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Thursday, 18 January 2024

10 Things I'll Talk About With My New Friends From Autism Initiatives Should I Visit The Velocity Cafe For The Coffee Group

10.A Weekend With Orko/Teatime.
I say! No coffee group is complete without mentioning a gentle slice of life vignette about Furaha and Orko living in a London apartment with a love of jazz and piano music and cupcakes for afternoon tea. I admit it, it's based on Toonami UK's August 2003 He Man Weekend Marathon, but it was the landmark event that changed how viewers saw Toonami in the UK, and thinking of London and jazz music is better than when the people at Disney thought of jazz in Paris where the Aristocats lived.
9.Chip N Dale: Cupcakes and Round My Family Tree Auditions.
Yes, Round My Family Tree is an absolute earworm for me and various other Disneyphobians who watched The Tigger Movie as a kid, but want to know what happened when they casted the Tiggers who got a role in the sequence? In this comic, characters like Tony The Tiger, Shere Khan and Garfield try out for a role in the sequence, but are instantly rejected. Then in Cupcakes, which takes place at the Cupcakes 2 Love restaurant in Yorkshire, Pooh from The Book Of Pooh, Blue from Blue's Room, Oswald the octopus and Clifford The Big Red Dog all gather for afternoon tea at the BEST CUPCAKE RESTAURANT IN THE WORLD! Only, Clifford can't get in because he's too big. All for laughs, I suppose. It is the world of Chip N Dale of course!
8.Teddy Orko
One of my friends from a town near me always holds a doll wherever she goes. Whether it's her favourite Minnie Mouse doll or a Care Bear, you can be sure that no one calls her a big baby. She also has fantastic rainbow hair and wears Disney jumpers, like one with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Pluto. Well, in Teddy Orko, Orko pretends to be a big Trollan teddy bear, making squeaking and growling noises as Furaha hugs him tight. It's a nice, sweet little vignette that I may share with my new friends at the One Stop Shop - most of them carry teddies too!
7.Orko & The Deep Of Life
Nobody recognises the power of water in nature better than me. Orko is seen in this vignette swimming in deep water, encountering little fish and plant life deep under the incoming tide and relaxing on the top of the water. This is a life that's just right for a Trollan after crash landing on Earth, away from the abuse of Prince Adam/He Man and Cringer. And to bind this and the next one in my list together, here's something that may take you to paradise...
6.Three Best Friends In Paradise
This is an idea I almost forgot about, based on the poem 'Two Black Boys In Paradise' - except there's a lioness cub, a Trollan wizard and an Autobot leader enjoying themselves on a pure, safe, simple island, away from the dangers and harsh jobs of the real world - swimming in the ocean, relaxing on the beach and exploring the jungle. Outside today it's really cold with snow, but luckily the water and weather is warm in Paradise. Just where the One Stop Shop Coffee Crew would be when it's snowing and they can't go out for coffee.
5.Walking With Monsters
My support worker can't come and take me out this Friday, but luckily I bought myself a £3 DVD named Walking With Monsters to make up for it. The back of the DVD says the monsters in the series may look like something out of a fantasy nightmare, but are actually present before us humans were around. This series came out when I was 5, and now I'm happy to share it with my friends from the One Stop Shop - what I tell them will make them spit out their fruit filled vegan food in shock and disgust over things like:
HYNERPETONS THAT LOOK LIKE OMELETTES! (EEEEWW!)
GIANT SPIDERS! (EEEK!)
MONSTERS EATING EACH OTHER WITH BLOOD FLYING EVERYWHERE! (OH NO!)
THE FACT THAT 2 ENTERTAIN RELEASED THIS, THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE & AARDMAN'S DARKSIDE IN THE COURSE OF TWO YEARS! (OOOOOOOH!)
4.The Itchy Body Bug Inspector
And speaking of bugs (and rather grotesque prehistoric ones in fact), this Sybil & Friends story sees me wake up complaining about an itchy leg which I tried to scratch overnight, so my sister Cleo, Bluey's sister Bingo and Rex's roommate Vince play at being doctors to find out what's going on under my skin. Bingo uses a plastic toy butter knife to pretend to scrape at my skin, and to everyone's shock, they find a lot of pretend bugs under there, including a giant millipede (actually a toy green and purple centipede) that wants to eat my flesh away. Cleo, Bingo and Vince must chase it before it goes under someone else's skin. Will they do it? I guess the Coffee Crew will have to find out, won't they? Eh? EH?!
3.Cheese, Orko & Cringer Stay Up
This is another Sybil & Friends story based on the Bluey episode 'Fairytale' that thankfully isn't grotesque or disgusting. In this '80s-set story which is set on the Eternia '80s kids seem to know and love, Prince Adam leaves Orko to look after Cringer and Cheese while he, Teela and Man At Arms go out to an important banquet for the night. The moment our three heroes leave, Cheese and his friends plan to stay up all night, stealing chocolate cake from the palace kitchens, drinking all of Man At Arms' beer and telling scary stories. I know, beer was mentioned in The Tiger Who Came To Tea but it's nice to have a kids' character, especially a tough one like Man At Arms, drink it. I don't want to see him smash it over Orko's head, though. Poor thing.
2.Orko & Optimus: Bag Of Tricks
In this comic, Orko is tired of having only a minor role in the He Man episode 'The Last Stand'. He goes to bed that night and has a dream about having a much bigger role in the episode, talking with Prince Adam about the things produced from his sleeve and revealing what he uses the white sticky porridge, flower, ball, vault and three eyed goldfish for - feeding babies, doing magic and...*GASPS IN HORROR* STORING MONEY?! This angers Adam so much that Orko produces another ball from his sleeve and throws it into Adam's face, throwing him off the cliff and causing the little wizard to earn a definitive ovation from the producers and crew as filming finishes, and he wakes up triumphant he'll stop Prince Adam from stealing his thunder once and for all. If Orko can be the true star of the show, you can too! And so will the Coffee Crew.
1.Orko's Ears
No Coffee Crew list would be complete without the inclusion of a much lighter vignette of Orko's eternal stay on Earth with his lion family. It features a usual scenario of Orko relaxing on the sofa, not a care in the world. Then Furaha sneaks up to him and begins to fiddle with his ears. Orko begins giggling over the ticklish feeling, but then once it stops he hears giggling and asks who did that. Furaha appears, and Orko pounces onto her and tickles her. This inspired by me fiddling the ears of my own pets, such as Mushroom and currently my dog Mylo, who is being a bit of a naughty today as he stole both sound remotes at once.

