… and after dinner many people came in and kept me all the afternoon, among other the Master and Wardens of Chyrurgeon’s Hall, who staid arguing their cause with me; I did give them the best answer I could, and after their being two hours with me parted…

No faxes or E-mails in those days. People have to argue their case in person. Maybe a good thing.

*****

This morning I went to our Men’s Christian group. Same old faces alas. No younger man seems to be able to identify with the need to show up especially with our demographic profile in Midsomer Norton  (old miners, widows of same, manual workers, people on minimum wage, commuters to Bath and Bristol). The topic was on the role of crying and emotion using various illustrations from Biblical texts. I shall revert to that at a later date.

*****

I visited a gardening client today who is stuck in a big house on her own, is just recovering from her latest fall this time from the toilet, admits to being very lonely living alone but cannot bring herself to move house nearer her friends where she can receive support. For the last year she has been talking of moving but cannot bring herself to do it, largely because of her memories of the old house and the thought of moving and what could go wrong. We have advised her many times to move to no avail.

*****

The main event of the day was the Priston Festival held annually in mid September over a three day weekend.

Puppeteers from Poland

The puppets arrived and I thought there was going to be a Punch and Judy type show  but no, the puppets were bought along solely to encourage the children to pay with them, and play they did. I keep on forgetting how much imagination children do have and how little it takes to involve them.

Elvis?

waiting in the wings to be played with

no question the children are absorbed

very good quality of mannequins

very realistic figures

so on we go to the children’s area as such

a brace of electric bikes on the way

a magician performs

togetherness and joy in the eating area behind the pub

impressive home made cakes – no chemicals here

unknown but enthusiastic artists and performers

Priston Church with a golden cockerel performing weather vane duties.

there is something about this area that produces wonderful apples.

Finally the famous all amateur  Fantasy Orchestra

rear view of the Sousaphone?

well done, organiser (flowery hat)

If you are thinking of moving to this area a) be prepared to pay a lot for a decent house b) there is no public transport to speak of