House Andrews are deep in the editing cave for Maggie. How deep? They shared an update yesterday on Facebook:
A lot of work, but of course what we take from it is a very chalant OMG OMG OVER EIGHT HUNDRED PAGEEEEES! WE SHALL DEVOUR!
No? Just me? Hehe.
But that takes a lot of effort. I am their herald today, conveying their apologies that they will not have time for a Wednesday post.
Instead, I’d like to ask you something I’ve been curious about: what do you do in your every day life to add a bit of whimsy to it?
This was a post a while ago on TikTok and I’ve had the most lighthearted few moments reading the comments. For example, someone shared that they meow songs to their cats “so they can hear the lyrics in their own language“. Others that they “put on pyjama sets the night of fresh sheets, so they can have ‘fancy sleep’” or “when it’s time to wash the dishes, I tell them it’s bath time“.
I realised I’ve been doing this since I was a child: whenever there’s a storm out, I fling out my hands (dramatically, of course) and call out “WINDS!” and when the wind intensifies, I feel like a powerful witch. Nowadays, I also look expectantly at Mr Mod R until he acts impressed with my magical powers.
So, what are the small things you do that are perhaps silly, but bring you a bit of joy in a world where it’s increasingly hard to find some?
OMG did I manage to be first? A record (for me anyway lol). I loved this trend when I encountered it. I like to tell my cats not to have wild parties every time I leave the house, with a wink because we both know none of us are the party type and they are more likely to spend the day visiting their various beds. 🙂 I shall be chalant, but it will be hard. Squee for 800+ pages of goodness!
Confirmed First! 😀
Thank you, O Delightful Sage! 😀 I asked my coworker what she does as a whimsical wonder and she confessed her husband sings to their houseplants to “encourage personal as well as physical growth.”
That’s very wise 😀 , no one wants a suddenly Seymour situation!
Omg!! I also talk to my cat before I leave the house but in my case I say “Make good choices.” because Artemis is prone to boutes of extreme curiosity that has led to the death of a tv and a few plants.
I tell mine to be good as I leave.
I tell my Siamese not to sell the house while I’m gone. I’m convinced that notwithstanding her inability to speak English and lack of opposable thumbs she would find a way if she wanted to.
As I walk out the door, I tell my cat, “You be good. I’ll be back.” (Sometimes in my peculiar Arnold Schwarzenegger voice.) I’m also quilling (paper art) a bronze dragon for my great-niece’s fantasy themed nursery. It makes me smile every time I sit down to do some, and each project can take months to do, so a little bit of happy time every day.
Omighod, I’m jealous!
*My* great-aunts didn’t do dragons, just afghans!!!!
You are *definately* going to be the favorite relative!!!
Can I recommend you search for ‘cravendale cat advert’?
Honestly, it’s almost more like a horror film than an advert for milk featuring cats!
Thank you! I needed that today. 🤣
So do I! I say ‘be good boykits’!
I tell mine to guard the house 😀
I have an Artemis too! He is an orange cat. Very affectionate and very, very naughty.
Me too! And my cat is also named Artemis!
I love your cats name! Mine is called Athena and she is so wise she just sits/lies in contemplation of life (she is a kittiy couch potato)
When I come home, I shout/ say loudly “Hellooo, I am home, who else is there?” to my two cats. They usually respond with irritated looks….but, in my defence, I once had a cat who would respond with an equally loud meow every time. That cat truly was a soul friend.
Omg when we leave the house, I tell one of my two cats:
“You’re in charge while we’re gone.
Then to the second cat:
“Your sister/brother is charge. Mind her/him.”
My girl is almost always in charge because she’s a good girl. And I swear she can tell when I put her brother in charge because she glares at me.
I tell mine (a la Star Trek) ” You have the con.. “
I tell me dog she’s in charge of the house (but we all know that the cats are really in charge!)
Does shouting at the wild birds garden to stop arguing count? The goldfinches are always having a barney over the bird feeders, and I’m always telling them to “behave and share nice or else!” (No idea what the “or else” will be mind you 😂😂).
Try adding, “Don’t make me come out there!” That’s what I yell out to our dogs when they ignore my directives to come back inside. Right this minute!!
And yelling at the squirrels to “go away. Leave something for the birds” when they pull their acrobatic moves at the feeder?
I love this question, and the fact that our beloved authors are too busy authoring to post. Go authors go! But not too fast or hard, don’t break yourselves!
My husband and I say “Bort” to each other in a kind of echo-location when we’re looking for each other.
Cute! I like this one!
Ours is “Mimi!” At a high pitch. I don’t remember how we developed this but it works really well, even on busy streets.
804pages!? That’s like 2 books! 😻
And telling dishes it’s “bath time” is adorable!! My dishes stay in the bathroom (read: dishwasher) for quite a few days… 😅
Not sure if it is whimsical or batty, but I talk to my things. Not the cats (although I do talk to them), but the fridge, the washer, etc., thanking them for keeping on and doing a fabulous job. I also talk to trees and plants on my walks, so they know I appreciate them.
You are much nicer to your appliances than I am. I only swear at mine. 😀
My husband is a wordsmith and (UK cryptic-style) puzzle maven. We have pet words for things: my purse is a handibag, that sort of thing. Of course, the moment I sit down to write about this whimsy, it dries up and I can’t think of any other whimsical expressions we use. Figures!
My husband and I have a weird language all our own.
He will say, “I shall fix Unkempt Josephs for our dinner” (i.e. he is making us sloppy joes).
Once a friend was over and I handed him a ham and cheese sandwich and I said, “That might actually be better if you wave it for a minute first.” He gave me the oddest look and then waved his sandwich in the air, to which I replied, “No, microwave!”
We also are prone to adding a cute little “ly” on the end of words that should not have an ending of ly (Oh, are you ordering pizza? Goodly!)
We also shorten some words for cuteness. When asked if you are going to do something it isn’t “Probably” it is “Prob”.
Sometimes my husband just has a clever way with words. He made me hot chocolate and brought it to me as I was working at my computer. He said, “Be careful, it is very hot and it has an irresponsible number of marshmallows on top.”
What is especially entertaining is that our friends who are around us a lot tend to accidentally pick up these weird language habits. MANY have told us how they embarrassed themselves in public because of us.
Couple language is the best! Mr Mod R and I call out “François!” to each other instead of “Be careful!”.
Because almost 2 decades ago there was a yoghurt ad on TV where a very fake French-accented mother would shout “François! Care-fool!” to her progeny as he went down a slide and it tickled us every time we saw it.
This is perfect couple-speak because it is totally clear to you two but sounds like crazy talk to all others! 🙂
> “What is especially entertaining is that our friends who are around us a lot tend to accidentally pick up these weird language habits.”
This happened with stuff my dad would say. Optical conclusion instead of optical illusion. “Emphasis on the wrong syllable” he would say as “emFAsis on the wrong sillABL”. I have to deliberately think about the correct way to say the phrase because I’m so used to saying it the wrong way.
MY DAD SAYS THIS TOO
10/10 dad experience
That “emFAsis” thing must be from something we have all heard or seen in pop culture somewhere, because I have said this! I know I didn’t make it up, but I can’t recall where it came from.
I have an uncle who once at a family get together told one of the cousins to put the chairs on the Perry-Ferry. We eventually realised he meant periphery but it’s been perryferry in our family ever since.
That is sooo cute! I’m smiling just reading this <3
Unkempt Josephs is now my headcanon name for them!
My mother-in-law calls sloppy joes man-wiches that I have now changed to warlocks lol
Another convert to our shenanigans! Welcome! 🙂
All our friends call them that now, too.
I laughed myself silly about the waving of the ham and cheese sandwich!
We call them Untidy Joseph’s at my house.
I have been known to shout encouragement at my orchid plant when I spot a bud forming.
I tell the rabble-rouser dog she is in charge when we leave the house just to see the confusion on the other dog’s face.
I sometimes introduce Steve as my first husband.
I haven’t eaten one in years, but I think I’d call them sloppy Hughs.
If you put “-ly” at the end of a word, I suppose you were swiss in a prior life. 🤣
We love our dimimuative forms with “-li” at the end. A cat is “chatz” but we mostly us “chätzli” = little cat.
XD My parter and I call them “Fastidious Josephs!”
I am going to ask for an “irresponsible number of marshmallows” on my hot cocoa for the rest of my life.
All cheers for irresponsible amounts of marshmallows!
I do the fancy sleep trick too! Clean me, Jammie’s and freshly remade bead all the way down to the mattress.
While my dog wolfs down her food, I scatter dry food/kibble/bitties around the house for her to find. It’s an enrichment activity and end of feeding routine. When she finds them all I tell her she’s the Mighty Bitty Hunter. When she doesn’t find them all, she’s the Shitty Bitty Hunter which leads to more fun as we hunt them down together.
this made me chuckle out loud, I love it.
I sing to our female dachshund her name is Jill but we call her Villain. It’s to the Hey Mickey song but with her nick name.
🎶Hey villain your so fine your so fine you blow my mind hey villain hey hey hey villain🎶 she dances around when I sing it so it just makes me smile!
I have had songs for all of my dogs, except the newest, these songs come of their own accord and hers hasn’t yet in the ten months we have had her.
Penny was a springer spaniel, we were her fourth home, and she could be really dumb, as in her nose passing right over a treat and her not eating it, because (I think) she was so excited by the searching that the smell couldn’t penetrate the “treat Treat TREAT” going round her brain. She spent a lot of time nose down not looking where she was going or where we were and we called this ‘dingling’ which led to her song, to the tune of Jingle Bells –
Dingle dog, dingle dog
Dingles all the day
Oh what it is to be
A dingle dog today, hey!
The verses varied according to what she was up to at the time of singing.
And I am so glad you said you sang to Jill, writing this out made me look at what I do and go ‘Huh?’ 😀
Did you know Carly Simon wrote “Nobody snuggles better” about my Malshi, Helix?
800++ pages – delighted.
I saw this whimsy trend and loved it. I purposely make spelling errors in my texts to my sister so she has to point them out….its fun and annoys her.
I have more squirrels than birds in our backyard. Every morning we (me and dog) wish them well on the tree roads, and promise we are not there to take their nuts and seeds. They get loud when we go near a particular tree so I avoid it. They also chirp loudly at the chipmunks that live under the carport. Ive seen 2 fall out of trees last year. Wishing them well and talking to them lets me feel like Im on their side and I dont want to have to clean up their family again.
I sing filk songs to myself. I have an extensive collection of albums of filk.
Filk: Songs from conventions about books, movies, etc.
“OVER EIGHT HUNDRED PAGEEEEES! WE SHALL DEVOUR!” Yes, this is me. I do not personally consider this the length of two books, just a book that might actually take me a while to get through (as opposed to a mere 2 or 3 hours).