Wednesday, 17 January 2024

10 Ideas To Celebrate Winnie The Pooh Day

10.Read the original Winnie The Pooh books by A A Milne.
9.Watch a variety of Winnie The Pooh films and specials, including Seasons Of Giving, Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie, Tigger & Pooh & A Musical Too and Winnie The Pooh: A Very Merry Pooh Year.
8.Inspired by The Tigger Movie, draw all the Tiggers that are present in Tigger's family tree, plus those that would be in his friends' family trees too. While you're at it, you should try the 'How To Make Your Family Tree' featurette if you own The Tigger Movie on DVD.
7.Make drawings for your scrapbook inspired by happy memories of people, places and things you did, inspired by Piglet's Big Movie.
6.Head to the swimming pool and play like Roo and Lumpy did with your kids in Pooh's Heffalump Movie.
5.Print out colouring pages of Pooh and his friends and colour away.
4.Make a Winnie The Pooh scrapbook inspired by old Winnie The Pooh magazines and scrapbooking material from the 2018 Christopher Robin film.
3.Explore places which inspired the Winnie The Pooh series online or where you live.
2.Watch The Book Of Pooh on Disney+.
1.And of course, no Winnie The Pooh Day is complete without watching the original and best The Many Adventures Of Winnie The Pooh.

A Weekend With Orko: Teatime

When Orko and Furaha got home that afternoon, it was already three o’clock. And that meant it was time for tea and cake. Orko would put on a record and wait for Furaha to head back into the living room with a plate of cupcakes and cucumber sandwiches. The record at the moment was playing Nat King Cole, mostly starting from Furaha’s favourite song by that artist, ‘Deed I Do’.


