<html><head></head><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;font-size:16px"><div id="yiv2594688872"><div id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493884029207_13938"><div style="color:#000;background-color:#fff;font-family:Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;font-size:16px;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493884029207_13937"><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17667"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17668">Younger Clara here:</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17667"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17667"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493884029207_14279">We grabbed the little that was left of our picnic and ran into our pod on the London Eye as soon as the door slid open.</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17667"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17669"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17670"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17671"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17672"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17673">"I hope the boys are OK," worried Daffodil. "I'd hate them to miss out on a treat like this. The weather is so perfect for seeing right across London."</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17674"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17675"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17676"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17674"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17677" dir="ltr"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17678">The big glass pod rose very slowly into the air and we clustered round the edges looking out over the river. "Look, there's Captain Thanet. It looks like he's managed to get The Rosalind refloated. I'm so glad he didn't go down with the ship," barked Ipo</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17677" dir="ltr"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17677" dir="ltr"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17677" dir="ltr"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493884029207_14402">"And look! There's the good Ship Lollipup,” cried Christmas, “and I can see Horton swabbing the decks. It's not fair Cleo wouldn't let him come with us."</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17677"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17679"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17680"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17681"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17682"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17683">Paulie piped up: "Dexter is here. How did you get away and Horton didn't?</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17684"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17685"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17686"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17687"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17688"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17689"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17690"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17691">"I go my own way,” snickered Dex, “and right now, my own way is into the picnic hamper."</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17692"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17693"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17694"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17695"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17696"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17697"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17698"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17699">"Good plan,” agreed Mac, “I'm already peckish. That snack on the bank was hardly enough to give us strength to get into the pod."</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17700"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17701"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17702"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17700"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17703"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17704">Paisley jumped up on the bench in the middle of the pod "Look, she shouted. I can see Stuart and Hooter - I think they've been attacked by fleas."</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17705"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17706"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17707"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17705"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17708"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17709">All the hounds jumped up on the bench and as the pod edged higher they could make out Stuart sweeping around in the air and Hooter leaping and jumping around on the South Bank, like mad hounds.</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17710"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17711"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17712"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17710"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17713"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17714">"What on earth are they doing?” asked Tedward.</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17713"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17715"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17716"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17717"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17718"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17719">As the pod edged higher still they could make out a man in a skirt with a large tartan bag under his arm. "Oh my doG, they've found a Scotts piper,” laughed Halfred. “They haven't got fleas at all, they're doing the Scottish reel!</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17720"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17721"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17722"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17723"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17724">Olivia started bouncing up and down: “Look, look, you can see right outside London to the green grass of the countryside"</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17723"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17723"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17725"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17726">“I can see Pawliament and Downing Street,” added Paulie.</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17725"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17725"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17727"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17728">“And the Tower of London, where the queen keeps her Beefeaters,” said Olivia sagely. “I don’t know why she keeps other people to eat her beef. I think I might apply for the job while I’m here.”</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17727"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17727"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17729"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17730">"And you can see all those odd buildings with funny names, added Millie, there's the Cheese grater, the Shard and the Gherkin.”</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17731"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17732"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17733"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17731"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17734"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17735">Chunky sniggered: "Imagine eating a gherkin that size. Yuuuuum."</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17736"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17737">"Imagine sleeping in the same room as you if you did," retorted Mozart.</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17736"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17738"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17739"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17740"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17741"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17742">"Pleaze gentlehuntz, there are delicate hountettez aboard, lez of the vulgar." growled Gunter.</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17741"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17743"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17744"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17745"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17746"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17747">Mollie Grace had her nose pushed up against the glass. “Look, she called. “I think I can see into the back garden of Barkingham Palace. Maybe we’ll see the Queen’s Corgis.”</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17746"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17748"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17749"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17750"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17751"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17752">The ATB hounds were also having a whale of a time, sitting on the roof of the pod, then fluttering off to inspect people and hounds in the other pods and chasing the seagulls.</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17751"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17753"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17754"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17755"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17756"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17757">“Isn’t this wonderful, sighed Heidi. “I’m having so much fun."</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17756"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17756"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17758" dir="ltr"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17759">Then Gunter reached some cut glass bowls from out of his hamper and filled them with champagne. “To ze most beautiful houndettez,” he toasted the girls. Pawtunia fixed him with one eye “We all know who he really means,” she snorted.</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17760"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17761"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17762"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17760"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17763"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17764">But in a rare display of manners, the boys all toasted their lady companions and the pod slowly drifted back to the docking point and it was time to step off.</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17763"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17765"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17766"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17767"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17768"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17769">Clara, who is feeling a little stuffed, with Rolph, and a wonderful group of new friends, in London.</font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17768"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17768"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17768"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493884029207_14645">Where we went </font><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_26509"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.londoneye.com/private-capsules/" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_26510"><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_26511">https://www.londoneye.com/private-capsules/</span></a></span><span style="font-size:12pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif;" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_26512"> </span></div><u id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_26513"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;color:blue;" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_26514"></span></u><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17770" dir="ltr"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17771"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17772"></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17770" dir="ltr"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif"><br></font></div><div id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17773" dir="ltr"><font face="Helvetica, sans-serif" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17774">I really am most grateful to those of you who have already sent a bit of cookie money to BRNGB, especially those of you whose hounds have stayed at home. Donations are still very welcome. PayPal can be sent to <span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, "Lucida Grande", sans-serif;" id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493884029207_19084">payments@brngb.org.uk</span> Visit https://www.justgiving.com/basset-rescuenetwork to use a card, or if you want to send a check, email me at bassetydogshomr@gmail.com and I will give you the address. Please remember to mention Clara's Pawsome London Adventure. Clara.</font></div><div dir="ltr" id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17775"><br id="yiv2594688872yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1493834215781_17776"></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>