Sunday thought, How do you like your eggs?

A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg, even though he knows that you are slightly cracked ~ Bernard Meltzer

El Cucuy an article by Ms. Baggs

Wikipedia says,  "In Mexico and among Mexican-Americans, El Cucuy is portrayed as an evil monster that hides under children's bed at night and kidnaps or eats the child that does not obey his/her parents or go to sleep when it is time to do so.

El Cucuy is a Boogie Man. A bogeyman (also spelled bogieman, boogeyman or boogieman) is an amorphous imaginary being used by adults to frighten children into behaving. The monster has no specific appearance, and conceptions about it can vary drastically from household to household within the same community; in many cases, he has no set appearance in the mind of an adult or child, but is simply a non-specific embodiment of terror. Parents may tell their children that if they misbehave, the bogeyman will get them. Bogeymen may target a specific mischief — for instance, a bogeyman that punishes children who suck their thumbs — or general misbehavior, depending on what purpose needs serving. In some cases, the bogeyman is a nickname for the devil."

"No one knows what “El Cucuy” looks like. What we do know is that El Cucuy is some sort of a gobbling goblin with an appetite for children who fail to obey authority. This goblin, ghost, monster, or whatever he may be, will eat you if you don’t listen to your parents." from an article in the Tuscon Citizen.com

What is interesting to this reporter is that I did see the Cucuy twins and I do know what they look like. I have been instructed to say the following. "Cucuy prefer their privacy and would be far less scary if the humans knew what they actually look like." And that is a very accurate statement. More like a furball than a devil.

The twins have been prowling this area for at least 100 years. Many settlements, homes and humans have been laid victim to the snarling, fowl tempered beasts. They are after all from the earth and have a mind set of protecting earth. We should all take a lesson from their unselfish protection of terra firma. They would actually prefer to be known for their protection of the earth rather than the bad reputation they have.

Twin 1 was the best communicator of the two and was much easier to understand, less growling and snarling from him. He stayed with me in the crawlspace under the house for a full hour telling me tales of ranchos and the cowboys who settled here in the Rio Grande Valley. And most especially, the children who are the bane of El Cucuy's existence because of their laughter. It has nothing to do with behavior but rather volume of the laughs that are part of childhood. The laughter hurts their very tiny external ears.

The Cucuy usually live close to the earth, in the dark and only prowl at night. They are sensitive creatures and can feel fear, anger and malice and are attracted to these more base emotions. You can usually find this beast close to angry or scared people. This may be why reports of Cucuy terrorizing already frightened children exist. Parents use El Cucuy into behaving themselves and then El Cucuy feel or sense the fear and further frighten the child.

The twins were drawn to this house, not because of the current residents but rather the former dwellers. They have stayed on because the current humans are very fond of the creatures of the "here and there" as well as the other worlds. The veil is very often opened because of their activities and this makes it a very sought after place for the magickal beings to dwell.

Not all humans are susceptible to El Cucuy. And those are the people that El Cucuy guard or protect. They actually have feeling toward the unscareable ones. I later found out that the literal translation is the "ones with no good sense". Go figure. They do seem to be very fond of the humans here and even pet names for their favorites. I am so very glad I was able to interview these fascinating creatures.

I watched as the twins disappeared into the dark corner of the crawlspace and suddenly felt more comfortable knowing that they are here with this house.

Food for thought

Always
Unique
Totally
Intelligent
Sometimes
Mysterious

saw this on a bumper sticker for sale on Autism Awareness on Cafe Press.....so many to choose from.

Honor Neurodiversity

Acceptance is the cure.................

Sunday Thought for the disorganized.......

One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries - A.A. Milne

The Great Infestation of 2011

Ms. Baggs here. It has been so long since I last posted about my interview with the gnomes that I have almost forgotten the whole of that adventure. If you too have forgotten, here is a link for you to that post. http://yeoldecronesgazette.blogspot.com/2011/07/stepping-over-threshold.html

However, I must confess that I do have a soft spot for the head gnome, lovely chap with a fine attitude about humans. I dare say, darned right civil even. And that I can tell you is not the case with all of the "others" that lay claim to Casa de Cuckoo as a place in which to dwell. If you think my stories will be about sweet, delightful, bland beings....well we can't drive that horse. Because I can tell you straight away that these stories have action, adventure, sex (yes I did say that) and humor in every episode.

I'll give you a brief overview of my observations on the infestation and then in Friday posts to come, will have specific encounters to tell. Remember no photos are allowed beyond the threshold so I will have to do a good job of describing what I have seen. I have met; cucuwee, a troll, gnomes, as I mentioned previously, saw a gremlin, meet with the PR fairy who spoke for the entire tribe, and lastly I tagged along with the sprites and pixies. Each and every interview is a photograph of their lives and how they have impacted the residents of C de C. I do hope you will stick with me for this series where I will regale you with their very personal observations of life near humans.

