“There was a young girl from Blewbury …..” No, maybe I should stick with the classics if I’m going to provide a quote each week!  How about this one “We may not be able to prevent the stormy times in our lives but we can always dance in the puddles”.  There was lots of puddle dancing on this hash and a discussion on running footwear and the advantages of waterproof socks.  How did we contain the excitement?    

Back to the trail.

The curse of laying a trail as a married couple had hit again so A Cruel Joke and Henry V were seen arriving at the pub separately.  Was this because they had had a tiff whilst laying the trail or because they had set off in different directions to renew the markings after the atrocious weather over night - we may never know!  Well, we already know actually, both are true.

Henry V was sporting a very pretty drinking bottle bag in a multicoloured check material.  “That’s a down down already” was the comment from CS. 

Northern Sole was very kind during circle up, lending Lemony his gloves.  She handed them back as they set off to find the first blobs of flour.  We went right along the main road before turning down hill towards the Red Lion – which is now far too posh to allow hashers in – and on beside the thatched wall and across the small green.  Along the way we passed the cottage where Kenneth Grahame (author of The Wind in the Willows) lived.  A blue plaque in Blewbury.  From here we went cross country to the edge of Upton.  Not many runners but, thank goodness, Comet and Uranus were with us and Gatecrasher had returned so it didn’t take too long to get 6 on a check.  Weirdo was running well too. Somewhere along here Henry V offered Lemony a spare pair of gloves – a godsend as it was very cold.  Then we turned right and wiggled along Common Lane.  Finally we turned right again and headed back to Blewbury.  The path was very muddy, and rather slippery but the hedgerows were beautiful.  A quick trip round the lanes brought us back onto the main road for the On Inn. 

The pub was very welcoming.  “Are we allowed in here, it’s lovely” was Hotlips’ comment when we found ourselves in a very cosy room off the main bar.  The beer was good and the hares treated us all to a slice of pizza – the pub speciality, and very tasty.  No-one wanted to leave but CS took control and did hash words.  Eric was still wearing her yellow shirt – she’s obviously rather attached to it.  CS asked for nominations because he had been chatting too much to spot any misdemeanours.  (He had obviously forgotten his statement at the circle up.  Old age is definitely taking its toll.)  So everyone voted that as a good reason for him to have it.

Hares: Henry V and A Cruel Joke

Hounds:  Wierdo, Eric, Pressganger and Qualcast, Scrumptious, Lemony Snickett, Hotlips, Big Stiffy, CS, Northern Sole, Rubber Sole’s Buddy, Hutch, Comet, Uranus and Gatecrasher

Date: 20 November 2016

Distance: 4 miles