Rights of passage.

Towersey festival takes place in Thame every August Bank Holiday. It used to be held in Towersey itself but owing to size was moved a couple of miles down the road a few years ago. It is a folk music festival that grew out of a Morris dancing festival. I have both been a visitor and worked at the festival in the past and it is truly a family friendly four or five days. Many families make it the last few days of a camping and touring holiday. Many thousands of people descend on Thame and the atmosphere is, by and large friendly and kind.
I suppose the mixed demographic helps with this, as well as the fantastic level of organisation. The fact that Toweresy and Thame are within 40 minutes walk of Corner Cottage means that the Beautiful Wife and I can visit without worrying about having a drink or two if we fancy ( Folk music and Real Ale are seldom far apart).
During the festival last year I was in Waitrose choosing a couple of beers when I witnessed an encounter between a mother and her teenage daughter which moved me more than I thought it would.
They were  chatting about what beer the girls father would like and spotting ones they had seen him drink before. Having made their decision, the mother asked the girl, who was probably 15 or so, what she was going to have to drink. The girl headed off towards the soft drink section. Her mother then said " I thought you liked Cider?".
The girl looked surprised and with her head on one side asked quietly "I that alright?"
The reply came "Of course, we trust you, and you'll be with us anyway"
I'm still not sure why this generational encounter moved me but I'm sure it is to do with the fact that this honest and open communication is often what is missing in young people's lives. Legality aside, this young woman was learning to drink socially and not necessarily to excess with support and respect. It just seemed right.
On a different note, A year in Preserving carries on, this afternoon I have trussed a tenderloin of pork which has been curing in my fridge for 2 weeks. It is now in my mini wine cellar at 15 degrees drying. More of this later.