PARTY POOPER

hannah's fifth birthday
our little peach's special day
we spend all day preparing a party
for seven little four n five-year-olds
sorting out the house
getting the food and drink ready
sussing the party games
the little darlings descend on the fireseed res
some things work and others don't
my home-made lemonade is gulped down happily
the early strawberries disappear in an instant
the kids love the treasure hunt for little stickers
pass the parcel and musical bumps get the thumbs up
but pin the tail on the donkey leaves some of them restless
and blind man's buff gets too silly
at one point it all dissolves into complete chaos
a rugby scrum of little arms and legs
kicking and screaming
rolling around on the floor
hitting each other with balloons on sticks
but the children have a great time
they all love having their faces painted
and hannah looks pleased as punch...
kids' birthdays
a microcosm of society
attended by excessive consumption
lots of beeping plastic toys from china
wrapped in layers of packaging
last year in sk
it nearly made me weep
this year not quite so bad
at least some restraint was shown...
as the party draws to a close
i speed off on my trusty steed
into the damp early evening
to power up!
a training weekend
on how campaigners can make use of the planning system
a few miles away
in an old gothic victorian house
set in beautiful grounds
with carved columns and balustrades of dark wood
i'm suddenly transported to another age
and a mock planning hearing
afterwards i head to the bar
to drink flowers bitter
and tell a bunch of strangers from around the country
how i was once befriended by a naked policeman...