I love filk songs! The “Threes” song and “Horse Tamer’s Daughter” and “Demonbane” and “Dawson’s Christian” are among my very favorites.
Yeaaa, all the pages!
Whimsy, mmmmm
I sing the rain rain go away come again another day on days when I have to go out into the torrents.
When our son was little we had a game where we would be stuck to the couch and he had to press the “button” to be able to get unstuck. Last night I was so tired I couldn’t bring myself to get up from the chair and I told my husband I was stuck and he needed to press the button. 😉
<3
I tell my cats as I leave the house “Be good, and if you can’t be good, be smart enough to hide the evidence.”
I also (along with my teen daughter) make up very silly songs about just about anything you can imagine!
Thanks, Mod R, for all you do for the BDH. You are an amazing and wonderful person!
Every day when the mail is delivered I sing the Blue’s Clues mail song, complete with jumping around, wagging my tail, and jazz hands.
Everytime I feed my dacshund lunch I pretend she doesn’t get any lunch and say “None for Gretchen Weiners.”
Wave my hand and pretend I have the power to move objects with my mind everytime I enter automatic doors.
I also do that with the doors! And say “let me that that door for you” if there is another person there.
Wow, I do the auto-open door hand wave as well! Judging by the looks people give me, I was sure I was the only one.
When walking my dogs late at night, I sing a nonsense song to let the night creatures know we’re coming through. We’ve surprised deer before, and I don’t want to surprise a skunk or bear! First line is usually “Here we come, walking in the dark, just passing through” to whatever tune happens to be in my head. The rest is …er.., whimsy.
When I walk down the staircase in my home I pretend I am Belle making her grand entrance in the yellow ball gown and walking down the staircase.
Not sure this counts, but if my son fails to acknowledge my goodnight “Love you!” (he isn’t required to reply that back, but must acknowledge me in some way, I’ll accept a grunt or anything verbal, even a yeah) then I will continuously repeat it in various voices while getting closer to him until he laughs and responds. He’s been a bit moody, but this seems to bring a chuckle at my weirdness and persistence.
And for added whimsy, when I am old, I shall wear a winter cape instead of a coat. Not the superhero kind, but the old fashioned wool kind. Just waiting until I feel like I can pull it off.
I bought my wool cape. Trying to decide what to embroider on it – wouldn’t want it to fade in the background
May I suggest a motif incorporating the nazar (evil eye protection) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazar_(amulet)? I bought myself a cosy blanket studded with eyes and when I snuggle under it on my sofa I feel like I’m under my own personal aegis against the bad energies of the universe 😀
I have the wool cape my grandmother made and embroidered. When I wear it, the word ‘stately’ comes to mind, and I stride with pride.
No need to be old. I’m making a cape right now out of turquoise wool that has gold flecks, so the lining is gold satin. Just trying to decide between golden eye buttons or blue cloudy night buttons.
I also made a full circle ankle length cloak which is ideal for swooshing about dramatically and is so blinkin’ warm (and heavy) and ready for adventure. It even has pockets.
In any case, a cape or cloak are always the answer for leaving the house feeling ready to not only do the shopping but fall into a story
I bought a beautiful red/magenta nubbly wool cape in Ireland about 15 years ago. I wear it whenever I’m dressing up (don’t have a dressy coat) and for St. Patrick’s Day.
I have a red wool cape just for that purpose. I am 63 now and plan to wear it when I retire at 65.
Does telling the tree rats (squirrels) to quit barking at my 20lb Tuxedo cat who is minding his own business and taking a nap in a patio chair count?
I say Effalump instead of Elephant and mistapplied instead of lost or missing.
I also sing “Muskrat Love” everytime I see or hear Elon Musk’s name.
My hubby calls them Linkapuffs or Telinx
I’m at an age where I have lots of thingys, dodads, widgets in my speech(cos of brain farts) & he knows what I mean 🤣
For the past 8 – 10 years I have dyed my hair various shades of blue.
I occasionally have some purple in there to mix things up.
It makes me happy and I make a lot of others smile at this “old blue-haired women”
+1
I have a changing mix of blue, purple, teal or pink in a stripe down the left side of my hair (which I keep fairly short) so that every time I run my hand through my hair the colours get rearranged. I get a lot of impressed comments from 17yo who appear both thrilled and surprised by this hair on someone their mum’s age 😆
800+ Pages!! Having done The Mists of Avalon easily in my youth, this will prove I haven’t lost it and I have no doubt it will be a wonderful read!
As for whimsy, I like to do silly things like waving my hand in a Jedi-like motion to open automatic doors or give the register or computer a virtual ‘whack’ to get my transaction or loading screen to complete. Extra points for the times it actually works!
800 pages???? That’s almost James Clavell level. 😂😂😂
A bit of whimsy or fun with all the insanity going on? Reading really funny books. Also, reading what’s on the blog. 😁
Any time one of the 3 cats goes out back I yell “And try not to murder anything this time, psycho!”
If I successfully complete a difficult task/action, I say “I deserve a treat”. This usually means chocolate.
Hm…. Now why would I get a mental image of the BDH tossing chocolates at our favorite authors until they’re up to their armpits when they triumph over the 800+pages???? 🤔😁
+1
I was thinking of a submarine periscope since the Horde would give them so much chocolate, it would be an ocean. 🍫🍫🍫😁
My husband and I talk to our dachshunds and then reply in their voices. Me: go get the squirrel. Hubby responds in the dogs voice: open the door and I will!!!
I regularly talk to my cat as if his meows were speech I could understand. This is normal behavior for most cat owners, but it amuses my son to no end. I also tell the cat, “No wild parties!” when we leave the apartment.
At work, whenever anyone says my name I respond with, “I didn’t do it!” This is doubly hilarious (to me) because I am a teacher.
my walls are covered in fairy and other whimsical artwork. try to incorporate it my decor
Mine too. I frequently tell people my living room looks like a unicorn threw up all over it.
He he he! I love this question! We have a grand tradition in my family of repeating things that tickle us in strange voices until the lose their original meaning and taken on a new one. I do it without thinking now, although I usually manage not to do it in public. I address my cat as Sir, frequently, as well any of a dozen or so nicknames I have for him – he’s the house bear, land otter, floof dragon, and buffalo bear kitten. I name our cars, houseplants, and appliances. I pretend to have my own cooking show or that I’m teaching a fitness class. I dance when the mood strikes me – this I have done in Walmart without realizing what I was doing. If anyone noticed, they didn’t say anything. If I hear someone coming down the hall, I arrange my face and/or body in a dramatic pose. It often leads to an impromptu skit. Life is fun when you play. <3
I dance too. Anywhere a good song comes on. At work, in the supermarket, gym or hardware store. I get a lot of funny looks and some snickering, but think at least they have a funny story to tell when they get home – ‘there was this middle age woman dancing in middle of the supermarket aisle’. ha ha ha
And I have fun dancing! Winning.
I love this question! Not sure if this counts but I’m trying to incorporate “sillies” with my 3 year old at bedtime. This includes shaking the sillies out, squishing the sillies out of her arms and legs, tickles and raspberries… it usually results in lots of laughs and giggles which is a happy way to end the day.
Also: 804 pages????? The BDH is sooooooo lucky! <3 <3<3
I have conversations with all the pets I see on my long morning walks. Sometimes, when I choose to walk around the track that circles a local lake, I will dance instead of walking. There are a few regular walkers who will stop and boogie with me for a bit, then go on their way.
oh! I don’t do it every day but I still have some stuffed animals. If one gets a headpat and a hi they all get headpats + hi. I can’t leave any one of them out, only a monster would do that
Alsooo I have a question, will the audiobook for maggie come out at the same time as the ebook? please say yes cuz I dont wanna waiiiiit 🥺
That is all in the hands of the publishing house, Tor, so I’m afraid we won’t have an answer until closer to release in 2026.
oh i see! i didnt know we were still so far out with maggie. Plus I suppose that length would make the audiobook much harder. thanks mod r!
My Mom and I call each other when it’s snowing. I can’t remember how that started — maybe when one of us had a snow day from work. Then we added the first snow of the winter. Now, we live 7 minutes away and call each other for every single snow. <3
I've recently started to say out loud when doing nightly tidying/chores, "Evening Rachel loves Morning Rachel!" And then in the morning, "Thank you Evening Rachel. You did great!" And then do something before heading to work to help Evening Rachel. I live alone. 😀
I still sleep with stuffed animals on my bed and I take them with me when I travel
Lordy, the world needs more whimsy, say the lady with a knitted ESC (Emotional Support Chicken) named Gertrude, a leather party frog (with magnets in his feet so he can hang off the metal hat rack like he’s pole dancing) and a sticker of a fox with fairy wings on her water bottle…
My ESC is named Sally (after my Grandmother, whose yarn I used after she passed away). Once I did that, I switched to crocheting and now have a small dragon, a large wyvern, and a baby gargoyle! Not to mention all of the creatures I’ve made for my kids and grandkids (all by request, which is another source of happiness!).
I talk to the cardinals in my back yard. The largest female and male I call Mom and Dad.
I, too, am a powerful storm witch any time a rainstorm rolls in! Wind! Rain! Thunder! Lightning!
I also greet my house and say farewell any time I’m coming home or leaving.
And I speak to my plants when I water or re-pot them, telling them I’m glad they’re doing well, asking if the water is right, or if they like their new home/pot. I’ve gone from a definite black tumb to an overflowing house filled with plants, so I’m convinced I’m secretly part hearth witch now.
We try to inject movie quotes into every possible situation we can. Especially from Christmas movies. Just to pick a random, non-specific example. =D
When my girls were actual children, there was a reasonably local park we could get to. Besides the branch library and the picnic tables, there was a playground with standard equipment and other things built of chains and pipes and railroad ties. One of those other things was a pirate ship.
At this point, I’m in my 70s and both daughters are in their 40s and I still occasionally gripe about how they never let me be captain – I always had to walk the plank.
I like to annoy my boyfriend. One of my favorites is to take something he says that reminds me of a song and sing it, usually a kids song. For example, his best friends grandson asked what we were doing (making the bed before we left) and he said cleaning up. So of course I start singing the Barney clean up song. If he’s really annoyed me that day, I sing as horriblely as possible.
Ever since I was a little girl I knew I wanted to annoy the hell out of a handsome man for the rest of my life. Look at us living the dream hehe 😀
+1
That is so good I just sent it as quote to my long-suffering husband 🙂
When I notice that the kids and I seem a little down or off I put on disco music make up silly lyrics and dance around with them until the mood is better. Also, I always answer the “What’s for dinner?” question with “Processed Dirt.” This occasionally does not go over that well with guests.
In afrikaans we answer the never-ending whats-for-dinner with “ospoep en blomkool” which roughly translates to “oxen farts and cauliflower”
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
My mother in law would answer “What’s for Dinner?” with “Dishes and Manners and Things to make little boys ask questions.
