The Saviour of The Human Race....

This is the weekend in our calendar that we book the previous November. 

I wish I wish we had a long range forecasting tool.  

Last year was wall to wall sunshine.    Everyone stole the stools out of the main tent. No one sat inside and listened to the bands - we all sat outside and listened to them instead.    Tents went up in a chilled fashion, and came back down in mostly the same way. 

Today, we drove up in pissing rain.  This is the Rest and Be Thankful - about 12 miles away from where we were going. 

We drove in and the car park attendant said "drive in a kind of random pattern - don't follow the car in front - we are trying to retain the integrity of the field. 

We got out of the car and put on flipflops. 

We lifted the tents and the chairs and headed for the entrance.  The entrance is a 30 degree slop.  It was already 5inchs of mud.  I took it very, very  carefully.  I fall over when I'm on flat ground, so mud+slope is not my best flavour. 

I made it down (3 gentlemen asked if I needed help).  

And we headed for our usual space.  We got the tent up in RECORD time.  (less than 15 minutes).  And then the love of my life made a further 3 trips back to the car for the rest of the crap, to save me from the 30 degree slippy slope. 

We sat in the tent and watched other people with brand new tents arrive in the pouring rain and fight to get them up.  It was highly entertaining.   See Extra

By tea time the rain had eased off, and we headed out to collect our tokens and some beer.  And listen to some tunes. 

Most excellent evening.  Our musical feast commenced with "Have Mercy Las Vegas", followed up by the very brilliant Banjo Lounge Four".  and then things really took off with the amazing Masseoke.   Oh my heavens.  A live band, playing amazing tracks and a screen with all the lyrics  - so that the audience are the vocals.  

It was brilliant.  I don't think there was one person not joining in.  Everyone became in turn - Morten Harket;  Phil Oakey;  John Travoltal, Olivia Newton John, Liam Gallagher,  and the most amazing transformation of all - Brandon Flowers.  Everyone in that place, became Brandon Flowers.   Cause they were Mr Brightside!

Then there was the disco til 2.30 am in the morning.  We took our leave.  There's a limit to what a pair of oldies can do at midnight in a field. 

We had a piddle, in the Plastic Johns, Supplied by W C In Fields.   They are the most singularly awful thing - there were twice as many this year   but they still stink and when the flaps stop flapping... oh dear god.  The jobbies I have seen. 

And then we slept the sleep of angels.   Lulled by stouts and porters, and IPAs, and Light Ales.    

And woke, to sunshine.