Love this story so much, as a fellow toady. Only just discovered you late last night, too late, but listened to the whole thing anyway about abandoned houses and aging. You crack me up real good with your allsorts jumble of tactile and ephemeral. I shall read/listen on with reckless abandon. Thank you
In a previous home, I would find toads and frogs in my basement window wells. I would get a bucket, put it in the window well, reach down into the well, fetch all the roads and frogs, and put them in the bucket. I would take them out to the garden or the wood pile or the compost bins and let them go. Somehow they would always find their way back to the window well. Once I got 20+ out, of all sizes.
I am fighting the urge to read this piece to my own dad, who’s long gone, and the dad beside me, and anyone who needs cheering up today. I may not win this fight. Thank you. Brilliant, kooky and so uplifting.
Hearing you give voice to your LOUD dad is how I've imagined him while reading your pieces yet a thousand times better! This has brightened my morning (it's still morning here in Wisconsin). And the photo you included of Ralph and The Bear --- oh my heart. Thanks for another wonderful piece!
The frog in the final photo is definitely asserting his ownership of this pond, judging by the way he is reclining with his hind legs possessively spreadeagled.
Ah, James Herriot lives on. 'He's womitin, sor! Womitin' sumfin awful.' I hope you might appreciate how hard I had to work fighting the spell check hootnanny on this dang phone. Sent with love. Fabulous story, that.💙
Very entertaining anecdote Tom. If nothing else - who doesn’t love a toad?! I remember the Rod H television aerial story well. I had a mental image of him actually on the roof with Emu, having a fight over the positioning of the aerial and that being the reason for the fatal fall. It still seems to me to be a fitting way for him to have gone. Cheers, M
I just read this over the phone to my dad. I had to speak very loudly every time your dad spoke and now I need some water.
I've been reading them over the phone to my brother, but since this one now has audio of Tom doing it, my voice was saved.
Love your dad and that cheered a crap morning. Thanks Tom.
The fish outline though 🤣🥹
Love this story so much, as a fellow toady. Only just discovered you late last night, too late, but listened to the whole thing anyway about abandoned houses and aging. You crack me up real good with your allsorts jumble of tactile and ephemeral. I shall read/listen on with reckless abandon. Thank you
Thats the only way to read 😉
Wonderful ! Both the writing (have always laughed when your Dad speaks) and the Emu sketch is a masterpiece. Thank you.💚
Thanks Joanne!
In a previous home, I would find toads and frogs in my basement window wells. I would get a bucket, put it in the window well, reach down into the well, fetch all the roads and frogs, and put them in the bucket. I would take them out to the garden or the wood pile or the compost bins and let them go. Somehow they would always find their way back to the window well. Once I got 20+ out, of all sizes.
We had that in one house. Not only many frogs, but one very confused muskrat. My dad had to put clear covers over all the window wells.
I am fighting the urge to read this piece to my own dad, who’s long gone, and the dad beside me, and anyone who needs cheering up today. I may not win this fight. Thank you. Brilliant, kooky and so uplifting.
Thank you for posting this. I needed a good laugh today and this just had me in tears. Now off to find more videos of Rod Hull and Emu….
You are some peering up here some sharing up for you
C hear ring up hi Im staying
You are some peering up here some sharing up for you
C hear ring up hi Im staying
ALWAYS A DELIGHT TO READ (AND EVEN HEAR) ABOUT YOUR DAD!
😂IT BLOOMIN’ WELL IS!
this made me feel all sorts of emotions and im not sure why
Hearing you give voice to your LOUD dad is how I've imagined him while reading your pieces yet a thousand times better! This has brightened my morning (it's still morning here in Wisconsin). And the photo you included of Ralph and The Bear --- oh my heart. Thanks for another wonderful piece!
I had read this before
but now listening to it
was like I was in England hugging my old friend Paul
I also remembered a time when his parents
were visiting and how much I could see the shocking difference between our cultures
You here, when you bring father's voice, bring me exactly that feeling
an immense cultural difference in the manifestation of love
As Paul said me once , in my culture we touch each others life deeply , in a different way
Yes you took me there , I love England
Thank you
Aw, thank you so much. This means a lot.
More brilliance from your dad!
I'm so sorry you lost your cat, but this made me roar with laughter:
“IS THAT WHERE YOUR CAT IS BURIED?” my dad asked, pointing to a seven foot by four foot area of soil I’d recently dug out.
The frog in the final photo is definitely asserting his ownership of this pond, judging by the way he is reclining with his hind legs possessively spreadeagled.
Frogspreading.
Thank you !!! I enjoyed reading your post very much. Your mom and dad sound amazing !!
Thanks Faye!
Ah, James Herriot lives on. 'He's womitin, sor! Womitin' sumfin awful.' I hope you might appreciate how hard I had to work fighting the spell check hootnanny on this dang phone. Sent with love. Fabulous story, that.💙
Very entertaining anecdote Tom. If nothing else - who doesn’t love a toad?! I remember the Rod H television aerial story well. I had a mental image of him actually on the roof with Emu, having a fight over the positioning of the aerial and that being the reason for the fatal fall. It still seems to me to be a fitting way for him to have gone. Cheers, M