BiL arrived in daylight to sort out the heap and check for hedgehogs and when everyone else arrived we had Hot dogs, pizza and party Indian nibbles before going out to light the fire.
BiL and Son set off the fireworks and we found the cheaper fireworks for home are slightly underwhelming and MUCH quieter than the huge noisy and expensive ones they have at the big village events, but more fun. The two little girls weren't frightened by the muted bangs, crackles and fizzes and the whole event took me back 50+ years to family November 5ths with Mum, Dad, Sister, Grandad and the neighbours.
It seems apt to be remembering those who are no longer around on the 11th of the 11th and can you believe its now exactly 18 months since Colin died? on the 11th May 2018. Sometimes it seems longer and sometimes just like last week. I'm not sure about "time healing", I think the sadness stays but just gets further away and, mostly, not quite so raw.
I was thinking about the 11th of the Month. So many things have happened on the 11th of a month in our family..............Col's birthday was on 11th early in the year, his funeral was on the 11th a month after he died on 11th and his Mum died on the 11th of the 11th, several years ago. My nephew has a birthday on a different 11th and then eldest granddaughter was born on the 11th too.
Very strange.
Thank you to everyone for the kind comments on Saturday's post. Don't get too excited by my (sort-of) challenge, it won't be as serious as Sue-in-Wales' challenges and I've now got to eat all the left-over non-local food from Saturday first!!
More photos of two little cousins at Nana's House, when I see these two together I always wish Eldest daughter and family lived closer so they could join in too.
Back Tomorrow
Sue
Gorgeous photos of the girls. xx
ReplyDeleteThe most gorgeous granddaughters ever!
DeleteThey look like they are having a jolly time.
ReplyDeleteOnce Willow starts talking there will be no stopping them, it's already more fun now she is walking
DeleteDelightful grands there. The first photo didn't appear for me. Was it the bonfire? Sounds like an all around great evening gathering.
ReplyDeleteWonder why you can't see the photo of girls and bonfire - very odd
DeleteYour granddaughters are adorable. The more rubbish our fireworks, the more we laugh. I think if we had display quality ones it would take the shine off the evening lol. xx
ReplyDeleteThey were good in an old fashioned way. We are spoilt with the massive firework events I think
DeleteDoes time make it any better you ask? I don't think it does - most days I inadvertently think 'must tell David that when he comes in' or something along those lines. One of the hardest parts for me at any rate is having nobody to share thoughts with. But, as you say, the further it gets away - the easier it becomes to at lease put it further to the back of ones mind. x
ReplyDeleteNo one to share memories and thoughts is the hardest thing.
DeleteThat sounds like a pretty perfect Bonfire Night to me. The sort we used to have as children in the sixties ... minimal bangs just pretty whizzing Catherine Wheels, Sparklers, the odd Fountain type thing, all going off as we tucked into sausages and slices of parkin cake. Then going to bed with our hair smelling of the bonfire smoke after Dad had burnt all his twigs, logs and bits of wood from the shed.
ReplyDeleteA loss of your magnitude always leaves a sense of prevailing sadness, that although not completely over-whelming as it was at first can still take your breath away at the most unexpected moments.
In our family the number 13 is the prevalent one ... from birthdays, anniversaries, table numbers in restaurants and house purchases. Both our Welsh home and our caravan were inadvertently bought on a Friday the 13th.
I remember the Catherine wheels which either refused to go round or flew off because they weren't fixed! And the lethal jumping jacks
DeleteIt sounds like you and the family had a lot of fun. The pictures of the girls are so cute. It is strange how the number 11 has come up so much in your family.
ReplyDeleteI didn't get the first picture either and your print is still minute. Other blogs are as usual.
ReplyDeleteFor me 22 is the number which stands out.
I thought about having a bonfire on the 5th. It wouldn't resonate much here but I have a good friend who is a fellow anglophile and she would get a kick out of it.
ReplyDeleteLove the post about sugar beet harvest. Here in Colorado sugar beets were a big farm crop. German immigrants brought them over when the immigrated to the U.S. There were sugar beet factories in most of the farm towns in eastern Colorado and the harvest was a busy time. I don't know of any farmer planting sugar beets and all of the factories are shut down. A shame really. The US now is entirely using sugar cane for sugar - I am sure it is part of some huge trade balance thing - and it does grow in Hawaii and in some southern states.
Your post on your "voucher" from Tesco's made me smile. At some point I bought "Delia's How to cheat at cooking" cookbook. I am sure it was at a used bookstore. The only problem, and it is a big one, is that the items she lists really don't have corresponding products in the US - and that is because we really don't have shops similar to Waitrose, Saintsburys, Tesco, Asda. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods have a few things and T.J. Maxx will have some surprises but nothing like the products she uses. Sigh... The recipes look wonderful but it is rather like reading a fantasy novel. I can watch Delia and Mary B on YouTube but again ingredients can be a challenge! When we travel to Canada I am looking forward to seeing what I can find! I am 1/4 Canadian - English and Irish antecedents.
I love your blog - your writing and topics are always interesting and entertaining.
Mary
Precious photo! Of the Little Ones...
ReplyDeleteVery nice sounding fire and fireworks. How lovely that you can burn like that. Here, we can't. I remember the wonderful smell of burning leaves, from childhood. Out Littles will never know that delightful smell.
New here, so I didn't know of your loss... But no loss is never easy.
Gentle hugs..
😊🔥😊
Your bonfire party sounds wonderful. Cuddles with the grandchildren make for happy times, your two look fun girls.
ReplyDeleteThe girls are adorable! I can't see the first photo either. Strange.
ReplyDelete