For the last few days I have been an unusual shade of grey, with black bags under my eyes.    I have had a temperature, a blocked nose and an upset tummy!    Well to be honest it was more than upset, it was angry.   All my muscles ached, I felt terrible.   I have had the dreaded flu.   I was so ill that I had to re-schedule my annual inoculation for flu!   For the first time in about four years I had to take time off work.    I am on the mend now, but I am going back to work gradually.

I am glad to be getting better because tonight I went to watch a firework display.   Those people in Britain will know that the 5th November is bonfire night.    Bonfire night is to celebrate the fact that in 1605 a group of Roman Catholics, led by a man called Guy Fawkes failed to blow up the British Parliament.    When I was a child every street had a bonfire and an effigy was burned on them, and people let off their own fireworks.   The effigies were traditionally of Guy Fawkes, but often were of other people.   Sometimes the “guys” looked like politicians, or hate figures of the time.

Times have changed since the 1950’s.   Bonfires in the streets are now illegal, when I was a little girl people were often injured and fires got out of control;  also fireworks (which were not very reliable) were let off in the streets and caused many accidents.   Now some people have fireworks and bonfires in their gardens, because bonfires and fireworks in public places are only allowed if a great number of health and safety regulations are followed and most people go to organised firework displays.  

The little seaside town I live in has its firework display over the harbour, and tonight they excelled themselves.   It was magnificent and there were hundreds of people enjoying the spectacle of lights, colour and noise.   I was glad I was well enough to go.