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I get goosebumps when I listen to my favourite song or hear a new song I adore. It is such a great word, and I felt compelled to research its origin. They’re called goosebumps because, when you have them, your skin looks like the skin of a goose or a chicken whose feathers have been plucked out. So, if you want, you could call them chicken bumps, too

And, of course, the next natural question that entered my pretty head was- And what do geese or chickens get when excited?  On the famous Irish Late Late Show on St. Patrick’s Day,2023, they featured an egg laid by a chicken that was twice the size of any regular egg. Imagine the excitement of that chicken? Or/ and the pain? He must still have a wonky walk, the poor thing.

When my nieces were young, their description of this was – fizzy hands or fizzy feet, which I love and still use to this day.

It is said that only certain types of people, such as empaths, experience goosebumps more frequently than others, but I do not believe this. As humans, whenever we have the grace of experiencing moments of awe, we get goosebumps. I think it is intrinsically linked to our spirit and frequency, which both create this magical physical experience.

Let me know what you think.

 

All the best

Stay fab

Adele

 

Poem

 

 

Meet me at the breakers

Meet me at the breakers and we shall share a salty kiss.

Cresting hands of ocean waves will add to our glorious mood.

Irelands Eye shall wink at us as we exalt in our bliss.

Our dogs playing amidst sand ribs, seaweed and driftwood.

 

 

 

You find an oyster shell that resembles an angel’s wing.

You tell me I am the pearl that you were always searching for.

I later find a similar shell as we embrace and then we sing

In the arms of an angel as our hearts soar.

 

 

 

You shall swaddle me in my robe after our daring icy swim.

Our skin tingling, we embrace and do our post-swim wiggle.

Dancing back to the dunes to get shelter from the wind.

The dogs fighting over razor clams will give us a fit of the giggles.

 

 

 

We shall hide amidst the seagrass in the dunes of Malahide.

And debate about the bridge to Donabate.

You shall kiss my hand and ask me to be your bride.

It has only been three months but we know we are soulmates.

 

 

 

The Lego cruise ship on the horizon shall make us plan our honeymoon.

As we dream of our impending travels and adventures.

Our music festival-style wedding will never come too soon.

As we playfully argue over the set list, of our first dance, we are sure.

 

 

 

The giant fire pit and Shalimar will make it a night to remember.

The bodhran, harmonica and fiddle players will play The Fields of Athenry.

Lying entwined beneath our blanket and the burning embers

Counting our blessings and never daring to ask why.

 

 

 

I know that you are out there and that someday we shall meet.

I have faith in the universe and the love that I deserve.

I can see every moment and feel every heartbeat.

A long lifetime of love will be our glorious preserve.

By

Adele Leahy

At home, I enjoy practicing Yoga and a little Pilates at the end of a session; I have called it Yogalates. When I mentioned this to someone during the week, they asked if it meant I did my yoga session followed by a latte, and I said,’ No’, but as it was a good idea, I may well incorporate it into future practice.

I have been doing beginner yoga on and off for twenty years and am not very good at it. When I finish with a few Pilates movements, I can hear my back crack like a bowl of Rice Krispies, and I must admit it is very satisfying. Snap, crackle and pop goes my back whilst my two dogs gaze at me in bemusement from the chair. Last year I attended a ten-week Pilates course which increased my confidence.

Sometimes, to my delight, Buzz will join me in a downward dog, and once or twice, he has decided to rest on the end of my back while I am in the cobra position. It is obvious where the ‘downward dog’ gets its name from, as my two little fellas love a good stretch following a rest on the sofa following a walk. My day is always better when I have completed a meditation followed by a yoga session.

But for now, I am off to have a Latte.

All the best

Stay fab

Adele

Happy Valentine’s Day

 

Where in the world would we be without love? What if we were not conditioned to love and existed within a world of apathy and indifference? And whilst you ponder that, allow me to share a beautiful song with beautiful lyrics, Where is the love, by the Black Eyed Peas.

