27: Sad Magician

Teaching improv to homeschooled kids this morning (even though they're officially on holiday right now) and grateful for the chance. We were playing with characters. They came up with loads. Among my favourites were evil hippy, excited executioner, lazy superhero and sad magician. Sad magician was a proper delight, lots of lacklustre card wrangling and a good few tears. I find it very odd teaching improv as a new skill to a small group of young people. I don't think it's ideal, myself. But they do enjoy it and that's the thing. Zoom has been a real gift. I'm delighted with its flex.

The sun was bakey today. Dogcheeks had her tongue almost dragging along the ground. The dogs are having separate walks at the moment, because cheeky lady silkchops is far from angelic of a walk. She's the anxious decision-maker, so she tells the shaggy, laid back protector what his job is. When there's a cat or another dog, any natural propensity to chase or bark (of which there is ample) is ten-folded by her dog-language instrucion to protect the shit out of her/bite the cat. She gives him proper little rile-em-up bites at him, sending him semi-rabid. 

Hunkering into my thighs with two shouting hounds straining at the leash while some pert little chihuahua tiddles past, I have a glimpse of what it might be like having a tantrumming toddler in a swanky cafe. So they've been separated. They're not allowed to sit together right now. It's a shame - I love walking with both - but it is much more relaxed this way. Without her bully-boy, my girl trots along with pleasing poise like a dressage pony on its parade. She makes mostly happy howls when she sees other dogs, and wags her whole body up them. She is easy. On his own, he is also more chilled, though occasionally a bit of a dick with certain breeds (with gentitals intact). It's for the best. 


I have started my tax return. I shall have finished it within the week. I've done this only once before. It made my year so, so, so much lovelier! I actulally enjoy it very much once I get strapped in to do it. So onwards. May this time of shut-inness bring other such mental wellness boni. Because not thinking about doing your tax return is a proper gift.