Saturday, March 22, 2025

Whimsy

Jenn McKinlay: I was recently doom scrolling through social media, as you do, when a post popped up about whimsy. Y’all, it was delightful. The OP (original poster) shared what little bits of whimsy filled her day and invited other readers to chime in to share their daily whimsical moments as well. It was a delightful antidote to the winter doldrums I was having at the moment, so now I share with you (my fave was the tiara, which informs me that I need to go find mine).

Some of the whimsical things were…

  1. ”I wear a “lock in tiara” whenever I have to lock in on a difficult task.”
  2. ”I say “it’s bath time” when I’m about to do the dishes.
  3. "I wear matching pajamas every time I change my sheets so I can have what I call fancy sleep."
  4. "I hold 'office hours' every Tuesday at a local coffee shop, which means I sit on the couch and order drinks for 4-5 hours while various friends and acquaintances visit me to yap about books and gossip."
  5. "I say, 'my lady,' every time I walk by a mirror."
  6. "I teach the dog how to do things either to make them more interesting for me ('Let me show you how to start a load of laundry') or just to make him feel included ('Do you remember how to make coffee or should I walk you through it again? I know it's hard to remember since you can't practice without thumbs.')"
  7. "I kiss my cat on both cheeks then she kisses me on both cheeks then I explain 'she's European' to no one."
  8. "I sleep in vintage nightgowns, it makes me feel like an 1800s princess✨"
  9. "I hot glued a bow tie onto the Roomba and we call him Jeffrey."
  10. "I say, 'May I take your coats?' when I'm peeling garlic."

My personal whimsies are to tell the dogs “we’re going on an adventure” instead of a walk. I give pep talks to my plants in the garden - “oh, look at you , growing overnight” etc.

And when the hooligans were little, the whimsy was usually over the top. I convinced them that packages at the post office had wings put on them and were launched to fly to their destination. They spent a lot of time scanning the sky for boxes.

But my favorite was the koi pond at the Phoenix Zoo. I convinced them the fish were “wish fish” so we would stop by every week, pick out a fish, and tell it our wish. I stumbled upon a koi pond last week in CT and naturally had to make a wish. I’ll share the video here, so you can pick a fish and make a wish, too. ♥️

And now you, Reds and Readers, what silly whimsical things do you do to bring cheer to your days?

107 comments:

  1. We were much more whimsical around here when the children were young . . . when the grandbabies are here, we talk with the plushies [stuffed animal toys], the dolls, and the dinosaurs . . . when they're home with their mom and dad, I have to settle for "conversations" with the house plants . . . .

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  2. Jenn, a tiara should be your default headgear!

    If I did this now someone would cart me off, but when my kids were sulky preteens and we were going into a store with automatic doors, I'd walk up to the entrance a little more slowly than usual and put my arms out as if commanding them to open. Ta-da!

    Here at Chez Maz we are surrounded by woodland creatures, including all kinds of four-legged friends. We have a whole scenario spun out about the family of skunks that has lived in the woods for the last few years. One is nearly all black, with just the tip of its nose and tail white, and another is luxuriously white above, with just a skinny black stripe down the middle of its back. Right now the one we see most is clearly an offspring, clearly pregnant (we see her in daylight a lot), and polka dot instead of the usual stripes. She doesn't bother us, but late the other night I looked out to her usual hangout under the birdfeeder, and saw her, nose down in the dirt, with her tail curled high--a "ready to fire" stance. I waited to see what would happen, and sure enough, a red fox was circling her, obviously trying to decide if it was worth the risk. It wisely decided it wasn't. Cue the Disney music.

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    1. Jenn: Love your skunk family, Karen!

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  3. I need a tiara!

    Now, I'm thinking I need more whimsy in my world. I do, of course, have long conversations with Kensi Kitty, but doesn't EVERYONE talk to their fur babies???

