Good grief! Snoopy, Lucy, Charlie Brown… and me

Good grief! I can't believe I've been writing this blog for six years now, without yet mentioning my very first love, my very first obsession. Yes, it was Peanuts, and Snoopy in particular. I loved that beagle. I cherished my cute Snoopy cuddly toy. My first ever watch featured Snoopy playing tennis with the "big hand" being the one holding the racket, and the ball round the outside marking the seconds. I drank my warm milk out of a perspex snoopy mug for many years until I was probably too old to be drinking warm milk each evening. And several decades later, I still have all the books! I just could never bring myself to hand them to anybody else. They stay with me. And on reflection, they have stayed with me, and they remain relevant to who I am and my thoughts about the charity sector. Here are some reasons why: Dance like Snoopy Snoopy is a fantastic creation. He's at turns adventurous, charismatic, inventive, and filled with personality. He's a fantasist and a role player - I particularly loved his ongoing flying ace dogfights from the top of his kennel with the Red Baron. He's a loyal, protective friend to Woodstock, the anxious little bird who becomes more of a sidekick. Time for a happy dance! #FridayFeeling pic.twitter.com/zxnoDAKXEJ— PEANUTS (@Snoopy) February 22, 2019 But it's his love of dancing that has really stuck with me. There's something so joyous and primal about it - arms and ears outstretched, beaming face turned upwards, legs blurre