A Trip For Dogga

When Arthur came to stay with Grannie B for the weekend, he brought with him his favourite toy – a little cuddly dog with a black patch over one eye.

But – when Arthur left Grannie B’s house – oh dear, he forgot to take Dogga with him. Then on Sunday evening Grannie B’s telephone rang and when she picked it up a child’s voice said – “Have you seen Dogga anywhere Grannie B, I have lost him? Grannie B said. ”Just a minute Arthur you can speak to Uncle David.” So Uncle David picked up the telephone and listened whilst Arthur explained that he had forgotten to take Dogga home with him.

Uncle David said, “Don’t worry Arthur, we will go and look for Dogga.” Grannie B rushed upstairs and went into the bedroom where Arthur had been sleeping and she threw off all the covers from the bed looking for Arthur’s favourite toy.

It was then Grannie B heard a soft whimpering noise and she looked down by the side of the bed and that is when she saw Dogga. He had tears running down his face and he said sadly, “Arthur went without me Grannie.” Grannie B picked up Dogga and gave him a big kiss and a cuddle and said, “Don’t worry Dogga, I will send you back to Arthur tomorrow,” and Dogga gave a big smile and said, “Oh thank you Grannie B.”

So the next morning, bright and early, Grannie B looked around her cupboards and found an old shoe box. “Just what I need for Dogga,” she thought. She then found lots of brown paper to wrap the box in and some tissue paper to line to bottom of the box to make Dogga’s trip back home nice and comfy. She up picked Dogga up and told him that he was going on a long journey back home to Arthur. Dogga was quite excited when he heard this and he knew he would see Arthur again very soon.

Grannie B thought that Dogga would get hungry on his journey so she put a nice flapjack in the corner of the box so that Dogga could eat it if he needed something to eat.

After wrapping up the parcel with the brown paper with Dogga inside Grannie B took it to the Post Office and told the lady assistant, “This parcel is going to my grandson Arthur, so please be careful with it because Dogga is inside.” “Okay,” said the assistant and Grannie B paid the postage and watched as the assistant put the stamps on the parcel and Grannie B whispered “Have a good journey Dogga,” and saw the assistance put the parcel in a big postal bag which contained lots of other parcels.

Later the postman called at the Post Office to collect all the letters and parcels and he picked up the bag containing Arthur’s parcel. Then the postman drove his van to the Post Office where all the mail is sorted in a large office. It was then that Dogga felt the bag being picked up as it was flung on to a conveyor belt as it went through to the Sorting Office.

Another postman picked up the bag and the contents were tipped out and Dogga heard the man say, “Eh! Look after this parcel, it is going to Arthur.” The parcel was then put into a smaller van and the driver got in and started up the engine and Dogga heard it roar into action. Now Dogga could hear the noise of the engine as it drove through the town and down the country lanes.

After a while the van stopped outside of the house where Arthur lived and the postman knocked loudly on the door. Arthur’s mummy came to answer it and the postman said to her, “I have a parcel here for Arthur,” and as Arthur was in the kitchen at the time he heard his name mentioned and he ran to the front door.

“Here you are Arthur, it’s a parcel for you,” mummy said. Arthur quickly grabbed the parcel and tore off all the brown wrapping paper and when he took the lid off the box he saw Dogga and he said, “Oh Dogga, I’m so happy to see you again,” and gave Dogga a big hug and Dogga was so pleased to be back with Arthur again and now, instead of tears, there was a big smile on Dogga’s face and a twinkle in his eye!

So – always remember to take you favourite toy back home with you wherever you go!!

If you would like to try Dogga’s flapjack here is the recipe - you could ask an adult to make it for you……..

DOGGA’s FLAPJACK

4 oz margarine, 3 oz Golden Syrup, 4 oz brown sugar, 6 oz porridge oats, 2 oz dessicated coconut, 4-6 dried apricots thinly sliced, vanilla essence.

Melt marg, sugar and syrup in a large saucepan until melted and very hot. Then add oats, coconut, apricot and vanilla essence. Mix well. Grease and line a baking sheet and press mixture into it and make into squares with a knife.
Bake Gas 4 for 20-25 mins. When cooked and still warm again mark squares with a knife and leave to cool. Yummy yummy.

My grandchildren love this and I often make it for them.

If you liked reading my stories, I would love to hear from you. You could email me: babshep@yahoo.co.uk
Thank you.