    Like Karen, I take great joy in watching the wildlife outside our windows and in naming them. Granted, one could argue that Fred and Ethel, the pair of Canada geese that have nested here for decades are probably not always the same two geese, but in my heart, they are. (I think Hank would agree where Flo and Eddie are concerned.)

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    1. Jenn: Everyone needs a tiara, Annette!

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  4. I love these! I actually have two tiaras in my office, and I put one on when I need extra power in my writing. Standing in the power stance works, too, but looks whimsical to anyone else (legs apart, arms outstretched at 10 and 2, shoulders down, chin up). Of course solo cat Martin and I have excellent conversations.

    Like Karen, I sometimes wave an arm in front of an automatic door as if I am the Magic Opener. I always greet cows with a cheery, "Hello, cowsies," if I drive by some. I have two flying ladies/angles suspended from my office ceiling - one is a two-foot-long papier mache mermaid holding her bra top in her hand, the other is a small woman in a dress flying a kite - and I like to blow on them to make them spin lazily around.

    And these days I get to sing silly songs and dance with my little grandgirl (I love dusting off the old Raffi songs my sons listened to, like "Down by the Bay" - "Did you ever see a moose kissing a goose?" "Did you ever see a llama wearing pajamas?" and so on).

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    1. I mean, we ARE the Magic Openers, right? The temptation is almost irresistible.

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    2. We are! I forgot to mention Tiny T-Rex, who sometimes hops up onto my laptop to supervise me, and Tiny Buddha, who either joins or usurps him.

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    3. Last night we were (not) enjoying a hospital run at midnight, and had to go through 3 traffic circles one after the other - one circle-then exit, and immediately another circle. You get the picture. I could not help thinking 'one more time around Piccadilly circle'. I dared not say anything as the passenger was panicking at the time. (She started immunotherapy and was having a bad reaction - think she is semi-fine now, but it shocked her.)

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    4. Hugs, Margo! For you and your sister.

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    5. Thinking of you, your sister and your husband as you go through this journey again, Margo. — Pat S

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    6. Margo, sorry for your mid-night run… calming and healing thoughts to get you all through this with grace and strength. Elisabeth

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    7. Jenn: And now Baby Beluga will be stuck in my head. LOL.

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    8. Jenn: Hugs, Margo.

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    9. Ida Rose loves Baby Beluga, too!

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  5. Lisa in Long BeachMarch 22, 2025 at 6:36 AM

    Wearing fancy tea hats to unexpected places. I wore a massive one to a summer garden event at the LA Mayor’s house. And a grand one to the Society of Women Engineers annual conference.

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    1. Jenn: Very posh of you, Lisa!

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  6. I talk to the cat, telling her she's my best girl even though she never says the same of me. I talk with myself while I'm out walking sorting out all manner of things. And in the growing season, I definitely talk to my plants and encourage them.

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    1. I talk to my animals alll the time. Sing to them too. John says he sometimes sees them with paws over ears. I love taking the garlic's coat!!

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    2. Children are wonderful about whimsy. Some of them would read aloud to their pets.

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    3. Jenn: Cats only like their own whimsy. LOL.

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  7. I fired hundreds of thousands of workers for no reason, accused innocent people of being violent criminals and kicked them out of the country, destroyed all credibilty in science, took education back several hundred years, gave my middle finger to the environment, dismantled the constitution, sold "Testlers" on government property, hawked a special Bible while having no understanding about Christianity or religion in general, threatened American citizens who did not agree with me, kowtowed to the worst people on Earth, tried to sell Ukraine down the river, offered to build a casino town in the Middle East, hired the very worst people for the very most important jobs, stole private information from the Social Security and Treasury Departments. discounted those who served the country as "losers," chased the almighty buck at all times, cheated at golf, bred some pretty awful offspring, spied on teenage girls while they were dressing, grabbed women by the domestic feline, kept setting larger and larger world records for lying, decided to annex Canada and Greenland even though I do not like poutine or polar bears, and -- most likely -- pooped my pants on more than one occasion. Just kidding! No one could ever be THAT whimsical!