Where is the love, by the Black Eyed Peas. It is hard to believe that this song is thirteen years old, and W.I.L.L.I.A.M looks even cooler nowadays. They were ahead of their time singing about kindness and tolerance, as the lyrics are a prayer for peace.

https://youtu.be/WpYeekQkAdc

And indulge me again, please, whilst I share my two favourite songs about love.

Imagine, by John Lennon. The ultimate clarion call for peace. Released in 1971. The need for peace is more relevant today than it ever was.

 

IMAGINE. (Ultimate Mix, 2020) – John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band (with the Flux Fiddlers) HD

 

https://youtu.be/YkgkThdzX-8

 

And my favourite song, which, for some, is the most depressing song on the planet. It was written for Romeo and Juliet with Leonardo Di Caprio and …………… I love when he smiles as he sings ‘before all hell breaks loose, ‘I was at Glastonbury in 2017 to see them, and I am not ashamed to say that I cried when they sang this; I still get goosebumps every time I hear it.

Radiohead – Exit Music for a Film (7. Glastonbury 2017)

https://youtu.be/16izdtkzEz8

And here is one of my favourite Father Ted scenes, which features Tommy Tiernan and Exit Music for a film at the end. It cracks me up, every time.

Father Kevin Gets Depressed (Tommy Tiernan On Father Ted) | TOMMY

https://youtu.be/vIaYblOZHq8

 

Besides Martin Luther King, this is my top speech of all time.

The Great Dictator with Charlie Chaplin

 

The Great Dictator Speech – Charlie Chaplin + Time – Hans Zimmer (INCEPTION Theme).

‘Machine men with machine minds and machine hearts’ is a line that always stays with me.

 

https://youtu.be/w8HdOHrc3OQ

Here is the text for your perusal.

I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be an Emperor, that’s not my business.

I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone.

I should like to help everyone, if possible, Jew, gentile, black man, white.

We all want to help one another, human beings are like that.

We want to live by each other’s happiness, not by each other’s misery.

We don’t want to hate and despise one another.

In this world there is room for everyone and the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone.

The way of life can be free and beautiful.

But we have lost the way.

Greed has poisoned men’s souls, has barricaded the world with hate; has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed.

We have developed speed but we have shut ourselves in: machinery that gives abundance has left us in want.

Our knowledge has made us cynical, our cleverness hard and unkind.

We think too much and feel too little: More than machinery, we need humanity; More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.

The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men, cries out for universal brotherhood for the unity of us all.

Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world, millions of despairing men, women and little children, victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people.

To those who can hear me I say “Do not despair”. The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed, the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress: the hate of men will pass and dictators die and the power they took from the people, will return to the people and so long as men die liberty will never perish . . .

Soldiers: don’t give yourselves to brutes, men who despise you, enslave you, who regiment your lives, tell you what to do, what to think or what to feel, who drill you, diet you, treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder.

Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men, machine men, with machine minds and machine hearts. You are not machines. You are not cattle. You are men.

You have the love of humanity in your hearts.

You don’t hate, only the unloved hate. The unloved and the unnatural.

Soldiers: don’t fight for slavery, fight for liberty.

In the seventeenth chapter of Saint Luke it is written: – “The kingdom of God is within man” Not one man, nor a group of men, but in all men; in you.

You the people have the power, the power to create machines, the power to create happiness.

You the people have the power to make this life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure.

Then in the name of democracy let us use that power.

Let us all unite!

Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men a chance to work, that will give youth a future and old age a security.

By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power, but they lie. They do not fulfill that promise, they never will. Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people.

Now let us fight to fulfill that promise.

Let us fight to free the world, to do away with national barriers, to do away with greed, with hate and intolerance.

Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness.

Soldiers! In the name of democracy: Let us all unite!

Happy Valentine’ day.

 

All the best

Stay fab

Adele

I am a fan of therapy: I always have been. Over many years I have ducked in and out of it, and I am more consistent these days. My attitude has always been if we can go to the gym for our bodies, where do we go for a good mind workout? Why, a therapist, of course. I adore mine, but I was treated to a rather unorthodox response last week when I shared what was bothering me.