That’s a good one! It’s my 12 y.o.’s favorite question and I now have the perfect answer lol
I have a game with my kids that we’ve been playing for about 15 years. It’s called “The Game”. The game is when you think of “the game” you have to say out loud, “I lost the game!” If you’re not with the other people, you have to text them and tell them that you lost the game. Which makes them think about the game so then they have to reply that they lost the game, too. And now I’m going to text my kids. 🙂
One of my cats will “announce” loudly that he has used the litter box (in the laundry room). When he does it at 3 AM, if he wakes me up, I find my self yelling, “I’m NOT going to get up to scoop that – and you know it!” Then he comes in like, “Are you up? Pet me.” And then he curls up on my feet.
Two words–Dad Jokes.
When does a joke become a dad joke?
…when it becomes apparent….
(I couldn’t help myself!)
I am so excited for Maggie. I hope it stays LOOOONG!
I always say, “Open Says Me” at automatic doors. (instead of open sesame.)
+1000!
yes but maybe it doesn’t take too long to reach my hands🤞
I play wizard at traffic lights: change- then it’s green
😂 Me too!
I have been known to dramatically sing “go green” to the traffic lights (to the tune of Joelene).
I really ham it up and it’s a toss up whether the kids are more amused or horrified.
when I’m trying to find my husband in a large place (i.e. Home Depot) I have no problem screaming “Marco!”…hoping I hear a “Polo!”. of course…kids like to answer back and then I get totally lost…
😂😂😂 My son does that in costco bcse he wants to see if anyone will respond.
😳😁
Umm….if your son lives in SW WA I may have scared the crap outta him one time.
I was in the rice/staples aisle a few years ago and a 11-13(?) year old about 4 feet behind me did that – quite loudly – startling the heck out of me.
I jumped, spun around with both hands raised, (inadvertently flinging my phone across the aisle), and instead of just looking around like a normal crazy person, my broken brain yelled out “POLO”.
At a substantial volume.
Were there canned beans involved?
🤣No, nor was a jug of bleach.
I always chuckle when I pass the canned beans at Costco…and instinctively look up. Thankfully no one has ever asked why.
When I leave the house I ask my dog not to drink from the toilets. Now close the lid you say, well no can do because what if something happens and they run out of water in their dog bowl. like I’m kidnapped or something. Meh.. Can you say neurotic.
Everytime I get into bed, i whisper “hello Bedfordshire”
My sister recently moved our chronically ill mother into her home. Every time we speak I give her completely nonsensical advice on the upkeep and maintenance of elderly relatives.
“Only feed her Iam’s and DON’T ever feed her at the table”
Whimsy, yeah, there’s zip of that in my life. The closest I come is telling the flowering plants, “bloom or you’re toast”. Yes, I threaten my plants. So far it seems to work.
Yea! 800 pages! I know it’s still too far away too hold my breath, drat. Hang in there HA, we’re all pulling for you!
There’s a scene in Good Omens you might appreciate.
I am a borderliner and unfortunately aren’t able to follow a normal job, so I make a habit of cooking… as fancy and as diverse as possible… my hubby blames me for his belly…. (But I mean he could put less on his plate… or not..)
Also we have two cats and one dog and I try to train them rigorously… with lots of love… (can we including videos on this bolg?)
Reading especially HA, Nora Roberts, JD Robb and Robert J. Kennedy keeps me from too many panic and anxiety etc…
So thank you to you all!
Plus Mod R, you are great! I love your posts!
My husband works on oil rigs (20 years..) so when I feel like I want him home more than usual and I need the anti depressive cuddles I tell him “I’m getting my broomstick and flying over for action and cuddles!”
The wind thing? Seriously… I think I am older than you, so I claim it as mine… hehehe…. 😈
But otherwise enjoying nature, my animals and good music ‚
My mom and I will make popping noises back and forth at each other, and actually have a whole conversation that way. Have since I was a teenager! Currently also I have several Very Good theme songs I sing to my pup, mostly about how fluffy she is and how much I love her. She remains unimpressed by her songs but I persist 🙂
I always tell the fur kids I love them and to have a good day when I leave in the mornings for work. I need them to know that unless fate has a hand in my day that I’m coming home.
We have two big standard poodles. When we leave the house, we tell them they are in charge, and should help themselves to anything in the fridge. We also take pretty much any song and change the lyrics to be about poodles. “Poodles in the Night”, “Uptown Poodle”, “Poodle Love”, “Dancing Poodle”. You get it. “Why are there so many songs about poodles?”
I talk to animals. I have a cat. She gets bored with my diatribes so I go outside. Just now, in fact, I was just talking to a 🐿️ . I have feeders. She’s looking a little more pregnant and I asked her how was it going. I do not hand feed or try to pet wild squirrels, full disclosure. I just chat at them.
+1 we are alike. 😎
Oh, not mine, but I have to share. Two nephews and a niece- When they go on long trips in the car they quote The Princess Bride. From start to finish. They’ve done this since they were children. The are currently 17, 20, and 24.
when I get to a door that opens automatically I always say ” open says me” and wave my hand at it. I’m 60 😆
Ok Horde, we have to savor Maggie, chew slow, taste all the wonderful word smithing. I feel like if we stay up for days reading and ask when part 2 is coming out… that won’t be very fluffy lol
I talk to my cats. I ask them how their day was and did they catch that mousy. I also always stir my foods clockwise like a proper kitchen witch. And also, we have the nicest wild turkeys. They talk back when I make turkey sounds. Who knows what I’m saying to them in their language but we have a rapport that’s all I’m saying.
When I come home, I always say “Hi, Honey, I’m home” to the cat. Who, being a cat, doesn’t care.
Still, makes the house more warm.
I teach HS science so naturally I am witch making potions that actual work! See the colors change? See the light and smoke? The urge to relabel the chemicals is almost overwhelming
I love this so much! 😂
I talk to my orchids when I water them. I tell them how lovey they are and congratulate them on put out a new flower spike. I encourage the ones that aren’t blooming yet.
+1
I greet my chickens with “helloooo, ladies” in a suggestive gentleman’s accent.
Whenever I am outside I whisper words of affirmation and affection so the air can carry them to people that need a pick me up🤷🏽♀️
so beautiful! thank you!
I just had a baby, so I will finish his side of conversations for him, especially the ones making sass back at me. So while changing his diaper, I’d say “Hey kid, why did you not remind mommy to take out 3 wipes instead of the 2 she always thinks will be enough?” and my kid will “respond” with “mom, I’m just a baby, you’re the adult! I’m just letting you make your own decisions at this time”
We used to narrate for our baby, too. Like as he starts howling because he wants his bottle (seriously, from first sign of hunger to full on howls was 30 seconds, tops.), I would say, feeeeeeeddddd meeeee! Etc. You do what you must to hold on to the shreds of sanity. When he was older, we would sing songs together, but replacing the words with meows. It started with the meow mix commercial, but included pretty much any song we could remember the tune for. Naturally, it also works well with songs where you might b hazy on some of the words. If all the words are meows, you never have that problem.
My husband and I also meow/rrarh at each other. It’s good for general location as well as sometimes communicating complex feelings succinctly. How was your day? Can b answered when you don’t really want to go into it, but wouldn’t mind a bit of sympathy. After 30+ years of marriage, we mostly understand each other. Which turns out to b handy when it’s the end of a long day and my communication skills have degraded to the point where statements like:’We need to get the thing…that goes with that(points at object in different room in that general direction). From yesterday!’ And somehow not only knows what I’m talking about, but is able to translate for others.
Even though we’re over 50, I always wish my brother a Happy Groundhog Day. When I got old enough to bake cookies, we’d make slice n bake sugar cookies into groundhog shapes every year.(some may have been closer to snowmen with tails, but still yummy.) I don’t remember how it got started, but it seems like something our Mom would do. But I was thrilled when his son was little and my bro sent pictures of them baking groundhog cookies.
Also EIGHT HUNDRED PAGES!!! I am positively delirious with joyful anticipation of SO MUCH FUN!!!
I do my bed like they do in the hotels, with the fancy top turned-down, you know? 😄
I learned to do it about 15 summers ago and been doing it ever since. The day I don’t do it like that is indeed a dark day in my world…
Of course it’s all moot when my husband and our anti-neat bed brood flop on it. They love to flop on it just to see my face and laugh at me 🤷🏽♀️
When it snows a lot, it’s not enough to just look out the windows. I need to open the side door and look out on the driveway. Then I go and open the front door and look out at the neighbourhood. Then I can feel happy that yes, it is REALLY snowing a lot around the house. And I can feel happy actually watching the nice white stuff fall on everything and make it look beautiful. Especially at night,
(A weird thing that I used to yell at my Dad about but I now understand.)
I have conversations with my cats on the subject of, just Cats doing cat things is a thing. Doesn’t mean they have to actively participate.
Iur favorite whimsy is what we call “zombie game” our 3 year old pretends to shoot us and if he doesn’t “stop the bleeding” we chase him around the house giving out zombie tickles.
I find fabric with really strange motifs and make stuff with it. Earlier today I found a doll outfit with a candy corn motif on the vest and shorts and Halloween Kitties on the matching skirt. I also make little quilts and doll quilts with 1930’s reproduction fabric I’ve collected for a number of decades! My husband has been listening to the birds outside and threw stale bread heels up into one of our trees.
I prépare a bit of high tea with savory and sweet treats. I get scones and double cream, make cucumber sandwiches and maybe a fancy lemon tart and have tea for one.
We have huge fir trees towering around our home-at least 75 ft minimum- I hug them or pat the bark and tell them they are beautiful. I love to listen to the sounds of the wind in the branches. I also pray and tell them to hang in there during very windy weather.
Used to talk to my houseplants too but they are getting cranky since I forget to water them a little often. Then there is my fairy garden- retirement is interesting !
I play music from my youth and dance around the kitchen. I sketch my garden, talk to my cats, and go down the Pinterest hole. When a 6yo with a great imagination tells stories about me being invisible and causing her dog to pass gas (go figure at that age, I love it), I go one better and say I have a wand for that. 😀
When it’s been a tough day, Hubby and I howl at the moon.
Keeps the neighbors guessing.
OMG…I do the same with storms!! LOL!
We can get an international coven of storm witches going 😀
I’m keen. Wellington, New Zealand
You have a lot of storms to work with – Lower Hutt, NZ
I commute to work on a ferry and across the channel, there’s a parcel of land that’s been ‘under development’ for years. Everyday for the past few years, when I board the ferry to go home, I take a picture of the progress. Eventually, I will put together the photos into a time-lapse video of the building being constructed.
My sister and I like to blow at red stop lights, like Whoopi Goldberg did in Corrina, Corrina, so we can take the credit for being magical when they turn green . . . I also like pretending car washes are special movie outings (from the same movie)
Is that where that’s from? I’ve been doing it for years and mi esposo at first thought it was the funniest thing – but the light always changes…
I used to do that, until my kid decided that we would count instead, and no matter when when we start, it always turns green when we get to zero.
