Wow busy few weeks and at last I have a chance to update the blog! Well in between frantic times at work trying to finish off as many jobs as possible, and trying to hustle along a house purchase for the big move south west, I managed to fit in 2 fabulous festies! My 4th Beautiful Days and it just seems to get better and better! We arrived on site in the afternoon on Friday in dazzling sunshine, having survived what appeared to be a visitation of the Indian Monsoon over Salisbury, prompting us to question the wisdom of going off to sit in a field for the weekend....how the place avoided a flood of biblical proportions is beyond me! Luckily a text from 5co77ie telling us that the sun was shining over a busy Escot raised our spirits! The festival was wonderful - many highlights including seeing so many efesters, toffee vodka , the Bimble Inn, Otter Ale, Dhol Foundation, Steel Pulse, Levellers, etc etc etc....and the whole BD atmosphere. Can't wait for next year!

Then 2 days back at work before heading to Reading Festival.....on a coach......from Swindon.....which for someone living near Oxford is not the most sensible way to get to Reading! But hey, we had tickets! The waether was again kind with only a bit of rain, which I managed to miss by being in the Lock Up watching Bodycount (Bodycount!!!!!!!!!!!) with Ice T (Ice T!!!!!!!!!!), and again in the Lock Up dancing side by side with 5co77ie til my legs seized up to Flogging Molly. Fantastic band - if anyone reading this gets a chance to see them, do it. See the reviews for why. You will not be disappointed! I always find Reading a tiring festie - not much sleep, lots of cider, and roaming from stage to stage to see as many bands as possible. Very different from the chilled BD style. But despite talking with 5co77ie about these differences, and both of us feeling that maybe 2006 would be our last for a while, when I got home on Monday morning I felt more 'festivalled' than I have for a long time, and I know I'll be back there one day.... Even though Im now sneezing and hacking away trying to shake off the infamous Reading cold that everyone seems to have...

So now its back to reality, my last major festie of the year done. I've only been to 4 this year, but they've all been good. Now Im into packing boxes and surveys and solicitors and mortgages and moving and new jobs and other grown up things for a few weeks - the kind of things that festivals take me away from and put into perspective. The hassles will pass, and I can draw on the memories of festivals and the laughs with friends and random strangers......and if Keef could send through some toffee vodka that might help as well!

And I seem to have the October Spookfest and December St Austell beerfest lined up as well for when we're in our new home in Cornwall...! Things are certainly looking up!