Dear Steg

H, A, happy-P, P, happy-Y,
H-happy A, P, happy-P, Y.....
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!*


* Dear Steg I am really sorry, there is this new chart song/chant/drone that is truly awful and won't get out of my brain. Its called "Licky", (L, I, licky-C; etc) and its the last little 'licky-KY' bit that really fries my head and makes me wish I didn't have such an imagination. I hear Kentucky Jelly has no flavour, not even on toast, but that's somebody else's joke. There, now I've shared. On your special day. Enjoy.

Stuff

In sincere honour of a post I read this morning (not pointing the finger, or anything) I want to share this video.

It is JOYOUS and, as I am learning, or re-learning, JOY is just about perfect at throwing light into corners and banishing shadows. Its near impossible to hang on to a fear or an anger, even if you hang it on the anchor of moral propriety, in the face of joy.

Love your neighbour as yourself, I dare you. No ifs, no buts, no whens nor becauses nor any of that malarkey.
Love your neighbour, full stop.
Love yourself, full stop.



So.
Now that's done with, I owe Zilla a meme.

I am instructed to:

Grab the book nearest to you, open it up, and turn it to page 123. Write down the first 5 sentences on that page. Then tag 5 more people.

Here then, is the requisite excerpt from the 1917 Everyman's Library reprint of 'The Coral Island' by R.M. Ballantyne, issued in their range 'For Young People' which actually makes me suspect that this rambling tome may be an abridged version.
The mind boggles.

This bit is about a tsunami.

As it passed these islands, we observed, with no little anxiety, that a cloud of white foam encircled them, and burst spray into the air : it was accompanied by a loud roar. This led us to conjecture that the approaching object was an enormous wave of the sea ; but we had no idea how large it was till it came near to ourselves. When it approached the outer reef, however, we were awe-struck with its unusual magnitude ; and we sprang to our feet, and clambered hastily up to the highest point of the precipice, under an indefinable feeling of fear.
I have said before that the reef opposite Spouting Cliff was very near to the shore, while, just in front of the bower, it was at a considerable distance out to sea. Owing to this formation, the wave reached the reef at the latter point before it struck at the foot of Spouting Cliff.

And there you go.

This book was once the property of

Winnie Collard
5 Kings Avenue
Muswell Hill
London N10.

Below her beautifully scripted name and address she has added:

Form IV B
no.6
Tollington School
Grand Parade
Muswell Hill
London N10

and as an afterthought, in pencil she has added

England.

See this is what I love about old books.

Did little Winnie own it at first, but then take it to school and not want to lose it?
Or was it a required text for fourth form English Lit?
Assuming she was about fourteen when she entered form IV B, why did she later add 'England'?
Romantic notions at the end of the first World War?
Or did she travel, and take a beloved book abroad with her?

God bless Winnie.

Oh, and I tag Ally, Doris, Lori, Vanilla and BadAunt