Sunday 18 September 2011

Dr Samuel Johnson and Greta Garbo and of Flash The Familiar



No, GG did not supplant Mrs Thrale in a parallel dimension. It's just that the good Doctor (1709) and GG (1905), share 18th September as a birthday. From what we know of them, it is difficult to think of people so very different from each other. However, Johnson was, according to the Chinese, born in the year of the ox and Garbo in the year of the snake (or so I am told). Apparently, the years in each twelve year cycle of the Chinese lunar calendar were named after the animals, by the Lord Buddha, in the order in which they came to bid him farewell when he left earth and of the animal which governs your birth year, the Chinese say: "This is the animal which hides in your heart." I am a pig.

If you too are a witch, you will also realize that Johnners and Grets were both born under the sign of Virgo.

Speaking of witchery reminds me to mention Flash, my familiar, whom I have mentioned here before. She has taken to leaping up onto a side window and, spread-eagled, clinging to the frames of the panes with her claws, like a Moth-Cat, and eye-balling me at my table until she is admitted. Ignoring her would probably lead to her refusing to stabilize the broomstick and this could have disastrous consequences; especially on one of our mid-Atlantic journeys, so she gets her way.

Flash.

2 comments:

  1. Good Lord, isn't she (GG) beautiful!? Heavens! She has the sort of face one could die for.

    I'm a total Cock, or so I've been told by a dozen or three chapettes over the decades.

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  2. I think that she is up there amongst the great beauties of the 20th Century but Hedy Lamarr was even more beautiful and Ava Gardner had the oomph.
    NJS

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