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    1. Jerry, I feel this. (Selden)

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    2. So true Jerry.

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    3. It certainly seems like we are living in a time akin to Alice’s trip here in the US right now. If only it was a farcical movie! I have to watch the late-night shows (like SNL) to allow myself to release the steam valve in my brain every week.

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    4. Right with you here, Jerry!

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    5. Oops, that's Flora, above!

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    6. Great characterization and sarcasm! I hope they do not delete you for being political!

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    7. Little by little, whether "whimsy" or not, politics is finding its way on this blog. My escape route from reality and a chance to come up for air through this website is starting to narrow. I come on here to get away from what's going on out there. So, sorry...satire or no...I wish we could stop rehashing the obvious and take a break from what is mentally exhausting all of us.

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    8. Probably time for you to move on. We need to fight for our country and freedom! I have no plans to censor my comments. Simple solution, read the blog, skip the comments.

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    9. "Probably time for you to move on." Typical response by someone to another individual who may take a stance as to what this blog was meant to be ~ to refrain from political discussions. I believe that was what the writers stated they wanted this page to be. As simple as that. So perhaps it is you who should either "move on" or "read the blog, skip the comments." And move to a blog where its purpose is to "fight for our country and freedom." You're a bit of a bully. And quite defensive.

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    10. With a heavy heart, I have to say you nailed it, Jerry.

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    11. This is more of a nightmare than a whimsy. I keep hoping I can wake up. In the meantime I going to the Palo Alto Tesla showroom today to join a protest. My poster says: Dogs Against Doge and has a picture of a cybertruck. I'm taking my dog with me. Hi doesn't like stuff either. I'd like to add some whimsy to my life about now. My major escapes from the insanity in D.C. and my worry about my Social Security are my dog, Waldo and books. I can get lost in a good mystery. Sometimes I'll read passages to my dog.

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    12. I think calling a female body part a domestic feline is peculiar.

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    13. Jenn: Whimsical or wacky doodle? Oy!

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    14. Sometimes we don't like posts we disagree with - we just don't want to hear what we don't like. But, thanks Jerry for your feelings about something I agree with you with.

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    15. Susan Nelson-HolmdahlMarch 22, 2025 at 5:53 PM

      I welcome humorous and sarcastic comments on a terrible subject. Thank you for posting this today!

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    16. Wow! Has anyone taken a moment to read what the individual wrote regarding the original comment? They, in fact, never once mentioned they disagreed with Jerry's content. They only wished if it was possible to take a respite from making political remarks on a blog they believed was supposed to remain free from the political arena. I understood that to be the case too. A chance to step back, talk books and enjoy the lighter side of life. But instead this person was dismissed and told to move on. I also find it interesting that a man would call a woman's anatomy a "domestic feline" (and we all know what he means by that) as part of his "whimsical" comments. Quite frankly that kind of rhetoric is what I still find offensive as a woman. So, Anonymous...I want you to know that I understood what you were trying to say, I am in your corner and that it wasn't that you didn't what to hear what you didn't like. All of us already have enough challenges and sadness in our personal lives many times on a daily basis that it's nice to think there is somewhere we can retreat to take a moment to free ourselves of that anxiety. A little intermission and diversion from the reality of life and even some compassion. Just like I do with my garden blogs and music blogs. I go there to talk gardens and music. Well...that was my freedom of speech comment. Come at me if you like...but I sometimes feel like I need to line up my defense when it appears someone is not only doing battle solo but is also misunderstood.

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    17. Thanks Jerry. I find your comment excellent. I like to hear from those who remind us of the problems our country faces. It actually makes me feel a sense of solidarity with others. Sometimes I find that necessary for peace of mind.

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    18. I do not set out to be overtly political, and I sympathize with those who feel my comments do not belong on this blog. But deep in the core of my being I dislike bullies, and have a firm believe in the dignity and rights of others. If I see someone beating a little old lady with her own cane, I will step in. That's just who I am. Not political. Just trying to be the most decent human being that I can be.

