Before the Summer Fair.

Well, today is the big day. It is our school summer fair. It may seem trivial in light of recent events, making a big thing out of a fair, but it is certainly a distraction from some of the atrocities that are happening in our world.

Yesterday, in school, we all conformed with the two minutes silence in memory of the lives lost in the recent London bombings. The whole school was silent, filled with innocent children sitting in silence. The older children looking very grown-up with a certain amount of understanding, and the younger ones, fidgeting a little with bemused looks on their faces.

In my opinion, it is better that they don't really understand. There will be plenty of time for such things later on in their lives. We each have but one short childhood, and it is over soon enough.

So, back to the summer fair. After 3 months of preparation, it is to be held this evening. I have had a lot more input this year, and have been a lot more involved. I usually do a nail art stall on the day and help set-up and clear away. This time round however, I have been allocated the unenviable task of arranging the raffle prizes. In April I wrote letters to 200 businesses asking for donations for prizes. The response wasn't overwhelming, but for the gifts we have received we are very grateful. They range from a round of golf for two to designer hair products. There are family days out and meals in restaurants, bottles of plonk and gift vouchers too.

It is going to be a long day and night but I am looking forward to it. It is our biggest fund-raising event of the school year so it is all a bit nerve-wracking.

The one element that we can't prepare for or arrange is the weather. The skies are cloudy this morning, probably rain clouds knowing our luck, but I am optimistic, after all we are in the middle of July. Mind you, that is no guarantee for a sunny evening. Gulp.

To me, the summer fair is about family, about fun, about life and of course...finance. I am on the "design your own badge stall", and have had a crash course in how to operate the badge making machine. Wish me luck.

My friend Berenice is on the "balloon burst" which is a new attraction this year. No doubt she will be requiring two paracetamol after a couple of hours of that.

I would like to raise my glass to my friend Fiona, and tell her that I have a "good feeling" on this years fair. Watch this space for an account of how it all went.

Well, I am checking out now as there is a long day ahead.

Over and out.