Men Will Be Boy Racers.

Caddoc, deep in mid-life crisis, sought new outlets which was why his thinking turned to 4 by 4's. Freedom! Fresh air! Out of doors, with shed and Ada far behind, he could roam freely. He would find trackways wild across the hills. All North Wales out there for thrills. So he sent for information, planned trips to hilltop destinations. Mount Snowdon via the Horseshoe Pass. Who knows? Maybe he'd meet a lass stranded with her big-end shot. Then he'd soon show her age is not a bar to wielding jack and tools. "We wrinklies, we are no-one's fools. From Abergele to Porthmadoc I'll be known as Whizzwheels Caddoc!"

Said Ada, "Cad - your lamp grows dimmer. All you need's a four wheeled zimmer. No point in looking so forlorn. Now look you!  Practise on the lawn."

Trick Or Treat?

After being smitten with artistic dreams last year, you may remember Caddoc invested in some expensive equipment, (see HERE) but now... Caddoc's easel stood neglected...for painting wasn't as expected...

"Your daubs are random, they're a fright. They'd give real painters sleepless nights!" Ada dissed them, out of hand.
" They didn't turn out how I planned, but many oddball paintings sell  for millions, as you know full well." Disgruntled, Caddoc turned and fled back to the comfort of his shed, determined to produce a work that wouldn't send his wife berserk.

But after many fruitless hours, he chose to employ subtler powers. He bought a large Kandinsky print, (which left him absolutely skint) and pasted it onto a board. "That'll have my Ada floored. She'll think I've improved, overnight. She won't dare call this 'oeuvre' a fright!"

But Ada's taste was so not modern -

for she liked Titian's glorious auburn
haired and buxom models.
Caddoc's task would be no doddle...
 

And that is how events transpired. The outcome Caddoc so desired  was blown, when Ada, the Welsh Minxsy said "Why not just buy a real Kandinsky?"

Inspiration for this post is all down to Tess and Kandinsky, over at The Mag.

Year Of The Dragon

Ada was plagued by a nightmare. She thought she was tied to the bed and a horrible vision appeared in her mind - a dragon, all flaming and red...

"Oh, the flames are too near! I'll be roasted alive!" were the words on her lips as she woke,"Is my bottom on fire?  I'm certain it is - why, surely that smell is ...is...SMOKE?!

"When Caddoc and I had a night on the town, quaffing rice wine  by the flagon, I forgot my poor head...Now its dreams  have hit hard, I wish I had stayed on the waggon! "

"There there, beloved. Worry no more.That posh Chinese nosh was to blame - I'm sure by the morning all will be well." Caddoc's words sounded awfully lame.

But wait! On a sudden, SHE was the dragon. Caddoc soon would be quaking with fear, now wifey had morphed to a Welsh Dragon Ada, toasting the Chinese New Year!

(For more bare bottoms, see The Mag ...and this!)

But then, Caddoc Trellis sent a poem to me by email last night after reading my post (above). He asked me to keep it under wraps, which naturally is why I'm adding it as a tailpiece (so to speak.)

When I get in THAT position
only one thing's on my mind.
Is someone with a lighted match
creeping up behind
waiting for a fearsome blast
of noxious Winter Wind?**
An unkind way, I do declare
of burning off my botty hair!

**Must pronounce "Wind" as in Shakespeare's  "Oh blow thou wintry wind, thou art not so unkind as Man's ingratitude...  "

What do YOU see in the dark?

I have to thank several fellow bloggers** for the pictures they've posted in the past couple of days, as together they inspired a unique collage - like so - for which I shall be forever indebted to them...

When Caddoc's carrots came to light, two filled Ada with delight... they set her dreaming in a trice -
"Norty, Ada  - That's not nice!"
But, deary me, alas alack, those dreams kept coming back... and back...

"Ada! Restrain these nighttime habits ...or you and Cad will breed like rabbits!"

**From left to right, top to bottom, the bloggers in need of thanks are Friko (Fridge Soup) Doctor FTSE (Stop! This is getting very SILLY) and Tess (Magpie Tales). Why not visit them and say "Hi!" from me, Trellissimo?

Laughable?

Poetry Jam's request that we have a good laugh this week, reminded me of this video. Listen and look carefully, and you may spot a young Ada, both serious and laughing, as she mimics Brittania whilst the gentlemen serenade her...

Then you can sing along to the chorus with these alternative words...

