Laughing In The Rain

Yesterday was one of those day, It started with a bang. My wife woke me calling for help. She had gone to get the bread toaster from under the unit that covers the boiler in our kitchen, only to discover the toaster was in fact holding the full weight of the unit. It had decided to part company with the wall. What a great way to start your day.

Once things were in a condition that I could see to getting help later, I prepared to go out for my morning run. The rain was pounding into my face and a strong gales force wind was blasting my face. I asked myself, “Can this day get any worse.”

The answer was forthcoming very soon. It did get worse but I will not bore you with the details. One way or another it looked as if it was to be one of those, “I wish my Aunt Liz was still alive ,” kind of days.

Now let me explain what I mean by that. My aunt Liz was a marvellous old lady. She lived to the ripe old age of 103. In all the time I knew her I cannot ever remember her complaining about anything. No matter how bad things ever got she would always say the same thing, “Ah well if you don’t laugh you would want to cry.” What a marvellous saying that is.

She believed that laughter was the cure for all things, and for her it most certainly did seem to work. She lived alone, her sister died at the age of 93. She was independent by nature and loved to have people round for afternoon tea and scones. She lost a leg due to illness. Did that get her down, not a bit. It slowed her down but did not get her down.

She always had a great many friends and her afternoon teas were never taken alone. Because she made people laugh. So on bad days I often hear myself saying, “I wish aunt Liz was alive.” The very memory of her and her laughter usually works.

She is no longer with me, but I am blessed with her memory and with two dear friends who live by the same attitude. Laughter is the name of the game. Yesterday they both in their way helped me though my day.

One of these people I told you about yesterday and showed you his portrait, Archie. When I saw him yesterday he said to me, “My man your looking awful serious. You need to laugh a bit.” I turned my back for a moment and he had got hold of some stuff the shop was using for Halloween decorations and stuck it under his hat. When I saw him I could not help but laugh. I laughed all the way home and I am laughing even now as I think of him.

So no more words look again at my picture of him. He is 21 years old going on 84, he tells me, but he is just laughter on the hoof.

I hope you agree it is a good Halloween picture and that he manages to spread his laughter to your heart.

This blog is linked to my other. Portrait

It Is Time to Relax and Laugh.

Looking back over the last week I have become aware of how serious I have been this week. Maybe it has been circumstances; maybe it has just been me trying too hard to get back to where I was. A fellow blogger has a blog every Friday that is light hearted and it is always fun to read it. Today maybe I need to step back and see if I can see the wood, it often gets lost in the trees.

Yesterday I was asking my son how my daughter in law was getting on teaching in her new school. He laughed and told me some of the things that had happened in her first few weeks there. It all sounded so familiar. It is just a fact that students test out new teachers. They want to test the boundaries, to see how far than can push before the expected explosion comes. It is indeed a testing time and a time when it is important for the students and the teacher to get to know each other and more importantly to trust each other.

It is also a time when some of the strangest answers and performances come the way of the teacher. When I look back over my years in front of students how I so often wish I had recorded all those events. The hours I could have spent reflecting on them and having a laugh.

Fortunately some teachers did and still do keep such records. So for a nice easy start to Saturday I share one or two with you today.

TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find North America.

MARIA: Here it is.

TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who discovered America?

CLASS: Maria.

TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?

JOHN: You told me to do it without using tables.

TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell 'crocodile?'

GLENN: K-R-O-K-O -D-I-A-L

TEACHER: No, that's wrong

GLENN: Maybe it is wrong, but you asked me how I spell it.

TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?

DONALD: H I J K L M N O.

TEACHER: What are you talking about?

DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O.

TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago.



TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted it. Now, Louis, do you know why his father didn't punish him?

LOUIS: Because George still had the ax in his hand.

TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?

SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.

TEACHER: Clyde, your composition on 'My Dog' is exactly the same as your brother's. Did you copy his?

CLYDE: No, teacher, it's the same dog.

TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?

HAROLD: A teacher.

Out of the mouths of children, often come great word of wisdom.

Have a great Saturday

This blog is linked to my other where I continue with the dog Dog 2