Remember, remember!

The weather today has been horrible - wet and windy and very, very mild.

Mum called me first thing to ask me to take her to the dentist as she had terrible toothache and Dad had to wait in for a mattress to be delivered. I said we would take her and then go to Jones's with Sophie before dropping her off at university.

Driving today was not at all pleasant! Everywhere we tried to go had obstacles in the way - parked cars, people dithering about at traffic lights when the light changed to green, horses in the road, you name it...It was extremely stressful! There was so much traffic on the road today!

We dropped Mum off at home and very naughtily, decided to go to the pub for a swift half. Eleven weeks ago I finished work and I can't believe that the time has gone so fast!

We eventually arrived home but I just had time to eat a sandwich before going back out to collect Sophie from university. Keith had arranged with Mike to take him for a hair cut in Kettering and had told him he would wait in the entrance to the estate ("on the corner") as Mike got off the school bus.

I grabbed the opportunity to have a bath and then the phone rang...it was Michael asking where Keith was as he hadn't come to pick him up in Moulton! Sophie had to run to the entrance of the estate and tell Keith that Mike wouldn't be on the bus and that he now had to drive all the way to Moulton to pick him up. I hardly dare think about what Keith must have said when he heard the news!

It came as no surprise that they postponed their trip to the barber's and came home instead as we were planning on going to the village bonfire at 6pm. Although it had rained heavily in the afternoon by the evening it was just a light drizzle so we donned coats and scarves and walked into the village along with quite a few other people. Keith stayed at home to prepare a dinner of baked potatoes and various fillings - perfect for Bonfire Night!

The entrance to the field was in a different place this year and we had to walk to the outskirts of the village to get there. Already people were arriving and parking all along the road and it was very dark! Maybe it was a good thing as the field was extremely muddy after all the rain and damp we've had this week!

I treated the kids to a burger and some soup and we watched as the bonfire was lit. I then enjoyed a cup of mulled wine and the fireworks started. They were beautiful but quite loud this year with lots of bangs and whistles.

As always there was a good atmosphere and it was great to see Mike and Sophie enjoying themselves. As soon as the display finished we walked home in the dark with crowds of other people and enjoyed our baked potato supper very much!


Part 2 of our French trip from 1999 has been posted!