Furaha sang and danced about the kitchen like a bear in the jungle whilst getting tea ready. She made the sandwiches with white bread and fresh cucumbers and cheese and cut them into rectangular slices. Then she got out four of her favourite chocolate cupcakes with pink icing and placed them on the tray beside the sandwiches. She next got out her favourite yellow teapot and teacups and poured some nice delicious hot chocolate - a good exchange for tea if it tastes sour to taste buds - and added small pink and white marshmallows to it.


Back in the living room, Rocky, their dog, was lazily looking out the window at all the cars and buses and lorries passing by. He was the sort of dog who liked to watch everything that went on. I guess you could call him a ‘watchdog’! Ha, I can hear Orko already laughing from that joke. “I know, Rocky, I know, you’ll get your tea soon.” Rocky quickly turned round with a wild houndy smile on his face. His favourite - a nice juicy dog bowl full of sausages! Drool dripped from his tongue, and he barked happily.


“Orko! Teatime!” called Furaha from the kitchen as she grooved in carrying the whole tray of sandwiches, cakes and hot chocolate. “Oh boy! Our favourite tea!” cheered Orko. Furaha was not just an excellent jazz musician and piano player, but also a good cook, and when she presented the tea for Orko to admire, he was already licking his shadowed chops with a visible tongue, which you saw during the horrible time he was forced to perform at Prince Adam’s birthday party. We can’t talk about THAT now, can we?


As Furaha and Orko enjoyed their tea, Furaha busily said, “Ah, weekends are good, aren’t they? Free time to play the piano any time and nobody to force us into those strict English boarding schools.” “Furaha…we don’t go to school.” said Orko. “Oh.” munched Furaha. “By the way, did you hear about the Penguin Summer Competition they’re hosting?” “Oh, a competition where they host a penguin that’s best dressed for the Summer?” asked Orko. Furaha almost choked on her sandwich, giggling at the thought. “No, I meant a competition hosted by those little chocolate bars with penguins on the wrappers. We have some in the fridge. They’re hosting it at the funfair today.” “Chocolate bars can’t just stand on two legs and give away prizes with their arms and hands.” joked Orko. “No, they can’t,” laughed Furaha, “But what they can do is wait to get eaten.” “Like those sandwiches you make, they’re great!” chomped Orko, taking another sandwich from the tray, “Mmmm, you should make some of these more often.” “I already have,” said Furaha, “And I feel plenty with all those sandwiches on my pallet.” “But you’re not full up yet!” “I know. Tell you what - after tea, we should dance to piano music playing on the gramophone. How does that sound?” “Would I ever!” said Orko, “It’s the best weekend ever!”


So after tea, Furaha put on some groovy swing piano music and she and Orko got up and danced away to work off their sandwiches and cakes. Rocky danced with them, bouncing around them like a hyena on too much sugar. They waltzed, tangoed, and even danced crazily around the living room, as the jazzy overtones of Wynton Marsarlis bounced off the walls of the living room. Orko was clumsy for a few moments and knocked some vinyl records over, but Furaha cleaned it all up using her tail.


As the sun was setting, to wind down, Furaha got to her piano and played some chilled out, sometimes emotional music. Orko sat next to her, quite content, hearing this soulful, tearful music fill up the room. Rocky lounged on the sofa, his paw hanging off the edge as he fell asleep. “This is the best music I’ve ever heard,” smiled Orko under his shadowed face. “Hey, while we’re on the subject, can we go to Cupcakes 2 Love next weekend? It’s just down the road. I hear they make lovely afternoon teas. And then, once we’ve done that, we could go swimming with Claudia and Ginger again. Got that?” “Mmmm,” agreed Furaha, and her music played longingly until 9PM, when it was time for both of them to go to bed.

Arctic Wonderland: Sliding Downhill

Orko, Optimus and I climbed over the huge, snowy hill and looked into the distance. We could see the whole Arctic laden out before us, like a 3D module of a plan an ice builder would make. The icebergs and hills and seas around were shrouded in a cottony mist, and Orko’s ears flapped in the wind. My ears and fur flapped too. “Wow…” I gasped. “This is our world?” Optimus nodded gently. “We care for the ice, nourish its creatures and protect its beauty. As long as we stay together, nothing will ever happen to our land. And guess what?” “What?” Orko and I both asked together.


