Happy Friday!!
Quite a sad post today!! (For me anyway!!).

Next week is my last at Oddies!! My internship is over and some lovely people have offered me a proper grown up job!! Yay!!

I'll be sad to go though, not least because I wont get to keep you good people informed as to what's going on in Oddieworld!! I will, of course, check in from time to time to make sure that the blog has been maintained to the exacting standards that you have come to expect....stop sniggering please!!

But!! I have a week left, so I have a few days of posting to look forward to!! That's it - breathe a sigh of relief!!

The question is...who will I leave the mammoth task of writing the blog to?? Who could hope to even go part way to replacing me?...It's a toughy, leave it with me!!

Have Fun!!
Dan.

Pic: Pirate Oddie and his crew having a bit of target practice.

Arrgh! Ahoy Mateys!!

Ever since I saw Muppet Treasure Island I've had a hankering to be a Pirate (Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley have got nothing on Kermit and Miss Piggy) but then again I tend to get sea sick and am petrified of parrots - talking birds just aren't right!!

Oddieworld has its very own resident Pirate crew who fiercely patrol Foot Sea aboard the 'Good Ship Oddie Sock' and this got me thinking.... There a certain things that every good Pirate Captain has to have; a Parrot (preferably called Polly), a beard (usually blue (?) or black), a hat, a hook and most importantly... a peg leg!!

Now peg legs don't require socks....so our Pirate sock must of come from the remaining foot (stay with me) which means...if you see a one peg legged, one bare footed Pirate on your travels - firstly, hide any gold/treasure maps/potential booty that you have on your person and secondly, give him a nod in the direction of Oddieworld to let him know his missing sock is happily plundering the Good Oddies treasures - that should make him smile!

Fancy finding out your Pirate persona?? go here - www.piratequiz.com

Mine's below!

My pirate name is:

Dirty Morty Bonney

You're the pirate everyone else wants to throw in the ocean -- not to get rid of you, you understand; just to get rid of the smell. You can be a little bit unpredictable, but a pirate's life is far from full of certainties, so that fits in pretty well. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.

Have Fun!!
Dan.

Pic: He might have super powers, but is he strong enough to escape Princess Oddie's flirting?

Grendon Primary School in Northampton have been in touch and asked Grant to come and officiate over the grand opening of the newly refurbished school library!! - get us!! (I say us, I of course really mean Grant - but I have decided to bask in his reflected glory!!).

We have a bit of a special link with this school as Matthew Tatum (one of the lads who penned Cub Scout Oddie) is a student there. So it' s great to be asked back - not only does Grant get to feel like a celebrity for the day but we get to see the work of a school that really invests in providing the essential link between fun and literacy!! So, thank you Grendon Primary School (especially a nice lady called Lynne) for thinking of us!!

When the great event takes place I'll be sure to post a couple of photos!

Have Fun!!

Dan.

Pic: Postman Oddie.

I heard a few discontented rumblings in Oddieworld of late - I'm not going to name names but it's come to my attention that some of the less well-known Oddies think it's about time that they had their moment in the sun and I have to say that I agree with them!!

So...Super Hero has a flying cloak and X-ray vision, Policeman has a whistle and a snazzy hat but there are a lot of other Oddies who do jobs equally as important - its just their accessories aren't quite as glamorous!!

Postman Oddie is up with the larks (and larks get up early!) and out delivering all the Oddie post while most of Oddieworld’s inhabitants are still tucked up in bed. Come rain or shine Postman is dedicated to make sure that all of Oddieworld’s correspondence is delivered promptly and efficiently. This dynamic odd sock makes an appearance in the Robber Oddie book, so next time your leafing through the pages give him a wave just to let him know that you've noticed him!!

Who else??

Mayor Oddie does a fantastic job at running Oddietown (She also has some serious bling draped around her neck!). Politics might not be glamorous, but if wasn't for Major Oddie's relentless efforts to keep Oddietown and its inhabitants peaceful and ordered there would be a lot of miserable odd socks out there!! - and you don't want Ballet Oddie miserable, if she's not happy no-one is!! - except maybe Witchy.