I often find myself hip bopping to the music at the supermarket checkout ( it’s just so boring standing in line , one has to do something, at least I don’t sing along ,I sound like a strangled frog )
800 pages wow, that calls for lots of tea and toast.
I dance to music. In public, down supermarket isles sometimes. I encourage people to join me. Then there is putting down inanimate objects and telling them to stay. They usually listen.
I tell things to stay too, and I point at them to ensure they know I’m talking to them.
I used to try that but….I live in California so our inanimate objects sometimes animate 😂
I like to do the WINDS! thing but with automatic doors…nowadays I mostly do it very subtly, just a little wave gesture with one hand, but it still makes me feel like I’m MAGIC.
lol I did not notice that a bunch of other people said the same thing. We’re all magic, folx
When the kids were small, I told them if they said “boing” when they jumped up and down, they’d go higher. But it was entirely for my own amusement, watching them jump around yelling “boing”. Joke’s on me though. I still shout “boing” whenever I’m driving and hit a pot hole. When the windows are open in the Summer, I get a lot of strange looks.
I apologize to my car if I hit a pothole. 😂😁
I do not know if that counts as whimsical, but I have a t-shirt with „I told you so“ written on it that I like to wear to work when projects go wrong in the way I said they would.
For the same reason I really need a t-shirt with „Pissed off and filled with the horrible love of my dark god“, which, alas, was not available in Europe.
I have quite a few. I guess I like to amuse myself. First my pets always have a poem or song that goes with their names: Rosie is Rosie Posey Puddin Pie, Willow is Willow in the Wind, Niko is Niko, Niko A Nae and they all know that’s their song or poem. Also, I sing all the time. I sing poorly but I sing, current music to every decade back to the 30’s plus TV theme songs and commercial jingles. Like if I’m pouring myself a glass of water I’ll be singing bits of Cool Water “Don’t you listen to him Dan. He’s a devil of a man, and he spreads the burring sand with water, cool clear water” Or if I’m going into the bathroom I’ll sing “It’s my potty and I’ll cry if I want to”. I also dance and sing whenever I’m in the kitchen cooking. I also have my own pronunciations for various words, some I’ve made up and other’s I’ve picked up from books or shows. A sandwich is a samich, an elephant is an oliphant, spaghetti is pasghetti and many more. I have long conversations with my dogs and cats that are a mix of words and meows or barks. I work from home and my desk is covered in rubber dusks, small stuffed animals and Snoopy figures along with a Mr. Potato Head Spock and Edgar Allen Poe sitting on a toilet reading to a skull. I have shirts for every holiday imaginable that I wear including enough for Halloween and Christmas to wear for the entire months. I have close to 20 bands for my fitness tracker so that I can match it to the holiday or season. Right now it’s purple for Mardi Gras. I have more cute and crazy socks including holiday ones than any 5 people would ever need. And I have a fairly severe canvas sneaker habit with probably 50 pairs including for every holiday and season. I’ll stop here before someone decides I need a visit from the men is white coats…..
I sing the Suppertime song from You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown to my beasts while I’m fixing their dinner.
I greet any corvid, buzzard, or raptor as Big Bird in passing. Herons too.
800+ pages makes me very happy. Even if it gets edited down a bit*, still awesome.
*Not too far!!!
I say “thank you parking angels!” whenever I find a good parking spot. It’s a habit I learned from my mother and it tickles me to imagine celestial beings drawing the short straw and being stuck with very mundane duties.
Forgot to add that that 800+ page count is a thing of beauty 😍. I’m beyond excited about Maggie.
The patio at my new house has a ton of squirrels. I talk to them all day. “hey get away from that bird feeder’ and “OMG what are you doing now?”
I tell my little nephews (5 and 6) stories that make them laugh. Some days their laughter is what my soul needs.
I foster kittens for the local shelter until they are grown enough for neutering and adoption. It’s truly amazing how much trouble unsupervised kittens can get into! Whenever I have a litter, every time I leave home I have to tell them to “try not to burn the house down” while I’m gone.
On Wednesdays, when I ran an after school program for elementary ages, at an unannounced time, I would stand, throw my arms out and yell, “It’s Wednesday! We dance!” And everyone would dance. I love kids. You can’t do this with adults!
I look for the geese that live somewhere near my office. I don’t know why. I’m in Michigan and they’re just Canada geese. I think I love that no matter how crazy my day is, the geese don’t care.
I am a doll collector and I say hello to my dolls in their cases most mornings. Sadly I am getting older so I have started downsizing my collection. I have pulled half of it to sell. The remaining ones still bring me joy.
I sing a modified version of Playmate to our youngest cat Chrissy. She goes all lovey dovey marking me and knows she’s a queen diva. It eases the stress level.
This is a bit hard to visualize, but my youngest son and I “meep” to each other (usually while hugging). We’ve been known to have entire conversations simply by “meeping” back and forth. We started this odd habit when he was little, he’s 18 now. My husband and older son think we’re bonkers, but we don’t care.
me well lots amuse me the joy of a book been in my library. singing out loud to myself . make soap. glee is an emotion that I enjoy.
since pooping is nature calling. I say oops missed a call when I fart. 🤣 I gossip with my plants when I’m taking care of them and they have names and personalities. both my roommate and I have. ridiculous conversations by taking anything to the extreme. out of coffee? the world is ending. etc
we need a sticker somehow of “800+ pages!!! we will devour!” 🤣
I talk to my parrot about daily things. When I leave for work I tell her to be good, not to have wild parties, etc, and what time I expect to get home. In the evening we talk about what’s for dinner and why she is being so noisy. 😉
Thank you ModR for the Maggie update and the query re: whimsy!
Thank you, BDH members for all the comments thus far! They have brightened my day AND I feel ‘seen’ as I too apologize to my car when I hit potholes, thank trees and flowers for their beauty and ‘dance’ in my car and sing with great enthusiasm to the radio.
Thank you House Andrew’s for all the wonderful words! May your Maggie edits proceed with ease!
I make small, whimsical clay animals and planters. They help lift my spirits and let me focus on my work. I’ve been creative my whole life, but it’s definitely to my benefit to do something fun.
I walk thru the parking lot whistling and calling “Here car, here car!”. It never comes. When I need help in grocery stores I just call out, “Hey, tall person!” to random strangers, and make eye contact. Everyone’s always helpful.
+1 for the tall person comment. The world is prejudiced against short people.
I agree with the tall person comment too. When my older brother and my mom were alive, my mom would ask him to get something off a tall shelf. My mom and I looked at each other and said “it’s nice to be tall” and laugh.
I was just at a workshop where we were encouraged to start making a list of 100 things that bring you joy. If anyone wants to read more about unlocking your creativity, let me know and I can point you to the person. For me its doing and teaching improv, also keep imagining kate daniel characters at my alma matter at Duke University
I saw (not 🪚 but 👀) 800+ pages and thought,
maybe, just maybe, if I pace myself…
I can make it last at least two days
🤣🤣🤣
a little more if it f
drops ona work (🤮) day
I can ask a coworker to sweep shifts if it comes to that…
but I digress.
800 pages of a HA book is going to feel like birthday, Christmas and día del niño, all together!!!
cannot w*it!!!
sing musical level songs to the dog that consistent solely of his name. lol
I also sing made-up songs or recite poetry to the cats … “Two cats, both alike in dignity, in furry Verona where we lay our scene …”
I also sing made-up songs or recite poetry to the cats … “Two cats, both alike in dignity, in furry Verona where we lay our scene …”. Silly songs. Also sing My Darling Clementine” while scooping cat boxes (usually one verse and two choruses).
When I belch or make any noise really, I like to semi-yell,”Delicate flower!”.
Fragile fairy incoming 😀
I say, ‘like a lady!’ Enough times that now my husband will say it if I don’t. Originally used for drinking inelegantly or licking something at the table(like my hand after spilling food on it). Really, the possible uses are endless, at least at our house. I think it was from something I read online where the character took a beer out of the fridge, drank the whole thing in one go and then belched delicately, like a lady. Sadly, I don’t remember who to credit, but it has provided years of amusement…
Excited to see Maggie is coming along. And ik probably some of the 800+ pages will get cut, but I choose to believe anything not in the book will show up here sooner or later. Do we know when in 2026 Maggie is expected to appear? It is nice to know that at least there will b that to look forward to!
I’m polite to Android Auto. For example, I say, “Please text Mark” and “No thank you” if I don’t want to reply.
When people say “I have a question for you” I give them an answer before I know what the question is. I say things like ‘camera’ or ‘only on a Tuesday’.
I love this!!
My reply is “I have an answer.” 😁
my response is normally *possible answer”
800+ pages??? Sorry for HA having to edit that many pages but very happy for the BDH!
My partner and I live in our own homes and every “good night” includes “see you in the morning for coffee separately together” – yes, we’re goofy.
I decided this year to be a rebel and put up my outdoor (solar) sparkly Christmas lights the first night of the time change instead of after Thanksgiving. They will come down the first night of Daylight Savings. Why? Because I work outside and coming home in the dark when wet, cold & miserable is happier when there are sparkly lights to greet me.
-I also started a little thing that ended up being the silliest version of Elf On The Shelf, Non-Denominational Version. First, we put our weed munchers (3 goats & a donkey) in an area with a small seasonal pond and gave them a water tub for fresh water because seasonal pond water is nasty. Then they were moved to another area and the ducks came and enjoyed/nested in the seasonal pond. And the poor water tub was just sitting out there. Lonely and without any ducks like its neighbor. So I bought bath toy mama duck with baby ducks & secretly put them in. My co workers had a great time creating conspiracy theories about how they got there. So then I found miniature rubber duckies with sunglasses (because CUTENESS) & started hiding them all over the farm. In the tractor, over the light switch in the shop, the barns, work desks, tool caddies, etc. We milked that for about a month 😉
Each of my cats has their own theme song or catchphrase that I have to sing/ say to them the first time I greet them everyday.
Go authors go! Thank you in advance.
I use foaming soap that creates a paw print on my hand before I wash it off.
My partner and I boop each other on the nose to express affection, and act all mock-indignant when our noses get booped. From first thing in the morning to before turning off the lights at night. The only time we don’t, is when I’m driving or cooking, because I don’t want to be distracted while doing something potentially dangerous 😄
I wear fun socks most days – typically animals doing cute things.
I pick different accents for different days and then my staff and I try to talk to each other only using that accent.
I also talk to food as I’m preparing and cooking it. Things like, “Get over there. What are you doing? You don’t go there, you go here, with the jalapeño. What, you think you’re too good for my veggie scramble?”
I have a kiss tax; my kids aren’t allowed to simply walk past me in the house. Nooooo, one does not simply walk past mommy. A hug and/and/or-and kiss is demanded.
