Thing To Do Today: pootle.

Life is stern and life is earnest.

Or so I'm told.

Oh, but what about pootling? That is, wandering around enjoying the delights of wherever you happen to be.


No one stern or earnest, charging along intent on business, is ever going to notice one of these in their hurry:


Photo Petr Kratochvil:
http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=13533&picture=baby-lamb">Baby Lamb</a> by Petr Kratochvil


or one of these (look at the shine!):





or even one of these:





Life is many, many things apart from stern and earnest.


And a pootler will discover this about a million times a day.


Thing To Do Today: pootle. This word is made up in the 1900s from poodle, in its meaning of to travel, and tootle, which is a relaxed journey in a car.


Pootle is also a character in the children's television series The Flumps, which is also neither stern nor earnest, but quite enchanting.