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  8. Jenn, what a picture ! A tiara is really perfect for you !

    On all the digital clocks in my home (microwave, stove, phone, etc…) il feel happy when I see them displaying an hour of all the same numbers ( 1:11, 2:22,…)
    And when I wake up in the morning, if I see 5:55 on my radio, I know that I’ll have a very good day because I’m already happy.

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    1. DANIELLE: I am like you. I get happy when I see 11:11 or 5:55 on my microwave. I think it is an omen of good luck!

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    2. Same here. I get happy when I see these numbers on my microwave too. Omen of good luck?

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    3. I’m very happy to be in good company :)

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    4. Jenn: Yes!!! I love it when the clocks do that!

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    5. Hank Phillippi RyanMarch 22, 2025 at 6:54 PM

      Oh, me too! Absolutely! And also when I see my birthday 10:17, or 12:34. Or any repeated number. 2:22. It’s just a little extra treat! And there was a time that I had set the oven for 350°, and written on the microwave, the time of day was 3:50! It was so exciting.

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  9. I find it disheartening that I needed to look up a definition of whimsical before I could respond. My current spiritual study is: "Deconstructing the myth of self" ergo speaking as a myth, my hope is the uncover the layer of silly. Might just be lying between the layer of onions and the layer of heart burn. One can hope. ps. in the 300000 items on Nome street, there are no tiaras.

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    1. That is a tragedy. Send me your address, and I'll send you one. Of all people, the Queen of Nome Street definitely needs a sparkly tiara.

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    2. Jenn: Shocking lack of tiaras, Coralee!

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  10. I could not think of whimsical things until I saw that I shared DANIELLE's whinsy with digital clocks.
    But ok, I also say hello to my stuffies (Monty the sea otter from Monterey) & Twigs the giraffe each morning.

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    1. P.S. as an only child, I talked with my stuffies all the time.

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    2. Grace, my daughter gave me a big teddy bear a couple of years ago for Mother’s Day. He sits in my room and every time I pass by him, I send him a kiss.

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    3. Jenn: Stuffies do make the best pets!

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    4. I love that you called them stuffies, Grace!

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  11. Most of my whimsy comes from talking to Koda, especially calling him "Dog of Pharaohs" when he's being spoiled (yes, he does get a pinch of fresh cheddar cheese on his fresh dog food because otherwise he looks at me, clearly saying, "What is this fresh hell, woman?"). But I also have a collection of figures on my desk: the Pokemon my son made in high school with the 3D printer, a yeti, a potato with a sign, Marvin the Martian, etc. They keep me company during the day.

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    1. Jenn: I have my Wonder Woman Lego set…

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  12. Like Amanda and Lucy, I talk to animals (walking in the park will find me talking to frogs, bees, deer, ducks, geese...), my plants (Chris and Summer) and my car (Miss Blue). I tell them how wonderful they are and how glad I am to be with them and that I appreciate them. Sometimes, I think this is also a reminder to me to appreciate myself and the wonder that is me. Animals, plants, cars and whimsy are sneaky that way! -- Victoria

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  13. Does anyone remember a show on PBS many, many years ago about an ahem older woman who told us to wear a tiara. I think the show was called Humor Your Stress and besides wearing the tiara she gave us other advice, exactly as you have done today, Jenn. She wasn't afraid to act silly in public and I think we all need a bit more silliness. I just checked and you can find some of her videos on Youtube.

    Not too long ago I was at the ER for something and the young doctor being mindful of this day and age, asked me how I preferred to be addressed. My answer was 'your majesty' of course. He kept a straight face and wrote that down.

    On another occasion, just before they wheeled me in for my colonoscopy, I was asked again if I had had anything to eat. My answer 'not really, just a little slice of cold pizza.' I wish you could have seen that doctor's face. My theory is if you can't laugh, then what is the poin?

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    1. Love it. "Your Majesty".

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    2. I think you are referring to Loretta LRoche.I loved her books!

