A Fete worse than?

Ah - but it wasn't. This years annual Shelfanger Fete was devoid of a number of things including the car and bike show from the past few years. No matter. Somehow, for me at least, the whole day turned out lovely.

Gave the kids more than a few coins to go off and spend on the attractions. Alice as always was drawn to the tombola. Whilst I had been elected to run the Bowling for a Pig stall. No pig these days though - it's been replaced by a whole five pound note...

Afternoon full of fun and frolics. Meeting the neighbours. Cajoling people out of fifty pence pieces for the chance to throw seven balls across bumpy grass in the vain hope of getting them through three impossibly small cutouts in a sheet of plywood. Barbeque and bar. Tea and cakes. Silly, feel good stuff.

Would have been enough for the day. Except? Well, friends down the road had tickets for an evening concert. Quarter to six - on the phone, yup, still tickets on the gate. Six o'clock, pork pie trilby on my head and in the van and heading over to Beccles carnival. Into a huge black cloud. Perfect full arch rainbow. To jump and squelch about into the muddy darkness with Bad Manners! Buster Bloodvessel's tongue flickering in the spot lights. Sweat glistening on the big man's bald head.

Saw friends I hadn't seen in years. Still won't again, for the want of exchanging details. But that doesn't matter, just good to see them all. Jump! Squealch! Again!

Misty drive home, with tired, sleepy and achy people. Head ringing. The buzz of life.

Last year, the whole village turned out for a celebration of Kate's life. Really felt like they all did it again.