........and the flames grew higher...........

B (and family) are back from their trip to Vietnam. He had planned a barbecue to celebrate his retirement, his daughter's return from Oz and the Bank Holiday weekend.

After days of unbroken sunshine guess what happened last night and early this morning? Yep....it pee'd it down. Not a problem for most of us....but B's garden is very boggy...and it slopes towards the house.

The Boss arrived...under grey clouds....around about 5.00, to find lots of old friends there....all crammed round the edge of the garden and yellow tape keeping everyone off the swamp lawn. B used to teach Resistant Materials (woodwork to you!) before he sold his soul to the Devil (Ofsted) so to cope with his boggy lawn he has several decked areas in the garden. It was a bit like four separate parties going on at once.

As it grew dark the oldies and those with kids left and gradually we all congregated in one spot at the back of the house...out came the fire........and a sing song ensued....mind you camp fire "Bohemian Rhapsody" was a bit ambitious....and I seemed to be the only one who knew all the words to "The Wild Rover" and "Sloop John B." There's nothing quite like a bunch of 50 odd year olds...all with drink taken...shooting the breeze, singing and telling dirty jokes and stories.....especially when most of them are teachers or ex-teachers telling tales of kids and colleagues!

Eventually, as is B's wont, the malt whisky put in an appearance.......the Boss decided we should depart after I'd had three....well it was on top of six bottles of Stella...and a couple of cans of John Smith's.....and it was turned midnight.....and I did have to be up at 6.00 for a fishing match.

Still no sign of the new router....I'm starting to get blip withdrawal symptoms.

Das vidanya moy padruga.