i was stumped...

in more ways than one today.  I have this lovely (and very funny) story to tell but it is one of those "names and places have to be changed to protect innocent people involved" kind of stories that I am dying to tell you but I have to be diplomatic and actually I don't think there is a way that I can tell the story without somebody knowing exactly who I am talking about. (Not that it is talking about this person in a bad way - it is a good way, a very good way, she would be proud, but I can't tell).  So as much as I have wanted to share and have thought the whole day about how I can share it with you, it cannot be done (especially on a blog). 

All my energy today has gone into finding a way to tell this story, I have written two drafts and tried changing stuff but walking home from a lovely pizza with friends at the new corner pizza stop, I realised that there was just "no way" so I needed some new material or there would be no blog tonight.

Hey Ho, thank you Hope (Bob to some, Hope to me).  It took me quite a while to realise why some friends called her Bob.  "Why do you call Hope, Bob?" was my question, years ago to Judy.  Her answer "Why do you call Bob, Hope?"  Dhurrrr....

Hope posted this picture on my Facebook page this evening

It was the weirdest thing.  Suddenly (a bit like Michael's 92 year old mother does) I started reciting "The Kings Breakfast".  Come on, you must all remember it....

The King's Breakfast

The King asked

The Queen, and

The Queen asked

The Dairymaid:

"Could we have some butter for

The Royal slice of bread?"

The Queen asked the Dairymaid,

The Dairymaid

Said, "Certainly,

I'll go and tell the cow

Now

Before she goes to bed."

The Dairymaid

She curtsied,

And went and told

The Alderney:

"Don't forget the butter for

The Royal slice of bread."

The Alderney

Said sleepily:

"You'd better tell

His Majesty

That many people nowadays

Like marmalade

Instead."

The Dairymaid

Said, "Fancy!"

And went to

Her Majesty.

She curtsied to the Queen, and

She turned a little red:

"Excuse me,

Your Majesty,

For taking of

The liberty,

But marmalade is tasty, if

It's very

Thickly

Spread."

The Queen said

"Oh!:

And went to

His Majesty:

"Talking of the butter for

The royal slice of bread,

Many people

Think that

Marmalade

Is nicer.

Would you like to try a little

Marmalade

Instead?"

The King said,

"Bother!"

And then he said,

"Oh, deary me!"

The King sobbed, "Oh, deary me!"

And went back to bed.

"Nobody,"

He whimpered,

"Could call me

A fussy man;

I only want

A little bit

Of butter for

My bread!"

The Queen said,

"There, there!"

And went to

The Dairymaid.

The Dairymaid

Said, "There, there!"

And went to the shed.

The cow said,

"There, there!

I didn't really

Mean it;

Here's milk for his porringer,

And butter for his bread."

The Queen took

The butter

And brought it to

His Majesty;

The King said,

"Butter, eh?"

And bounced out of bed.

"Nobody," he said,

As he kissed her

Tenderly,

"Nobody," he said,

As he slid down the banisters,

"Nobody,

My darling,

Could call me

A fussy man -

BUT

I do like a little bit of butter to my bread!" 

Alan Alexander Milne

Good old AA Milne and Miss Howell.  I remember the entire poem word for word but I still do not know what an Alderney is.  I "googled" it and it is the most northerly of the Channel Islands but I do not have much time to investigate it more.  I have been into a pub in Northampton called "The Alderney" as well.  Is it perhaps a breed of cow?  

So sorry for the fairy story tonight - I will find a way to relate the other tale.

PS.  I also thought of another of those words that Dalene and I used to get completely wrong as children.  It has to do with telling the time.  "Half past" was always "Hop past" and (if you listen closely) Dalene still says it.

Sorry Dalene.  Thanks Hope.