In a deep dark wood

Urban-cub brought Ellie to us. G-Force would be in command until tomorrow. We had a good morning as she played with her toys and playdough and tormented Jasper whenever he was foolish enough to show himself. As usual, the Silver Vixen and Gorse Fox tag-teamed so that we could individually get things done. The Gorse Fox made the most of Ellie's "craft-time" (she was making a lantern with the Silver Vixen) to get stuck into the Christmas cards.

The afternoon was special. We had obtained tickets for "The Gruffalo" at the Minerva Theatre in Chichester. We duly headed in and parked up. Then, having arrived early, Ellie and the other children made the most of the children's play area and all the books, toys, and most importantly the dressing up materials. We had about 30 minutes to wait so enjoyed some mince pies and a drink as the children played under the watchful gaze of their parents, peering over their teacups.

We made our way into the auditorium and settled into the second row. Ellie was intrigued and spent the next ten minutes looking around at all the other families as they settled in.

The lights went down and the show started. She was a little bewildered for the first few minutes but soon got into the swing of the event. Within a few minutes, she was screaming with laughter, clapping with the songs, and joining in with the chorus. She was completely mesmerized by the whole event. It only lasted about an hour, but it was an excellent introduction to the theatre for little ones. It was funny, it had plenty of chances to join in, and it told a well-known story. By the end, she was hooked. All we have heard since is about the Gruffalo and the fact she wants to go again.