The Surrey Puma was one or more phantom cats, supposedly black pumas, seen around south western Surrey from the 1960s onwards.
The first possible sightings were recorded in 1959, when police received a number of reports of big cats in the Farnham area, near the Surrey/Hampshire border.[1] Two further sightings were recorded in 1962 bywater board personnel in Hampshire, while in the winter of 1962-3, a "cat-like beast" was seen at Bushylease Farm, near Crondall in Hampshire. When a police officer sighted the supposed Shooters Hill Cheetah in 1963, media interest turned to other big cat sightings.[2]
In August 1964, a bullock at Bushylease was found, severely lacerated. Following press coverage, numerous other reports of contact with the animal, dubbed the "Surrey Puma", came in, ranging from the fanciful to some taken seriously by the police.[3] At Godalming Police Station alone, 362 reports were received in a two year period.[2] The station also kept a cast of a massive paw print on display, identified as that of a puma by London Zoo, although several reports noted that its size implied an extremely large specimen and that there were distinct differences between it and the prints of other pumas.[4] The investigation was not closed until the summer of 1967.[2]
In August 1966, a former police photographer took a grainy shot which he claimed showed the Surrey Puma in Worplesdon.[5] In 1968, a farmer claimed to have shot a puma, but could not provide any evidence. Sightings gradually tailed off, although paw prints found in the snow in 1970 generated a flurry of further reports.[1] In 1984, hair samples taken at Peaslake were identified as puma.[2]
In 1983, an alien big cat featured in The Archers, and the Beast of Exmoor entered the news. Sightings of the Surrey Puma were again recorded,[2] and have continued to the present day.[6][7]
Indeed, the lights are on in the street, the carols are playing from ‘subtly’ placed speakers, the coca cola advert is playing on television stations, and thousands of mini Santa’s are breaking into balconies all over the island.
*sigh*
I love it.
Yesterday had my fist shopping trip with Matt and Kai (dumdumdumdum da da dumdumdumdumdumdumdum dumdumdumdum da da, da da) and it’s something special seeing Matt loose all his maturity at a specific Christmas Carol (Can’t remember what it was).
Lol: check your balance Matt … fail.
I must say though, as a shopping expedition, if f-f-failed FAILED! Meaning no Christmas present was bought. I did buy Matt’s Birthday ’09 present though ^^ late, obviously, but it’s part of an agreement so, in the words of Charlene: “hush!”
An addition to my Christmas rituals, this year, is me looking up bass tabs for Christmas carols :) The repertoire so far include: Little drummer boy, jingle bells, silent night, and Auld Lang Sang. And Matt agreed to cover the Little Drummer boy, we might have to tackle Luca to stop him playing, but it should be fun.
Something I am honestly missing this year, it the frantic, insecure shopping for the present for the girlfriend. It is always a hassle, the worrying to find the right gift, and is it meaningful enough? Is it too cheesy? But it was fun in an exciting way, and a big part of the Christmas atmosphere. I miss it. Ah well. It’s ok though, I’m not letting this thing ruin my Christmas spirit.
ALSO!
The Santa Letter Hunt still goes on. For those of you who have not read my last blog, my mum said that she will still be able to find a hidden Santa letter if I had to hide one today, like she used to do when I was younger. Well, I took on the challenge, and wrote a Santa Letter, and hid it. The rules where, the letter could not be hidden among books, notes, or other papers. Fair enough. Many females, where sure that mummy power will help her find it. I on the other hand am sure she won’t.
In fact, today, 14 days from the end of the hunt, my mum came up to me and admitted that she tried to look for it and has no idea where it is. She asked for a hint. HA! Santa never got any hints!
Oh, I think I’m going to be kind and make the ending time and date for the hunt midnight on the 24th of December. So she still has a while to look around.
I think I’m going to write another Christmas list because leaving it to my mum finding the letter is going to leave me without my preferred pressies :S
So comments: other songs I need to know for your entertainment, and if my mother will find the Santa letter on time.
Out.
Parumpumpumpum!
