I Am Declaring The Rest Of The Month "Be Silly In August!"

"Don't Be Afraid To Look Silly."

~ Tara Strong ~

Dear Ones,

I remembered something today as I was wandering around out in the yard with the pugs. It just tickled me to pieces, and it prompted this silly yet sincere entry. I am declaring the rest of the month of August a time to be as silly as you can. At least do one silly thing a day. In these trying times with the economy, people struggling and out of work, the war raging on, if we can't be silly on a regular basis life could be unbearable. I make silly a daily practice, as serious a practice as meditation or prayer. Yes, I'm very serious. Now put your silly hat on and join me, especially those of you who always have your serious hat on and are horrified at the very thought.

I will share with you the memory that popped up... For a time I worked in the MRI department at the hospital. We would see some terribly sad cases, one in particular that got us all so down we couldn't see up. A lovely young woman who had been trying to get pregnant for some time finally did, she and her husband were elated, and then she found out that she had a very serious form of cancer. We saw hard cases all the time but this one just broke our hearts.

The next day, on the way to work, I was thinking that none of us could change that very sad situation, but we all needed a spirit-lifting to go on and do our jobs. I stopped at the drugstore on the way to work and bought a big box of those cheap little bottles of bubbles that we buy for our children. If ever there was a time we needed a little bit of the joy of that inner child that still lives within us, it was now.

I walked into the MRI department and went to every desk and every room, even my boss's, and handed them all a bottle of bubbles. I told them they had to use it at least 10 times. First, I think, some were a little startled and uneasy, but as I walked back down the corridor to my desk I could hear laughter starting all over around me. As I looked back down the hall I saw bubbles floating out of nearly every office and when I got back to my department all of the women were laughing and blowing bubbles at each other. The most bubbles of all were coming out of my boss's office. We laughed and blew bubbles all day. We blew bubbles at some of our more jovial patients. Some went down the halls of the hospital blowing bubbles. I never forgot that and many of them told me for some long time after that that it was their best day at work. Everybody needs bubbles. Go buy a bottle of bubbles, you have to use them at least 10 times a day, and get a bottle for every one you know that is sad or having a hard time. You won't regret it.

Then there was the time an old woman in the complex I lived in had just lost her husband. She was bereft. After a couple of weeks went by I cut a huge bouquet of flowers for her from my garden and had a bottle of bubbles in my pocket. She was so happy about the flowers and the big hug and kiss on the cheek I gave her she started to cry. She had no children in town and at 90 was a shut-in and saw few people besides "Meals on Wheels." As we sat and talked I said, "Mable, I have another little present for you and I want you to promise me you'll use it." She hesitatingly said okay and I pulled out a bottle of bubbles. I handed it to her and she looked something between baffled, embarrassed and confused. I went over and opened the bubbles and blew them right in her face. She burst out laughing. Then I handed them to her and she blew them in my face and we both laughed. I said, "Mable, you promise me you will get these bubbles out and blow them 10 times a day even if you never leave the house. Blow them at the t.v., blow them at the toaster, blow them at the refrigerator, take them into the bathroom and blow them while you're on the potty. This kind of shocked the hoo-ha out of her but she burst out laughing. She said, "You're crazy you know." I said, very seriously, "I try." I hugged her as I left and the next day when I went out to get in my car to do errands there stood Mable, standing on her doorstep, blowing bubbles out into the air and looking as happy as a little kid. I shouted "That a girl Mable, keep blowing!" and she blew bubbles in my direction. I drove off laughing out loud at the 90 year old woman filling the air with bubbles. Bubbles are magic!

Then, there were the flamingos. I was going through a very hard time and in a deep depression. I knew something had to pull me out of it and driving down the road I saw a little garden center that must have had one hundred pink plastic flamingos all over the place. I laughed all the way home. I got on eBay that night and ordered pink flamingos for my garden. I put them right on and was just thrilled with myself...

I mean did I look GRAND or what?

Then came the day that I found the flamingo hat and it rocked my world! I don't have a picture of me in it because there wasn't anyone around to take it, but this is the hat. I mean really, don't you just want to go out and get one???

For a time I wore it out every day to get my mail. I got dirty looks, perplexed looks and saw some people laughing. I told friends "If you can't do something to shock your neighbors you aren't living right." The year of the flamingos I decided to decorate my Christmas tree in flamingos and other little birds from the hobby shop. Sadly I didn't have enough flamingos to fill the tree but a friend sent me pink Christmas lights and that was my favorite Christmas tree ever. See...

It has a 1950's plastic atomic bomb ornament on the top and I tucked in any little odd thing I could find. You can't really appreciate it in this picture but you should have seen it at night with all the pink lights glowing and the flamingos sticking their necks out. In the end I stuck a few more garden flamingos in and I think it was my happiest Christmas ever! I'm all about vintage and kitsch.

That was also the year I bought the grandest light ever from an old lady who sold them on eBay. She made them herself and talk about kitschy! It breaks my heart that I don't still have it but I moved several times after that and I don't know what happened to it. She turned a white plastic plant pot upside down and screwed it to the bottom. Light Brite plastic pieces and even some little birds which, living in a house full of parrots at that time ticked me pink! This you've GOT to see. Everyone should have one. I wish I knew how to make them...

Oh! And one of the lights I found one Christmas just delighted me to pieces and I wish I had a picture. I left it up for a long long time until it kind of fell apart. I found the light at a tiny little country garden stand where I'd gone to buy a fresh pine wreath. In the little shed where you went in to pay there were these fabulous Christmas lights hung up all over in all kinds of bright colors and I practically jumped up and down. The lady, about 70, had made them (See, there's just no reason to fear getting old. Older people know how to have fun I just bought a DVD because I had read about it and they didn't have it on Netflix. It's called "Over 90 and Loving It." Oh my, it's one of the greatest most joyful movies I've ever seen. Beg, borrow, or buy that movie and you won't regret it!).

These delightful lights were made by gluing countless little clear plastic cups together, open side facing out, into a great big orb, and in the center, before the last cup was glued into place a whole strand of Christmas lights were stuffed in, leaving a long tail with the plug sticking out so you could plug it in. I wish I had purchased more but I love a Christmas tree with blue lights so I got a blue one. I used to sit at night with the lights out and stare at it just mesmerized. I mean really, the cheap little things like this that you can buy I believe really are the most precious joyful things of all. That's why I frequent junk shops, flea markets and the peculiar little shops that have all kinds of old weird things. I have purchased some really odd things there that have delighted me no end.

And every day you should do the hula...

And most definitely you should do the macarena every chance you get...

And you should you should certainly have flamingos on top of your refrigerator (You can never have too many flamingos!)...

And sometimes you should forget the hats and scarves and just wear birds. It's an old picture but I still look like this a lot of the time...





Now, there's not a lot of August left so get crackin'. And I would love for you to leave notes on the message board on the right and tell me about all the silly things that you do. Share the joy!

I do, however, have to warn you about two things. Watch out for the penguins. They are not to be trusted...




And never, I mean NEVER, have anything to do with a sheep wearing stockings and heels. They are ALL floozies and not to be trusted. They will tarnish your reputation...




My reputation is badly tarnished at this point, but maybe you can save yours. Just don't forget to be silly and I double dare you to go get some pink plastic flamingos and stick them everywhere. No serious gardener should be without them if you ask me...




Now get out there, be silly and have fun, and DON'T forget the bubbles!

Oh, and anyone want a banana?