St Margaret's May Fair

Today we went to the May Fair at what will be Toby's 'big school', St Margaret's. It was fantastic. Everyone was so friendly and Tobes had a great time. It was the first time that J had visited the school and I was so glad that he liked it too. As soon as we got the offer of a place for Toby I started second guessing myself but now I know that it was definitely the right choice.

I would so love to take my American friends and family to one of these events. It's a bit like the fairs we used to have at school but uniquely English. There are stands selling things that parents have donated - second hand books, children's clothes, toys, etc and other stands with games and activities. They had some traditional things like a coconut shy, a tombola and donkey rides. They also had face painting, a bouncy castle and cookie decorating for the children. They had a cake stall (but no Cake Walk, god I loved the Cake Walk), barbecue hot dogs and burgers and, of course, tea. One big difference from an American school event was that they also had beer and Pimms for the parents and a Beer Raffle where the winner received a bottle of gin!

I met some of the mums working at the stalls and was very pleased to meet a lady whose daughter will be in Toby's class. We bumped into Pete and Philippa (Philippa teaches Year 1 at St Margaret's) and she told me that I had started off well because the women I had been talking to are both governors of the school. I've already volunteered my services for next year's May Fair. Philippa also told me that the lady who painted Toby's face has a child in Philippa's class, a child that will be in Toby's class and a six month old baby AND she's American and her family live in Texas! It was starting to get late by then but I did a circuit of the fair hoping to spot the fellow American and basically try to chat her up, but she must've left. Either that or she saw me looking for her and was hiding in the loos.

I am SO excited about Toby going to St Margaret's. It seems like such a lovely school with a good community spirit. I wonder if they'd let me run the beer stall next year?

After the fair we went to Cafe Rouge for dinner. I remember when I was little we would always go to Braum's after a school event. It was like a religion. School play - ice cream. Open House - ice cream. School Carnival - ice cream. We'd turn up and half the school would be there too. I wonder if Cafe Rouge will be the after school event destination for Toby and Rosie.

(PS for the Texans: Yes, we are wearing scarves and jackets today. I know it's almost June but hey, it's London. What do you expect?)