I still do the modelling on the occassional Saturdays when I`m free, but what sets me laughing is when one of the young women come and ask me to help with their makeup. I`ve become pretty good at using cosmetics over the past year. The first time I was asked and burst out laughing, I was asked what the joke was.

I apologised and said, "You've been a girl all your life and I`ve only been a girl for a year, and yet I get asked to help the girls put on their makeup."

The woman started laughing herself as she also saw the funny side of it, but help her I did and she was so impressed that word soon spread round the village. The gossip trail is faster than the speed of light round here I reckon.

I don`t think I`ve ever said 'no' when I was asked to do help someone out, not even as Jack. I was and still am ready to give what help I can to anybody thats need it. The letter that Mrs Clegg gave me on my birthday was about a trust fund that had been set up for me. So far there was ten thousand pounds which would be added to every year, but I couldn`t gain access to it till I was 21.

Mrs Clegg has no family, she was only child herself, She and her husband were unable to have children, so I have been made the sole beneficiary in her will, what ever that means. I`m only 12 and I`m expected to know what all these big legal and medical terms mean. I`ve been told not to worry and it will become clear in a few years times, that I`ll never need money.

Mrs Clegg, or Aunt Julia as I am now to call her, has adopted me as her niece, so my family has gotten bigger. Now, I spend a couple of evenings a week her at her home where I am being taught to ride a horse she has bought for me. I`m to learn to ride astride a horse and to ride side saddle. She insists that I learn to ride as befitting a young lady.

So now I am learning to ride a horse in a long skirt and it isn't easy, especially over the jumps. The horse has a long name, but we just call her 'Snow' because she`s white, although they call the colour gray.

What a funny year it has been, and the fun starts all over again next week! I've had so many dress fitting that I am beginning to think they've bought out Marks and Spencers. I've even had my head measured as some of the costumes need a hat. I've not seem them, yet, but I hope they don`t look stupid or have fruit and vegetables on the brim as I've seen on some.

A new crown has been made, I was allowed to keep the other one, we placed it in a special display case in the village hall because of it`s 200 years old and very valuable. I felt it should stay in the village, that nobody should own it as it is a very important piece of Village History.

One stipulation was made however, that if the village was eventually swallowed up by the encroachment of civilization, that it was to be returned to a surviving member of our family and can never be sold.

It`s going to be a busy week, so all my hobbies are going to go by the board. Saturday is the day I get crowned as Queen of the May for my second year, but this year I was allowed to picked my four flower girls.

Everybody thought I had already picked them, but I asked the school for the best four girls in the lower classes. They might not be the prettiest, but they had to show they were working hard at school. The headmaster and teachers thought it was a good idea and supported my idea fully.

Well, not everyone was pleased with four that were selected, but at least everybody agreed it was fair to reward the top students. They usually picked girls of roughly the same height and this year there was about 9 inches between the smallest and tallest, and on top of that, they were popular girls at school and around the village.

The throne and the Queens float were redesigned, they still kept to Ye Olde England style, but it was easier and safer to carry and used lighter materials, not everyone is a budding Geoff Capes.

As the week went on, everything started to come together. All the old bunting, flags and decorations were replaced with new ones, gardens were cleaned, and the local nurseries provided cheap plants to fill in any bare patches.

"The whole place was buzzing like a bee hive," as the old saying goes, The last 500 festivals were successful, we should build on that and we did.

Summer was the worst time for pageants as they were held in the open air, all the village Queens were competing and you couldn't compete in your own village pageant. After all, it wouldn't be fair would it? Last year, I won a few, and a few beauty contests. Everyone wanted me to do as well this year and everyone pitched in to try and make it happen. Me? I wasn't too bothered, I still was a bit uncomfortable though, being in the public eye.

This year, there was an added twist to everything, someone came up with idea of having the Queen having a King alongside her, I was asked if I had a preference and, with an evil glint in my eye chose Billy Noble.

All the girls said with a laugh that I was wicked and went off to grab the luckless Billy. I had seen his costume and knew that he would hate it. It was made out of silk and satin with plenty of lace ruffs at the throat and cuffs. It consisted of of white silk shirt, Blue pantaloons that came to just below the knees, a 3/4 length jacket, white stockings and black patent leather shoes with a gold buckle, and 2 extremely thin garters that went around the bottom of the pantaloons. We got the costume idea from watching an old film about the 18th century.

When we saw Billy dressed up, he looked really good. He wasn't happy by a long shot! All the women were making a fuss of him and telling him how handsome he looked. He protested and said, "I feel like idiot!:

But there was more to come, he already pierced ears as did most boys, but he was going to wear blue crystal earrings, and his hair would be styled to look like would in the 18th century.

Yes, he was going to look like a palace courtier, make up and all. The only thing different about the costume were the shoes, a courtiers shoes has heels, but we selected flats for his. I doubt we could have got him into heels.

He asked, "Who chose me?"

Everyone pointed at me.

He asked me, "Why?"

'I am rewarding you as you'd done for me, the year before."

Anyway, he did look cute, especially with the lace ruffles.

I couldn't wait to see him after he was finished at the beauty salon on Saturday. To tell the truth, I liked Billy a lot and I wanted him to share the day with me, although neither of us knew he would accompany me to all the Pageants as my escort.

Saturday arrived, and the morning was spent getting hair and make up done. Billy was strapped down for this part, his dad told him to behave and let the women finish.

I had spoken with Billy`s dad earlier in the week and told him what was planned, he was OK with it and would sure Billy behaved himself.

We were finally dressed and ready about 15 minutes before the start, Billy looked gorgeous in his costume especially now with his hair done and make up on. I took him over to mirror so he could what we looked like, side by side. He was amazed at how different he looked and started strutting around a peacock.

The coronation took place and we were placed on the float for the procession, Billy whispered. "I am enjoying myself, after all. Thanks for picking me."

Although we didn`t get to walk around much, we enjoyed ourselves and in the end, the village had another very successful day.