A rod to beat me with

When HH and I set off to visit a nice stately home and gardens I wasn't at all worried that I'd end up being switched in public again. That was partly because there were no other brats around to get me into trouble (you know who you are!). And also because I had just been soundly thrashed and sitting was difficult enough already. So I was determined not to get into trouble again anytime soon. As it turned out the visit passed very pleasantly indeed with no corner time, spanking or molesting whatsoever.

It wasn't until the return journey that I had cause to worry. We were driving down little wooded lanes with HH scanning the hedgerows, muttering things like 'that's too mature, too young, not actually birch'.

The realisation was slowly dawning that we were on the search for a birch tree which led to the conclusion that someone was going to be birched; more than likely me. I sat very quietly in the car hoping we wouldn't find any. And when he made me get out of the car to wander down a little lane I trudged sullenly behind him, sticking my tongue out when I thought he wasn't looking. (Turned out he had noticed but I was let off as the pursuit of birch was more important!)

I felt very unhappy that I had to actually go out and physically get the birch. That just seemed inhumane, to have to go and get your own rod to be beaten with. HH reminded me that he could just send me out on my own to get it and whip me even more if I didn't come back with the right kind of birch. So I kept my complaints to myself.

And when we finally found a suitable birch tree, (neither too young or too old, or too brown or too green or too high) I had to watch as he slowly inspected each branch for its whipability. The whole process was very humiliating! And further compounded by me having to carry the bundle of switches back to the car, to the stares of local walkers.

The bundle then sat in the hall waiting to be bound into a rod. Apparently I had to do that bit too which was just a further degradation. But worst of all was having to wait. I wasn't being birched until the next day...