Tuesday 28 June 2011

Self-Portrait 28


note to self - must clean the mirror

Judging by the declining number of comments on these – June Special Series (a Self-Portrait) – the readership is suffering as much as I am.

Looking at the calendar I see there are only three days left and at a time when the series should be building to a riotous climax, it is instead drifting into nothingness.

Perhaps like me.

A riotous somewhere, sometime -now a drifting nothingness.

Yes I swim in the river, I sit and watch sunsets…..

But….

Can I swing it round in three days?

No.

So…

If you haven’t, and I know you haven’t, told me your three favourite animals – see here – then you must, now. (Use the comments; send me an email, anything).

Then add – as David did – (see comments here) two adjectives to describe each animal.

Mine were/are Cat (lazy and playful), Whale (Powerful, Unfathomable) and Elephant (Dusty and Stomping).

Then….

Hair.

Time to talk hair.

Because I had my hair cut on Wednesday.

Hair today, gone tomorrow!

Mrs Salmon was the first person to cut my hair – she used to cut my mum’s, then turned to me.

She smelt of hair spray.

Later she visited our house and I learnt to recognise her car; I would wait in the alley until she was gone.

I liked her, I liked her smell, but I liked my hair.

For a while, twice I think, I went to Jean Paul’s in the High street. He wasn’t French but he sold durex, which seemed cool even if I didn’t need them.

It was the start of a period of unhappy haircuts – until Aileen found us.

She was an itinerant, travelled with scissors in her Pocket – I even bumped into her in Amsterdam once and she was good.

Smelt good too.

Maggie cut my hair once.

I tried.

Linda cut once – she didn’t brush the loose hairs from my neck, she lent in close and gently blew. Time stood still.

It grew again.

Then I met Denise.

She lives nearby – trained as a hairdresser but gave up and became a painter.

She still has her blades – she cut my hair again on Wednesday.

She always cuts it the same way – I like that.

No going into school and everyone pretending they don’t know you.

I prefer a female touch.

I just wish I had more.

It was riotous once, now it's drifting into nothingness.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bella:my favourite animals are panda, dogs and lions because im a leo !!!

Anonymous said...

ma , says
i like
irish hares, red pandas and pandas

p.s. nice hair

popps said...

Ok ok good work...
but we need two adjectives to describe each animal!
ps thanks!

popps said...

Hi Bella welcome to my blog.
Leos are good.
Leos rock.

Mary said...

My top 3 from the animal world:

1) humans -- creative, caring, courageous, cuddly, charming, capricious and crazy; VERY flawed but possess great potential

2) dogs and cats equally -- represent the yin and yang but always lovable; cherished friends.

3) Birds [are they animals?] -- flying, soaring, guided by instinct, nesting, singing

Fascinated by most animals and life for that matter. Just love butterflies too! And did I mention lions, peacocks, elephants and giraffes?

Mary

xx

Mary said...

Just re-read your top 3 instructions and realize that I have [once again] broken the rules.

Begging forgiveness -- but wouldn't change a thing.

Did I mention that I like monkeys and pigs too?

Mx

Mary said...

And horses -- How could I have forgotten HORSES?

Mx

popps said...

MARY!!!!
BEHAVE!
Only 3!
I know you love everything - even horses...
BUT WHAT ARE YOUR THREE favourites, in order.
And only TWO adjectives.
Otherwise i might as well work with a dictionary!
ps no humans!

Mary said...

Got your goat, did I? Pun intended.

I cannot behave.

Will have to disqualify myself, I suppose.

No regrets though.

Mx

PS -- What is all this talk of 'drifting into nothingness'?

popps said...

I could shake you!

Mary said...

oH Alright -- I'll play along:

devilishly delightful dogs

cute cuddly cats

beautiful busy birds

[WITH APOLOGIES TO MY OTHER FAVOURITES! SEE EARLIER ANSWER.]

Mx

PS -- Shaken but NOT Stirred!

Mary said...

Your top 3 were Cat, Whale, Elephant.

And the 2 adjectives for each were ...?

Mx

Vicki said...

Oh dear I'm late.

Humans are my favourite animals too. Creative and sociable.
Dogs would have come next but the one I'm living with is very trying so I am going to leave them out.
Let's have dolphins instead - playful and wet
And finally, elephants. I know someone has already mentioned them too, does that matter? And my two adjectives for elephants are 1. Artistic (I saw some elephants that can pain in Thailand) 2. Tolerant - it seems extraordinarly agreeable of them to let us ride on them.