Bonfire!

Dartmouth's Homecoming Weekend!

 

Which gets celebrated by lighting a HUGE bonfire.

 

But first a parade to show off all the alumni. My kids were thrilled when they discovered that this was a parade in which people were throwing candy. Erik bemusedly "I didn't even know they were throwing candy till a Kitkat bar hit me on the head!"

 

Of course once they did catch on, they spent a lot of time picking up candy and increasing their happiness by too much sugar.

 

We listened to the Glee Club's wonderful singing and enjoyed knowing that Sylvia's Big but finally it was Time to Light the FIRE!

 

This year's freshmen got the questionable honour of running in circles around the fire. Over and over and over. They were supposed to make 117 rounds, but somehow I think some of them might have done one or two less rounds.

 

We were in a superb location where the kids could high five the runners. Well, apart from Erik who is in this awkward 'I will snatch away my hand when you try to high five me!' stage. It didn't take long for the students to catch on though and mutter curses at him.

The moon was a perfect half disc behind the fire and looked magical through the smoke and the embers. Glad it cooperated to make this a perfect bonfire!

We were going to stay till the fire collapsed and then would go out and get some hot drinks and cookies. So we waited. And waited. And waited. And kept saying "Any moment now" and waited some more.

Since the fire refused to collapse and we were actually getting cold, we decided to go in and get hot cider and cookies. Of course, the moment we stepped into the tent and stopped watching, the fire did indeed collapse.

Oh well.

 

Such a great night! I will skip the part when two unnamed daughters were having a big fight in the car on the way home, but it was all the other's fault!