Run 1096

Monday 21 May 2012

The Noah's Ark, Shillington


Hares: Ringer & Shagpile

HASHERS: 29  ANKLE BITERS: 1  MUTTS: 2  APRES: 1


Princess Sugarplumb Fantaaastic


Atomic Titten glad to see Scooby back and splashing


Scooby tries to dive through Nik Nak

"I love it when a plan comes together." Now who was it said that? Oh yes, it was Shagpile, just before the map-reading went pointy bits uppards. So we ended up with a slightly shorter run than planned, but we all had a good time and were back at the pub in about 50 minutes, so what's the problem?

A good turnout of Hashers on a dry, overcast but mild evening at a favourite watering hole, including The Count and Lady P who managed to have lunch in Budapest and hash the same evening in Beds. Oh the joys of an international EasyJet-setting lifestyle. Also on vacation was Double Entry, who has now stopped an unbroken run of goodness knows how many consecutive runs [only 31 says The Count]. Speaking of EasyJet, Lush BK was not in her usual attire and blended into the rest of the pack seamlessly. Depth Charge admitted to a birthday and donned the appropriate hat. Shagpile tried to claim an anniversary on somebody's behalf, but it fell on stony ears.

With so many footpaths around, Shillington must be one of the easiest places to lay a run. Rather than faff round and lose the knitting circle at the start, the hares decided to direct the On-on left out of the pub towards the church. Taking the less-used path to the right of the church, we came to the first proper check. The path across the field tempted a good few, who had to traipse back up the hill when called back. Down the hill we went to another check that had hashers dashing in all directions, all false. Ah how it warms the heart of an old hare. The correct path required a bit of limboing under a tree branch growing over the style and traversing some nettles, but these had soon been tramped down and made less of an obstacle.

Soon after crossing the road we came to a field with two electric fences used to segregate some horses. Shagpile did the gentlemanly thing and held the hook used to attach the end-cord to the fence, but was later accused of trying to zap harriets as they passed him. How do you zap someone with a hook on the end of a piece of string? Back at the road another multi-choice check resulted in hashers spreading out in all directions. Ah how it warms the heart etc. etc. More horses were encountered, these being more inquisitive and friendly, although some hashers doubted the friendliness aspect. Mind you, what the horses thought of Scooby-doo trying to lob handfuls of their drinking water over passing hashers remains unrecorded.

No trip to Shillington would be complete without passing our old friend the good-natured farmer ("Git orf mar pissy land"..."Footpaths is for walking not running" etc.) Farmer Fun was not in evidence, but the contentious footpath seems to have fallen into disuse now. A trip across the Recreation Ground brought us back into the village and the On-Inn.

Some rather quaffable IPA was available and for once the hares got a decent actual pint; there was also a down-down for birthday boy Depth Charge. RA-of-the-day Capt F held court and seemed to have found numerous misdemeanours, including Shagpile's zapism. Nik-Nak had asked at the opening circle if there would be any rape and as a result was pursued around the closing circle by Scooby-doo, Profumo for competivness-ism, Underlay for something or other. And who threw the lemonade over poor Chester? Dogger and his woman got a DD for Political Correctness when he had to carry her through the stingers. Secret RA Count Roadkill then held forth on the inability of manufacturing industry to make a camera battery that lasts a whole weekend, so Spotted Dick was held to account as the present representative of that failing industry.

On-On to Shufflecock's run next week at The Bull, Cottered.


Depth Charge had a serious birthday


Chester chained in the circle


Sorry Dogger, Nicky .. it had to be done