Reasons why Fran is desperately in search of earbuds
My try-to-get-fitter walk in the fields today was a silent one. I usually listen to the radio through earphones but have lost one of the soft earbuds and nothing spoils a walk more than having hard plastic nudging up against your fragile tympanic membrane. The BBC's 'Woman's Hour' is a brilliant programme but loyalty has limits. It was disconcerting, walking in silence. Listening to radio distracts from the disturbing reality that my legs are propelling me in forward motion because, if I think too hard about this, I frighten myself. Today, while walking, I had to listen to my own thoughts. And now I've listened to my own thoughts, I remember why I like radio better. The inside of my head is like a wastepaper basket. Be grateful that I only offer you a brief excerpt. Oh, look, that bird is - / Where did I put that mark scheme. I'll need it for - / My shoes are getting muddier./ Maybe mash with the fish tonight / really muddy / The trees are defin...
Hahaha poor Grandma... At least she doesn't LOOK tasty. She has that going for her.
ReplyDeleteStewed or spit roasted?
ReplyDeleteNo. Don't answer that.
I love this and the last post because, of course, this *is* so all about old ladies at bus stops. :D
ReplyDeleteHee hee. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteVery good!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness she's got her knitting needles to defend herself with!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant, Fran, I love that. Poor old Grandma.
ReplyDeleteWhoops, that was supposed to spell "shoots" of course. Urgh, that completely ruined the fun:(
ReplyDeleteHaha. The panda eats, shots, and leaves, right? Bad panda!
ReplyDeleteOh yes, indeedy!
ReplyDelete:)
I LOVE this.
ReplyDeleteEven better than: Residents refuse to be put in rubbish chutes.
I love it!
ReplyDeleteShe looks quite resigned to her fate . She's brought her knitting to while away the time till its her turn to become Stew and Dumplings .
ReplyDeleteAnd , yes , I know there aren't any commas in that last sentence ,,,,,,,
Haha, I love this. In Norwegian (my native language) we have a story that doesn't translate very well, but I'll try anyway...
ReplyDeleteA man is accused of killing his wife. He is sentenced to death, but before his execution the judge is called away. New evidence suggests that the man is innocent. The judge quickly scribbles a note to the executioner: "Hang him not wait till I get back"
In English the above sentence sounds funny, but in Norwegian it takes on two very different meanings depending on where you place the comma.
The story goes on to say that the executioner's interpretation was that he should hang the man and not wait for the judge, while the judge's intention was the opposite. By the time the judge got back, then, the now proven innocent man was already dead.
So yes, punctuation can save lives (in several languages!).
OMG I'm sure I have offended you at some point in my blog. LOL
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome!! I had to read it twice LOL.
ReplyDeleteLoveable Homebody - I think she looks very tasty indeed, if a bit pink and underdone.
ReplyDeleteSteve - but I WANT to answer, I WANT to.
Rachel - Granny was glad to brighten your day.
Rachel Kasavan - shucks. You saw right through me.
Kit - poster designed by me (with help from Daughter 2 and ClipArt).
Martin H - ooh, nasty!
Brigid - don't feel sorry for Grandmas. They chat young people up at bus stops.
Alexandra - no, it didn't ruin it, it added to it!
Val - I love the word 'indeedy'. But I sound silly saying it and always regret it. I will practise in front of the mirror.
Isabelle - I read it a couple of times and THEN got it. Slow today. But it is Friday ... it's a great one.
The Merry - welcome! Good to make your acquaintance.
SmitandSon - Poor Granny. Only stew and dumplings? Not (as Steve suggests) spit roasted grandmother with rosemary, garlic and a dribble of raspberry jus?
Cruella - hello! Welcome to MeLand, where strange things happen. I liked your story and may well pinch it for an English lesson.
Jules - Offended? No, no, no. You should see the way I text.
KarenG - Good - you stayed on my blog for twice the necessary time and pushed my stats up. I'm grateful.
Yes, well, that shows the power of the apostrophe, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteAnd please can I put it on my blog? Pleasepleaseplease?
ReplyDeleteLove it! I can't tell you how many howlers I have come across in the past few years. I have NO idea why I have not kept a note of them all!
ReplyDeleteIsabelle - yeahyeahyeah. Spread the apostrophe gospel with me. We need people to know about apostrophe's. Whoops. Apostrophes.
ReplyDeleteLinds - that's the thing about these things. You always think you'll remember and you don't. Im the same. I'm.
I can only hope that my grandsons know where to put comma's. I mostly just scatter them around with not much thought, unaware that lives could be lost by my poor punctuation.
ReplyDeleteMy wee Scottish Granny is lovely enough to eat but I'd never spare her for a BBQ... My Dad's Mum on the other hand....
ReplyDeleteHa, the Grandma in the second picture is just all, "Lalala, I'm about to be eaten but maybe I can knit out a sock first."
ReplyDeleteExcellent!
ReplyDeleteIt's a bit like the lady who had nothing to burn in hearth so she sent a opunctuation mark to the local coal and coke company - ";" - se'me-coal-on....
Sorry about the awful spelling in my last comment. I clicked on 'send' a moment too soon
ReplyDelete- well at least it wasn't 'delete'...
Linens and Royals - I am available for private tuition at £250 per hour if you're worried about your grandsons.
ReplyDeleteEternally Distracted - now, now. I know the saying, 'We having your mother for lunch' is ambiguous, but ...
WW - your comment made me laugh! That's one tough old boot of a Grandma, then, despite the appearances.
Boonsong - how nice to meet you! Thanks for coming along. Very good joke!
Is that your drawing?
ReplyDeleteYou could start a whole new career.
Haha! Poor Grandma. But it's so much more interesting without punctuation
ReplyDeleteFriko - no, not my drawing, but I selected the images from ClipArt all by myself. Does that count?
ReplyDeleteTalli - you're right. The world is funnier with all the punctuation either missing or in the wrong places.
Hee hee - brilliant.
ReplyDeleteX
I want that in cross-stitche for my bathroom. While on Saturna Island, I saw a brilliant example of a misplaced apostrophe but it will not be posted here as I can't remember what it was. If only this were a problem only associated with being on holiday...
ReplyDeletedamn. I just saw that extra e a split second before it disappeared. Approval of my comment is in jeopardy now, I am certain.
ReplyDeleteI've just retuned from a month long romantic vacation with George Clooney and am relieved to find your blog still in tact.
ReplyDeleteGeorge and his grandmother say hi.
Suzanne - anything about punctuation is brilliant in my book.
ReplyDeleteDeborah - this sounds like a whole new cottage industry: comma cross-stitch, colon cross-stitch, semi-colon cross-stitch, non-alliterative speech mark cross-stitch etc etc.
Amanda - I think you'll find you were with a stooge. I was with George the whole of the last month. Without the grandmother.