In response, Optimus playfully pushed us down the hill. We began tumbling down, squealing and laughing in joy, as Optimus leapt onto the edge of the hill and began sliding down on his metallic back. “Wheeeeeeee!!” Orko and I cried out in joy as we slid all the way downhill, Optimus following behind. It was as if he wanted to be a young Autobot again. I felt such thrill and ecstasy that I wanted to do it all over again once I reached the bottom.


So we did, and we continued laughing and shouting like crazy as we tumbled down the snowy hill, sliding on the ice like it was a slippery silver water slide. Except that it was all snow. Once we reached the bottom again, we all started laughing in joy, and Orko and I cuddled each other to keep ourselves warm from the cold.


Then, we felt someone sweep us up in his giant arms. Optimus Prime, of course, hugged and cuddled us, keeping us safe and warm even outside our cosy cave. Optimus lay there with us in his arms, protecting us like he was our father. A father who could let us play in the snow forever.

Who's Who On Toonami?

Guess what I found, Orko's not going to be pleased when he sees I've found continuity from a weekend He Man marathon back in 2003. Yeah, and the bumper shows He Man covered in blood, so don't underestimate a good natured hero who delivers morals at the end of every episode...what do you have to say about it, Orko?

"I can't take anymore!"
-Orko

10 Things I'll Talk About With The Pool Group If I Visited The 147 Club Today

10.Me & Winnie The Pooh.
It's a delightful new slow paced CGI series introducing you to a new world of Pooh and his friends Tigger and Piglet. Most of the CGI series on Disney Junior is really fast paced, but not with this and Playdate With Winnie The Pooh.
9.Caring Comfort: Fishing By The River.
In Caring Comfort, Furaha and her foster family live a life both wild and royal. The other people at the Pool Group would love to live a life like Furaha, running around the river, splashing their friends and fishing with their mouths and sharp lion teeth! Rawr.
8.Arctic Wonderland.
This is a new idea I thought up, featuring Furaha, Orko and Optimus Prime living in the wilderness of the Arctic. They don't mind the cold one bit, and enjoy playing in the snow and exploring their surroundings every day, from doing what you do on snowy days like making snow angels and having snowball fights, to sliding in the snow and interacting with the other wild residents of the Arctic - not that I'm saying they're into wild parties, but I meant the wild animals like polar bears, seals, walruses. Everyone at The 147 Club will love hearing my tales of Arctic freedom.
7.Teletubbies - Po's Fall Down Day.
This happens to be my favourite segment in Here Come The Teletubbies, where Po spends a day falling over and saying "Oh dear," afterwards, worrying the other Teletubbies. Whatever part of the day she experiences, such as eating breakfast, playing on the control panel or playing catch with La-La's ball, she falls over. The first half of the segment includes simple fade in transitions, which might be better if accompanied by the narrator saying things like 'Later, at breakfast...' or '10 minutes later...'. In the second half, Tinky Winky witnesses Po falling over and decides to join her. Soon, the other Teletubbies join, and everyone's enjoying a falling down day. Sometimes I want to fall down from lack of sleep!
6.Toonami's December 2002 Lineup.
When I was 2 years old, overseas the new He Man and Transformers Armada series premiered on Toonami. You know, the block on Cartoon Network with the robotic host TOM and his artificially intelligent British-accented computer program sidekick SARA, before it moved to Adult Swim and started lazily repeating reruns of My Hero Academia. Oh my god, Turner, will you ever learn to control your kids' shows?! Anyway, everyone in the Pool Group will love hearing about Toonami's December 2002 lineup - both halves and the Transformers Armada marathon - especially when Toonami got disrupted that Christmas by CN's 24 Hour Christmas Party, which was good because Adult Swim was disgusting and horrible. Let's all give the finger to Adult Swim, please!
5.CBeebies 'You've Got This' posters.
Sure, CBeebies has grown up, and Bluey doesn't fit, but of course these lift posters will brighten anyone's mood. Featuring Bluey and Hey Duggee, they will brighten any parent's day - and maybe even stop tantrums whenever the kids spy a bright pink unicorn cookie in the shopping centre! Everyone in the Pool Group would think this is a super idea, but I STILL DON'T LIKE CBEEBIES FOR WHAT THEY DID TO MY FAVOURITE BEDTIME LINEUP!!! Still, this publicity thing is a good idea.