Mayor Oddie can be seen placating some very stressed socks in the Brownie Oddie book which you can get through the website - www.oddieworld.com

Now...there are too many unsung Odd Socks in Oddieworld to mention each individually, so have a look at the books or on your poster and see how many Oddies you hadn't noticed before!! I bet you'll be suprised!!

Have Fun!!
Dan.

Pic: The inside of Grant's sock drawer!!

Who wouldn't want this smiley lot (apart from Robber who is admittedly moody) as friends? Well, now's your chance!!

Sign up as an Oddies Friend on the website - www.oddieworld.com and not only do you get a poster, birthday card and regular Oddies newsletter but (!) now you get the first book in the series - The Story of Oddieworld, absolutely free!! (Apart from postage - we're generous, but we're not silly!!)

Sign up now to be the first to find out all the gossip from Oddieworld!! Well, go on...you know you want to!!

Have Fun!!

Dan

Pic: Beaver Scout Oddie

Beaver Scout Oddie is always eager to get involved, whether he’s singing in the Oddie choir or helping Farmer Oddie wrangle the animals down at Darn Farm he’ll be trying his hardest and grinning from ear to ear! This enthusiastic young Oddie is always on a mission to gain new badges and make new friends along the way, so if you need someone to help carry your shopping or just fancy a chat – this is your sock!!

But with the Oddie circus in town and a ferocious beast on the loose it will take more than good intentions sort this mess out! Check out the book to see if Beaver Scout Oddie is "prepared" to save the day! www.oddieworld.com

Have Fun!!
Dan

Pic: Super Hero Oddie.

Firstly - Sorry for the inexcusable lapse in posting - I hope that you don't feel too neglected!? But it's been very busy in Oddieworld recently....Wizzo managed to turn himself into a hedgehog and it took all our energy just to retrieve him from the undergrowth of Oddie Orchard - he's fine now though (apart from the fact that he keeps trying to hibernate).

Secondly - Meet Super Hero Oddie!!

I shouldn't really have favourites (the Oddies aren't very web savvy, so I doubt any of them will read this) but in truth this Super Sock is without doubt the coolest sock in Oddieworld! He's the strongest, fastest and most secretive sock on Good Oddie Island- and with powers of flight, X-Ray vision and a pretty snazzy suit (with obligatory matching cloak and mask) what's not to like?

He might look the part, but with Princess Oddie stuck in the snowy peaks of the Oddie Mountains and Robber and Witchy doing their best to make sure she stays up there, has this flying foot warmer got what it takes to escape the Bad Oddies and Princess Oddie's kisses?

Have a look at the book to find out - www.oddieworld.com

Have Fun!!

Dan.

Happy World Book Day!! Also, Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus! (Happy Saint David's Day!) for any Welsh Oddies fans!

I actually went to university in Aberystwyth (that's in Wales!! - don't make that face, you'd be surprised how many people don't know!) so am a little bit Welsh (in spirit at least) myself!

How will I be celebrating the convergence of these two monumental occasions? Well, I'll read of course - I'd read in Welsh if I could, but my expertise extends only to inane pleasantries, road signs and greeting cards - I'm a big fan of Welsh cards, you couldn't walk into Clinton's and find a Happy St Georges Day card - although they do a nice line in 'Happy Birthday from next doors Guinea Pig' stylee greetings. I guess the English just aren't as proud of being English as the Welsh are at being Welsh, which is a bit of a shame.....Tangent, I apologise.

So....reading, that's what I'll be doing (possibly while sporting a daffodil or chewing on a leek) and that's what you should do to!! (Leek optional!). Find the time to pick up a book and have a read! Read to yourself and read with your kids!!

Check out www.worldbookday.com to find out more about the event - stuck for book ideas?? You can't go wrong with an Oddie!! - www.oddieworld.com

Have Fun!!

Dan.