A Lift for the New Year

Rather a shock, this evening's events.

I'll be honest, the idea of using balloons wasn't original. We did borrow it from some friends in the Peterborough area. But we thought that, with the opening of the new restored Moot House co-inciding with the Hogmanay celebrations, it might make a nice touch - the balloons floating up to the top of the Moot House's conical roof, as a symbol of prayer, and then floating down gently over the weeks to come.

Admittedly the job lot of balloons and helium that Hnaef laid his hands on weren't quite as spiritual as we were expecting. "Happy Hallowe'en" balloons in the shape of pumpkins, ghosts and vampires weren't really that fitting.

But Hnaef and I were really looking forward to wearing our new druidical robes, complete with sleeves that tapered to the wrists - so much less likely to be involved in a tea-light-related spontaneous-combustion event. What we weren't expecting was that an unknown miscreant would manage to get the helium into the underfloor heating events. First we knew of it was when we started floating into the air, ending up bobbing gently under the roof.

While we were thus incapacitated, the remaining members of the community took a good lungful each and we were treated to the entire liturgy rendered as if by chipmunks. Not very reverent, was it?

But life only became worse as midnight neared. First, the balloons were released and joined us in the roof space. Enough to give anyone a fit of hysteria. But then using us as target practice when you were all letting off the party poppers was just beyond the pail.

We'd probably be up there still, but for Young Keith getting his uncle the policeman round. Never knew he had previously been in the firearms squad. It seemed a shame to have to put a couple of air pellets through the robes, but at least it gave us a gentle return to earth.

Noting that the Community as a whole seemed highly - let us say - illuminated by midnight, don't worry we'll be round tomorrow morning early bashing dustbin lids together. Think of it as an old tradition - or at least one that will be an old tradition one day, if this kind of behaviour continues.