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    3. Judi, you’re brilliant!

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    4. My local friend Judy, at 76, fell in the shower and broke both ankles, something that amazed the medicos who treated her. Apparently, it's unusual to break both at once.

      Whenever anyone asked her what happened she told them, "Skydiving". It's especially funny because no one on earth is less likely to jump out of a plane. She might muss her hair, or break a nail, you know.

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    5. Jenn: “Your Majesty” I love this so much!!!

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  14. I love this post! There was a lot of whimsy in my life when my son was young. We made up stories about everything--had jokes about "It's Knott, a street" whenever we drove on Knott street. Now I have friends who have named the wildlife at the golf course. My fav is Pretty Boy Floyd, the big daddy coyote.

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    1. Jenn: Wildlife is endlessly whimsical!

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  15. JENN: The tiara is perfect for you. If I had a tiara, I would wear it too. Love tiara. Love that list of ten whimsy things. My favorites are wearing a vintage nightgown / calling it a 1800s gown And putting a bowtie on Roomba and calling it the butler.

    My moments of whimsy include greeting the sunrise. I just love watching the sky becoming blue in the morning. I would sit near a statue and "talk" to the statue. It was hilarious. A young relative would say "taking the fairy across the bay" when she meant "taking the ferry across the bay". One year for my Uncle's birthday I gave him a children's book that includes his name in the title and it was whimsical. He loved it.

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    1. Jenn: Children’s books that are whimsical are my favorite.

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  16. To do list: buy a tiara
    I wear my hair in a dorky little pony tail on top of my head to pickleball (where it usually gets covered by a hat) and to exercise classes. Yes, I am known as Pebbles.
    My favorite bits of whimsy are my colorful socks. I have a whole series of fb posts called Fun with Socks which was inspired by Sheldon’s Fun with Flags on the Big Bang Theory….which brings me back to that tiara. One of the best BBT episodes was when Sheldon gave Amy a tiara.

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  17. This is for RHYS BOWEN!!
    My hubby and I were watching Ludwig on Brit Box last night and a character is introduced (via a Fax) with the name of Rhys Bowen. Do you have any connection to the writers of the show by any chance. Are you aware of this. It's a great show btw!

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    1. I’ve been told about it. I have no connection and find it funny if weird!

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    2. It is weird huh? Maybe someone is a fan of your books. :) :)

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  18. Jenn, you look great in the tiara! I have loved them since I first saw many on a velvet roll by the up escalator in J.C. penny’s in Massillon, Ohio, when I was 7. I must get one now for my grown-up self. I have talked to myself for decades. When I had talked I talked with them constantly. Now I talk to to the birds at our feeders. I’m certain the cardinals look back at me and nod. Also, I love your FB stories. Today I think I want to be a Panda cuddler.

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    1. Jenn: Thank you, Suzette. A panda cuddles would be the BEST!

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  19. Mine is language and the ability to slide in a twist in something just enough to make the kid wonder – is she telling the truth? I can deliver it with a straight face. Not something obvious such as there is a leprechaun under the daffodil, and having said kid then trample the daffodil looking for it, but more like “I flavoured the potatoes with horseradish today.” “What is horse radish?” “Do you know what a radish is?” “No”. “Well do you know what a horse is?” “Of course, everyone knows what a horse is”. Well since you don’t know what a radish is, I didn’t put it in your potatoes – just the horse. Enjoy.” It usually results in a quizzical face, as the kid tries to figure it out. It sometimes backfires as he then says he doesn’t want potatoes made with horse, but it was fun at the time.
    One time in 4-H, we had a child who was slow. It just took him a while to process things. His father dropped him off at our place really early, and at the time I was giving Fluff the Old English Sheepdog a scissor cut. He was impatiently standing on the picnic table split stem to stern with an obvious haircut on one side. Matt asked “what are you doing”. “Giving the dog a haircut.” “Why is it only cut on one side.” This kid annoyed me, so I said: “It’s a racing stripe and makes him go faster that way.” There was a long (appreciated from me) pause from foolish questions while he thought. After a while: ”you’re joking right?” “Yes Matt.” As the rest of the kids arrived and many commented on Fluff’s stunning haircut, Matt quickly spoke up and said “it’s a racing stripe and it makes him run faster” – all with a straight face. He loved it!

