Midsummer Saturday

I went to Joe's cousin's wedding in the countryside between Reading and Oxford.

This part of the world is famous for being the Chilterns, apparently, but it's more famous in my heart for being the setting of John Nettle's acclaimed series "Midsummer Murders".  Now, some of you may know that MM is one of my guilty pleasures, so I was thoroughly satiated with all things MM throughout the day.

  I gave yelps of joy as we drove through such places as "Gallowstree Common", "Nettlebed", "Chalkhouse Green", "Sonning Common", "Rotherfield Peppard, "Chalkhouse Green", "Devil's Hill", "Shiplake Bottom" and "Perseverence Hill".  There were skulky "oohs" when I heard the Midsummer Murder bird cry of the crows in the field, and disappointment when we didn't have time to visit the ultimate Midsummer Murder fan's place of pilgimage - Wallingford market square, site of "Causton Police Station".  I was relieved, however, not to have bumped into Joyce Barnaby, as doing so usually is a sure signifier of an imminent and grisely demise.  It does not pay to be friends with Chief Inspector Barnaby's wife, in more ways than one.

I saw lots of pretty little red-brick houses with picket fences overlooking village greens and commons which must have looked the same for centuries.

And the wedding was great too!  It was in a beautiful church on top of a hill over looking the Chilterns (and Didcot Power Station), and the reception was just across the road in one of Uncle Steve's sheep fields, in an amazing marquee.  All the family were there and much fun was had by all.