Avril's 'Much Honoured' Birthday Parade

April 1st is easy enough to remember although Avril is normally in Australia so largescale family gatherings have never been the order for the day. 2004 was to be an exception being 59 years since the end of WW II in 1945 and she having been born in 1944. All the goings on in Prestonpans had kept her in the UK for this occasion and launching [almost ready for the night with 3/8 curtains and half the chairs - but who cared?] The Lord Mayor's Bar seemed an ideal venue for this particular occasion.

And so it most certainly was, preceded by present opening and tea at Wintoun Hill Farm House, myriad airport taxi runs in a 15 seater Thrifty Minibus and farewells with Cottage Pie at Wintoun House and supper at Frankie & Benny's. The story is told in the pictures below.

Click on photogrpahs to enlarge









Court Composer Beats Poet Laureate this time!

Lindsay Davidson, Court Composer and Master of the Musick, joined the family as did all the other members of the Arts Festival team led by Anne Taylor at Prestoungrange. For the occasion the newly appointed Prestoungrange 'Poet Laureate' had not put pen to paper but the Court Composer most certainly had. He premiered Avril's Not Fooling - 'Tis Her 'Much Honoured' Birthday Parade.