Another one down

Tonight we went to Skyfire.

For those of you who don't live in Canberra, Skyfire is an annual fireworks show set to music. It has been going for 22 years, and takes place every March, ostensibly as part of the celebrations for Canberra Day, but I think it is more a commercial enterprise these days. (Actually, I could be wrong, maybe it was never for Canberra Day, but it is around the same time).

I have missed one Skyfire night since I first went, aged 14. I missed it because I was still in hospital after having Samuel.

Samuel always said that Canberra put on a fireworks show for his birthday. In the last couple of years he had been bringing a friend with him, and they'd put on a bit of a show of indifference, but I think he (they) still secretly enjoyed the spectacle. Last year, he recorded the whole thing on his phone.

Every time we go, there are groups of teens drinking hiding in shadows, carrying on, but I really don't think that Samuel would have ever been one of those (I guess it wouldn't have helped that we were always going to be there as well). He would have gone off with his friends, yes, but I don't think he would have gotten too much into the whole drinking/drug-taking thing. For one thing, he just didn't like drawing attention to himself, but mainly just because he was a good boy.

So we determined (once again) to carry on with the events we had always done when Sam was here, like the Christmas/birthday/holidays we have already struggled through (blogged here and here).

This one wasn't so bad. We'd spent a lovely afternoon at Meg's place: chatting, laughing, watching the kids get up to mischief, and by the time we drove to the lake I'd consumed multiple beers and was feeling very happy.
We picked up Laura on the way, and off we all went. We had Jack with us too, and by the time we met up with Lorraine (Anthony's mum) and Christopher, we had a nice little group going.

It was the same as any other Skyfire we'd been to. Too much Lady GaGa music (I really can't stomach that horrible creature), but otherwise a great, fun evening. There was a moment when the fireworks first started that I thought I might cry, but I didn't, and it ended up being a nice evening.

It was a very warm night, the only Skyfire I can remember that we didn't need to rug up. We all said that perhaps it was a gift from Sam. Once again, contradicting all my beliefs, but it was a nice thought.