Bonfire Night

I don't know about you, but this bonfire night we didn't have the money to fritter away on setting fire to a box of cardboard and gunpowder (not to mention the potential damage to garden furniture and neighbouring fences like last year), nor for that matter to spend on watching someone else set fire to big boxes of gunpowder etc. Instead we opted for the cheap option. We decided to, figuratively speaking peek over the fence at someone else's.

Sarah thought this was a great idea, and suggested that we set up on a bench overlooking the racecourse so we could get a good view, and even take a pack lunch, some treats, cushions, blankets, the whole thing started to get out of hand.

Popcorn, toffee apples and hot chocolate in a backpack off we went. I thought we would be alone in this, and as we parked up and joined the crowd heading for the racecourse I suggested that we blend into the crowd and then slip off to one side when they all went in through the racecourse gates. Daughter number 1 gave me a filthy look. Sarah just shook her head. I realised when the road ahead was closed to traffic that this was going to be a bit more than one family sitting on a bench in the cold.

As it turned out everyone else did the same as us. They're is something communal and spirit

lifting about several hundred people gathering in a street, all with blankets and treats for their kids, to communally peer over the fence at someone else's very expensive fireworks

display. Thank you city council and racecourse for an excellent night. The crowd cheered, children gasped, tea was sipped, popcorn chewed, toffee apples dropped. Three hundred and fifty people were one, and for that thirty minutes we were all a family together, sheepishly

grinning at each other for our cheek and sneaky enjoyment.

The last bloom of fireworks showered over, The boom threatening to shatter the hotel windows behind us, and the street erupted into spontaneous cheers and applause. Fireworks over and

happy smiling faces with hugging arms for each other made their way back to their cars and

homes. I could not help but smile, looking around. I took one more look at the fairground in

the centre of the racecourse as we left, with it's rides and hot dog stands. Next year, I

thought, we should bring our own hot dog stand.

"Are you okay Dad?" Daughter number two gazed up at me with huge, smiling eyes.

"I am great sweetheart". And I was.

Happy bonfire night everyone.

Stay warm.