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    1. Jenn: I love that he joined in!

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  20. Love these! Yes, we all need a tiara (I have 2 but I need to wear them more often). This is reminding me of the Penelope Locks and the Three [BLANKS] stories we used to tell with our girls. Beginning "Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Penelope Locks..." And so on, inserting blanks that the girls filled. Of course there were never three bears. There were chimpanzees. Or anacondas. And all hell broke loose when they returned home and discovered Penelope Locks in their home, having created some sort of mayhem that was never in the original fairy tale.

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    1. Jenn: I love the story, Hallie! Adorbs.

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  21. I do, in fact, have a tiara on my desk. I very much want to get a photo of our cat Missy wearing it, but I can't get her to sit still long enough to grab my phone. And yes, I've been asked: "Why are you wearing a tiara?"

    I talk to everything living and inanimate, we have Ernie the opossum (probably several Ernies by now) who comes in late sometimes for a snack after the garage cats have eaten. I also make up songs and sing to Veronica, the only plant we have. I hug my sickly oak tree and tell it I love it and to hang in there (20 years later, it's still going although not as big as its sibs). You get the picture. (Flora)

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    1. Jenn: I’m a big believer in hugging trees, Flora, well done!

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  22. What a delightful post to cheer me on Saturday. I need this right now. I do talk to plants and to stuffed toys but I would not go to extra effort of putting on pjs to make the bed!

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    1. Jenn: I bet you have a tiara, Rhys! You must!

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  23. Oh, this is fun. I have a stuffed penguin and polar bear on the back of my couch, and recently added a brown bear with her own girl doll; they sit behind me when I'm Zooming, so they can take over the screen whenever I have to get up for something.

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    1. Jenn: Zoom sitters! I love it!

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  24. I talk to myself all the time, usually out loud. I live alone so it’s not a problem at home. But sometimes when I’m out and I’m talking to myself I try to remember to check and see if anyone is within hearing distance! Occasionally, someone will laugh, and tell me “I talk to myself, too!”
    I talk to my car. It’s old, and it no longer likes hills. I live in a flat part of the state, so it’s not usually a problem. If I’m driving upstate to visit my sister who lives in a “mountainous” (for CT) area, I need to encourage it to make it to the top of the hill: “come on, car; come on, car! You can do it!” (I don’t name my cars. Maybe I should. But I don’t want to get too attached to this one, even though it’s been really good to me. It’s 22 years old, and I’ve had it for about 18 of those years. It’s probably headed for the junk heap later this year. Hope it’s not listening to this conversation.)
    I should talk to my plants more often than I do. They might live longer.
    DebRo

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    1. Debra, I need to talk to my plants more often, too. And remember to water them….. — Pat S

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    2. I’m sorry. I wrote DebRo, but autocorrect “knew” better. Aaaarggh! — Pat S

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    3. DebRo, if your car is listening, just be prepared for a dead stop half way into Litchfield. Take care. Elisabeth

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    4. Jenn: I grew up in Kent, CT - I know those mountains well.

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  25. Oh, I feel so much better! I mean, things are still going horribly in this country, but apparently I am not losing it because I talk to myself! I, of course, talk to my dog (how else will he know where we’re going in the car or if we’re getting close to our destination), but I tell myself the steps I need to take to say, get ready to go to the store (“purse, phone with shopping list, car keys, house keys, bags. Okay, we can go now”). I think I do this to be sure I have everything, but I had the smallest fear that there was something wrong with me. Apparently I am in good company if there is!

