BIRTHDAY WISHES

BREAKFAST

They almost forgot it was Alexandra's birthday, but luckily Mole kept everything written down in his new diary which his cousin Oberon had gifted him for Christmas.

"I always remember the 27th February because that's when my herbaceous perrenials begin to bloom," he said almost boastfully (at least as boastful as Mole could ever be, modest creature that he generally was.)

Having called by Ratty's mossy, riverside home early that Monday morning with some freshly baked breakfast rolls, they'd both agreed to enjoy a quick spot of breakfast with coffee before heading off to make their way through the wild woods and onto the birthday girl's home where they planned to drop off some cards and gifts.

Ratty knew that Mole was conscientious at the best of times so tried his most tactful way to persuade him that they didn't need to involve Mr Toad in their birthday plans for the young lady's 21st birthday.

"I'm not sure we need to bring Toad with us, Moley. He has a tendency to make other people's birthdays all about him."

"Isn't that a little unfair Ratty?" the diplomatic Mole said, worried that Toad might find out that they had made this somewhat cruel decision on his behalf without informing him first.

"Well then, how about we see if he's in at Toad Hall on our way to see the birthday girl and if he is, we'll invite him along. But I'm warning you, Mole, I'm simply not waiting around for the gaudy fellow."

Mole sensed he shouldn't push the matter any further with Ratty. He'd agreed to a compromise. That was good enough.

THE WILD WOOD

They'd both known that Badger had been under the weather of late as he had informed them in a letter that he was nursing the tail end of his winter virus with brandy, lemon and ginger. However, Mole and Ratty had agree to take his card and birthday present for Alexandra on his behalf.

Knocking on the door of Badger's home cut inside a grand old oak tree, they waited patiently for Badger to appear. As they stood in the solemn woods, they could still feel the chill of winter in the air even though the abundant snowdrops covering the forest floor reminded them spring was well on the way.

"Hmm. That's strange. Badger doesn't seem to be answering. Maybe he's asleep. They are known for their deep sleeping in winter months."

"Give it another knock Ratty. He may be struggling coming up all the way from downstairs. Poor badger. He's not as young as he once was."

Rat raised an eyebrow at Mole and replied drolly.

"Badger was never young, Moley. He was born old."

Pulling again on the bell cord for Badger's house, they could hear the faint chimes echoing all the way down beneath the hollowed out interior of the giant tree.

They waited, listening intently for the sound of Badger's familar footsteps ascending the underground staircase but they never arrived.

"I hope nothing bad has happened to badger, Ratty. It's a shame we don't have a spare key. He used to leave one out but the blasted weasels kept letting themselves in and stealing some of his famous Quince-Lemon marmalade from his pantry."

And as they agreed to leave a note pinned to badger's door, the two little creatures continued on their Monday birthday pilgrimage.

TOAD HALL

The two friends walked on, out far beyond the shadowy woods along a lonely country lane towards Toad Hall. Mole couldn't help but worry about the well being of Badger. It bothered him that they had knocked five times to no answer. Just deathly silence.

"My tummy has a bad feeling about Badger, Ratty."

"That's probably those breakfast rolls, Moley. You were a little too generous with the yeast I thought. It made them a little gassy, I'm afraid."

Mole didn't agree with Ratty's observation but sensed his old friend was trying to help take him mind off his worry by providing a rational excuse for why his stomach was unsettled. He loved him for that.  

Eventually, they arrived at the magnificent Toad Hall which looked beautifully grandiose as the first proper spring sunshine seemed to reflect off the glass of the casement windows creating a magical effect of light.

"You have to admit, Ratty. It's a magnificent pile."

"Yes. Truly magnificent. But awfully draughty. Can you imagine the fuel costs trying to keep it warm in the winter."

Mole winced at the thought, happy that he just had his modest underground home to maintain.

"I'm not sure about all this topiary either. It seems a little vain."

Mole looked up at the dozen endless portraits of Toad sculpted out of clipped foliage.

"Well, yes. It is a little much. But then, we've always known that Toad has a considerable ego."

"And that's an understatment, I find."

Finally, having made it up the endless stone steps to the doors of Toad Hall, both Mole and Ratty were starting to feel a little tired from their morning walk.

After knocking loudly and waiting for Toad to appear, they found he, like Badger was nowhere to be seen.

"How strange."

They waited another ten minutes as Ratty unscrewed the lid of his flask and poured some hot tea into a thermos cup.

"Might as well take the opportunity to enjoy some tea before we set off for the final stage of our journey."

