I simply love my new default userpic. I've been using the same one [so many books, so little time] since I joined LJ in January of 07, and I had no plans to change it until this evening. Then I received an e-mail from

hobbitholes who had made, especially for me, icons from the Beatrix Potter story "The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle", which is possibly my favourite children's book ever. This particular icon is my favourite of the bunch, and I've made it into my default pic. 

When I was a child, it was my father who did most of the reading to me. I still, at age 44, have very vivid memories of being read to by my father. He was a very active reader who did not hesitate to act out, sing, and contort his face while reading, which is probably why my memories are so vivid! There is a song in "The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle" to which he made up a tune; I can't write down the tune, but I can write down the short little ditty - imagine a simple little tune to it, and keep in mind that Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle was the laundry-woman to all the animals on this particular part of the hill:
   "Lily-white and clean, oh
   With little frills between, oh
   Smooth and hot, red rusty spot,
   Never before here seen, oh!" 
Even when my dad was not reading to me, we would often sing the song together, that and another song from a book about Big Ears and Noddy going to the sea [North American readers might not be familiar with Big Ears & Noddy - they were creations of Enid Blyton].  Even in later years, I would sometimes hear my father humming or whistling the tune of the Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle song to himself when he was feeling happy. Haven't heard it since his second stroke, so it's been a few years, but up until then I would hear it from time to time. 

I think I may like the icon so much because my dad's ill now and it reminds me of a simpler time when my dad knew everything and would always be there. I miss those days, oh, so much.  Also, although I'm not as short as Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle [I'm either 5'7" or 5'8", depending on who's measuring me!], my shape isn't dissimilar, so I feel comfortable with her proportions. And I am definitely the laundry-woman of the household, although I don't iron! [not much, anyway!]

I didn't know icons could be so revealing. I guess they can, when one chooses to reveal.