Categories: uncategorized
Date: 13 May 2004 08:16:27
Have you ever noticed how menacing magpies can be? There's war declared at Smudgie Towers. Charlie Cat has finally achieved his ambition of killing a magpie and boy does he regret it? You'd have thought he'd have learned his lesson last time, when all he managed was to seize one and let it go. He got in enough trouble then. But now he's really for it. It started with the magpie's mate berating him with curses and threats. By the end of the day, all the neighbourhood magpies were gathered in our garden, dogging his every step outside with the most vindictive and vengeful abuse and making sure he knew they wouldn't forget. Oh no, they wouldn't forget. poor traumatised Charlie, I wonder if he'll ever learn not to tangle with a magpie.
Yesterday was a lovely day, despite the sun not really putting in much of an appearance. I had had an "impulse trip" planned for the day for ages, and it seemed ideal to go through with it. I suggested to Dad that we go to Osborne House. It was great - we were there almost all day, in fact I was almost late meeting the Smudgelet from school. We just wandered the grounds, having coffee in all the coffee places and lunch in the extremely posh and rather expensive new restaurant (I came off rather well there saying I'd pay for the entry ticket and he could pay for lunch! ). I suddenly had a brainwave and looked at the details about membership where we discovered that I could put Dad onto my membership for just another £14, including them returning the entry fee. This is ideal as it means that when Dad wants a gentle walk he can drive to Osborne House and walk the level paths round the grounds, with an ample supply of toilets and cafes to sustain him, rather than struggling up the huge hill we live on. He can take his friends there just for coffee and cakes without resenting paying the entry fee. And I was delighted that he actually commented that they provide wheelchairs and that it might be pleasant to use one occasionally.
I had a second brainwave while we were there. Smudgelet's birthday party is still not booked, despite his birthday being next week. We have always gone for Swimming parties, but the new safety regulations mean we'd need one adult for every two children in the baby pool! Crazy, ten seven-year-olds accompanied by FIVE adults in the water and a lifeguard by the pool. They may not be drowned, but they could be crushed to death! I don't like the "play area" parties where you simply pay for a load of children to go in and they all separate off and go and play, yet I didn't fancy organising an "at home" party and was too late to book an entertainer. But what do you know, with my English Heritage card and Dad's we can take twelve children free to Carisbrooke Castle. They can run round the ramparts, watch the donkey in the donkey wheel, and play games on the bowling green, and picnic by the moat. All we would need is good weather and a couple of adult mugs... I mean, friends... to help supervise. I'm a genius!
Now, I'd better get some cleaning done before the cleaner arrives!