4.Pipp's Best Livestream Ever.
This fun story featuring me and my friends tells of Pipp from MLP: Make Your Mark, who livestreams a whole best day ever with me and my friends. We head to the ice cream parlour, get treated with a makeover at the beauty salon and visit Rex The Runt and his roommates. My friends coming with me include Luke, Resus, Cleo, Bluey and Bingo. Imagine the looks on the Pool Group's faces when I tell them about a pegasus pony spending the whole day livestreaming in the pool club with them!
3.Asleep In The Car.
This gentle story may or may not be inspired by those Angry Kid shorts where Angry Kid and his dad are in the car engaging in gross, sick, bratty antics - a sort of problem every parent goes through on car journeys in the UK. One of the shorts was called 'Headlights', which is about as nightmarish as any of the shorts, or even the animation style. Well, in Asleep In The Car, which is a Me, You, And...vignette, the family car runs out of oil and Kiburi and Ua have to make do with waiting in the car on the curb for a whole night to be rescued. Furaha and Orko are asleep in the back of the car, and Kiburi and Ua are feeling really happy their two children are fast asleep, and quietly engage in a conversation about how happy they are to have such peaceful, angelic children.
2.Barbie: Epic Road Trip.
I'm going to play this as part of watching Not Quite Narwhal and other girly Netflix favourites. There are many, many, MANY Barbie series that came before it, included Barbie Life In The Dreamhouse, which I've yet to try if I watch Netflix. The best thing about CGI kids' series on Netflix is that every single one has slow paced animation, much like the new MLP movie, A New Generation, where the animation is at a reasonable pace so kids can get their eyes glued to the ponies on the screen. In Barbie: Epic Road Trip, you get to be in the driver's seat as you lead Barbie and her friends on the best road trip ever! Which path will you choose? It's almost like being Barbie's movie star chauffeur! I can't wait to try it out.
1.2 Entertain Releasing Thomas & Friends, Walking With Monsters & Aardman's Darkside.
WOAH! Imagine - one company, who merged with VCI and BBC Video, releasing all these different titles on DVD and VHS in the decade I was born! Walking With Monsters is for those who are curious about what happened before the dinosaurs were around and featured the most gruesome creatures ever seen by the human eye, including the giant spider that appears in episode 2. Thomas & Friends is well known by fans of trains and model trains, and each episode from the time 2 Entertain released the series is an easy going, chilled out story of one tank engine and his friends' adventures discovering Sodor. Much better than the CGI series, eh? And finally, in Aardman's Darkside, we see a whole host of adult animations from the creators of Wallace & Gromit, such as Rex The Runt and A Town Called Panic. Okay, I won't call Rex The Runt and A Town Called Panic harmless, but Angry Kid is creepy and Big Jeff is disgusting and rude, especially if you're offended by this as an Australian who recently moved to Britain. If I were you, I'd watch Rex and Panic and nothing else, not even the shorts, including the one where a rambler takes sick, twisted substances during his nature walk. Never, ever EVER will you trust Britain's best loved animation studio again, or Angry Kid will shoot you with his catapult!


Capiche?

10 Ideas To Celebrate Kid Inventor's Day

10.Challenge your kids' ingenuity and have them do a science experiment at home.
9.Read the story 'Ada Twist, Scientist' at home, or watch the series on Netflix.
8.Read with your kids about the brilliant young inventors which shaped the world either online or in books.
7.Watch 'Absolute Genius With Dick & Dom' online or on iPlayer (if you can find it).
6.Engage with your child in a STEM activity that challenges their brain power.
5.Read the OKIDO magazine to find out why things work in the world.
4.Try making your own sticky, gooey foam or slime.
3.Also while you have Netflix, try and watch 'Emily's Lab', a science show with glitz and glamour.
2.Read the Nat Geo Kids books, which all have science facts and experiments you can do at home.
1.If you have a science class on today, congratulate your child with a homemade certificate of ingenuity to celebrate all you've achieved during that class today.