    The other day I took my dog to Balboa Park to see the cherry trees in bloom. He, of course, couldn’t care less about the trees, but as it was his first trip to such a big park (at least since we adopted him at age seven), I felt compelled to explain to him what we were seeing as we strolled through the park. “This is where your big brother liked to go to see the model railroad. And those different scents you’re undoubtedly smelling are from the animals in the zoo over there.” I don’t know whether he appreciated the tour, but at least he understands what he was seeing. — Pat S

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    1. Jenn: I love the trains at Balboa - the Hooligans spent A LOT of time there.

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  26. I used to be very silly with our son; I think I need to start being silly again! The silliest thing I do at the moment is stay hello by name to the different weathermen and weatherwomen who greet us after the evening news (there are five or six who alternate). "Hello, Christoph," I say to one as he comes on, or "Ciao, Sandra."

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    1. I always thank the answer given to "what time is it" while watching television " Thank You Bimbo - I don't know her name and there is no female equivalent to 'Bud'.

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    2. Jenn: That’s hilarious, Kim.

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  27. You are so fabulous! I need a little whimsy in my life as I am way too serious with a brain that never shuts off according to my husband. I need to purchase a tiara and make it work!

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    1. Jenn: I highly recommend it, Alicia. Or should we call you, your grace?

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  28. I read Jungle Reds! It always makes my day even if I don't comment.

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  29. Lots of childhood whimsy with my best friend. Our key phrase “let’s pretend” and off we went into acting out whatever story the two of us made up. Mother told me as adult, some rainy days it was all she could do to not scream, after hearing let’s pretend from Jimmy or me all day! Elisabeth

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    1. Jenn: I did sit through a lot of make believe with the Hooligans. They were obsessed with being pirates - surprising no one.

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    2. Jenn ~ The fact that you call your kids the "Hooligans" is the best and funniest whimsy of all! :-) The tiara looks good on you, too. Someone above mentioned Loretta LaRoche who always wore tiaras on her head as a performer. Sometimes a Viking Helmet...that's something to see. One of the best stress relievers is listening to her on stage sharing stress management by reminding us to embrace humor and optimism Her books reflect her positive message on life, too. "We're here for a short time...So lighten Up. And wear your party pants." We're so fortunate she lives in our home town and at 85 she still gives local performances periodically which are so enjoyable. A very funny lady.

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  30. Oh Canada! My husband applied for Canadian citizenship and after waiting for about five years (+ -) he just got notice he is officially a Canadian! Elbows Up!!
    Canada has (had?) a program that allowed people born in the US who had Canadian parents to apply for Canadian citizenship. He is 82 so it's more symbolic in reverence to his parents and his Canadian relatives. We won't be moving because we have our children and grandkids here.

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  31. Hank Phillippi RyanMarch 22, 2025 at 6:58 PM

    Late to the party today! I am in Oklahoma, and have been the main speaker at a mystery convention here! It is all I can do not to be singing Oklahoma all day, every single song. But this is such a perfect blog! I too, treasure my tiara collection, and you’re right, I need to wear it more. People are far more deferential when you’re wearing a tiara. And that’s a good thing.
    And of course, Flo and Eddy are our loveliest whimsy.
    We also have an invisible dog, did I ever tell you that? It’s a soft coated wheaten terrier named Wheatie. But since we can’t have a dog, Wheatie is invisible. Very well behaved and very easy to take care of.

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    1. Our cat named Leonora was not invisible like your Wheatie but our pets whether real, invisible or "stuffies" as Grace calls them are often like our family members. They bring us comfort, are loyal and never pass judgment. Your history with Flo and Eddy is such a soft and sweet whimsical story; we all hold our breath until you tell us they have returned home every Spring. Our Leonora, always wore an invisible tiara because we always prefaced her name with the initials HRH. She was indeed our royal highness and she lightened the load of life for us just by sharing her world with us daily. Kindness and love through whimsy is a wonderful thing. And the word of the day I would have to say is "deferential". Thank you for the smiles from miles away as you are in the land where the winds coming sweeping through the plains. Don't let those winds carry away your beautiful tiara, Hank!

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