Also, my daughter and I have taken to skipping everywhere. She’s on her way to 6 now, and it made me realize how boring simply walking can be.
Many years ago we put our son in charge of finding a car parking space close to wherever our destination happened to be, and we’d congratulate him every time he met with success. He grew up and left home more than a decade ago and lives halfway across the country from us, but he’s still in charge of finding convenient parking spots for us and we now send him a congratulatory text message for a particularly convenient park.
My Ripper Cushions coffee mug. It makes me smile every morning.
Thank you Authorlords!
I work with restaurant fryers and sometimes when I stir the frying food as the oil bubbles I act like it’s my witch cauldron.
My dog has an email address because I very briefly had a comic strip in the local paper of her antics and I thought people might want to email her. I never cancelled the email so sometimes I email my mom as my dog wanting to tell Grandma something. My mom gets a kick out of it.
800 pages? Dreams really do come true!
I love this question! Whenever I’m eating chocolate and a dog tries to sniff/eat it, I remind them that “only chocolate labs can eat chocolate because that’s how science works.”
I also say that trees are just trying to pat me on the head when I bump a low-hanging branch, and have slowly begun giving punny names to my houseplants such as Alajandro the aloe plant, Vinessa and Vincint the vines, and Ferny Sanders the fern.
And I now have an archnemesis in the very loud and cranky poodle that lives across the street from me. Whenever I have some small silly problem, it’s obviously the dastardly work of the poodle. In my defense, it’s a particularly vocal pup who is notorious in my building for the constant barking. Not aggressive, just a bark that can be heard on the phone across the street with the windows closed.
We call our kids Skeexis and Poozer. Sometimes they say , I’m not Poozer, I’m Skeexis! And it makes me laugh.
When we leave the house, we tell Poozer not to let any dragons in the house, especially those pesky Night Furies.
800+ pages? Yes, some serious devouring will be done. Might be even full couple of days without wondering when will the next one be ready. Or not, as BDH will stay BDH and its appetite will never be satisfied.
When I have to leave on work trips overnight, while laying down to sleep, I take a moment to figure out in which direction home is and send sleep well wishes to my cats (and potentially other important personae if they exist at that time, ie husband or partner). Sending the wishes in the right direction is very important.
At work I‘ve been known to ask my team not to sell the homeworld while I am on holiday, swim out too far and beware sharks etc
Ooo I love this trend my top ones are that whenever my dogs are all together and let out into the yard or back inside I like to dramatically say release the beasts or here comes the stampede! I also am known to take a drink and snack into the shower (especially after a hard day of work) and call it my shower picnic. My mom loves to tell me my female dog is arguing with her boyfriend whenever she goes out and barks at/with the neighbors dog .
I used to have a Mickey Mouse watch and when I was going to sleep I would say Goodnight Mickey.
I often hold impromptu dance parties with my small children. With there always being so much to do, dancing makes it all feel lighter.
In the pet theme, when I leave the house I sometimes tell our dog and two cats that Tuga, the oldest cat, is in charge, and give her strict instructions to not let the other hooligans burn the house down. So far so good!
Stupid little things… oh, a lot, I think. Talking to my cat is the least of it – it calms her to hear my voice. Talking with the pieces of my recent puzzle and acting like a hero when it fits, maybe? Doing puzzles is very rewarding and calming, I recommend^^
Wow. 800 glorious pages. Tytyty.
I get mocked by my friends but I do storm magic as well. I fling my arms into the air, swirling in a grandiose manner, and shout ‘I am the Queen of the Wind’ to the storm clouds. Thunder and lightening ensue…or so I tell myself. It started at 11 and I still love doing it.
My boys both shout “Magic hands” and hold their hands out in front of them dramatically whenever we go near automatic doors. When the doors open they bow gracefully at me and I exclaim “why thank you!” in an amazed voice.
Whenever I step out into the bright California sun I sing to myself, “blinded by the light”. And giggle inside.
When I get to those doors that slide open by themselves, I do that Jedi thing with my hand. Works every time!
I used to houl to the full moon when I was younger, and still do sometimes. But I always laugh as the witch I believe I am when making a weird remark. And my kid always say: “Mom, you sound like Ursula!” mwahaha
Is it odd that I chat with the gargoyles who live above my front door and ask them to please remind me to take my keys and phone when I go outside? They are rather good at it. I haven’t forgotten either since I asked them to remind me.
When my husband and I get separated at the grocery store he’ll call me and when I answer say ” Is this the wife finding service? Can you help me locate my wife?”
We have silly rules like if we’ve both gone to bed, but one of us gets up again, the other is well within their rights to steal and hide the others pillow while they are gone.
A skink (lizard) sometimes appears near our door. we call him Edward the doorman and greet him as we come in.
I always say hi to any animals I see when I’m out walking or hiking. Like ”hi cows 🐮 , hi horsies 🐴 , hi sheep 🐑 . And then I say baah or mooo. 😂😂
I sing in the car…. Nothing whimsical about that but I sing as if I am Dolly Parton, on stage at Vegas, and give it everything I’ve got, regardless of the song 😁
My dog gets “nakie” for the night (removes his collar) and gets dressed every morning.
We narrate what our pets are thinking… like when we have to say “stay! We’ll be back” He generally says “You guys SUCK!”
My dad uses ambiguous or amphibious for the word ambidextrous. Bulldozers are Blue-nozers…
You don’t toast bread, you “flush the toaster”…
Microwaves are “personal reactors”
“Llama, llama, llama!” This comes from a kids’ cartoon. It has become very important to “llama” family at odd moments. Such as when you’re looking out a window and they’re walking past.
Our dog understands the phrase “do you want breakfast?” but doesn’t recognise the word “dinner”. He also knows that, “do you want drugs?” means he gets a piece of sliced ham- he’s less aware of the anti allergy tablet wrapped inside the ham.
There’s lots more but those spring to mind at the moment.
I seldom am whimsical but I there are at least 5 cats roaming the alley I live in (in a house!) and not satisfied with peeing on my security screen at least one has been peeing on the windshield of my pick-up. And on the hood of my pick-up. This went from annoying to whatever the past tense of annoying is–and I had seen videos of people putting green cucumbers next to a cat and the cat fleeing. So I tried putting cucumbers on the hood of my truck. It worked but the cucumbers go bad pretty quick so I sent off for some fake rubber snakes. Put one on the hood and things were nice and then the snake disappeared. Darn cat! So I put three more on the hood and that worked for four days–then, don’t know how he or she did it but the cat peed on my back window. I think the cat had to be on the roof of my truck and hanging their fanny off the back of it to hit that window. Now I have two rubber snakes on the hood and one on the roof of my truck. At least the cat will have to make 3 trips to get rid of all of them.
I allow a silly impulse to happen. example: I was in Costco, and asked a bored stranger, “Do you want to race to the end of the row?” He did and I took off, winning by a nose. He smiled, I laughed. I am 78 and female, life is short and death is long.
Excellent! Life needs to be fun
I also sing “more wine, more wine, more wine” deliberately out of tune when I’ve perhaps had enough. I have an appalling singing voice (even I can hear I’m out of tune) but my daughter (who has close to perfect pitch and whom even as a baby showed distress when I sang to her) says I’ve improved over the years- mores the pity!
We have an automatic door that locks when you close it. I twist my hand when it locks to feel a bit of magic
I also stand under trees in the wind and listen to their whispers
I’m an all animal lover. One thing I’ve loved to do since childhood was try to impersonate animal sounds like meowing back to my cats . As an adult I love birdwatching and will try to whistle or repeat some bird calls. I have no talent for it, but it’s fun to try to talk to them. It’s 6:20 am and
a lovely songbird is outside our camper serenading us.
Take pictures of flowers and wonder which one will turn into a fairy and fly away.
I have an amazingly unmusical family-in-law – they all appreciate music greatly but couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket or find the right pitch with a bushel of forks. And boy do I fit right in 😅
They are also complete and utter nerds (and yes, still very much fitting in).
This means that certain phrases trigger an immediate and collective response of the whole lot of us breaking out in loud chorus (loud because that means you don’t notice the off-key-ness as much, obviously 😉). This includes things such as any remark baking/dough triggering a rousing rendition of “Do, a Deer” from Sound of Music, whenever you can’t find a word means “In My Head” pops up, and less musical but also in chorus is quite a few dialogues from the Monty Python oeuvre.
I have seen almost no Monty Python myself, but can quote whole scenes nearly verbatim nonetheless 😂
It does take new additions to the family some time to catch the hang of though – and some never do, more’s the pity 😉
When my dog Fozzie is in my arms, before I put him down, I say “elevator down”.
I have a disability where I walk with a cane now. As a prop for a costume I made, I took a piece of wooden dowel that had originally been used for rolling up survey plans at 5he government office. The archivists were giving them away during a restoration project . I painted the dowel black and got a brass cane topper in the shape of the skull. It was only meant for use for Halloween. Then I got disabled and started using it all the time. I travel by train to get to work and have to walk up a very long and steep hill to get to work. Some of the female students on my train laugh when they see my cane. It could be a fear response but it is more likely that they are laughing at the old man with the weird cane. Let them laugh and get some enjoyment in their day. I cover the skull over with my hsnd when I’m in range of small children to not frighten them.
If I’m alone in a lift, I will do a quick tap dance like they do in Thoroughly Modern Millie. I also used to hum the intro to Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean while walking down the office corridor of an evening because we had motion-sensor lighting that would switch on as I moved… 😂
Always try not to dig up worms etc when gardening, talk to them as I move them to safer ground. My family think it’s mad !!!
I pet the stuffed animals on my dashboard – an Eurypterid and a Trilobite.
804 pages? Odds bodkins, but that is great news! For whimsy? Well, having a mind that’s slightly more than slightly twisted, I often amuse myself with puns or wordplay of some sort. Even grocery shopping gives me material to mangle, and last Sunday had an excellent example. About three steps passed a display of ‘Puff Comforters’ I collapsed over the handle of my grocery cart because of the sudden thought that some of those should have been sent to the Magic Dragon after little Jackie stopped visiting. (Yes, I laugh at my own quips and jests; sorry.)
As an aside, I also enjoy the simple pleasure of checking the etymology of words at random. These days I use the Etymology Online Dictionary, and enjoyed what it said about ‘Whimsy.’
I dance to 80’s music when I’m cooking dinner or getting ready for work in the morning
I definitely think I’m gonna need to start calling the winds though. And of course dramatically look at my husband so he can show how in awe he is of my formidable power!!
A long time ago, in a place right up the road, I worked in a building that had a large freight elevator with a tiled floor. Anytime I had to go to an upper floor, I would race to that elevator and, as soon as the door closed, tap dance my way to happiness. Only got caught once, and as it happens, by the company VP. She just smiled, and I always wondered if, perhaps, she was seeking her own bliss.
