Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Misquoted, misattributed , misformatted .



Overnight a huge storm . Memorable as much for its duration as for its intensity . Three hours of solid , unrelenting rain , hurling itself at the shutterless windows . This morning trees down , the pool house under water , carpets in the downstairs hallway drenched , gutters wrenched off the roof and power intermittent . ' The font ' busy checking the damage and making running repairs . In the midst of this nighttime fury the family fellow decides on a pit stop . He stands at the front door listening to the angry rain pounding against the courtyard gravel , the thunder echoing and re-echoing off the mountains ; sensing rather than seeing the lightning arcing high overhead. That almost human state of indecision halfway between necessity and fear .

In the library , waiting with a flashlight and a towel to rub him dry , I come across a well known but much misquoted and misformatted line . A smile inducing poem that could have been written for this blind , totally trusting , once imperturbable dog . " When you walk to the edge of all the light you know and take that first step into the darkness of the unknown, you must believe that one of two things will happen : There will be something solid for you to stand upon, or , you will be taught how to fly " .

Pit stop over , fear conquered , he wanders back inside and joins me by the sofa . A rugby playing PON attitude that says " It's not as bad out there as you might think ". The storm rages on . He gets a biscuit then falls blissfully , and unconcernedly, asleep . I chuckle .

22 comments:

  1. Wow, dramatic scenes! Well done, Wilf, for bravely stepping into the unknown.

    x (for Wilf!)

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  2. Bad bad storm. Glad everyone is okay. Everything else can be fixed.

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  3. Sometimes, you just gotta pee. And nothing else matters.

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  4. Are the baby bats safe?

    XXXOOO Daisy, Kendra & Bella

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  5. Wilf the poetic, Wilf the brave. A true furry hero.

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  6. Supercutie - love you. Love your attitude.
    All of us in Southern Italy give you a hug - Susanne Foxiie and Daisy

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  7. Angus, your quotes and thoughts once again are a great way to start my day here in Virginia! I hope all is back to normal, repaired, replaced and dried out quickly!!

    By the way, will Bristol Palin's autobiography titled 'Not Afraid of Life' be a new addition to your library? I personally can't believe she's written a book--I wonder if it's more like a short story?

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  8. We are expecting the same type of weather this morning and we are not looking forward to it. Maggie Mae hates to get wet and I am sure she will have to go out in the middle of the storm. :)
    Thankful that all are safe. Hugs for Wilf.

    Blessings and Love,
    Janelle and Maggie Mae

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  9. Wow, after this terrific night, i wish you the best for this afternoon.
    One more time, Wilfee was a heroe !
    Bisous my sweet boy, amitiƩs to you, Angus, and the Font.

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  10. Wilf once again gives me a life lesson. There is nothing to fear, but fear itself!

    Well done Wilf!

    Susan

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  11. Great quote! And a raging storm on Solstice!

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  12. It sounds like you have the same sort of storms we've been enjoying! I knew Wilf would be brave and head right on out in the storm, though!

    That's a fantastic quote and now I'm going to have to go off and figure out who said it!

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  13. i love what he said when he came back in.
    he found that something solid in the dark and to get a biscuit for his trouble! good fellow!!!
    do you know how many others would have just peed on the floor? maybe some humans included there... ;)
    love to you three,
    (and the babies in the attic of course)
    tammy j

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  14. JackDaddy hit the nail on the head. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do....but a biscuit at the end of it makes it all good!! Keep on going Wilf!

    With love from your soggy Canadian pals,
    Dianna along with Tor, Willow and Tucker

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  15. I love this quote! Wilf is such a trooper to brave such a fierce storm. Hope the damage was not too bad.

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  16. Abby has often [every time it rains] thought that stormy days are the only ones that it might be better to be a cat with an indoor litter box. The feeling passes quickly, of course.

    So did you flood or have a leak in the old farm house? As shutters are strictly decorative in the U.S., it's novel to think of their actually being necessary to keep out the rain.

    Jed & Abby

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  17. I look forward to reading of Wilf's reaction to his first honeydew. I would be surprised if he did not discover a new culinary wonderment, as Edward did. One of the few good bits about the dreaded summer season as far as he's concerned.

    Storms here tonight as well. Pits stops before bed blessedly speedy.

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  18. P.S. Driving to the market , Pink Floyd's song Learning to Fly came on the radio. The opening bars made me think of the raging storm and Wilf's choice to brave it. Stuck in my head all day!

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  19. ^^^Someone up above said sometimes you just gotta pee. So very true! Sometimes you just can't hold it so you have to brave the unknown.

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