ...Nilanjana Bose: I am so very, very glad that you wrestled these prompts into submission. I could see, smell, hear and feel this story - and would love to learn more. Which is (of course) a hint.Elephant's Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06650565833097914052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-6178945758154009372020-12-18T06:12:51.172+11:002020-12-18T06:12:51.172+11:00Mike: I grew up with that phrase and have always ...Mike: I grew up with that phrase and have always thought it very expressive.Elephant's Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06650565833097914052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-56469867391400172212020-12-18T06:12:13.014+11:002020-12-18T06:12:13.014+11:00Hilary Melton-Butcher: Satisfaction brought it ba...Hilary Melton-Butcher: Satisfaction brought it back was the tag that I always heard attached to that phrase. Curiosity is one of my defining characteristics and I am always grateful for it.<br />I am so often awed by the ways people find to overcome adversity - and to find/develop resilience. Stay well dear friend.Elephant's Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06650565833097914052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-41124105878404545302020-12-18T06:09:47.300+11:002020-12-18T06:09:47.300+11:00Charlotte (MotherOwl: Cindi has her divorce, has ...Charlotte (MotherOwl: Cindi has her divorce, has moved and is setting up a new life for herself. Her new blog can be found <a href="https://ofdandelionsandsunshine.blogspot.com/2020/12/kitchen-window.html" rel="nofollow"> HERE</a><br />Elephant's Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06650565833097914052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-64059508868190868882020-12-18T05:31:21.261+11:002020-12-18T05:31:21.261+11:00EC: I could see you coming up with a good murder m...EC: I could see you coming up with a good murder mystery plot. Cosy: because I like them and you'd need to include a cat:) Heh.Sandra Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03814573408898140885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-26173314236996025772020-12-18T05:30:05.819+11:002020-12-18T05:30:05.819+11:00It does indeed stimulate, Hil. Makes us critical t...It does indeed stimulate, Hil. Makes us critical thinkers.Sandra Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03814573408898140885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-8582235060434481372020-12-18T02:13:39.690+11:002020-12-18T02:13:39.690+11:00On whole another note. What happened to Cindi at L...On whole another note. What happened to Cindi at Letting the Words Escape? I have not heard from her quite some time, and when I went to look, her blog is not there any more. Charlotte (MotherOwl)https://www.blogger.com/profile/01059356989361649639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-76337792925959061852020-12-18T02:10:55.158+11:002020-12-18T02:10:55.158+11:00:D :D Charlotte (MotherOwl)https://www.blogger.com/profile/01059356989361649639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-84243712152054954002020-12-17T22:55:30.772+11:002020-12-17T22:55:30.772+11:00Oh yes!Oh yes!Charlotte (MotherOwl)https://www.blogger.com/profile/01059356989361649639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-30982231639351751742020-12-17T20:40:51.014+11:002020-12-17T20:40:51.014+11:00Here's the result of the wrestling. :)
The ...Here's the result of the wrestling. :) <br /><br />The dogs bark but the caravan marches on. And vanishes. How is it, Ali thought, fed up of being jolted around in the saddle, I get the only camel that’s so rickety that it might actually go through the eye of a needle? And bad tempered to boot. It was super slow, ambling along at a snail’s pace. He’d felt desperate as he watched the others disappear in the distance, cantering along briskly. <br /><br />When he finally arrived, the camp was set up, every last man as busy as a bee. He felt dog tired and located his brother’s tent with an effort. And slipped in as quiet as a dormouse.<br /><br />‘What kept you?’ Ali was silent. “Has the cat got your tongue? Speak, young man!”<br /><br />Rehan came in with a glass of mint tea. “Let the boy rest. He looks as sick as a dog. Here, take it.” Ali felt the hot sweet liquid wash over his throat like an elixir.<br /> <br />His brother sat on a floor cushion, a small, low tray-table with an ivory inlaid khanjar on it next to him. Each time the older man’s eyes fell on it, his face lit up. He looks like a dog with two tails, Ali thought, wonder where he got that? But he knew better than to ask. A cat may have nine lives but curiosity does kill it every time.<br /><br />“I need a fresh mount,” Ali decided to grab the bull by the horns. “The one I have is the most useless animal on earth.”<br /><br />“Well, we don’t look gift horses in the mouth around here, do we? And camels. You can always mount yourself.”<br /><br />How? That was the elephant in the room. Ali wanted to scream. He was always the last one – in the camp, in the market square. Too late for the fat cats with the plump purses. By the time he landed up, the transactions were already over, he just managed to get the last few coins off the meanest bargain hunters. That wasn’t really the quickest way to getting a new animal, not even a mule.<br /> <br />“Besides, I’d rather be making things with my hands than riding from town to town selling stuff.” Ali blurted out with a supreme burst of courage. “I’m not a one trick pony. I can work silver and wood and camel bone too. I could make you a khanjar hilt and sheath as good as that.”<br /><br />“Now here’s a pretty kettle of fish!” His brother was taken aback at Ali’s vehemence. “You mean you want to be an artisan instead of a trader? Where have you learnt to work these materials?” <br /> <br />Ali gulped his answer back just in time. He’d almost let the cat out of the bag. It wouldn’t do to say how he’d come by those skills, that would open a whole new can of worms.<br /> <br />Rehan piped in suddenly from the side. “Maybe we should slaughter the animal. And give the boy some camel bone. See what he makes of it.”<br /><br />Ali smiled for the first time, ”You won’t regret it, ya akhi.”<br /> <br />Nilanjana Bosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08656370320322301943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-16952778995919742872020-12-17T19:56:14.944+11:002020-12-17T19:56:14.944+11:00Hi EC - I wrote a blog post about overcoming adver...Hi EC - I wrote a blog post about overcoming adversity in February 2013 - as an answer to be part of a book to support another blogger and his family - whose son had cerebral palsy ... <br /><br />"Curiosity Killed the Cat – did it? I don’t think so – it stimulates, keeps us interested at all levels of life ... a brief tale of hope, during a time of challenge".<br /><br />... and overcoming adversity as in my post. I'll be back to read the others anon ... take care and what a great list of prompts ... all the best - HilaryHilary Melton-Butcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17596532480645510678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-91401119996501410542020-12-17T17:42:37.349+11:002020-12-17T17:42:37.349+11:00"Like a dog with two tails." I'm old..."Like a dog with two tails." I'm old but have never heard that before. Had to look it up. <br />"The phrase like a dog with two tails means extremely pleased, delighted."Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00017192454403363349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-61852802122321141012020-12-17T16:29:37.719+11:002020-12-17T16:29:37.719+11:00Charlotte (MotherOwl): It makes ones sphincter cl...Charlotte (MotherOwl): It makes ones sphincter close tightly doesn't it?Elephant's Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06650565833097914052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7516733121956849207.post-69194580838085494422020-12-17T16:28:49.059+11:002020-12-17T16:28:49.059+11:00Charlotte (MotherOwl): For a while I was so good ...Charlotte (MotherOwl): For a while I was so good I could not only tell you it was soap in the parcel but what brand it was.Elephant's Childhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06650565833097914052noreply@blogger.com