We normally hold a big bonfire party, on or around Guy Fawkes night. With my sister and all her family, the besties and all their family and our tiny 😳 family, meaning there can be up to 50 of us. Fortunately we have a large field behind the garden so we can gather around the bonfire on the field, annoying the neighbours a little less.

Of course, this year, Mr Corona, put a stop to our gathering. I suppose we could have broadcast it via zoom, like everything else this year, but it wouldn’t be quite the same. No heat from the bonfire, no tingling as the sparklers spat on your hands, no smell or taste of the soup and hot dogs usually on offer and no watching me, hiding in the conservatory, pretending I’m not scared and just looking after the little ones! Just memories of the past few years and the hope we can do it all again next year.

We had decided not to mark the occasion, but with the little ones upset they couldn’t celebrate Halloween 👻 🎃, or pretty much any thing else over the last 8 months, we thought we’d build a small bonfire and get them some sparklers.

We raided the recycling bin for cardboard and cleared some wood from the garage, but the weather scuppered our original plans. Spurred on by whining kids! we rearranged for last Friday. The Son in Law then came home with some pallets from work and the bonfire was starting to look a lot bigger. He was also mistakingly given the task of getting the sparklers, which turned into two huge boxes of fireworks and him coming home more excited than the kids.

So having prepared some soup, and with sausages cooking in the oven, we huddled around the larger than expected bonfire, without a guy this year, and the kids enjoyed the sparklers, drawing circles in the air.

Retreating back into the garden, neighbours with dogs having been pre warned, and neighbours with children watching from their windows, the firework display could start. Lots of whooshing, loud bangs and beautiful colours filled the sky. Being an impromptu display there were quite a few pauses between fireworks, and for the larger rockets, the Son in Law was running out to let them off in the field, scaring a couple of dog walkers in the process 😂. The pauses made the kids a bit twitchy, and towards the end they were more interested in the thought of their hot dogs, waiting in the kitchen.

After filling their bellies and advising the neighbour with dogs we were all done, the hubby, sporting his bright head torch, went out to check on the bonfire and clear the firework debris from the field. Just as we were enjoying a chat in the kitchen, he lobbed the debris onto the bonfire and almost gave us heart failure as a couple obviously hadn’t ignited originally and exploded, firing off in different directions. Fortunately he had realised and came running into the garden laughing and unscathed, until he got a scolding from me.

What we thought would be a more muted celebration, turned into quite an eventful evening. Hopefully next year, we can also enjoy it once again with family and friends.

The Son in Law bought far too many fireworks, but he’s saving the full box he has left over for New Years Eve.

Let’s hope we’ll be celebrating the start of a better year.