Caring Comfort: Fishing In The River

Furaha waded across the river, her little paws splashing and making little white waves as she gazed at her reflection in the water. She looked back, and saw that Optimus and Wizardmon were already watching her proudly. Immediately she started to go crazy and run about the water, splashing and laughing like there was no tomorrow.


When she ducked down into the river, she emerged with a fish in her mouth. “Good job!” called Wizardmon, “You seem to have the hang of it now!” “Mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm,” muffled Furaha, who actually meant “Thank you very much.” through her muffling. Suddenly, someone began to splash her, making the young cub throw her fish out onto the land. Wizardmon went over to the freshly-caught fish and placed it into his knapsack.


Furaha looked around and saw Orko and Gatomon giggling away. “Oi! What’s happening? I just caught a perfect catch!” said Furaha, an adorable look of annoyance on her face. “We thought we could join in too,” said Gatomon, “So we don’t get left behind.” Furaha thought for a moment. Then, she smiled and splashed Orko, who wailed in joy. “The more the merrier!” she cried. Orko and Gatomon cheered excitedly and all of them began splashing each other as the watching Optimus and Wizardmon laughed proudly.


Furaha couldn’t be happier to have two very special siblings by her side. Usually, cats are afraid of water, but Gatomon felt the pride in herself in enjoying the water so much. Orko didn’t mind the water, even if it got his clothes wet. The three friends splashed about in the river, splashing each other, lying in the cool water and engaging in soft, gentle hugs to show their father and uncle they care about each other.


When they were not playing in the water, they were chasing each other and tumbling about in the grass. Furaha’s laughter felt like music to Optimus’ earplates, and Wizardmon felt proud seeing Gatomon play with Orko and his sister. Then, it was Optimus’ turn to play his part. “Ssssshhh,” he whispered to Wizardmon, who laughed quietly.


Furaha, Orko and Gatomon went to hide behind a large rock near the river, giggling loudly, as Optimus sneaked up behind them…and GRABBED them playfully! Furaha, Orko and Gatomon screamed in joy as Optimus gave them a ride on his shoulders across the valley, and back to the river, where he fell into the water and hugged his three children.


Wizardmon wished he could join them. “Maybe next time,” he said as he made his way back to the palace.

Tuesday, 16 January 2024

10 Things I'd Talk About During One Stop Shop Drop In Sessions

10.Sonic Prime.
I'd talk with my new friends about how the third season's storyline is really boring, but I mainly love Mangey Tails best.
9.Amautik Love: The Muddy River.
A Trollan wizard and a toddler lioness cub smearing themselves with mud near the river? THAT's something to talk about.
8.Rise Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie.
This anime-like film should be animated by a proper anime studio, much like Avatar: The Last Airbender.
7.Mech Cadets.
Mech Cadets is really boring, but it would be better if there were a multiple choice game to fit in with things like Barbie Epic Road Trip and Johnny Test's Ultimate Meatloaf Quest.
6.Super Giant Robot Brothers.
Sure, its shaky camera format makes it look like an animated documentary, but still, Thunder is my all time favourite of the two robot brothers - their human friends are just too expressionless.
5.ReBoot: The Guardian Code.
ReBoot? With a Power Rangers twist? No one would be guessing that until Once & Always premiered on Netflix.
4.Power Rangers: Cosmic Fury.
The Pop Power Rangers shows were really boring and the storylines didn't make any sense at all, but Cosmic Fury does, plus, it includes one of the original rangers, so...dibs!
3.My Barbie: A Touch Of Magic Pegasus doll.
With her purple star face paint and the yellow star in her eyes, the Barbie: A Touch Of Magic pegasus doll is definitely worth something to talk about. Something especially since The Toys That Made Us premiered on Netflix. Trip.
2.Not Quite Narwhal.
I'd be able to tell my new friends about My Little Pony, Gabby's Dollhouse, Barbie Epic Road Trip and Johnny Test's Ultimate Meatloaf Quest, which I'll be watching as soon as I've watched the newest season of Not Quite Narwhal.
1.Orko's Dog Dreams.
The heartwarming vignette of Orko having a dream of reuniting with his pet dog Sparky and turning 4 again will surely bring a tear to the eye of anyone who had a pet before. The pet-owner relationship between a Trollan wizard and his dog will warm anyone's hearts.