I was having a fat day and shared this with her. The response I received was, ‘Well, everyone feels fat and ugly sometimes.’ I was shocked as I had not mentioned that I felt ugly. Inwardly I smiled as I wondered whether she realised what she had said. Later in the session, she mentioned how attractive I was, which I knew was her way of undoing what she had let slip. Afterwards, I began to think whimsically that maybe I needed a therapist to help me with my therapist.

The irony is that she actually cheered me up as it reminded me that no one is perfect. Not even a therapist, as it is a hard job, particularly when they are mindful of saying the right thing all the time.

 

All the best

Stay fab

Adele

I simply could not resist creating this poem from my favourite Doggy rock blog.

Poem Doggy Rock

 

If dogs could talk, I so wish they would rock.

I know as a band; they would enthrall and shock.

They could be called Bone Jovi

And boy, how I would Live on their prayer daily.

 

 

What about Snow Pawtrol?

I would Run to see them, Rock’n Roll,

Super Furry Animals and their Golden Retriever would light up a crowd.

The Animals at their Carnival playing loud and proud.

 

 

Furreigner singing Don’t stop retrievers,

Is a song I would truly believe in.

I gotta feeling Ruff Leopard and the Black Eyed Paws,

Would bring out the Animal in me and fill me full of awe.

 

 

Bones and Roses and Muttley Crue would never be Estranged.

And in Paradise City, I would dance deranged.

I would have Faith in Limp Dog Bizkit, Earth, Wind and Furr;

As they rock my canine Fantasy making my imagination stir.

 

 

The Velvet Undergrowl would give Some kinda love;

Then more Love etc, as the Pet Shop Boys go above

And beyond. The Boomtown Ruffs would make us always like Mondays.

And the Hot House Fowlers with Don’t go could be the latest craze.

 

 

The Waggerboys would have me wagging my tail.

To The Whole of the moon, I would chorus and wail.

I would never Give it away to the Red Hot Chili Papillons.

And Eight days a week, the Beagles would have me singing every song.

 

 

The Irish Rovers would support the magnificent Muttorhead.

And I’ll tell me Ma my Heroes have all my dreams made.

Daschund Midnight runners and Geno would be festival stunners.

As Barkade Fire Wake up and give so much wonder.

 

 

All the best

Stay fab

Adele

Over the last year, I have posted many vignettes from my debut Romcom Novel, Tara Tree, on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, which have received great responses. But I do have to admit that my favourite blog of all time has to be Doggy Rock Bands. It combines my three greatest passions, writing, music, and dogs.

Having my first short story published was definitely a highlight of 2022, and visiting Glasgow for the launch and reciting my piece was also a privilege. Ending the year with some old and original bad jokes was a fitting end to a very enjoyable year of sharing my blogs with you. 2023 is going to be a great one; I can feel it in me water ( as we say here in Ireland, sometimes). It has the number three, which is good enough for me as I have a particular affinity with the number.

 

1.September 25^th Tara Tree excerpt -Carved to imperfecktion – http://adeleleahy.ie/tara-tree-excerpt-carved-to-imperfecktion/

 

2. Nov 13^th Sloth Dance – http://adeleleahy.ie/sloth-dance/

 

3. November 27^th 2022 Doggy Rock Bands – http://adeleleahy.ie/doggy-rock-bands/

 

4. December 3^rd Glasgow Thi-Wurd Anthology Launch of Alternating Currents – http://adeleleahy.ie/glasgow-thi-wurd-anthology-launch-of-alternating-currents/

 

5. December 10th 2022 Non-Christmassy jokes and a few of my own – http://adeleleahy.ie/non-christmassy-jokes-and-a-few-of-my-own/

 

All the best

Stay fab

Adele

The above-the-ground blog was used in my Short Story, Flashing Pope, which was published in November 2022; more about this in my final best-of blog. As for the Man marries his dog series, well, it must be read to be believed. I had to celebrate my 400th milestone blog and throw in a few cringeworthy puns.

