Hay Day

Hay Day One of the Literary Festival, to be precise.

After our very late night we lazed around for most of the morning at the Barn, enjoying our peaceful and picturesque surroundings and only venturing along to Hay-on-Wye when it was nearly lunchtime.  Bucksmiss and I took a gentle meander around some of the famous Hay bookshops and boutiques, and relaxed over a long salad lunch.  Then it was time to get to the Festival site, and find out where everything was.  I rather cheekily walked straight into the BBC tent, where they were setting up ready for the start of a hectic schedule of shows from Saturday morning onwards.  I immediately recognised the disembodied voice of my old workmate and fellow Union rep Roger, testing the headsets.  When they'd finished the check, I even more cheekily charged backstage with bucksmiss to the OB truck to see Roger and fellow OB engineer Iain (who I worked with at the 2004 Athens Olympics).  It was great to chat with them, and Iain very kindly showed bucksmiss the technical gubbins inside the OB truck while Roger and I caught up with all the gossip.  After that, we met up with Abigail and Janet and headed off to the Starlight Stage for an entertaining hour with Griff Rhys Jones (see extra photo).  Our only other show on Day One was a charity concert in aid of a new minibus for the local school, with the massed voices of the Talgarth Male Voice Choir (another extra photo), the Hay Community Choir and the school choirs.  The show was almost stolen from the primary school choir by the colourful character of the Rev Ian Charlesworth - who knew a lengthy raffle draw for no less than 18 prizes could be so entertaining?  He should be on the stage!  Oh, er... he was!!  Priceless.


PS:  This is a backblip from Thursday - more catching up to do with blips from the Festival for Friday and Saturday.  Sadly we are back home now and wanting more!  Plans already afoot to spend longer in Hay this time next year :-)