Back to the 40s

Commando Tom

 On Friday I finished work early and headed to Lancaster to pick up Vera from the train station (she made the right train - hurray) and drove back in time to pick up Tom from school.  Vera was coming up as it was 1940s weekend - when the whole village goes back in time and is patrolled by men and women in 1940s military uniform and tanks drive through the village, a spitfire appears in the car park etc etc.  I thought Vera would enjoy it.

We started the weekend off by having platters in The Old Post Office.  They had a special French platter this week - including a piping hot bowl of tartiflette - very very naughty but deliciously gorgeous.  Both Matt and Vera ordered it and I dipped in - yumsk!  Matt (the owner of The Old Post Office) was dressed up as Rene from Allo Allo and there was a Bren gun on the bar and a German helmet.  Of course!  Anyway it was a good atmosphere and the food as always was great.

Private Vera

Saturday Matt was playing cricket, so Tom, Vera and I headed into the village.  We wandered around the stalls, had lunch at Inglesport and then went to the church to watch Dad's Army - the film.  It was disappointing - some of the characters had different traits to the sitcom - for example we met Elizabeth who had a talking part, and there were lots of love interests etc.  Not enough 'stupid boy' or 'they don't like it up them' if you ask me.  By the time it was over, it had begun to rain so we headed home and spent a while sorting out how to put Tom's new goal up (Vera's present for him - very popular - so much so that I have been forced to play football with him pretty much every evening since).    We had our usual mushroom pasta that we have to have every time Matt is playing football whilst watching Dad's Army the sitcom.  We all agreed the sitcom was much better.

Aslan the Leonberger

Sunday is the main day of the 1940s weekend, we got to the village in time to see the parades, Winston Churchill inspecting the troops with a fantastic Sargent Major, a George Formby impersonator who was really good, the Ovaltinies (pupils from school) etc etc.  There was a lovely atmosphere in the village and plenty of people turned out which was great.  The finale came at 2pm when some parachutists flew down to the community field - I've never seen the field so busy, we bumped into loads of people we knew whilst we sat and ate our cricket club burgers.

Parachutist landing

As the weather had cheered up we decided to take Vera for a ride through the Dales.  She had only come for the weekend, I was hoping to spend a couple of days with her showing her some more lovely parts of the Dales & Lakes, but it wasn't to be.  Anyway, I think she enjoyed the ride.

The Sergeant Major

We got home to a roast dinner which we all enjoyed.

Monday, by the time we had delivered Tom to school, it was time to pack up the car and take Vera back to Lancaster.  It was a shame (she had only come up for 2 days because she didn't want to over stay her welcome - but she did the opposite - didn't stay long enough!).  Anyway, thanks for coming we all enjoyed having you.