13/02/12 Here be my Anti-Valentine for 2012. Also my very own antidote to all the Jubilee Jingoism crap and kitsch wot lay in wait. Ah...the horror...the horror... Still, as you can see the Shoggies and all the other Beasties have embraced Republicanism wholeheartedly, bless their woolen socks and webbed feet. Happy Republique Universelle Day, folks! Update 25/02/12 I have done something I'd never thought I'd be capable of doing. I've been to see an acupuncturist!  Which took some doing, because I'm highly needlephobic. But the pain was driving me bonkers and I was beginning to be unable to do fuck all. So I grabbed the torito by the cuernos, swallowed my phobia and off I went. And would you believe it? It was a doddle! I didn't even feel the needles going in. And now I feel massively proud of myself for being so brave (Ha!) and my back sings praises to my courage and my acupuncturist's skill. The pain is by no means gone, but instead of screaming like a banshee from dawn to dusk now seems quite content to mutter dark mutterings all day long and grumble things like "I'm still here..." Me, I can't wait for the next sesssion. Meanwhile, the Rubbery Darlings insisted I try their version of that ancient therapy. For free, gratis and in the comfort of my own home. Oh dear. I'm such a fool....Update 28/02/12 Meet the Deep Ones. It was high time I devoted some energy to them, don't you agree? The Mythos graphic family groweth. Wheeeee! I attach also a link to the best double spoof I've come across in years. After all it was this wot triggered the desire to produce some Deep Ones. H.P. Lovecraft buffs ... enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wU0GwyQKSE&feature=related

Update.07/03/12 The series Secrets & Lives lives! Here be proof. Also, here be new creechas. Met the Prairie Doggies. I've been working on this one for a bit; and I still like to send it to Liz Bonnin, who inspired it. Update 11/03/12 We had visitors, recently. The divine PaulDirac O'Higgins-Stein, his minder, the Snake from Special Circumstances, and his pals Miska and Alexia. The idea was to have a picnic in the garden but as it pissed down all bloody day, we decided to have an indoor gaudeamus. Which in the case of Norman and Alexia wasn't quite so gaudy, as thy decided to tackle Manuel Azaña's Memoirs and thus ended up weeping like professional mourners at a very well paid funeral. They should have stuck to some good ol' don Arturí­n, like the rest of us. (See, even Cassius' portrait was seized by the PerezRevertian atmosphere and promptly developed the canonical costume.) Or, like the ever wise Primus, meditae on a favourite theme -in his case, Smarties. PS. Ethel the 'Edge'Og has temporarily fallen out with the Cat, so she refused to come in and spent the rest of the afternoon glowering at all & sundry thru' the window. Everybody found very easy to ignore her except sweet, kind PaulD, who's a major league softie -that's why he always travels under the protection of Special Circs., of course. Update 14/03/12 The Shoggies have taken up Spanish poetry, lately, and I'm delighted, that goes without saying. They go around the living room reciting the most gorgeous "romances" and exquisite bits of the Eglogas of Garcilaso de la Vega, in their funny, gurgly-bubbly voices. Groovyness is ours. They also kindly volunteered to enact one of my old-time favourites. Here be proof.