Back to basics

My friend's daughter is working with elderly people. She was gazing out of the window of the residential home where she works and remarked, "Look at the sky: it's a beautiful blue!" An elderly lady replied, "But has it a hood?" I had to admit to my friend that this remark meant nothing to me. Her clever daughter, however, knew exactly was she was referring to: A.A.Milne's poem Vespers.

'Little Boy kneels at the foot of the bed,
Droops on the little hands little gold head.
Hush! Hush! Whisper who dares!
Christopher Robin is saying his prayers...

If I open my fingers a little bit more,
I can see Nanny's dressing-gown on the door.
It's a beautiful blue, but it hasn't a hood.
Oh! God bless Nanny and make her good.