Shakespeare in the Garden

This year The Festival Players performed The Tempest. This company have been coming here every year for, must be, 15 years. The last time they did the tempest there was thunder and lightening and finally torrential rain. This year was the perfect day for picnics. A rapt audience of 200 brought their own chairs to watch the lively performant. We sold out of Cornettos in the interval, some people stayed on for supper or enjoyed a bottle of wine in the garden before winding their way home.

My birthday again! Looking a bit worse for wear with my daughter Louise and grand daughter. Lila. Louise works on the bar at weekends and is responsible for the flower garden, Lila works in reception when she is not going to a party.

I could not resist putting photographs of these colourful customers on this weeks blog.

Rare cars afternoon tea party Saturday August 14th

Here are just a few pictures of the cars. John Brydon came late in his steam driven car and was the last to leave. Well it takes time to fire up. David Drew brought his 1903 CGV, Keith Banks his 1929 Humber then there was the 1913 Peugot, 1934 Riley, 1924 Bentley, Willys Overland Toledo Ohio 1922, the beautiful 1931 green and cream Rolls, Richard Black's 1903 Panhard, lovely old Alvis, Lymn Rose's 1923 Rolls Phantom and red Jaguar XJS.

Sorry I can't match the photographs to the car but I am sure you can.

I did not know how many cars would turn up for my slightly disorganised rare breeds and rare cars afternoon. Two of the smallest chickens in the world came to lunch in their cage, chirping away, eating cheese. No sign of other rare animals BUT the cars and their rare owners who drove in were sensational. Here are a few photographs. We shall do the event again next year, better, taking the whole day for picnics and time to talk about the cars

This was a lovely marquee wedding. Beautiful bride, good looking groom and brilliant live music played by the groom's Farther' band

'The Food Doctors' Band .Hopeless picture !

Chefs waiting for speeches to end before putting the cheese soufflee in the oven.

Pascal our wedding & party organiser with Michael( Maitre D ) and lovely Lydia watching bride and groom greet their guests.

children and old cars

children playing croquet and a perfect 1923 Lagonda. What a lovely life it is at Langar !

The Trent Bridge Test Match

The Tent Bridge Test Match is a highlight of the Langar year. For the past 20 years we have enjoyed the company of the BBC Test Match Special team. Brian Johnson (Johnners) found us way back when the team included the late 'bearded wonder' and recently retired Peter Baxter along with all the great old English cricketers. We still keep Blowers, Selvey, charming journalists and Aggers comes to dine with his beautiful wife.

Here is Blowers blissfully impervious of balloon & pram while he sends a text with a glass of wine before dinner.

birthdays

Here are two birthday celebrations. Harry insisted on coming to dinner with his parents for his 14th birthday treat and Lila brought a group of friends for her 16th. (quite noisy in the early hours although the revels took place at the bottom of the hill)

There were 90th birthdays and birthday lunches, teas and dinners for every age. These are always good occasions to get the family together. Babies, children, mothers, fathers, aunties, uncles, grannies and great grandparents enjoying their special time together in a private room. Children run out into the garden to play on the swings and trampoline, babies can crawl over to the toy box to explore the tattered old contents.

Golden weddings

Last weekend we were happy to host three Golden Wedding anniversary family parties. That's a record. 1960 must have been a good year for marriages. One couple planned to leave in a baloon but wind proved too strong to take off.