I’m retired and live alone in a very rural area.
there is, quite literally, no one with whom I can communicate.
I have conversations all day long with my deaf cat.
I love this trend so much!
When my black cat (Lilith) flops on the floor, I like to stand on either side of her with her torso tucked between my feet. Then I shuffle and call her my shiny pebble or my egg because if I were a penguin she’d be precious to me. This is absolutely because of the movie The Pebble and the Penguin. XD
I do fairytale color-by-number painting with my acrylic markers. I imagine I’m an artist and paint like there’s no tomorrow, all the while I actually don’t have a single artistic bone in my body ( which is why I need a color-by-numbers) 😁
Thank you House Andrews for the 800+ pages to come.
I loved reading all of these posts, some making me laugh out loud. I am an OCD anal-retentive accountant and am not very whimsical – it is not appreciated in my profession (think Enron and creative accounting). However, I do use my Ripper Cushions mug at work and love explaining it when asked. I also sing along to favorite songs in my car like no-one is listening. I have a terrible singing voice and will do this with the windows open when it is warm and get very odd looks. I am at the age (60+) that I don’t care any more.
I’m loving everyone’s whimsies! A tiny few of mine below (I’m alone a lot and it shows…)
I have a large pair of purple dragon wings on my wheelchair. This not only delights me, but others, and starts lots of conversations. I have scales on it, too, and I’ll always turn and make them look if they mention the wings, lol.
I have a stairlift and when I go up and down stairs I do the queenly hand wave to the adoring crowds in my empty dining room and landing. If my husband’s around he hums the theme tune to The Thunderbirds.
I always tell the dog to be good or hide the evidence when we go out. I also ask her which radio station she feels like today: rock, talk or classical and choose one for her based on her reaction to the words.
My husband and I have very wide, eclectic music libraries in our brains and will immediately burst into song if triggered by something in conversation. This is very frequent. Drives our kids crazy.
I have a big black SUV (for my wheelchair), so when I drive I’m a secret agent on a tense mission to save the world.
The mosque down the road has one large dome and two smaller minarets either side and it looks like someone in a beanie hat and matching mittens waving happily, so I always take a break from my secret agent duties when driving past to wave back.
You know how people put words on the walls of their house? Like FAMILY, FRIENDS, LIVE LAUGH LOVE, etc. And you know how people complain about the how the word Moist is unappealing? Well, I always felt sorry for that word, always out in the cold when it never did anything bad to anyone. So, I ordered a wooden sign from Etsy that says Moist. Then I hung it up in my laundry room.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Classic.
At what point does ‘whimsy’ become ‘weird’?
If I pass a barking dog I’ll greet him as Sir Barks-a-lot.
Automatic doors that have that round black and yellow sticker with ‘Caution’ in the middle? I always read them as an Automatic Caution Door. And then snicker about it for the next 10 minutes.
If I don’t drive my car for a few days, especially if I was driving a different car, I will greet it when I drive it again. And if the weather is bad, I will tell it that ‘we’ll make it through this together’
I also tend to call out ‘Im home’ when I’ve had a long day and am happy to get home. Spoiler alert… I live alone.
I too am a perennial Automatic Caution Door pointer-outer
If I found I have done something in the past to make my future easier, I will verbally tell my past self “Thank you past me!” At the same time, when I know I am doing something to help my future self I will say “Your welcome future me.” to my future self as I do so.
This can be very satisfying even for the smallest of things ^_^.
Shortly after we got married, my husband and I took a trip to Walt Disney World, staying in the Animal Kingdom, and while we were there he bought me a silly stuffed tiger that fits nicely in the crook of my arm. Since then, whenever I have to fly somewhere alone, I take my flying tiger so I won’t feel lonely. He travels in my carry-on bag with his head poking up to see where we’re going, and when we get to our seat on the plane I take him out so he can look around. Once or twice TSA has stopped us for a closer inspection on our way through security, which is a little bit hilarious since my tiger and I are pretty much the definition of unprepossessing, but one can argue that it’s their job to be chalant at all times. I simply explain that he’s my emotional support animal and I need him when I travel, and that seems to be sufficient.
At home, if I’m sick or I’m feeling sad, I go get my tiger and carry him around with me, and my husband knows that I need a little cheering up.
In the first Ray’s of the sun coming out I fill my bird feeders and sing the birds and trees. The birds come close to watch me sing to them. A special way to start my day. I also sing to my Yahuah(GOD)!! To thank him for a new day.☺️☺️
I make up my own funny or bawdy lyrics to songs and when they come on the car radio I quietly sing along with my own lyrics and then I giggle. I only do this when I’m alone. 🙂
I just finished a re-read of the Edge series and have a question that is not related to the blog today. Did Richard Mar keep his new face, or did he have another surgery to try to look more like his original self? I’m wondering if HA ever thought about that. I did a search on the Facebook page and didn’t see this question, so sorry if it’s already been answered. Thanks.
I will randomly spout off parts of kids poems while at work, I’ve read them over and over to my kids and now grandkids. ickle me pickle me tickle me too went for a ride on a flying shoe. Hooray! What fun! it’s time we flew! said ickle me pickle me tickle me too… Shel Silverstein was always a favorite
i love that poem! love shel silverstein!
I do a little hand flick, usually accompanied by a silent Abracadabra, when I go up to automatic doors to pretend I magically opened the them.
Years ago, my husband and I started putting tiny rubber figurines of ducks and sometimes Buddhas on the lintels of our doors (that tiny ledge that runs across the top of most doorways) for protection, but in a totally not serious, mostly joking way.
I also tell my cats that it isn’t true that they haven’t eaten in a million years when they meow pitifully right before meal time.
I have something i leaned from my mom.
Whenever she feels like she need a hug she says: “My cuddlerol levels are critically low. We need to fix it immediately.”
And I mean – what is one to do? It’s a medical emergency. So we cuddle.
We have a dog and two cats and I often will speak in-voice for them based on their facial expressions and actions to give voice to their feelings as I interpret them. I often end up making my family laugh.
Explaining it doesn’t sound whimsy inspiring at all but it really is fun and our pets are super amusing!
My husband and I like to ‘collect’ words in different languages, then randomly use them in our speech. We have a language all our own, which is utterly bewildering to outsiders. Occasionally we even find ourselves confused.
We recently adopted a cat and we’re trying to make her multilingual, too. We talk to her a lot. So far she learned the word ‘no’ in several languages. I take her with me when I shower. The steam helps her stuffy nose and aging joints. But really, I just like to see her curled up outside my shower door.
Before we adopted our cat, we loved a neighbors’ cat, for whom I wrote a little jingle. It went “Who’s my itty bitty / Pretty little kitty ” – I know, I could give House Andrews a run for their money with this.
One of my favorite pastimes (not sure if it counts as whimsy) is listening to Korean slow rock and trying to sing along (with decidedly mixed results). Both the language and the songs are difficult, but it’s my kind of music. If anyone’s curious, look up Lee SeungGi on youtube.
When I had access to a pool I used to do water aerobics. When I used a kick board to push the water forward and back I pretended I was the Goddess making waves in the ocean.
Sometimes I was a frolicking mermaid. An artist friend painted a watercolor painting of me as a mermaid.
My husband and I have silly names for each other and use running jokes we began in 1984. We’ve been married 40 years now.
I too have Siamese cats (very talkative), my husband and translate their howls into dialogue e.g. Cat howls “breakfast is late, you can’t get the staff . Or “help help mum’s up to no good in the bathroom let me in to see what she’s up to.”
Thank you for all the sharing bits of whimsy. It makes me smile.
I know we do things, but I cannot think of them right now. I am seriously sleep deprived due to med have been on 2 weeks with 2 weeks more to go! I can’t wait to be able to sleep more than 2 hours at a time! (total 4-6 per 24!) Wired and tired. Life is good.
Currently I am playing with buttons to make jewelry. All the colors and textures make me happy. There are about 100 yellow ones on my desk now
Yellow! I love yellow buttons. Talk about inspiring joy!
Never first, probably last. Mostly because I am laid back and most cases into a book and not paying attention to the outside world. This keeps me sane. So in cases of whimsy. Mostly we talk about all the things we would do if we had 1000 dollars. The answer can not be used to pay bills or debt or anything a responsible adult would most likely do. This has led us to some really well thought out and even researched answers. To date, my son wants to buy as many post cards and stamps as purchasable and send random cards to people. Some we know, most we don’t and a few famous. I decided that we would send happiness on those cards. I said a simple, Hi Have a good day, makes people smile. My grandfather said “You can communicate with anyone as long is you wave and smile.” He was an old fashioned soul. Tipping hats and greeting people was so him. In this world of sometimes chaos I have no doubt that a smile goes a long way.
I say bye-bye to my apartment daily before leaving and tell it to be a good apartment
Not just you….
My joy? It used to be planning quilts. I haven’t quilted since my husband died. Now, I plan my garden, or my vegetable plot. I shop for something fun for my grandchildren. I enjoy birds out my window. I talk EXTENSIVELY with the cats. Hooligan, Death Of Plants, and Old Lady, Needer of Meds. And I put off housework (always a win!) and read a lot…
My dad’s friend finally bought her dream car, a sporty little red car. She named it James so she could say, “Home,James” when she left work. I like to play spa music when I wash my face at night to help me slow down and relax.
I still stomp in every puddle I can when it rains and I am 58 years old, especially when I used to walk my dogs (they have crossed the rainbow bridge). It is worth washing my clothes/shoes for the sheer fun of it.
We have a sharp turn in our neighborhood, about 135 degrees. I always think or say, if I am driving “wheeee!” My boys 6,8, and 11 (and all their friends) have also started “whee-ing” around any corner taken sharply. It never fails to bring a smile to my face.
Our youngest son was just married a few months ago and a couple weeks ago he called to chat and said hey Mom, wife just told me I can stop making the “mmmmhu” sound every time I kiss her head as I walk by and I cannot stop, it’s instinct cause you’ve done it to me as long as I can remember. We laughed and that later that day as I kissed my hubby as I walked past him, I also realized I do it to him complete with the sound effect without even thinking about it and have been chortling to myself all week. We do it to the bird too, and he also makes a kissy sound back.
When I am home on maternity leave, everything has sound effects. Picking up the baby? whoosh. Bringing food to the table? trumpets. My sleep addled brain when examining a patient decided that the physical exam needed sound effects when I returned from maternity leave… I apologized to the patient, but when I explained that all actions have had sound effects for the last 3 months, I got a chuckle. 🥴
I also thank Alexa for the weather report. I didn’t even realize it until my mom was over and asked me what I was doing. (I can’t even blame that one on a baby.)
What do I do for whimsy? I foster cats. It has been a joy to get to know these little guys and gals that come in to the shelter, while I help them get ready for their forever home. Cats have so much variety in their personalities! I work from home, and getting a few minutes of cat cuddles here and there really helps keep me refreshed and engaged.