Mole used their impromptu tea break to finish off his breakfast roll from earlier. He partially concealed it as he was self conscious that Ratty had mentioned it having too much yeast which he still didn't think was true.

"I suppose it's more typical that Toad wouldn't be in than Badger not answering his door. He does tend to go gallavanting I find, especially as Spring is almost upon us."

"Probably shopping for yet another sports car he doesn't need," Ratty sighed in exasperation.

Mole couldn't help but think that Ratty sometimes envied Toad's hoard of motor cars but knew that he wouldn't trade his river boat for anything. He, much like himself, was a creature of habit.

"Come on, Moley. Let's get moving. We planned to be there for late morning."

"Shall we leave a note for Toad, Ratty?"

"Leave him one of your breakfast rolls. If you have any left."

Ratty winked at Mole as the embarassed mammal realised he'd seen him polishing off the remainder of his roll.

COTSAL

"Now that's more like it!" Ratty said as he looked up from the lower bank of Alexandra's family home.

"I heard it was designed and built by her grandfather. He was a very talented architect, don't you know?"

Mole did know. In fact, he'd acquired some of the London born architect's blueprints for a planned extension to Toad Hall from Toad who had mindlessly discarded them with some old boxes of junk he was trying to off load. In fact, so enamoured with the beautifully drawn blueprints was Mole, that he'd had them framed to hang on the wall of his house. He was only sorry that the ingenious design hadn't been made a reality for it would have included an undergound guest home for him to stay in whenever Toad invited him to stay at his home. He felt touched that the architect had thought of such a detail.

"Yes. He was very talented."

As the scrambled up the bank toward the front door, they could hear the sound of abundant laughter coming from inside the house.

Ratty was just about to knock on the door when he paused suddenly.

"I seem to remember a dog. McKenny was his name, wasn't it?"

"He's alright. Just don't get too close. He can be a little, how shall we say, defensive."

Rat wrapped on the door with his walking stick as McKenny the dog answered with a familar bark.

As they waited for someone to answer the door, Mole said brightly.

"Third time lucky, eh?"

"Let's hope so."

And then, the door opened wide and the two friends were greeted by the familar olive green face of Toad.

"Ha Ha!!!! Friends, Mole, Ratty, countrymen lend me your ears!"

"Toady! What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean? I wouldn't miss our friend's birthday for the world. Uncle Toad is not a complete narcissist."

Ratty coughed at Toad's comment as McKenny the family dog continued to sniff at Mole, uncertain as to quite what the little creature was.

"Come in! Come in! There's plenty of tea and cake for all."

As they made there way up the stairs to the living room, Mole was touched that Toad had shown such thoughtfulness on this auspicious day. He wondered if Ratty felt a little churlish in his earlier criticisms of the amphibian.

Toad was just about to lead them into the living room when he stopped at the door of the Rainbow Workshop.

"Ahem. I'll announce you both."

He cleared his throat in a deliberately unsubtle manner.

"Announcing the arrival of Mr Mole and Mr Toad."

And as the room fell quiet, the three friends entered to find Alexandra beaming at them.

"Happy Birthday, Alexandra," Mole said as she knelt down to give the small chap a gentle hug,

"Happy Birthday, Alexandra," Ratty added, enjoying a hug of his own with the birthday girl.

"Let me get you some cake," Alexandra suggested as she headed to the kitchen. It was only then that Mole and Ratty saw the reassuringly familar figure of Badger sitting in what was known as "the chair of totality" with a tartan blanket spread across his knees.

"Ratty! Mole! Good to see you both."

"Badger! We were worried about you. We stopped by your house but there was no answer."

Badger smiled. "Well, I was sorry to have not been in but our friend Mr Toad, unsually for him I would say, took it upon himself to invite me in his new car to come and see the birthday girl and we made the assumption that you were both already set on your way. Happy to see that we were right."

Mole was quite tearful at seeing Badger again by the wood burning stove with its glowing flames and felt impressed that Toad had shown such unusual consideration for once.

As they all assembled to sing a rousing chorus of 'Happy Birthday' to the young lady who they had kept an eye on since young, there was a sense that even more than just celebrating the special day on her behalf, the renewed hopefulness of Spring was also symbolic of this day.

And, even Ratty had to concede that it would be a great luxury to have a lift home, even though they would undoubtedly have to endure Toad's endless honks and toots as he showed off his new car.

"We'll do a 21 honk salute!" Toad laughed in inimitable way, almost choking on tea and birthday cake but thankfully remembering to swallow.

"Oh Toad!" Ratty, Mole, Badger and Alexandra all said in unison.