A Happy Bastille Day to One and All

Us inhabitants of Millbrooker Towers have been fortunate enough to have spent the last few Bastille Days in Brittany, cheering the Bagad parade through the streets of Carhaix-Plougeur and then traipsing to Mael-Carhaix for burnt murguez sausages from probably the worst barbecue in the world before enjoying the always fabulous firework display.

To make things even better (as long as Dong doesn't attempt the Marseillaise) Dong and Shazzerooneypoos have been there with us for the last couple of years.

This year, I can't get the time off work for a trip to France, so Bastille Day is coming to Millbrook. It might be a slightly subdued affair for yours truly; I'm off work almost unable to move having crocked my back yesterday attempting what we laughingly call gardening. Nonetheless, Bastille Day is to be celebrated in as much style as we can muster at Little Lush Lewis's palatial residence.

Planned events include a small scale boules tournament on the drive, plenty of wine and beer (oh, quelle surprise), lots of French music (the Millbrooker Towers CD collection is being pressed into service) and some burnt murguez sausages carefully destroyed on Auntie Sharon's gas powered barbie. This is not to mention a firework display on a slightly smaller scale than in Mael-Carhaix (but costing about £20,000 less) to round off the evening.

Anyone who's going to be there - we're looking forward to plenty of silliness and French themed camaraderie; anyone who's not we wish you a very happy Bastille Day and suggest raising a glass this evening to the brave revolutionaries of 1789 who, on the 14th of July in that year, freed all of the seven prisoners plus one dog held in the notorious Parisian prison.

A jolly decent potted history of what we're celebrating can be found on wikipedia for anyone interested: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storming_of_the_Bastille.

Vive la France. Vive la revolution. Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite to all.

Hic. Burp. Pass some more Camembert please and make mine the larger of the escargots. Merci.