01/12/2023
🥰A Story from The Og Diaries🥰
“Ogs! Listen!........... Do you feel it? Asked Mammoth
Most of the Ogs were still wrapped up warmly in their sleeping bags in the Tipi down on the beach. At the sound of Mammoth’s concern all the Ogs stirred and looked at him with great concern.
Well, everyone except grannie Annie. “Feel what?” Snapped Grannie Annie. “The cold?..... The Damp?.......The Quiet?.....What is it you feel Mammoth?”
Mammoth was used to Grannie Annie’s flippant replies and smiled a warm, knowing smile.
“Something has changed” he replied. “It’s always very subtle but I can feel that something significant has changed. It’s as if the lights just flickered and dimmed a little. It has been happening a lot lately and you know what that usually means?”
“Oh dear, how terribly sad” said Kenneth forlornly. “It usually means the fabric of someone has worn out. What can we do Mammoth? The Funny Folk will be sad and worried. It’s nearly Winter and it can be so hard for folk when the nights draw in and the weather turns colder and they can’t get out as easily. How can we mend the hole that will be left”.
Mammoth had all The Ogs attention now. “We will do what we do best Ogs. We will show them that we care, and we will show them that we are here and what we are doing.”
“But how will they see us Mammoth? We usually only reveal ourselves when we get ‘The call’” said Tom. “We never impose ourselves on the Funny Folk.”
“Yes, you are quite right Tom. I think we need a new kind of Og for this Operation. An Og for the community.”
“A Communty Og” chanted the other Ogs excitedly.
“Yes! An Og to remind people that we are here and that we care. I don’t want to take any of you off your own important projects so we must imagine a new Og.” Stated Mammoth profoundly.
(The Ogs arrived in Ogmore by Sea many years ago at the request of children worried about Climate Change. Operation: Custodians of the Coastline came in to action in response to the children’s concerns. Each Og is working hard to raise awareness of the importance of our role in looking after each other and our environment.)
This got all the Ogs up and excited! “Whoop! Whoop” they chorused “A NEW Og day!”
Mammoth calmed them all down by instructing them all to take up their positions in the Og storeroom behind the tipi. The storeroom was full of bits and bobs. Searching and finding alongside repurposing and inventing were key roles in all the Ogs Lives. There were bits of old t-shirt, swimming trunks, fishing wire, sheep wool and a whole lot more. Once all the Ogs were together the work began.
“I think we should use this lovely bit of Welsh blanket left over from our sleeping bags”. Said Sylvie, the most creative of the Ogs. “It’s warm and soft and full of stories of where it was made and where it has lived.”
“That sounds excellent. Our Community Og or Ogs want to show the Funny Folk that we are warm, soft, loveable yet strong, knowledgeable, and important in history. What else can you find?” enquired Mammoth.
The Ogs each rummaged through the piles of materials that they had gathered over the years until a lovely pile had formed in the middle. In true Og spirit the chosen materials started to present as arms and legs and head and body. All the Ogs had to do was imagine it all together and WHOOSH! A new Og was born!
The Og that now stood in front of them was taking them all in.
“Hello I’m Angharad and I believe you have been waiting for me.”
“Welcome to Ogmore by Sea Angharad! We are so excited to meet you. You have the best job in the world to do!” Chorused all the Ogs together.
“That’s right!” agreed Mammoth. “You are to be posted at Ogmore by Sea Post Office. The Funny Folk there need you. There is a hole in their fabric and whilst we never replace a hole we can help mend it with kindness. All you will need is your Og Mantra and your Og wisdom. Remember you are not alone on this operation. We are here for you. We meet every hundred and ninety-two visitors to the beach (this is an Og measure of time that they have found useful for monitoring change to the beach environment). So, we will send you a message to let you know when the next meeting is. This will give you a chance to share your progress, identify any areas for development and gather more Og wisdom from the Og Library behind the tipi. Any Questions?”
“No I think that’s all I need right now. I have my Og Mantra. It goes like this: “I’m an Og and I care about you and you and you and you and you and you and you and you and ……….you because I’m an Og!” sang Angharad as she pointed at each Og and each stone on the beach and the birds in the sky and the worms on the grass and the clouds in the sky and the rocks on the cliffside.
“Excellent!” declared Mammoth. “Would you like one of us to take you to your posting?”
But she was gone. Angharad was up the beach on to the grass and all the Ogs could hear was her calling “I’m an Og and I care about you and you and you and you and you and you and you…” as she disappeared in to the ferns and finally “….. because I’m an Og”!
For more information about the Ogs visit Crafts by The Sea Craft Shop or email: [email protected].
