Middlestown School and Disabled Rabbits

Crazy title, I know. But I do get to be involved in MANY strange conversations in the staffrooms of schools, and Tuesday was no different. One of the teachers was telling me about Ralph, a rabbbit that she used to have, who, due to a problem with his back, could not walk very well. I was unaware that wheelchairs existed for such eventualities, but, I was assured, they do. They are also, apparently, extremely expensive, so Ralph's 'mum' and her partner took the decision to make one! That's right, they made a wheelchair for a disabled rabbit - out of plumbing pipes, Kinex, and various other bits and pieces. Apparently Ralph managed very well in his wheelchair for ages, and I simply cannot get the idea out of my head of a rabbit whizzing about the house in a wheelchair. I think it's one of the best things I've heard for ages, and certainly extremely bizarre. More bizarre even than headteachers falling out of trees...which they don't EVER do, of course...do they?!

Middlestown is a lovely school, and I'm always very well looked after there, and my visit on Monday and Tuesday was no different. My first ever trip there saw me vying for attention with a (very loud) lawnmower whilst I tried to read poems to a hall full of children. Happily there were no such issues this time! The children wrote some fab poetry, and special congrats to Lottie in Year 2 who beat off competition from every other child in school to claim the coveted prize of LOTS of sweets! I was down the corridor from her classroom when she unwrapped the prize, and there was a rather loud gasp of awe from her classmates. I hope you shared your winnings Lottie...and WELL DONE on a great poem. She wrote about a bubble, and her line...

My bubble dances like Michael Jackson

was, I think, the tipping point for the judges. They were really impressed!

So thanks, once again, Middlestown, and here, for posterity's sake, is a poem that was written yesterday by Year 1. Lottie, if you're reading this (or anyone else from school), if you send me your poem I'll make sure that it gets on to my blog too...

ANTARCTICA

Antarctica is freezing
Antarctica has whales
Antarctica has seals
With teeth like nails - OUCH!

Antarctica has snow
Antarctica is ace
A roly-poly penguin
Landed on his face!


Cheerio for now to all my friends at Middlestown...I'll see you in September.

P.S. I nearly forgot! Thanks to a BRILLIANT (and increasingly hungry) King Poetry (Aaron) and fantastic Queen Poetry (Charlotte). You two were great fun and had the rest of the school in fits of giggles. I think you should team up as a double act!