All of this started longer ago certainly, than I have been a resident of C de C. The first to come were the cucuwee twins. I gather from a very brief meeting in the crawlspace under the house, that they were attracted to this dwelling from the beginning. I suspect it may have been decades before the house was built, that these very interesting negative seeking beings came to be here on a slope between the Rio Grande Basin and the Sandia Mountains.

The troll in the garage side yard tells things in a different time frame. Claims he has been here longer but then trolls are not known to be truth tellers or cooperative, so who knows. But he, of all the infestation, has had the most direct meetings with the humans and has caused the most problems for the humans as well. But then I do think that is a bit of an exaggeration after meeting the twins.

The gnomes have a labyrinth of hollows here behind closed door and I was privy to so much of their lifestyle. Can't wait to tell you of the upcoming visit by their Nordic cousins, the Nisse.

The gremlin just wouldn't grant me an interview so I've had to rely on what the others have told me about the gremlin. I am still willing to meet with him/her and will print what is told to me if that entity so chooses.

The PR fairy was so much fun and got me connected to the best interviews of my career thus far. We also have become such good friends that lunch out has become our secret pleasure. You would not believe how many places there are close by for friends to have a lunch/chat. But that is another series for the Gazette in the spring.

And lastly the interview with the pixies and sprites was the most demanding I have ever experienced. They are the non stop beings of the infestation. Whew, I had to take some time off afterwards to recover from the pure physicality of the meetings. You know this Olde Bagg is getting up there in years and climbing and swinging about isn't daily activity for yours truly.

I 'll see you back here next Friday for the first installment of The Great Infestation of 2011. Tah.

A Thanksgiving adventure in the making.......

When I asked all of you for ideas of where we might enjoy our Thanksgiving day, your creativity opened the doors to a very thrilling and exciting adventure based on what you said.

So, after reading all of the ideas, suggestions and fun thoughts, this is what we have decided to do. We'll have to get up really early to be able to fit all the activity into one day.

So, knowing we will be short on time, the night before, we will pack our bags with swimwear and snowsuits, top hats, sunscreen, formal wear, water skis and sturdy shoes for hiking. We'll also need to pack a tent, picnic baskets complete with turkey sandwiches and hot cocoa, cupcakes, popcorn, milk duds and still leave enough room in the car for Johnny Depp to sit in the back with the kids and all the antiques we'll buy on our way to Elephant Butte just outside of T or C.

We'll have breakfast with the Munchkins in Oz, play tag, Simon Says and watch movies with Tin Man, Scarecrow and the Lion. The whole crew will accompany us as we water ski at Elephant Butte Dam and then continue on our Turkey Day trip. The Oz trio will accompany us on our hike to an alternate reality where we will have a roaring fire picnic and build sheet forts and ask Glenda for bubble rides.

After lunch and bit of a rest, we will regroup, say goodbye to the Oz folks, change our clothes and fly to our meeting with the Royals in the South Pole for afternoon tea.

On the next leg of our journey, the in flight movie will be a marathon Back to the Future film fest as we jet to Fiji. We should have plenty of time after arriving in our tropical paradise destination, to be pampered with polka dot pedicures, chocolate chip cookies and hot soup in a thermos.

After a very fun and action packed day we will be arriving home late.  We will sleep in a tent on the living room floor and enjoy each others company laughing and crafting Not Quite Right hearts.

As we drift off to sleep, we will be thinking how cool are those lovelies to think up an adventure like this?

Explanation...

I had another post all ready to explain my dark poetry.............but then I thought better.

I do not want to bring anymore attention to that which deserves none.

So if you have a question, email me, I'll tell ya who, what, where and when.....but from the comments most all of you know and that's the name of that tune.

Ms. Crone will be here on Friday to share an adventure from the infestation and I'll post our Turkey day plans thanks to all of your fabulous ideas this week as well. So there are fun things to think about instead of assisting in the world domination plans gone awry by an asshat.

flashes of ugly

loathing, a lie on two legs
disgust, hearing that stomachs are growling in the dark
pain, feeling not one of your arms is long enough
terror, seeing crayons scrawl claws of memory
horror, holding a wilted flower from a hot soak
frustration, seeing ugly stir
hope, on vacation in hell
resolve, brewing cures with others

I hear the smell of endings that rustle like death
so close, yet illusive
Soon, flinch

There are so many visions of the negative that come to mind at this time. I would say there are no words but that is all there is. Letting go is the honorable thing and yet that will never be one of the words. There is no honor in self indulgence, false pride, self absorption. There is only the hollow emptiness of the same lie told to a new audience.

But on the horizon is real infirmity. Something tangible to hold as a trophy. And the only one to be surprised will be the owner of the falsehood.

Blood, the very fearsome thing will come to visit in a manner that has been described time and time again but in faux form.

Knowing this was invoked by the owner of the lies. Too bad, so sad, failed cad, I'm glad.



Thank you for indulging my dark thoughts. XOXO Oma Linda

And the Holiday "NQR" heart giveaway winners are.....

