Shawleynott's Blog

Further news relating to Ginger Pritchard’s birthday party (see 6 Feb). The Hide and Seek winner has finally been located, looking rather dilapidated after almost eight months in a coal shed living off small insects and a leaking water pipe. And Witchy Crumple (see 6 June) has apologised for presenting an enchanted birthday cake, which sprouted legs and ran off with the chocolate mousse.
There was some commotion when little Rosie managed to pin the tail on the donkey and the surprised animal lashed out with its hind legs. Mrs. Pritchard then did a drawing of a donkey, which was so bad the children re-named the game ‘Pin the tail on the half-camel/half-gorilla’. This was eventually contracted to ‘Pin the tail on the Camilla’.
The real donkey was used to give the children rides, although it bucked whilst carrying Smiffy Dunston, who was found in an adjacent field having landed in a pile of Farmer ‘Chemical’ Spillage’s ‘special’ fertiliser. Unfortunately Smiffy was up to his knees in it for several minutes, and now takes size 16 shoes. Dr. Grogg was worried about a small mole on Smiffy’s leg, but he removed it and it disappeared under his lawn. It must have come from the fertiliser because on release it was the size of a small badger.
We should also mention that the climax of the party was choosing the Best Presented Toad, a birthday tradition unique to Shawley Nott. The award went to Herman the Toad, whose owner had dressed him up as a Luftwaffe pilot.