When I Hear Of The One Stop Shop & All Its Activities...

Amautik Love: The Muddy River

Downhill, there was a stream. It seemed very muddy and slushy and slimy, but toddler Furaha and I didn’t mind coming here. We know it’s not safe to drink because of the mud, so we run down to the river, where it ripples peacefully in time with nature’s rhythm.


Although my face is in shadow, I splash it with the cold water. My toddler cub sister decides to play around with the mud. She draws a line in the squelchy stuff with the side of her paw, then covers her face and body in it. Seeing her, I decide to cover my own ears, hands and arms in the mud. Inuit children are messy, aren’t they? They always like to do that. It’s an Inuit tradition.


I use my Arctic magic to produce a wooden bowl decorated and carved with images of animals like the polar bear and the Arctic fox. Filling the bowl up with water, I pour it over Furaha, who giggles as the mud is washed off her. She splashes me with water, and I splash her back. She screams!


“Alright, let’s see how muddy we can get each other!” I call out, and soon we are hurling mud at each other, Furaha screaming and yelling in joy and me laughing as I attempt to chase her and throw mud at her. At last, covered in mud, we collapse, laughing like we hadn’t laughed before.


Discovering we are covered in mud, we decide to wash ourselves off in the river. I use the wooden bowl to wash all the mud off Furaha, then clicking my fingers, I produce a huge amount of storm clouds which cover the bright pink sky and darken the valley below.


First, it starts to rain in a light shower. Then it gets heavier. I feel the freedom of the rain as it washes the mud off my velvety soft clothes. “Woohoo! Wheeeeeeeee!!” I shout as I float around the valley near the river, taking in every drop of rain that cleanses not only my body, but my soul too.


Furaha runs with me, her fur wet from the rain, and I pick her up, spin her round and cuddle her softly, as rain pours down all around us, cleansing us in a shower of purity and gentleness.

10 Ideas To Celebrate Hot & Spicy Food Day

10.Go to KFC and order some spicy fried chicken on the menu, with a large bucket of Coke, some chicken poppers and some corn.
9.Do a spicy food taste test.
8.Do the Doritos One Chip Challenge.
7.Find out what makes some foods hot and spicy, and how they get their flavouring.
6.Watch the film 'Flamin' Hot' on Disney+, and see how Flamin Hot Cheetos became a massive phenomenon thanks to the man who started it all.
5.While you have Netflix, watch Snack Vs Chef. I'm not watching it, because it's too fast paced.
4.Have a hot and spicy lunch and dinner consisting of your favourite spicy foods.
3.Try out a new Mexican restaurant.
2.If you live in America, visit Casa Bonita and try out all of the food that Eric Cartman wanted to try, but won't because of his frenemy Kyle.
1.Douse your tongue with a glass of water after all the spicy fun.

Monday, 15 January 2024

10 Ideas To Celebrate Bagel Day

10.Make yourself a bagel sandwich for breakfast.
9.With store bought bagels, try to make a tower of them.
8.Use some bagels as a hula hoop for your fingers.
7.Find out how bagels are made on the internet or on videos on Youtube.
6.Bake yourself a unique concoction of a bagel, whether chocolate or lemon.
5.Go to your local baker's and buy yourself a bagel sandwich.
4.Use your store bought bagels to make a miniature chair.
3.Add chocolate spread, strawberry slices and birthday cake candles to make an extra special bagel just for the day.
2.Dance with a whole load of bagels on your finger.
1.Make some bagel themed earrings!