Mary from Deep South Dish
Bird from Bird Gardener's Place of Earthly Spirituality
Danni from The Whimsical Cottage
Congratulations to you lovelies and thanks for entering my giveaway. If you would please send me your snail mail addy, I'll get your hearts in the mail asap.

Thank you to all the rest of the suggestions for our Thanksgiving adventure. My plan is to use your suggestions in a story to be shared very soon.

This is a season of gratefulness and it goes without saying that I am so thankful for all of you and your frienship.

Last day to enter the NQR Thanksgiving heart giveaway

These are the NQR (Not Quite Right) hearts that are up for grabs to the winner of the drawing. All you have to do is tell us how we could spend our Thanksgiving Day since we will not be having Turkey Day until Sunday. Your place doesn't have to even exist....just give us some food for thought.

And by the way, today, even for those who have already entered......oh what the hey, enter again. I'll draw the winner tomorrow night....

Good Luck Sistas by another mother

Bubble. bubble someone's in trouble....

While you're waiting for me to pick out which three of you charming lovelies is going to be chosen as the winners of the Holiday Not Quite Right hearts, let me share with you this picture.

If I had cute little sausage toes like this I'd show the off all the time. Lucky little brat.

Stylin' forties 5" heels, dirty jeans and red and white polka dot mushroom toes....ain't it a HUH?

So now back to the giveaway. I never said your suggestions as to the locale of the Thanksgiving trip had to be a real place we could drive to or even ever get to. It can be an imaginary place, a movie, a book, a dream.....come on now......this is another chance for you to enter the giveaway.

Where will the kids, Shlley and I go on our Thanksgiving day adventure??????

I'll draw the winners, 1 first place and two Booby prize on Friday so.....go on enter your ideas.

with squoozes and smooches, Oma Linda

Ms. Crone and other things that have been missing and a Holiday giveaway

I realize that Ms. Crone and the other reporters on the staff of Ye Olde Crone's Gazette have been slacking as of late and I, as the management, do apologize. Summer, school starting, the 52 card pickup style of redecorating and our crazy love of Hallowoonie have all taken their toll on our consistency here at the Gazette.

However, we will begin next Friday with a new article on a fun adventure or maybe the little people infestation that is happening here at Casa de Cuckoo. I do promise to keep my staff on a schedule as best as a rule breaker, non conformist, fun seeker can.

We are coming up on the time of year with which I am the least fond. Oh okay....so I don't like being cold. Day before yesterday it was 70 something and it was glorious. Yesterday low 60's and windy. Today clear but in the 50's. By Turkey day, I'll be hibernating and getting all woolified. As with so many of you, our autumn, like real fall weather, was short lived. We haven't had snow here in 'Burque, but have it around us in the mountains and the wind coming from the northwest is chillin' but not in a laid back way but a collllllllldddd way. I know stop complaining right???

Graphic Fairy

So on to plans for Turkey day....which we will not be celebrating on Thursday but rather on Sunday. Sweet Man gets to greet the fool children traveling and renting cars that day. And Shel has to work on Fri and Sat so we will have a very Traditional meal on a non Traditional day. So the kids and Shel and I are gonna plan on a road trip on Turkey day.

 Fun stuff ya'll. Where to go, where to go??? So here's the fun.......give us some suggestions. Give us a trip destination and an activity that you think we will enjoy. We will put your name in a cornucopia and draw out the bestest suggestion ever for a Turkey Day trip and activity. I can hardly wait to see what you talented and wacky pack ladies (and gentlemen) come up with for this one.

If your name is drawn, I'll have a special Holiday "not quite right" heart to give to the winner. And because I love how Stacy from Magic Love Crow does her giveaways, ....I'll also have 2 other Booby prizes ready to send out. So that makes 3 lovelies who will get some Holiday goodies from Casa de Cuckoo.

This is not the heart but gives you an idea of what a "not quite right" looks like

These NQR are all living in other peoples houses but there are more coming to my Etsy shop starting on 11-11-11

Just leave a comment on this post and we'll draw the winners names on Friday 11-11-11, providing we are all still here and the world doesn't end before then.

Misc......stuff

I love this idea...

Just show and tell...

I have it in me to do this once a week...

First this is the rabble rousers on Halloween

This wonderful Booby prize came in the mail. Thank you Stacy of MagicLoveCrow. The title is "you can't see me". Isn't it the sweetest????

Bought bread at the roadside growers market in Corrales on Sunday. Who would thunked we find our Dia de Los Muertos, skeleton head in the dinner rolls?

And Ms. Maggie of Of My Rocker sold me the pattern for this wonderful tree. I did adapt it (no really, we thought you always followed everything precisely, NOT). I used some Goddess inspired material I have had for ages and embellished the leaves and bird with metallic thread. This will go on our family altar along with the baby crow picture. Goddess tree is so very smile inducing.....I'm in love.

submitted with love and smooches, The Olde Bagg