Song For Ada

"Rock me, Mama like a waggon wheel,
rock me Mama any way you feel "-
I'm your Caddoc and sure, I'm real!
Oh Mama!
(plinka-plinka-plink-plink)

Dig my potatoes and trim my leeks -
be the perfect lady love that I seek.
You can pluck my banjo any day of the week
Oh Mama!
(winka-winka-wink-wink)

Let's forget the warring and call a truce-
trip the light fantastic 'til we both turn puce
and need to drink a gallon of orange juice.
Oh Mama!
(drinka-drinka-drink-drink)

And if you want to see/hear the original lyrics for comparison, here they are!

Times Change

Once the word 'café' suggested good food -
a meal or a snack which would match with your mood -
or your poor rumbling tummy. You’d hear it complain
to remind you, you really should fill it again!
Now 'internet cafés', those new fangled fashions,
tempt customers who'll be left short of food rations!

The menus of yesteryear offered you toast
or whatever fast food you might fancy the most.
You chose from eggs, bacon, beans, coffee and ham.
Now menus show "copy", "paste" "select"-
And "SPAM"!

Thanks to the illustration by George Tooker which Tess used on her Magpie Tales #94 this week, it set The Trellis Household thinking, and they combined to come up with the above 'comic strip' (?) in picture and words.

Red Couch

"Why look you pensive, dearest Cad? Has something I said made you sad?"
"No Beloved. There's no telling the mysteries of English spelling."
"What a way to start the morning! Usually you lie there yawning."
Cad retorted "Think of couch. Note the word's a rhyme for Ouch."
Ada gave a little groan. "Cad's world is for Cad alone."
"But," said Cad, "It grieves me much, that couch is not a rhyme for touch."
 "Now you're talking, dearest Cad!  Couch and touch don't sound too bad.
Forget about the imperfect rhyme. Ada thinks it's couching time!"

When Ada and Caddoc embarked  on their latest discussion, sparked by this week's Magpie Tales,  no doubt this picture is not quite what they were envisioning, However, they didn't bank on Trellissimo's Think Tank Brain Box, did they? He had other ideas!

This detail is from  a photograph by Christine Donnier-Valentin, which the lovely Tess featured in her post #93.

Kiss

There is a picture on Magpie Tales this week, of two very famous people sharing a kiss, and it made me think of My Beloved.  I decided to write a poem on the subject, just for the Mag  - Ada would probably think I was barmy!

People say that it's love makes the world spin around,
Not sure about that, but I've always found
my Ada can certainly set me a-spinning!
With one little kiss she will know she is winning
whenever we find we are scrapping, or fighting,
SHE WINS hands down, with her kiss like forked lightening!

For it shivers my timbers and makes my toes curl -
by golly, she's something, my funny old girl.
On the surface she's grouchy - bit like a Marx brother
but deep down inside she's a soft-hearted lover.
So no matter how often we start with a dogfight
we can kiss and make up, and soon everything's alright!

Foot Traffic

This week, Tess at Magpie Tales focussed our attention on  the delights, or not, of cars and it set me thinking...

In the wilds of Abergele
we shun traffic fumes. Phew! Smelly!
The classic wellie boot prevails
as people's feet stomp round the town,
climb craggy hills, both up and down.
Clear, high peaks crown our kingdom, Wales.

And on Tuesday there was an explanation of a Welsh poetic form called Cywydd Llosgyrnog on Imaginary Garden. What a coincidence! So I've had a go at it here.

On The Subject Of Ducks...

I bring you a rural tale inspired by Tess  with her Magpie #87, mostly to show there is a continuation of  life after the ball...

To recover from dancing the whole night away, the Trellises went for a long walk next day, enjoying the countryside, doing no harm, until their route led them to a favourite farm. On one side of the farmyard a weed covered pond was full of live quackers of which they were fond. But as Caddoc approached too near to the edge, remarking "I wonder how often they dredge this to clear it of weed and extraneous matter?" his foot slipped, and there came an end to his chatter as with a splash he toppled and fell right onto a duck! He rang its death knell for it’s neck got bent over and a horrible ‘Crack!’ made the Trellises shiver - It was one stone-dead duck, with feathers still warm, but no sign of a quiver of life. It’d never again enjoy pond or river…

The farmer strode up. "What’s all this commotion? You’ve killed a poor duck? Don’t get any notion about sneaking it off to provide a free dinner! In this situation, there’ll be only one winner… And that’ll be me! Now get you both gone, before I call the dogs! They’ll soon set upon you trespassing Trellises!" and he chased them away, with Cad muttering "Sorry! What more can I say?"

