Dd2 is 7 on Saturday and having her party on Friday, so I'm going to read out a poem to the kids whilst my mum puts the party tea out (otherwise they get all overexcited!). All the kids mentioned should be at the party!
Some local knowledge - we live on the edge of a sea loch (hence the reference to tides) and boorach is gaelic for disaster
There once was a girl who was bored one day,
Said ?I don?t want to read, and I don?t want to play,
It?s raining outside, I?ll splash and I?ll splish!?
So out she went, that girl called ? Eilish.
She?d put on her waterproof trousers and boots,
With her pink coat on top out the door she shoots,
?I?m off to the shore to throw stones in the loch!?
Didn?t know she would soon be in a fine boorach.
Down on the shore was a patch of sand,
Off Eilish went with a stone in her hand,
Throwing them into the loch with a thunk?
Then looked and saw that her foot had SUNK!
?Oh no!? she wailed, ?what can I do??
As her first foot sank then the other one too!
?I?m stuck in the sand and I can?t get out!
I know what I?m good at and I?ll do it ? SHOUT!?
So she shrieked and she screamed, she hollered and cried,
But it was still raining so folks were inside,
?I?m going to be stuck for ever, boo hoo,
And the tide?s coming in ? what shall I doooooooo??
But just down the road, someone cycled by,
It was Andrew, and Eilish?s coat caught his eye,
He heard her yelling and awaiting rescue,
So ?Ah!? said Andrew, ?I know what to do!?
He ummed and he ahhed and looked this way and that,
?You?re stuck fast, Eilish, and that?s a fact,
We need a rope to pull you out,
I?ll be right back ? no need to shout!?
So Andrew went off to find some rope,
Leaving Eilish stuck and having a mope,
Feeling rather sad and a little alone,
So she stood where she was and had a moan.
But she soon cheered up when she looked up the shore,
Andrew was back ? and there was more,
With him arrived Zoë, Karen and Michelle,
For they all wanted to help as well!
The rope was tied around Eilish?s waist,
?Right!?, said Michelle, ?We?ve got to make haste,
The tides coming in so we must be quick!?
So they pulled ? but Eilish continued to stick!
?Oh no!? cried Eilish, ?I?ll be here forever!?
?Not if we all work together,?
Said Zoë, who seemed to have a plan,
?We need more people, get who you can!?
Everyone disappeared and left Eilish again,
Who was mighty fed up of the wind and the rain,
And heartily wishing she?d stayed indoors
Instead of getting stuck out here on the shores.
Well, Andrew brought Karen, and Zoë and Michelle
Went down to get Alexandra, Caitlin and Kathryn as well,
And David was passing on his way into town,
So he stopped to help, with a nod and a frown,
And they all held the rope, and pulled their best,
While Eilish yelled ?come on! You can?t take a rest!
You?ll have to keep going, the tide?s rising fast!
Or soon I could be breathing my last!?
So they yanked and heaved, with a one-two-three,
And all of a sudden, Eilish came free,
She popped out of the sand like a cork out of a bottle,
And shot up the beach like a bike on full throttle.
She landed quite gracefully in a heap on the shore,
?Thank goodness I?m not stuck any more!
Thank you everyone, for helping me,
Now would you like to come home for some tea??