The Royal Birthday Cake

I wasn't expecting to blip a cake today, let alone Prince Charles'. Why would I? But the blipgods/fairies sent me on a mission, and I could but obey.

Apparently it has been HRH Prince Charles' birthday lately, though he has been abroad in India and Sri Lanka; therefore not partying at home in Gloucestershire. However, his staff at Highgrove House made him a cake, and he decreed that it should be given to a local charity, and somehow our special school was selected. The school has been in the news a great deal lately, as a team behind the scenes tries to come up with a plan to make the school sustainable, despite major funding problems at County Council level that threaten its very existence.

The tea party was to be held at 2pm today, when I was due to be teaching elsewhere, so I nipped along to the kitchen for a preview, and asked permission to photograph it. I'd have done anything to be there to see the children's expressions when it was brought out, complete with its sheep, rabbits, carrots and even a snail with a trail!

I'm not a massive fan of the Royal Family, but I do appreciate how much this gesture will mean to some of the children: it's a real fairy tale moment! Our school has closer links to the Catholic church than to the Royals, but which institution is more exciting to an eight year old with severe disabilities? Or any eight year old, for that matter?

Oh dear, I don't seem to be making much sense: it's Friday night! I have asked to change my teaching hours from Friday afternoon to Monday, so that I don't have to keep missing out on the fun and games at my school on Friday pm. Last week it was Children in Need: this week the royal cake and tea party. And of course there's always the possibility that some fine day I may go away for a long weekend!

A year ago today I blipped an old newspaper cutting about the Spanish civil war! Help, have I gone from Republican to Royalist in the course of a single year?