Hastings Post Mortem

Ah, well! That could've gone better! For those of you who are holidaying in an idyllic paradise (you lucky sods) it rained here! We made good time getting to Battle and soon found our spot, but just as we unfolded our tent the heavens opened and it didn't stop for FOUR hours!!! The half dozen of us that had arrived early in the hope of setting up camp before it got dark sat huddled under Vince's bivvy until... well... it got dark! In the mean time we'd run a mission of mercy for two fish cakes and chips twice, a saveloy, plaice and chips, cod and chips and four mushy pea fritters - they're just awesome!! Leo stomped in every puddle he could find (one looked to be nearly a foot deep) and we discovered too late that he had splits in both his wellies.

Once it got dark and all the sensible folk arrived we got the camp set up, cars and vans emptied and the fire lit and suddenly it seemed very homey and appealing - except for the minor detail that everything felt slightly damp and even me poor bodran's skin had gone all crinkly!!! We sat around the fire and caught up on the group gossip, but most of us turned in early. Jerry only managed one beer and I didn't drink a drop! (Though I may have snitched a mouthful of something of someone, but I don't remember what or who) The night was filled with 1) screaming owls 2) screaming children and 3) adults screaming at screaming children! I've had better.

Saturday dawned bright and a little chilly but the sun warmed us up and dried out all our stuff. ONe of my favourite jobs is cooking brekkies for the vegetarians. Vince cooks mountains of sausages, bacon and black pudding for the troops while I tend to the veggie option. I have this wayward skillet that usually works extremely well, but frying eggs can be a bit of a skirmish and I have to jam the handle between my thighs while I crack an egg onto it! Makes awesome eggs though!! We shopped and dropped and spent a small fortune on yummy fabrics and some little gifts for the gang. By the afternoon it was baking hot and the warriors returned from battle slightly sunburnt to a meal of potage and boiled gammon or fried halloumi depending on your preference - all cooked over the open fire. There was a BBC film crew getting footage for a new Michael Wood history programme and I happily sat around with some of the others trying to look interesting while he interviewed various folk from our group and the chaps next door (who the director kept referring to as the "orangey people") Millie and I joked about ending up on CBeebies again in years to come. This goes back to an ancient schools history programme we got involved with, filmed at West Stow (and it was fun!!) that keeps rearing it's head on Boogie Beebies!! Having small children now we see ourselves quite a bit and so do our kids' friends!

Everyone was a lot more cheerful that evening though not enough to burst into raucous song. A shame really as that was the last gig of the season and the singing of inappropriate material is all part of the ritual - I heard the camp round the corner had belly dancing and hubbly bubbly. Some fun eh? BUT the home brewed mead did go down very well and so did the dutch apple cake and Jerry got to drink all his remaining beer. I also called Ro having not spoken to or messaged him for a good few days. (It's all very well this traveling around the world, but it's dead scary at this end!) As it turned out there was no ridiculously late night for us - 10:30, I think!!! - and not too bad a night's sleep either, compared to the one before.

Sunday was significantly cooler and the weather began to look a little more threatening. Leo got a "ride" in Russ's long(ish) boat and fell in love with a cuddly black rat! There was a skirmish at midday and Eve, Jane and myself were asked to be Valkyri - yes, really! Sadly we didn't have our Viking kits with us, but we put on a good show of choosing the most heroic warriors (already hand-picked, I'm afraid) and leading the poor sods to Valhalla. I think the crowd liked it - especially the bit where Bob referred to us as "wizened crones". Well, he won't be quaffing ale in the hallowed realm, will he? And that was the best bit really. After that things took a definite downhill turn as the rain came down and someone put the chicken soup ladle in the veggie soup and (almost) everyone started carping at each other. By the time we came to pack up, all our lovely dry stuff had had another thorough soaking and it was a dismal scene. The journey home was horribly tiring and we were forced to pillage a Little Chef for sustenance - except their menu was somewhat depleted. Ho hum...

So today has been dealing with all the fall out. Mountains of washing to be done, piles of kit to be dried out (and the mats from Marigold's rear), tent wrestling as an Olympic sport as Jerry and I gamefully jemmied the damn thing over the bannister rail to drip and all the usual day-to-day stuff on top of that. Maybe next time I should just stay at home with a good book...