Guy Fawkes Night!

It was Rudi's idea, but as it was such a good night I shall claim the victory as my own!

I was in my element for most of the day, cooking and blending soups, making bread & butter pudding and sticky cake (oops! forgot to take it out on the night!)...Colin and the guys worked hard behind the scenes making everywhere safe and welcoming, I could hardly believe it when I finally got outside about 7pm to see fairy lights at the edge of the yard, all the tables and barbecue ready for the off.........it was really festive..

Most of the STS crowd turned out with desserts at the ready and it was lovely too to see friends from close by, so close by we rarely make the time to spend time together, Al and Kath and their families, and all those lovely girls they have created! Ross' friends too turned out and were good company as ever.

Jordan had speedily sorted the Guy (though I thought he looked more like Boy George in his Culture Club days!) Kate and Georgia carried him out and Zac and firestarter Simon made sure he got a good send-off! (the old fireproof overalls made sure he stayed visible for long enough for Jordan to get the great shots!)
Zac was in charge of fireworks and earned a round of applause following the spectacular final flurry of explosions, though John and Kath and a visit to Lidls really deserve the credit.

Soups, hot dogs and plenty of goodies kept everyone warmed and the weather once again did us proud...thanks everyone, See You Next Year?!!!

It's that season again!

As much as I love the sunshine I think I do really like the autumn and winter seasons...just received this great pic of my friend Michele Krupka from the USA, we keep in touch a lot and she and Will are coming to spend Christmas with us.

I was a bit slack on Hallowe'en myself this year but tomorrow we are having a works and friends Firework and Bonfire party... lots of feel good food... soups, hot dogs, hot chocolate and sticky cake!

Colin worked hard all weekend and the family is now proud owners (and lighters and stokers and pokers) of a woodburner in our sitting room...it makes such a difference and we can even sit together in there now without TV....what a difference a flame makes!

Reunited

Yesterday would have been my Mums 83rd birthday and we took the opportunity to celebrate her life and to attend to her last wish, to have her ashes laid with my Dad, her first husband, who died almost 40 years ago.

Just like at her funeral 3 weeks ago we were basked in warm Cornish sunshine; like Mum's easy going nature, a tonic on a stressful day.

Kate and Jordan (11 and 13) came along with Colin & I, and as my brother was at sea, his second daughter Jana came with her 4 year old daughter Beau. Our close and dear friend Hazel Burn, who is a lay reader in the Church of Wales officiated, said some lovely words and prayers. We met in the little church at St Levan and then walked up to the graveside where the funeral director gently placed the exquisite box containing the ashes into a small hole, just beneath the flower pot which had marked my Dad's grave for the last 40 years.

The girls were really great, tears were shed, I felt gratitude and sadness, alongside a feeling of great conclusion that Mum and Dad, first loves, were together forever. Afterwards I wandered a little visiting the stones marking the resting places of so many of my Dad's family and friends. Before we left Jana and I had a huge hug, silently, as if to remember that now Mum is gone the next generations are responsible for 'family' continuing.