ben's interweb

This is Ben, proudly showing our work to get a maypole to stand up on the dance floor (instead of being in a hole in the grass) ahead of our Beltane celebrations in April 2021.  That construction is still functional, and we have used it twice since then. 

Unfortunately, I can't find the other photos and videos (which I know there are) from that night in 2021...

...it was a strange event, covered by the 'rule of six' (that mythical rule promoted by Johnson for everyone outside of government, while he was busy having parties in Number 10).

In the end, I think we had the legal maximum of 6 people, but then Toby came, and had to stay a distance away from the rest of us!!!  (I think we relaxed the rules as the night wore on, so that we could be 7 together around the Beltane fire.)  Despite those restrictions, it was  a lovely, friendly evening of dancing, fire-jumping and music.

Last year Beltane went ahead, with no social distancing restrictions (2022).  This was while Ben was in Mexico - Emily came and toasted marshmallows, but wasn't that keen on maypole dancing.  We went on into the evening again (I can't find the rest of the photos, although I know they are out there somewhere) and enjoyed dancing round the maypole, and being around the Beltane fire.

This year (2023) we were joined by two Ukrainian families, who got into the spirit of the event, and helped us welcome in the summer.  Emily was much more into the dancing, and enjoyed more toasted marshmallows; later we managed to use all 12 of the maypole ribbons, and very much enjoyed the Beltane fire, as well as the sociability with our international guests.  Ben would have loved the evening, as he did in 2021.


¡Que haya luz! Kerenza ha yeghes da! Dad/Andrew x

PS Jenny left May flowers for the Greanman...