Brass Monkeys

'Twas another day of complicated calendars. First we put on some really big coats and drove to Hilsea Lines, which are the tunnels and defence mounds started by Henry the 8th I am I am and now a good place for dog walking.

The Scouts district bloke had organized a cross-country race for every local Scout group, with races for Cub Scouts, Scout Scouts, Explorer Scouts and even some adult Scout helper people. Now, I am going nowhere near this kind of activity because I am not stupid, but Bud qualified so we hoped to win some points for the team in the same way as my backstroke medal won us some points in the Great Scouting Swimathon last year.

The car said it was 3 degrees C but we knew it was lying because of the frozen ground with puddles of ice and stuff. The Cubs went first with a blast on the hooter and we waited for them to cross the Peronne Road bridge but they never did and that was a shame as it would have made a good picture.

Then the Scouts went and I cheered on some of our team and then Bud went with a load of 6 foot 17 year-old Explorer Scouts and they ran along the moat and back along the top of the tunnels with all the brambles and fallen trees and dogs out for a nice icy walk and he overtook some Scouts from the earlier race and came back first which was nice and the Team scored some points for that no doubt. Later we found a blackberry thorn in his ear which bled copiously and we watched the Monty Python sketch 'Death' in which a convicted criminal chooses the manner of his own execution and is chased off a cliff by a dozen topless girlies, as you do, mmm.

So then it was acting in which all us regular drama school actors auditioned and got a part in the new production 'Wind in the Willows' but we haven't yet found out what character we are playing. Chances are those of us who are capable will learn the whole script and fill in as required depending on whoever else has turned up. There was a new student called Harry (but not Football Harry or School Harry) and they asked me to be his new friend to help him adjust to life at the theatre. I got an award (sportsman's) called 'Best Facial Expression' for the second week running. It is good to have a face, a portable talent.

Meanwhile, the effects of the unpleasantly keen east wind were seen in the fountain in front of Southsea Castle, also started by Henry the 8th I am I am. The ice had been broken but was still widespread, and you just know it's gonna re-freeze tonight.

After acting we took Sydney home and because of the fractious nature of being, we had about 30 minutes to eat, recharge the tablet and go to possibly my oldest mate Ben's house for his 11th birthday party. As you may know, we don't really do the structured party thing like we used to 7 years ago, but we were blessed with the re-appearance of Original Puddler Poppy, and we were 7 again, like we were back in 2010.

But now, the girls broadly stayed downstairs and practised gymnastic dance moves, and we stayed upstairs and played X-box, and I stayed on the sofa and watched Youtube.

But we also had pizza and some chocolate ice cream cakes cooked by Robertos and we played hide'n'seek and the adults drank beer and played long-forgotten vinyl records. We watched Bensmum blow his own birthday cake candles out for him, who needs to be blown by his own mother srsly, and we had to rely on Jof picking us up because she had toothache and we got a lift with JoniBobs-Dad and I was in bed for 10, could have been worse. Lights-off was elevenish so I'm not complaining.