Stories & Characters

Brenda Boleyn

(the Other, Other Boleyn Girl).

The Brenda Mermaid (or Merflamingo) (or Little Merbrenda) (can’t decide, should have thought this through).

My 8-year old niece loved this. I loved this. Everyone else probably thinks I’m mad. Anyway, The Brenda Mermaid (or whatever) can be distinguished not by the scallop shell brassiere most common among mermaids, but by the tail that looks more like fossilised vertebrae, a flat cap of oyster shell, and webbed feet as fins. Oh, and she’s half flamingo. She lost her wings and her creator didn’t think to replace them with arms or something because it was really hot that day.

Brenda “Earhart” Flamingo

A flamingo’s ode to Amelia Earhart.

Earhart, the aviator
was flying high and free.
Her plane of choice, Electra
a model 10 Lockheed.

Advancing attitudes in times
she lived in, she became
first female to fly solo
‘cross the Atlantic Ocean.

In ’37, disappeared
in the Pacific Ocean,
with navigator Noonan,
while flying ‘round the globe.

A most enduring mystery
in aviation history.

Where did you go, Amelia?
We lost your radio.
From then ‘til now, the search goes on.
Oh please, we have to know!

Perhaps one day we’ll find her,
some traces on a beach
upon a desert island
that no one else could reach.

In sorrow for the earthbound
flamingos like to sing
an ode to daring Earhart
forever on her wings.

Brenda Ballerina

Brenda Ballerina in:

‘Flamingo Lake’ (rehearsal sans lake).

VelociBrenda

Brenda Flamingo in:

‘Flamingo Park’.

Mad Brenda

Brenda Flamingo in:

‘Mad Brenda – Flamingo Road’.

Deirdre and Duck

Oh, Brenda!

I’ve created a webcomic! Oh, Brenda! follows the adventures of Brenda Flamingo as she transitions from Andean flamingo to flamingo-about-town.

You can follow Brenda on her very own website: http://www.ohbrendacomic.com, and on the following social media platforms:

Merry Christmas 2021

Brenda would like to wish you

a Merry Christmas. Indeed,

as well as all this, she hopes you

will get your Covid vaccine.

Brenda can’t wait to hear soon,

‘bout all the presents you had.

The socks, the chocs, and mostly

that wonderful booster jab.

Brenda would like to wish you

a Happy New Year? Agreed.

With hope and determination

that next year we’ll truly succeed!

The Spanner of Good Fortune

At the end of 2020, we all needed some hope. Reflecting with my colleagues on the continuing spanner in the works that was (is) Covid-19 and what might happen next, I decided to create ‘The Spanner of Good Fortune’ to welcome in the new year. You know, the year that was going to be so much better or something.

Perhaps there will be a Spanner of Good Fortune of twenty twenty two. “The Spanner of Good Fortune has had some time to think, and come up with a better plan to keep us from the brink!”

Brenda Flamingo

(to the tune of Copacabana)

Her name is Brenda
she’s a flamingo
with bright pink feathers everywhere
and green scarf cut down to there

She plays bingo
and likes to sing, oh
and though she’d like to be a star
she is yet to get that far

Brenda,
Brenda Flamingo
She’s the one with the bright crimson wing-o,
Oh, she’s Brenda
Brenda Flamingo

Music and fashion
are always the passion of
flamingoes

The Snail of Self-Belief

Snail is an artist.

We know this because Snail expresses herself through art.

Like this piece, titled ‘Spirals (of the mind)’.

But sometimes, Snail feels she needs to prove to herself that she is an artist. If she has one bad day, she doubts herself…

and believes she’s not really an artist at all.

But Snail must remember!

It is about the process rather than the end result.

Sometimes the process seems slow…

… or seems to stop altogether, like it was never there…

and Snail feels scared…

… and gives up.

But the process can always be resumed if we let go of expectations and perfectionism.

The process is about curiosity and discovery.

And perfection doesn’t exist.

So hang in there Snail.

Focus.

Believe in yourself.

Enjoy the process.

Enjoy the journey.