Firm Foundations

We have just returned from the Firm Foundations festival 2007 at BBHQ, Hemel Hempstead; and what a weekend it's been!
Friday: We arrived at the site at around 3.30pm. Tim, as always, had very kindly provided us with some gone off chocolate that was quite literally biblical - Sell by date: 27th April 0. This all added to the fun of the journey. We accidently went via Pontefract, as you do. We intended to stop at an earlier service station on the M1, but the crazed driver went right around the roundabout and back on the motorway. When we finally arrived at a service station, we found ourselves in the coach park, so we drove over the path and arrived in the car park! Clever...
We set up camp once we arrived. The girls struggled with their traditional tent *snigger* and the boys simply threw theirs into the air and it was ready. The pop-up tent was a joy to behold and undoubtedly a highlight of the weekend...what a beast!
We met up with our friends from Scarborough who had set up their own little village in the corner and elected a mayor. They were joined by the glorious Tony the Tiger who may have only had one eye but was up for anything!
After this it was time for tea. The legendary FF 'UNA BAKE'! This was followed by the toothless fruit game...
After an inspirational worship, we had our first cocktails from the bar. These were supposedly non-alcoholic but they resulted in us all 'keeping fit with Jesus' at 1.30am - a unique experience.

SATURDAY: Woke up. Tents leaked. Had to face a stark choice...the 5 or 7 item breakfast? Chose 5 item, it was cheaper. Attended worship, workshops, seminars, pub, food tent and illusionist. All good. NB Rain began - 11.00pm. Collapse in tent, sleep.

SUNDAY: Woke up. Tent leaked. Still raining. As true Market Weightonians, we celebrated Giant Bradley Day in our own unique way. A toast and a new song brought tears to our eyes as we remembered the great man and the great day in our home town. Had first poo, a major event in the FF calendar. Snapped it off too early though and needed another. Tim lost hugely at rummy. He is genetically inable to beat me. The mud put in a welcome reappearance from last year. Continued to rain, mud continued to get better and better!
Then after evening worship, it got really interesting! The boys needed a new tent so we moved into the Scarborough village. The weather then really deteriorated and it was announced that all nancy Southerners had the option of moving inside. Then all the U18's needed to move indoors. Then pretty much everyone needed to. Scarborough decided to drop camp at around 11pm and go back home in order to avoid the Bank Holiday traffic. All to the strains of the 'Macerana'. Deep joy. Spent night in the sports centre with 101 other people, checked on tent; still leaking. Our only wish is that we had a live link up to Giant Bradley Day.

MONDAY: Woke up. Tent had had enough of leaking and blown away. Had 5-item breakfast. This included the biggest beast of a sausage. Also bought some porridge...had set after eating the man-sausage so had to bite into it and chew. Set off home around 10am. Stopped at service station for the traditional KFC banquet. Tim and Becki couldn't man their meal. The 'name the chocolate bar' game provided the entertainment for the way home.

The weekend was fantastic with so much stuff happening it is difficult to write it all down here. It gave rise to the phrases: 'man sausage', 'milk it' and 'meese' as well as others... We found a novel way of ringing a fire alarm and a new reason to fly the flag. An awesome weekend, the countdown now begins for FF 2008... Bring it on!