Also, the corporate position of Chief Cuteness Officer is always held by one of these cats.
One bit of whimsy is putting on sequins for no reason at work or wearing glitter just because. I like sparkling some days.
My dad called the HOV lane the “Nah Nah lane” because you say, “Nah Nah” as you pass everyone stuck in traffic.
I still call it that now. I was in college when I finally realized that lane had an actual name.
I take my kids (now my grandkids) out to look for the fairy court in the he evening, we look for the lights and listen for the music. (one day we will catch it before the King and Queen move courts!) It is a tradition I started because our birthdays are all in the Summer and fairy lights abound in the glades!
After reading these, I feel better about the world, and am sure you all are my kind of people. When I leave the house I tell the dog to guard the house and the cat to guard the dog. When I feel like having a something ‘special’ I make a strong black tea, no milk, pour it into an expensive crystal goblet and sip appreciatively. Sometimes I pour one (in a cheaper goblet) for the cat. We discuss the state of the world.
I like to watch the sparrows hop around in their silly little way and I wish them well when I pass by 🙂 I watch squirrels too.
I also do ballroom dance and west coast swing! Highly recommend dance for all your whimsy needs
Every single night, I scream out to my dog: “go zoomie go” and we zoom around the apartment together and jump on the bed and on the couch
I tell whichever pet I see last to guard the house. Some days the house guardian is a yellow budgie others a 120lb doberman and even more often it is a cat. Everyone gets a turn to be a guardian of the house even the turtle in the backyard gets a shout out.
I made up lyrics to the tune of The Caisons keep rollin along’ when I was a teen:
‘I hate dishes, dirty dirty dishes! I hate dishes, I have them every night! There’s dishes tonite, and dishes each nite and dishes the rest of my life!
Washing on, washing on, washing on by the light of the sink! Happy is the day when they all go away as I go washing washing on!
When I was a kid we would sometimes answer the phone with ‘Greetings earthling’ and I still do this from time to time.
Have loved the comments upthread and think it’s time to reintro more whimy into my life.
Wooohooo Maggie!
I’m loving this! I talk pretty much all the time-stream of consciousness stuff-and drive my kids and husband nuts (sometimes, on purpose). The cats don’t bat an eye, though. I break out into song spontaneously (can’t sing worth a toot, but do it anyway). I purposefully mangle lyrics to suit the occasion. Some of the whackadoodle stuff I heard as a kid comes out, and my kids still look at me and say “Was that a real song?” “Puppy Love” ala Donnie and Marie Osmond, anyone? My younger child and I make haka faces and do the bump in our teeny tiny ridiculous kitchen. We scream “Eleven” at weirdly inappropriate times (From a skit featuring a Scottish lift, BBC Scotland, Burnistoun). All in good fun!
My husband and I tell each other “Have fun storming the castle!” when leaving for work (or any other reason).
Our grocery shopping has become our “date night!” It heralds back to when we raised our three small grandchildren and our rare nights out were for groceries. We still joke that it is our date!
I am building a fairy garden and getting a cute Barbie doll to dress up in fancy clothes (since my life does not include fancy dresses).
I love the idea of a HUGE Andrews’ book! Any book!
Love this! I tell my girls(my dogs) to make sure my husband behaves while I am gone. He always gives me an eye roll for that.
I love this! It reminds me of the poem ‘Warning’ by Jenny Joseph which begins, ‘ When I am old I will wear purple…’
One of my little joys is sweeping into the kitchen in the morning and saying ‘Good morning” in the accent of Inspector Clouseau. Or entering a room and proclaiming, ‘It is I, your daughter/friend/sister..’ (depending on who is there.)
Another is occasionally breaking into Shakespearean English for no good reason – ideally to speak of very prosaic things.
I am so excited about Maggie!!! More exclamation marks!!!! But chalant. Totally chalant.
I like to make Obi Wan Jedi gestures to open self opening doors. Either that or say “Open Sesame” at precisely the right moment.
I like to shove my hand into my husband’s shirt sleeve or or up his shirt and caress his face. Yesterday, I managed to get my hand into his pants leg. He always complains about how I’ll stretch out his clothes, but he can’t help but smile and squirm to get away.
When I’m in a good mood, I give the pets voices with bad accents. My husband keeps asking why the dog has to speak with a Russian accent – sorry, Ilona, it isn’t very good) – and I just tell him that I give whatever the moment asks for me to give.
I break out into random dance parties and encourage the small human to do same. Good endorphins and light hearted goofiness.
I tell my dog Mabel that she is the bestest dog in the whole wide world. She agrees and loudly demands treats. Which she gets.
I keep timer tea lights in all my many dollhouse bathrooms/outhouses. The lights shine through the night so the dollhouse dolls can find their way to their respective bathroom areas after dark— just in case.
For example, someone shared that they meow songs to their cats “so they can hear the lyrics in their own language“
Too, too funny!!
I am retired and live with cats.
I have always given my pets the name of a fictional character, often but not always obscure. I started with “Old Yeller” for the cat when I was 8 or 9. (He was yellow and *loud*.)
At almost 76, I have Bahzell and Karat. (Extra points if you know where Bahzell comes from and why he needed to be extra large. Hint at the bottom.) Yes, Karat’s official name is Lady Alvina. Thanks HA.
We have many and loud conversations, usually about food.
I also play with my hair color. My hair has been totally white for many years – which is boring – so I have stripes of “fantasy” color put in at the salon. Currently, my hair is sporting alternate stripes of magenta and violet.
Unfortunately, nobody recognizes me without the color, even my kids, so I can’t stop. It’s a good thing I like it.
Hint:Bahzell Banackson, Prince of Hurgrum, Paladin of Tomonak
i always thank my car for her loyal service for the 18 years I’ve been driving her and praise her often💜.
Eddie Murphy did a horrible song produced by Rick James called Party all the time. When the poodle beast has to go out I sing, “She has to potty all the time, potty all the time, potty all the tiiiiiime.” She loves it and prances her evil little paws straight to the door.
My car has a name. Raijin. I always greet him “hey rai”, “see you later raijin!” or “hey, lets go home rai”.
Or with computers and printers. I try to be nice to them (occasional stroke) so they will work with me.
I talked a lot with my cats of course and they meowed back a lot. Was very cool.
Born in Wiesbaden, Germany, I believe I have everything you have ever written and had published.
When I approached any automatic doors I make myself believe that they opened because of my powers hehehe. I do a little hand movement and voilà!
I have sheep 3 of them are black so I sing the black sheep song everytime I go out to them…also when someone says they have a hole in….well anything I start singing the hole in the bucket song. it drives my kids crazy and when we went to meet my daughters boyfriend she was complaining about a hole in her shoe and I automatically started singing it. She was horrified, but the boyfriend thought it was hilarious I also sing to the moon, I see the moon and the moon sees me.
We live outside of town and I love to talk and sing to the stars when I’m out walking the dog in the dark evenings. In winter, I align the myself with the Milky Way and the trees along the side of the road until it looks like the tree tops are alight with twinkling stars. Makes me feel like one of Tolkien’s elves.
Pageeesssssss, omnomnomnomnom!!!!
My whimsical nonsense exists primarily in my head: I nicknamed all the people at work and turned mundane tasks into grand sagas – Red Bear, Hoodie, and I reconned the area, gathered the needed supplies, and set out on our expedition; braving the wild Foot Eating Floor Conveyor, dodging the voracious Fork Lift of Doom, etc etc, until finally we reached our destination and fed the sacrifice to the Devouring Green God of the Flatland. Upon our return we gave a sitrep to Code Name Boss Man (translation: we took the garbage out to the dumpster).
Sometimes I acquire a container of dihydrogen monoxide and a pressure deficit liquid transfer device and rehydrate my corporeal temporary spirit housing apparatus (I drink water through a straw).
Needless to say, I was the weird kid in class.
Not sure if this counts as adding a bit of whimsy, but it sure is fun- I dance with my dog. He just thinks we’re playing, of course, but he’s a pretty good dancer. Our favorite song is Miranda Lambert’s “Mama’s Broken Heart”, lots of energy in that one.
Mainly talk to the cats as if they’re human. Examples, “Where’s your sister?” “Yes, yes I know but I can’t turn on the sun for you!”
Or make up parody lyrics while I’m driving home from work about whatever happened that day and sing them at the top of my lungs.
So I work at a theater in a small rural community. As a lone female on a crew of mainly men…I am the Controller of Chaos.
I like to go around and around on the roundabout when driving until my children start complaining about me and not each other.
The question has to asked: as u drive around and around, do u say, “Look, kids, Big Ben!” (Or some other local landmark, like the fire station, etc.) But gotta love that approach to get the kids to stop bickering by claiming the title of Most Annoying. Bonus points if you sing/hum a song u love and they hate.
When I have to leave the dog for a while I play movies for him. Mowana and Encanto are his favorites and we sing the songs together.
I translate my cat’s meows, she has an imperious, posh English accent.
cat: “meow”
me: “feed me peasant!”
cat: “meow”
me: “I’m wasting away you plebian!”
cat: “meow”
hubby: “has she been fed?”
me: “yes, do not believe her lies”
I buy reading glasses from the Dollar store in all the colors, then match them to my outfit.
800+ pages!!! I am very excited. For whimsy, I talk to, and name, things. Plants, cars, clothes, dishes, and almost everything else. So far they haven’t complained.
“OMG OMG OVER EIGHT HUNDRED PAGEEEEES! WE SHALL DEVOUR!”
That was the first thing I thought. OVER 800 PAGES. Does the Kermit flop of happiness.
I eat any defective food (like burnt French fries/chips) first, so they don’t get a complex.
We always do an egg dance when we get the first egg of the season from our hens. So far, I’ve only dropped one while dancing.
I dance with my cat to Chappell Roan songs
My brother and I tend to quote (or misquote) The Princess Bride. And I am definitely unemployed in Greenland, not a sngle job in Greenland in my resume.
I recorded the movie to tape and then proceeded to write the script word for word… before the time of DVDs with subtitles…..
My Whimsy. I do a Jane Austen curtsey to people when I greet them.
when I burb loudly I say. “Take that evil-doers”! My husband and kids roll their eyes.
I talk with my Pionius parrot, Gryffyndor Mc fluffypants.
I have a fancy teacup. I don’t actually like tea but I love my little dainty teacup and I drink juice from it each morning. It makes me happy.
I love this idea: juice in a fancy teacup! Because why not? I may have to borrow it. But I need to find me a fancy teacup first.
Random dancing in the kitchen with my son or in my desk chair by myself. Break into song when I’m alone (because I know my voice is bad now, but sometimes the choir girl just escapes!)
I also make lists! Actually writing a list of things reduces my anxiety because now I’ve started [even if none of it gets done.] lol
I tell my kitties to not burn down the house. They are litter mates and have a pretty good sibling rivalry going between the sisters.
