Firestarter

The annual local Bonfire Party and Guy Competition tonight - in pouring rain.

It's a brilliant event, held in the woods at the bottom of the road. All the kids run around in the pitch dark with glowsticks and sparklers. The adults stand around with mulled wine and hot dogs, and there is a bonfire on which all the kids' Guys are roasted following the official judging. (Me and Tom always used to win enter, but we've retired and someone else now claims the glory and the winner's box of Malteasers) There is a tiny nod to health and safety with the erection of some yellow plastic tape, but, honestly, the danger is part of the attraction. The wind catches the fire and flames tear towards the spectators. The sparks rain down on everyone and we often come home with holes in our hoods. Jamie had a favourite jumper with a hole in the shoulder from a bonfire spark for years.

Afterwards, we crawled through traffic to see Sally on stage at the Greenwich Theatre in a school performance of Midsummer Night's Dream.

Home now; safe, warm, fed and snug - listening to the rain still beating down outside.