Rebellion Brewery Open Weekend
This weekend marked the bi-annual open-weekend of our local brewery, the Rebellion Beer company. About a week ago an email did the rounds asking who was going, and it pretty rapidly looked like everybody I have worked closely with over the last five or six years would be there – except me. I really didn't think I would beable to make it, but the various pieces of the impossible jigsaw that make up my life fell into placeone after another, and I finally sent the email yesterday morning – “AND ME!”
So this morning, after a night on the sofa keeping an eye on the girls “camping” in the back garden, I had a wash, got dressed, washed up, made breakfasts, had a shave, hung some washing out, and then wandered off in search of money, and a brewery.
When I say “money”, I really mean some cash for a charitable donation. The brewery opens it's doors for the weekend once every two years, and serves as much beer as you would like – and you are encouraged to dig deep on the way in to donate to their nominated charity (it's been Scan Appeal every year I can ever remember going).
I pretty quickly found my co-workers, and somehow ended up with a drink in my hands (har har). I'll admit to feeling awful today – the beginnings of a cold – but didn't let that stop me. The sun was beating down, the conversation was great, and it was good to catch up with a few friends I haven't seen for some time.
We drank, we ate, we talked, we ate some more, we drank some more, and suddenly time caught up with me. I was on strict instructions to be back by 3pm to look after the children – my other half had been invited to a rather more official function across town (a surprise pre-wedding tea party). I bought a bottle of wine and a shirt in the Brewery shop, and said my goodbyes.
As ever, a few faces were missing, and we all agreed – as people always seem to – that we should meet up more often. I guess when you work with people long enough, you inevitably become friends – real friends, and only realise how much you enjoy each other's company during the rare times you cross paths.