My Neighbor Totoro is my favorite movie so decorating my home is a wooden Totoro clock, water fountain, and plant figurine. Also must include my cute but majestic metal dragons hanging in my kitchen.
My 7 year old and I like to say, “Lets ah go! Its ah me! Mario!” whenever we leave the house.
I usually wear glasses that have UV protection but sometimes switch to contacts. It’s so much brighter than I expect outside & I’ll yell Bright Light Bright Light & I’m a mogwai! But I’m so old that only my boss knows what I’m referring to. My other co workers just think I’m odd. Of course they skipped all the great movies, like Feris & don’t get the ending in Deadpool or, sigh, Airplane! & don’t underwhy I giggle about the red zone when I pick them up at the airport
i yell “bright light! bright light!” too! hehehe
I’m a flight attendants and I sing “So long Farwell” from the Sound of Music everytime I close the airplane door. I don’t do it on purpose, I’m mostly singing to myself but invariably someone I’m working with or a passenger in the first row will sing the next line.
hey Mod R, your busy bee pic reminded me of the apple (butt) bee scene and I am really hoping and sending all the good vibes to the house Andrews for an easy,fast , satisfactory and delightful editing experience .. and an just so gleeful for the 800+ page count.. want it ..want it (a twirling happy song💃💃💃💃💃) ..I am eagerly anticipating the day when I’ll be devouring it..yay yay yay🥳🥳🥳🥳
and more power and right path to you all🤞💪🧭💪🧭🤞
thank you very much for our upcoming treat
🤓
..and also reading all the time isn’t enough whimsical?!
Every time someone asks me why I need to go to the bathroom for a second time I answer: “something must be wrong with my prostrate”. Because that is what my father used to say and it stuck when I was a little girl. Now I just do it for fun.
I say “Open Sesame” to my garage door when I come home.
On another note, I just saw that the new roller coaster at a theme park by me is Wrath of Rakshasa. Did a BDH member design this? lol.
When I have nesting birds who naturally choose to nest in the bush I have to pass every time I leave or enter the house, and they choose to scream/scold/fly out at me, which of course they do, I have conversations with them that start out reasonably assuring them I won’t hurt their babies. But, as time goes on, this descends down to instructive lectures on dangers vs nondangers and then down further to derogatory remarks on their parenting skills, and I am ashamed to say I might be yelling at this point.
When leaving the house, I tell the cats I love them and to be nice to each other. No bullying or fighting, except for my “special” kitty who gets more than her fair share of the bullying. Her I tell to not take that and to stand up for herself. It has worked. She is less shy and interacts with me and the others more, sometimes even snuggling with some of them. Then I tell everyone that I’ll be back later “Good Lord willin’ and the crick don’t rise.” which I think I heard on The Beverly Hillbillies when I was a child. It is profound in its way.
My son’s think its corny, but I have to howl when I see a full moon. sadly they won’t join my antics, but it sure does bring me joy.
I and my 4.5 pound Papillion dog travel often to visit family, who have a extreme affection for my little Claudie. When I have to stop for fuel, I tell my sweet little pup to guard the car and bite anyone who gets in…she might lick an intruder, or they might keel over from an cuteness overload, but she would run away before biting anyone.
at work, my co-worker Kimberly and I have been known to applaude the sunrise and tell it “Good Job” if it is particularly spectacular one in the winter.
Late to the discussion but I couldnt resist. My kids (not little anymore, 19, 21, 23) and I play Would You Rather with self made absurd scenarios and have extensive and serious discussions regarding the insane details of each choice and why we choose which option. Our dinner conversations can get really wild but its really fun. My guys are all really funny and we will maintain a straight face while espousing/debating the most absurd things.
I plug my earbuds in, and wiggle my tush to music whilst doing the dishes..
It makes washing up fun, & helps to burn a few extra calories as an added bonus!!
If the music in the supermarket or elevator is too loud i start dancing or conducting to the embarrassment of my kids. But it makes me happy and if my sister is with us she joins in. Actually, dancing in the street or just anywhere really makes me happy every time. Disclaimer: i am not a dancer so it probably looks terrible.
Every time my 12 year old tells me to “stop”, (usually because I am annoying him) I follow with “in the name of love, before you break my heart…”
You are welcome for the ear worm😁
I tore a ligament in my knee twice (8 years apart). It took surgery and 7 months of therapy each time to walk and run again. Surprisingly STAIRS were one of the biggest challenges the first couple months. They were my Mt Doom, my nemesis.
Going up and down stairs fills me with joy every time. I march up the stairs like a soldier going to war. I dance down the stairs like Gene Kelley in “Singing in the Rain” At the gym, people look askance when I grin ear to ear as I exit. No longer do I take stairs for granted, and everyday I can use them is a gift.
I really needed this post … i was so bluuuuuu…..i lost one my street dogs last sat … she’d been around since 7 yrs … god ..she was smart I miss her terribly
Soooo I have the habit of talking to myself out loud … one of my septuagenarian colleagues heard it and thought I was crazy , well he’s not wrong but I’m crazy for other reasons😁😁 .i talk to my plants as well , infact I had a good cry about sandy ( the dog I lost) with the gulmohar tree in my backyard .. it was cathartic.
whenever it is cold out i purse my lips and breath out just right so i blow “smoke” like a dragon
I read the coolest, most badass sentences in books out loud, as if I were… Kate for example (she has the best ones, no doubt about that). You know, with emphasis and mimics and all her snark. Like snarling: „If I were my father Jim, you would kneel by my boot and be happy about it.“
Or since I just watched a Yellowstone re-run, stop Netflix and repeat the Beth-Dutton-best-ofs like: „You need to read the fineprint… I‘m the bigger bear“. Mwuahaha…
Hm, a bit weird, now that I Read that black on white 😂😂😂
Ha! I’m so late reading this, I’m probably last!
Okay true confession. I have this coffee maker that I love. It has a place on the side where the scoop attaches. It’s ingenious. In the mornings, I stand in front of it and cry out, “Where’s the scoop? What will we do? How will the coffee be made? Oh, here it is right here.” I pull it off and wave it around in victory to absolutely no one. It’s so crazy.
Hahahaha! This will be my husband when I finally get a butter dish that has a place to hold the butter knife.
I try new knitting patterns with different abbreviations that just F’s it up. I’m working on a shawl pattern I have ripped out over 9 times because I screwed it up. I am determined to get it right!!!!
I like to imagine fortune cookie fortunes with tv/movie lines. “Trust no one.” “The truth is out there.” “In the end, there can be only one.” “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” “Make it so.” “We’re not in Kansas any more.” “Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy night.”
I work nights, and am not naturally a night owl. So, every night when I leave the house for work, I compliment God on His artistry for the night. The wind is sweet, the stars are lovely, we need the rain. That kind of thing. Helps me reframe my mind for the night shift.
I love this! On so many levels.
I dance while I clean house, and many other things. Tina Turner and I can still rock it out, lol, even though I’m 72.
Most of my whimsy revolves around my 2 children at this point in life. One of my son’s (4.5 yo) favorite things is when I pretend to beat him up using my daughter’s (5 months old) tiny feet & fists. I gently but swiftly strike out with her appendages, making comic book sound effects when they land, and meanwhile I pretend to scold her. “Oh no, baby, don’t hurt your brother! Why? Why would you do this? No baby, he loves you so much! Oh no [son] I’m so sorry, I don’t know what’s gotten into her!” He loves it. Wild fits of giggles. So far baby girl just looks confused, but then we tickle her tummy for the baby giggles.
I ask my dogs “Who put a quarter in you?!!?” when they’re running around at top speed having the zoomies. My dogs are like those little rides for kids. You put a quarter in and off it goes, for a few minutes anyway. then just as abruptly, it stops. Sometimes, when they stop so dramatically, I’ll ask them “Did you run out of quarters?”
If my dogs fail to greet me at the door when I come home I’ll yell “honey, I’m home!” and they come running. (I live alone.)
Sometimes I tease them about being “Hungry Hungry Hippos” when I feed them. They gobble down their food so fast that they look like the children’s game in action.
My dad does this thing where we’ll be talking about something and he’ll randomly burst in with “Hey, there’s a song about that! Would you like to hear it?” and I quite enjoy the songs he comes up with, whether they’re actual song lyrics or ones he modified slightly to suit his purpose. My brain runs on song lyrics! But my mother despises this game and won’t let my dad play it around her.
I often reach for the remote when its out of reach, and try to will it to come to my hands. When it inevitably fails to move, I say “the force is NOT strong in this one.”
I like to sit in my yard and enjoy nature and when it is breezy and the leaves of the trees wave, I wave back. I don’t want to be rude.
I pat the dashboard of my ambulance every time I insult her technical properties (ambulance is a “she” in my language). It is a piece of crap vegicle, but it’s not her fault, she was built that way, so I have to remind her not to take it personaly, otherwise she takes offense in a spectacular way (like dying i the middle of a highway with a patient on board.)
My random bit of whimsy is that when I see a bunny or rabbit when I’m driving, I’ll roll down the window and shout “Mr. Rabbit! Oh, Mr. Rabbit!” like I’m Alice from Alice in Wonderland. 🐇
Whimsy… look for cats where they can’t be reasonably expected to be found. Then… find them. Yesterday. Visit parents condo community. No cats, no dogs outside. Enclosed by wall, on a land spit. Walking walking by the lovely manicured mangrove seawall walking path. Shadow in the mangrove, walking by. Wait, what? That looked like a cat. No way. Look again? Black cat walking tippitoe through the mangrove. Me: Horns of dilemma, is this cat escaped from condo or dumped off here? Is this cat waiting for owner to return from *their walkies*? Or did it come in stealth mode sleeping in someone’s vehicle and is it most importantly LOST? Dunno. Not coming out to me. Go home pray some, visit again in a week look for cat again. Sigh. Life is hard. So many many questions!
Whenever I’m looking for a parking spot, I sing “parking karma, parking karma…” repeating those words to the tune of “Love and Marriage”. It works. Every. Time.
When putting our dogs in their kennel (half the air conditioned/heated garage with cushy beds), I sing them a little “It’s kennel time” song. One of the lyrics is, “It’s kennel time…kind of like hammer time, but it’s for dogs.” I also sing one of them a song to the music of Rubber Duckie from Sesame Street. (Tucker puppy, you’re the one…you make daytime so much fun…”
When I drive at night and see trees shivering in the wind, I imagine them being jostled by giants sneaking in the dark.
When I was a kid I read that if you stand on one leg and hold out one arm and close one eye, then you can see fairies. To this day, if I see a bird behaving suspiciously I will surreptitiously check for fairies on its back, just in case. This must look like i’ve had a mid-stride body spasm to onlookers, but i’d rather be the weirdo than the loser who missed out on magic.