It took an 18 month charm offensive to get the landlord of The Fox and Duck to agree to hashers using the pub again. This, as the result of a nearby hash upsetting him [name of hash redacted to avoid offence to capt f .. ed]. He was eventually convinced that H5 are nice people, and so I hope it proved.

Therfield has great scope for a hash trail with oodles of footpaths, so it wasn't difficult to find a new-ish run. Capt Faaaantastic was very enthusiastic and led the way out of the pub - he has done it a few times before in the last 20 years, see below!

It was noted that there were more harriettes than male hashers at the run, which I thought was an unusual H5 demographic. Clap Trap kindly pointed out that at my age I should start getting used to this situation. What it did mean was that the Knitting Circle was able to mutate into a Cackle Circle, allowing a gaggle of 'wimin' to dawdle along behind the FRBs discussing the price of fish etc. [the poor ole count took a dd for the team by mentioning this on the day .. ed]

The pack were in fine form and observed the fish-hook/back checks, except for Lady P who at one point declared she was exempt from such traditions! Fortunately for her the RA forgot about it at the circle. It seemed that the 'gullible index' for the day was high and it didn't take much in the way of nods and winks from the hares to convince hashers to take the false trails - particularly naïve were Submissive, Preachers Tit, Rapid and our GM, Ringer. Ahhhh, so satisfying!

It was a bad day for Hash Banker. A plethora of awards had to be given at the circle, which meant that Capt Faaaaantastic managed to spend all of the day's subs, bar £0.50p, on Down-Down booze. Must try harder next time Capt F!

Those expensive DDs went to:

Rapid for a blatant short cut
Clap Trap for a lost hat
Twicza 100 runs
Lush 150 runs
Blow Felt 80 years young
Capt F – 800 runs
And others that I have forgotten.

ON ON

Shagpile and the not at all Cackly Underlay