Gunpowder, treason and plot

Tradition reasserted itself for Bonfire Night. We have looked at pictures of Guy Fawkes in my copy of Antonia Fraser's book (still unread -oops). We have talked about how the King James I they learnt about at school was actually James VI and I and the first king of both England and Scotland. We have discussed different types of fireworks and looked up on the internet to find out why a Catherine Wheel is called a Catherine Wheel. We didn't set one off though. Memories of Jared nearly setting fire to the pergola with a Catherine Wheel in our rented house in Macclesfield are surprisingly fresh. Given his track record with fireworks (thinking Leeds 1991) it is probably a good thing that they don't do Bonfire Night in Oz.

On Saturday we went to a Halloween/Bonfire party up the road which featured adults dressed up in scary costumes, a Halloween hunt, ducking for apples and a spooky "feely box." The children stayed up later than they ever have and were very subdued for our lunch in Chinatown with Jenny, Richard, Lise, Peter and Laura the next day. I quite like them that way.

And then on Bonfire Night, Chris came home specially early from Amsterdam to allow the boys to watch him set off some fireworks in the garden and have some sparklers. Awww. And while Maddie hid under the table in the green room (really!) I took some photos. All happy then - except maybe for Madeleine....