Blogger Lapinbizarre said...
Got an email message two days ago from a college buddy from whom I have not heard in many years. This reminded me that 43 years ago today (how's that for precision?), he, I and three other friends walked to the Sunday morning service ("mass" - it was a bells and smells church) at a parish church a couple of miles from the campus. About half way there we were distracted by two sparrows having frantic, furious sex in the middle of the street. Dust everywhere (it was a back road) and totally engrossed in what they were doing - we could have picked them up or stamped on them without their noticing. Being a town boy, I had never before actually witnessed the mechanics of bird sex, so I was extremely impressed.
At the church, the priest broke off about a third the way into the service to do the "kiddy homily" thing. He comes down to the children in the front pews and asks "Do you know what day it is today, children?" Lots of muttering and many "No, Father's", until finally a kid yells "It's St. Valentine's Day", at which point Fr. Sparks said "That's right, children, it's St. Valentine's Day - when the little birdies take a mate"!
Our pew disolved into screams of uncontrolled laughter and damn near had to be carried out, handkerchiefs stuffed in mouths. To this day, when I hear the words St. Valentine's Day, I always think of those two sparrows.
Excellent, you cwazy wabbit!
When you leave here, pop over to visit Elizabeth at Telling Secrets to watch a video which will leave your jaw on your keyboard.
Gosh, I'm moving up in the world, aren't I?
ReplyDeleteAfter I had posted this I looked into the "bird" business a little. Turns out to have been a late medieval belief. The assembly of Chaucer's "Parliament of Fowls" occurs "on seynt Volantynys day When euery byrd comyth there to chese his make". The mid-15th century Paston Letters include: "and cousin, on Friday is St. Valentine's Day and every bird chooses for himself a mate".
Did you know that Valentine's Day is a Christianisation by the early church of Lupercalia, the Roman festival of fertility and sexual license?
Did you know that Valentine's Day is a Christianisation by the early church of Lupercalia, the Roman festival of fertility and sexual license?
ReplyDeleteNo, I did not, Lapin. So, since the festival has been Christianized, does it follow that am I now free, free, free to practice sexual license today?
You are moving up in the world, and I'd advise you to get your own blog, except that you supply me with material that my blog would be the worse for not having.
I am in favor of getting down and dusty, though my libido seems to be vacationing somewhere else and doesn't even send postcards.
ReplyDeleteGreat story, Wild Hare; thanks to you and Mimi for the giggle.
I did and I would propose its return as opposed to all this sloppy romantic idealism. 3 days of unfettered rutting by order, instead of this Victorian farce. It's nearly as bad as Christmas.
ReplyDeleteWhoa, TheMe! Three days of unfettered rutting! It's a one day holiday.
ReplyDeleteWhat did you give your wife for Valentine's Day? Whoops! I think that's the wrong question.
The Christiasn turned it into a one day thing. It was 13th-15th.
ReplyDeleteAnd my beloved got exactly the same affection she gets every day of the year. I don't do Valentines.
Quite apart from that the 11th is her birthday, and she is not getting 2 presents in one week!
TheeMe & MiMi?
ReplyDeleteIt has a ring, doesn't it, Lapin.
ReplyDeleteThat video of Elizabeth's is spectacular. Who could have imagined that George W squats to pee?
ReplyDeleteGack, Lapin!
ReplyDeleteWill someone pass the brain bleach, please?