Last year in the village, we held a Burns night. The purpose was primarily fund raising for the church restoration (yes, a typical English village, we have a church restoration fund), but of course it was also an excuse to eat and drink and have a good time. One of the reflections on the evening, was that it was all well and good gatecrashing a Scottish tradition, but why don’t we have an evening to celebrate Englishness.

Well, some people were a little uncomfortable with this, as it felt somewhat jingoistic. Which defies explanation really, as most countries in the world celebrate their culture. Why shouldn’t we. Anyhow, last night we had a St Georges day dinner (even though it isn’t St Georges day until Wednesday). I had been asked beforehand to do a speech from Henry V as part of the evening’s entertainment. Of course I don’t need any encouragement at all when it comes to this kind of thing, so I prepared a preamble, explaining some of the background to the passage I was going to do…. and then got stuck in. I did the passage that starts ‘Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more’ and ended ‘Cry, God for Harry, England , and Saint George’. Feedback was positive, but I don’t think Kenneth Branagh will be losing any sleep.

Overall it was a good evening, and we finished by all singing, I vow to thee my country, Jerusalem, Rule Britannia, There’ll always be an England, and Land of Hope & Glory. Rousing stuff. There really should be a national celebration. The photo isn’t too clear, but here I am in flow…

Friday evening I had to go and pick up Nikki from Hatfield, so she could collect her repaired car. She works Friday evening, so I had to pick her up at 11pm. So it was a late night. I was then up early on Saturday, as Tricia and Robbie were continuing their Ridgeway walk. The plan had been that I would drop them off, and that the husband of a friend who was walking with Tricia and Rob would pick them up later in the day. Unfortunately on Saturday morning they called to say they couldn’t do the walk. So… I had to go out later in the day to pick them up as well as taking them in the first place. Not too much of an issue, until Tricia called to say they had gone wrong (managed to go along the Thames the wrong way), and I had to drive to a different location to find them. Oh well…. all’s well that end’s well, they enjoyed the walk. By Saturday evening however, I was fed up with driving all the time to pick up / drop people off.

Here are Tricia and Robbie at ‘Bury Down’, just off the A34, where they started the day. As you can see, Rob needs a haircut before going back to school this coming week.

A field of rape, a common sight in our countryside this time of year. Tricia was pleased with the photo.

I didn’t much feel like it, but thought I should get some exercise today, and so got on my bike and did 20 miles. The weather was a bit gloomy, but once I started, I enjoyed it. Ellie want to a friends party this afternoon, and Nikki has gone back to uni. I am going to go and park myself in front of the tv and watch the Bafta awards… the only problem is Graham Norton is hosting, and I don’t like him much. I would rather Jonathan Ross was doing it…. and that’s saying something.

Footnote…. just watched the Bafta’s. Most awards went to people I didn’t know or programmes I haven’t watched. How on earth Harry Hill won 2 of the things I will never know. He is unfunny and irritating in my view.