The basic idea of this is that 4/5 caravans of us colonise a field at the back of 
the boatyard where "Poppy" (Lesley & Grahams 28 ft gaff rigged cruiser) is moored. We're comparative incomers to this annual party, but I reckon 3 of these couples (aforementioned plus Liz & Chas and Pam & Richard) can claim 90 years plus of annual (often biannual) attendance. All their kids have grown up doing this and are now grown up, but still keep coming to visit. 
It's amazing. This year Brian & Celia also arrived. If I've got this right (& they'll all tell me if I'm wrong), the general idea is to have huge communal dinners - everyone contributing various bits of food and invite as many children, grand children & friends as you can muster; you then eat too much, drink too much & laugh 'til your stomach muscles ache. How we ever manage to muster so much food (without deviation, hesitation or repetition) within the roughly agreed time-scales I shall never know - but we do and it works. 
Everybody brings their own meat (or whatever) to the BBQ and it became quite noticeable that Daisy turned up with her own contribution at the appropriate time. This antic caused much horrified excitement when young Keir (6 yrs old) came running to report that Daisy had a rat under the dinner table. Seeing that I was tied up with draining tatties the unflappable Richard, ever the patient gentleman, explained to Keir 
that it was only a mouse & crawled under to retrieve the offending rodent. Even Richard's voice had a slight wobble whilst he proclaimed that Keir could be right - turned out not to be, but it was very large!
that it was only a mouse & crawled under to retrieve the offending rodent. Even Richard's voice had a slight wobble whilst he proclaimed that Keir could be right - turned out not to be, but it was very large!This was the first time for 3 years that the weather didn't try and put serious spanners in the works. Some line book classics (cannot be repeated here) but will always be remembered so, here's to: plastic spoons; easing on to tow bars; loos that get whisked away for emptying without warning and DON'T mention the spacehopper
- you know who you are. Th
ank you guys we had a great time & here's to next year (raise a glass for us in August). 
- you know who you are. Th
ank you guys we had a great time & here's to next year (raise a glass for us in August). 
"Now I'm on a..erm...port tack... so I..erm give way to those on a starboard tack ...oh shit!" Suddenly the off side rule seems simple.
The last (but not the least) event before we left being Lesley, Graham, Sally & Pete joining us in taking Mum out for dinner to celebrate her 91st birthday.
I hope I make it to that age looking that good and moving that well!
I hope I make it to that age looking that good and moving that well!
The remainder of the photos refer to our return home, touching up the paintwork and leaving Debdale to set off on our travels again.
We also had lunch with G's mum Margaret & his sister Linda, but no photos due to flat battery (will I never learn). Somewhere along the way we also managed to get the freezer re-loaded courtesy of the South Kilworth butcher.
Well that covers the gap in transmission & if you've stuck with this epic blog, you deserve a medal.
where's that pesky rabbit?
Upton Dyke is where I first started sailing at 13. I use to attend Acle school and we use to get the last lesson off on a Friday for sailing which use to go on into the early evening.
ReplyDeleteSome of these photos must have brought back a few memories then. It'a a beautiful spot
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