Opossum Doodlewash
By Charlie

Hang In There

Written by Charlie O'Shields

So here’s a little something that can hang upside down, per your request. In this case, it’s a baby possum, because the large ones are freaky looking and scare the crap out of me. There used to be one that appeared on our doorstep when I would take Phineas out for a walk, and then scuttle away like a huge awkward rat. It was disconcerting. Philippe thinks they’re cute at any age, but I still contend the older ones are creepy.

Apparently, it’s a myth that these little creatures sleep upside down because their tails, while strong, really wouldn’t hold them up very long. A fat possum wouldn’t last more than a couple seconds before plummeting to the ground. So there you have it. Myth debunked. And now that you know, you won’t be kept up at night worrying about it. So, you’re welcome.

I decided on the cliche title because things have been getting pretty busy for everyone during the holidays. Also, because cats are usually the star of this little motto and I thought it was time to let a possum take the stage for once. This time of year, while super fun, requires a bit of extra effort with all the holiday gatherings, baking, and of course, shopping!

When I came downstairs this morning, Philippe told me to wait on the stairs as he was shopping for one of my gifts. This reminded me that I’ve purchased exactly nothing yet, and have just made little lists in my head. Which don’t count as actual gifts apparently. People say, “it’s the thought that counts” but nobody actually means it. They always want something, and they don’t want it to be something stupid and awkward.

Philippe is always so good to pick things out and buy them promptly, while I usually wait until the last second and binge shop in wild desperation. All the ideas I had in my head spill out and I get distracted and then have an even better idea that requires twice as much to ship in order to have it arrive on time. Each year, I vow to myself to plan ahead only to disappoint myself yet again the following year. This is another of those years.

I hope you’re all enjoying your weekend, and are better prepared for the upcoming holiday. Unless it’s not one you celebrate, of course. Either way, wishing you fun times in the days ahead, because, well, every day should have a little fun in it!

Charlie O'Shields

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

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47 thoughts on “Hang In There”

  1. I’m usually a last minute shower too.. Maybe you’ll do some online shopping this weekend.. Hanukkah is just about done and at least my big shopping is done for my kids. I still have to get Christmas gifts for my side of the family.

    The baby possum is super cute!

    Reply

    1. Thanks Kari! Glad you liked him! 💕😃 And the autocorrect said you “last minute shower” …lol…that made me giggle! Christmas and Hanukkah?!! Wow! That is a busy time of year for you! And I’m impressed that you’re already done shopping for the kids. I still haven’t done anything, but I’m feeling hopeful for tomorrow. 😊hehe

      Reply

  3. Love love love…rapidly swatting the ‘like’ button….lol…adorable painting cuteness factor has exceeded my sugar quota for the month. Great post, mental lists are wonderful and totally get where you are coming from. Thank you for sharing the fun.

    Reply

  5. Cute!!! Charlie, you have a real knack for the little woodland creatures. When I lived in San Diego, the possums would come out at night. They peek in our screen door during the summer. The cutest thing I saw was a mother walking with her 8 little babies clinging to her back. We had skunks too, but that’s a different story. Haha.

    Reply

    1. Thanks Laura!! 😃❤️And lol…not ever going to try to get close to an actual one! They still freak me out a bit. 😊 I managed a couple gifts last night (much easier online then braving the stores! Hehe)…good luck with your shopping!! (And please don’t worry too much about what to buy me…I’m super easy to please!! 😉)

      Reply

        1. Ohhhh! An art supply giveaway would be great! Actually we could probably all just do an art swap with stuff we bought with an intent to use someday. 😊lol And I agree, the pressure can be tough on shopping. Philippe is so good at getting the perfect unexpected gift and I struggle thinking, “can you just tell me what you want?!!”

          Reply

          1. Same thing here! My family are good at gifting. My heart is 1000% in it, but sometimes the more time and effort I put in, the worse I do. And lists don’t let you out, at least not with us because there’s always the expectation of getting cool interesting stuff not on the lists. I wish I were better at it. 😕 Art supply swap sounds like a really good idea! We all have stuff we prob won’t use….

  11. Your possum is adorable! But is it an opossum or a possum? Either way I love this one with his outstretched hand. Um, I have bought nothing either…I wonder how the holidays would be with nothing purchased…it could happen here at this rate!

    Reply

    1. Thanks Cathe! 💕😃 It’s officially opossum, but the casual version is possum. I looked it up before posting and it said also known as “Didelphimorphia”… Known by this to exactly nobody except scientists of course! Hehe…if you can’t get something, you’ll have to make something instead! 😉 Gifts are the cool part. Of course, this said by someone who plans to make nothing! Hehe

      Reply

  12. Adorable. He looks like he’s doing some sort of gymnastics routine… he’s probably more co-ordinated than I was in Gym!

    Your situation regarding Christmas shopping is exactly the same as my own. I’ve not started yet, though I told myself in December that I would start no later than the beginning of December this year. A couple of years back, I started on 23rd! I did it all in one (impressively quick) blitz. I guess I’m hoping for that kind of thing again this year… perhaps I just love the thrill of the chase 😉 or, more likely, I can’t be doing with Christmas shopping.

    Reply

    1. Lol…thanks! I’m sure this little guy works out more than I do, which is true for anything that actually moved around a bit. 😊 Whoa! The 23rd?! That’s insane! I can’t bear to be around that many people so I wait until Amazon screams at me to shop immediately in their lovely Last Chance email.

      Reply

      1. I should really do more online shopping. It wasn’t so bad at that late stage – mostly grumpy men rushing around refusing to make eye contact and no Christmas cheer whatsoever. My kind of people when it comes to shopping 😉

        Reply

  13. Your opossum looks so…welcoming. They are kind of creepy little things, though, aren’t they? As to shopping, I am a bad shopper. I tend to wait until two days before. But I won’t do that this year (yes I will).

    Reply

  14. So cute! Getting it together for any event is difficult for me, and Christmas is no exception. Luckily, my older daughter came to help get a tree yesterday. So that’s one step forward! Good luck with your shopping. (K)

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  16. I had one of these that somehow got into my house when I was single. I found it hiding behind my decorative potato bin, in the dark kitchen, at 11:30 at night hissing at me.

    !!!TOTAL PANIC!!!

    I had some friends come over to help me….let’s just say that when the thing started to race around my living room like it was a Nascar track….I turned into some African Zulu Rain Dance Warrior…

    It was a night we will never forget lol

    BTW…fabulous doodlewash 😉

    Reply

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