Carnival,apron strings and random violence

It was an eventful day on Saturday. When Melksham carnival comes to town everyone knows it. Even though, as a North Petherton/Bridgwater person I may scoff at the efforts of the Melksham crew (which is a bit rich coming from someone who has only ever been on float at Swindon carnival) they do spend a lot of time and effort to produce what is essentially a local display. I suppose I just expect more. I shall give you an example.

Melksham Float

Bridgwater Cart

Need I say more.

The procession passed off incident free, unless I include the dog who decided to crap right in front of us and our house. At least the owner managed to clear it up (mostly).

It was really a bit of a day. We decided to loosen the apron strings a bit. Normally for Carnival/Party in the park we watch it together and go to the park with boys afterwards. They go off and do their thing but at least we are around. Livi has done her own thing for years. This time Tracey simply didn't want to go, it was a little bit too much for her, so we let the boys go on their own. Oh how those apron strings tugged. So off they went, Adam came back for the carnival but we did not expect to see them again till after the fireworks at 10:00.

At about 10:30 we got a text from Vaughan " I've been assaulted" panic! Tracey phoned "What happened? Stay where you are, dad will come and get you". I won't go in to too much detail but it seems that as Vaughan was leaving the park with his his friends some nice young man accused him of being a paedophile because he was talking with his, smaller, brother. Vaughan turned away somebody shouted "t**t him" and he ended up being rugby tackled and somebody stood over him and punched him until his friend Ely knocked him away and then it was all over. A quick chat to the police and I picked him up, bringing him back for his interrogation from mum. It was over almost before it had started. Not much damage done, a few back of the head bruises and just a bit shaken up. I am pleased he walked away and didn't make it much, much worse.

I suppose this is just typical small town violence and nothing compared to what would have happened if either Tracey or Livi had got hold of the perpetrators. What is also funny is that we already have a good idea who was responsible. No word from the police but the local jungle drums have come up with an id for one of the attackers, the one who hit him. Not sure how that helps but it is nice to put a face to the prat. We shall see if anything else develops.

In a strange way it is good to concentrate on something not cancer, but it isn't long before it comes back, Tracey has a date for her first Oncology clinic 28 July and had a very good draining session today. Her body already seems to have compensated for its loss so she may not need to go again, the fewer times we visit the RUH the better.

Chris xx