SILLY SATURDAY - INTRODUCING BABY JAY

Howdy Lovely Blippers,

JH Ted kindly said that I could introduce myself to you all today - and you might have guessed where I come from because instead of saying “Hello”, I said “Howdy”!  

You may remember that the HCBs had some visitors a couple of weeks ago all the way from America - and one of their visitors, Gina, flew me all the way “Across the Pond” as they say, from Kansas USA to Swindon, England - 4,355 miles or 7008 kilometres, so that I could join the awesome Silly Saturday Gang and I must say they are a great crowd and yes, they are quite silly - but I think they probably get that from Mrs HCB!  

You might like to know that my brother, Jayhawk, is the mascot for the University of Kansas - known as KU - and we create energy and enthusiasm for everything to do with KU.  The story goes way, way back to the 1800s - and in 1886 a mythical bird, called a Jayhawk, appeared in a cheer during a University of Kansas athletic event and forever after became the mascot.  Today Kansas natives, like Gina, are known as Jayhawks.  However, Connie wasn’t born in Kansas, but as her husband, Clark, got a PhD from Kansas University, they are “Honorary Jayhawks” and love Kansas and basketball, so why not?

So now you know about me, and I was a gift to the Silly Saturday Gang - let me also tell you about the other wonderful gifts that Connie, Gina’s friend, brought for the HCBs.  We are all sitting on the bed on pillowcases that Connie’s Mom, Carolyn - and they call Mothers Moms in America, whereas I understand you call them Mums - anyway, I digress - embroidered these beautiful pillowcases and also crocheted what we thought were hats, which is really silly, but in fact, they are dishcloths - so Mr. HCB will enjoy using those as he usually does the washing up!  So special thanks to Carolyn from the Silly Saturday Gang.

And now the story behind the large sign that says “MICAH”.  I am told that one of the families at the new Church Mr. & Mrs HCB go to have three sons, one of whom is Micah - and he has what is called Fragile “X” syndrome.  They live some way away from the HCBs but Micah has just started going to a new school near the HCBs, so Mrs. HCB - and you know how much she loves to make things - decided to make a large sign with Micah’s name on it, because Micah and his Mum - not Mom - pass the HCBs’ house every day when Micah goes to school.  

As the HCBs’ house backs on to the roundabout you saw in her Blip on Wide Wednesday, this sign is up in one of their bedroom windows, so that Micah and his Mum - and we understand that his Dad collects him on a Friday - can all see it.   It’s not quite in lights - that would be too silly - but we know they see it when they pass by and will see it even better when the leaves fall off the trees - which is obviously why we call the season “Fall”!

So this is a shout out today, not only to the lovely Admirer, but also to Micah and his Mum, Abi and his Dad, Matt, not forgetting Micah’s two brothers, Noah, who I understand is ace at drumming and Asher, who goes to pre-school near where they live.

I think I’m going to enjoy living here and I’m sure that Gina, Connie and her Mom, Carolyn, will all be very pleased to see that I have settled in with the Silly Saturday Gang from Swindon.  I’m certainly looking forward to joining them in all their adventures - they sound as if they do some really cool things.

Love to you all,

BabyJay and all the Silly Saturday Gang xxxx