You Shall Go To The Ball!

I know I am no Cinderella but here I am with my Welsh fella heading out for Willow's ball. He's shed his gardening overall but not his crumpled hat... I fear those purple flares are yesteryear. And see me in the height of fashion! Could it enflame some dancer's passion who'll sweep me up in his embrace and look with rapture on my face and...  "Sorry, Caddoc, dearest dear, I'd quite forgotten you were here.
And lest you think I'm playing false,I'll share with you the Midnight Waltz."

Thank you Tess, for letting us attend your grand function!

P.S. Trellissimo wants to add his twopenn'orth, as he happened to have visited an Imaginary Garden with real toads, and wanted to dip his oar in the water, hoping he may be allowed to join us as an honorary guest - or even by the back door? Here's his ticket:-

Ada and Caddoc agree,
that they'll be a hip old pair
who'll attend the Willow Ball
looking like Sonny and Cher.

They both remember the time-
O sublime and carefree days -
when Flower Power flourished
and life passed by in a haze.

Retribution!

A reporter and photographer next morning hurried round from "The Abergele Trumpeter", the  local rag. They found  they couldn't speak to Ada, for Cad was home alone, standing in the wreckage. They heard him sigh and groan.
"Tell us what happened to your shed?" <<<Click here to find out!

By now the elephant had fled  leaving  matchwood all around and plum stones thick upon the ground.
"We'd like to take a photograph to give our readership a laugh. The Circus has agreed to pay. You Trellises have won the day! We promise to deliver wood to build a shed where once one stood!"Caddoc, now no longer tearful, greeted Ada. "Now I'm cheerful! I'll end up pictured in the papers because of elephantine capers."

And so Caddoc rebuilt his shed and Ada, watching Caddoc said, "Now what bee is in his bonnet? He's painting lots of mice upon it!"  She waited till he came back in, wearing for once a cheery grin." That will stop the wrinkly beast that thought to make a tasty feast of Trellis leeks and plums and such. My rebuilt shed it will not touch!"

But Ada, puzzled, said "Why not?  Your rebuilt shed has nothing got that heretofore the old one had. Except those painted mice, so, Cad, explain yourself. And make it good. I really never thought I would have to gaze on painted mice, although your brushwork is quite nice."

And Caddoc said, "Why Ada dear, mice alone are what they fear! All elephants will pass us by when mice upon my shed they spy!" But Ada shook her doubting head. "God give me strength!" she sadly said.

With many thanks to Tess at Magpie Tales, who this week featured a painting containing the very newspaper in which this 

happening was reported!

 

 

Plumb Crazy

"What was that noise?" cried Caddoc, awaking with a start. He shook the sleeping Ada, saying "Hark to that, dear heart! There's something in the garden … No! It's not my dreaming head!"  But Ada cried "Why, look you, Cad! We're only just to bed." Cad drew back their bedroom curtain, to see his joy and pride- his 'Safe From Ada' garden shed - was lying on its side.

It had put up no resistance. It had truly had met its match and massive rounded footprints trailed around his cabbage patch. His leeks had been uprooted then cast in haste aside in favour of the juicy plums the intruder had espied. And, squatting on its haunches with a big smile on its face, its curled trunk picking off his plums as if it owned the place "An ELEPHANT!" cried Caddoc, and Ada sighed "What next?" She was used to Caddoc’s teasing, but today she was perplexed, for he sounded so insistent, his tale had to be true...

See, this Houdini elephant hadn’t run off from a  Zoo - but Monty Python’s Flying Circus, in the neighbourhood to entertain the public and astound the great and good, the lowly and the highborn, with acts of daring-do...I’d love to buy a ticket for that show! Now, wouldn’t you?

Thanks to Tess at Magpie Tales for producing an elephant in the room this week!

Snake Charmers Extraordinaires!

While Caddoc was busy with  paint pots galore Ada decided she'd like something more. She started to mull over lots of ideas to lighten the dullness of forty long years with Caddoc, who spent so much time in his shed his to'ings and fro'ings always by-passed her bed. She enrolled in a class on "Seducing With Snakes" and perfected a 'charming' technique that would make Cad less resemble a wet little weed, with knees all a tremble but a lover who'd feed her with fantasies - the kind a girl needs to perk up her day... And I think this cartoon says it all, in a way...

       

Tess put the Snake Charmer notion into people's heads at Magpie Tales this week. Ada, as might be expected, interpreted it in her own unique fashion...