Wordplay has always and will always be one of my favourite things and ‘Imperfecked’ is how I would often describe myself. Any excuse to weave the word ‘feck’ into any word or sentence always puts a smile on my face.

 

1. April 10^th Above the ground – http://adeleleahy.ie/above-the-ground/

 

2. May 2^nd Man marries his dog series – http://adeleleahy.ie/man-marries-his-dog-pawt-one-of-three/

 

3. May 30^th 400^TH Blog and Punitis – http://adeleleahy.ie/my-400th-blog-and-punitis/

 

4. June 13^th Imperfecked – http://adeleleahy.ie/imperfecked/

 

All the best

Stay fab

Adele

Warning, two of the poems are not happy. They were written when I was sad and were a useful and cathartic tool to help me deal with the emotions of the time. They are Soul Blink and Mosquito Mind. As Daniel Day-Lewis as Christy Brown in My Left Foot once said, ‘They were written in my blue period.’ And not because I am a closet menstruating Smurf but because whatever was going on at the time required me to write these poems to help me process it.

Poem – Soul Blink

http://adeleleahy.ie/poem-soul-blink/

Poem- Mosquito Mind

http://adeleleahy.ie/poem-mosquito-mind/

Poem -Daisy Dreaming

http://adeleleahy.ie/poem-daisy-dreaming/

 

Daisy Dreaming is decidedly chirpier and I hope you enjoy it.

Besides my poetry, I always enjoy sharing the ‘Best of ‘, from the last year of blogging. The ones I have chosen are the ones I enjoyed writing the most and when I reread them, they still make me smile. Perhaps they will have the same effect on you?

 

1. Jan 09th 2022 Naughty Naughty Priest Father King – http://adeleleahy.ie/naughty-naughty-priest-father-king/

2. Feb 7^th Little Britain – Fat Fighters Marjorie- http://adeleleahy.ie/little-britain-fatfighters-marjory/

3. Mar 7^th Open Mic – http://adeleleahy.ie/open-mic-night/

4. Mar 20^th Singing Coffee Van Man – http://adeleleahy.ie/singing-coffee-van-man/

 

All the best

Stay fab

Adele

Happy New Year to one and all, may your joys be tenfold and your problems be small. 

May you rise to your challenges as though you are ten feet tall, 

And may you live each day to see the wonder in them all.

Ten years ago, I read that haemorrhoid cream was a great cure for wrinkles under the eyes. Gobshite that I am, of course, I had to try it, and I couldn’t get to the chemist quick enough and lather it beneath my eyes. And the good news was that it did, in fact, get rid of my under-eye wrinkles. Although, they were replaced by swollen, red scaly, flaky (akin to bad eczema) patches. Vanity is a dreadful thing; at times, as a young girl, I was a divil for plucking my eyebrows. To the point where I ended up with none and had to draw them in for years.

Sunbathing was another disaster. Having freckled skin made me determined to get a good enough tan so all my freckles would join together. I can honestly remember lying out in our back garden as a teenager and considering using a mirror for tanning my face while lying on my tummy. Like a lot of people, I found it easier to tan my front more than my back, and I resented the time wasted when my face could be getting browner. On one occasion, my sister was hanging washing on the line, and I roared at her to move the socks as they were casting a shadow on me.

Leslie Ash, famously of the ‘trout pout’, and Linda Evangelista, with cryolipolysis (a body contouring cosmetic treatment to remove areas of body fat), are two of the most well-known celebrities that have suffered beauty treatment fails. Leslie’s lips look normal by today’s standards and Linda is still beautiful.

Body dysmorphia seems to be a growing worrying trend which is only worsened by some celebrities using ridiculous filters on their Instagram feed.

I am glad to say that I now use Factor 50 daily and leave my eyebrows alone. My under-eye wrinkles are from all the laughing I have done over my lifetime and will continue to do.

All the best

Stay fab

Adele