All good things come to an end. Sad, but then we wouldn’t appreciate them if they went on for ever, would we? The Hay Festival has been the highlight of my year so far. I still can’t believe how lucky we are to have all this entertainment on our doorstep. And such glorious weather too!

On Friday night we all (Robert, Hannah, Emily and I) went to the Barclays Wealth Pavilion to see Jo Brand talk to Francine Stock about her new book ‘The More You Ignore Me’. Jo Brand was her usual witty, comic self, but this talk was cleaner than many of her shows I gather. She didn’t say the ‘C’ word at all. She told us at the beginning that she wouldn’t! The story of the novel is set in Herefordshire and delves into the sad and so often mis-understood subject of depression.

My daughters Hannah and Emily have been to see young people’s authors Michael Morpurgo (and of War Horse fame of course!) and Jacqueline Wilson. Alistair Sawday too. I would have liked to have seen him, but I have spent a fortune on tickets and you have to stop somewhere! Hannah teaches at a Primary School up in Newcastle, so these authors were of particular interest to her, and both she and Emily love to get their heads into a good book.

Yesterday afternoon, Emily and I went to see Sophie Dahl talk to Rosie Boycott about her new cook-book ‘Miss Dahl’s Voluptuous Delights’. The author and model spoke very well and read a few exerpts from the book. I decided that I wasn’t going to like her much to start with – she’s thin, tall and pretty – but during her talk grew to like her a lot!! Emily wanted to get a signed copy of the book but sadly they had run out just before we joined the queue.

Emily and I wandered around for a while, taking in the Festival atmosphere. Got a couple of free Alpro soya yoghurts which was a bonus! They were promoting these delicious yoghurts during the Festival and I have since found out that they sell them in Hay Co-op! Even more of a bonus because I’ve got some 40p Off Vouchers!

Sunday morning, Emily and I went to see Rupert Isaacson and his wife talk to Rosie Boycott about Rupert’s book ‘The Horse Boy’. A miraculous tale of a father’s journey with his family to the origins of equine culture in wildest Mongolia to cure his severely autistic son. The family now live in Texas and Rupert is a horse-trainer. Am really looking forward to reading the book at some point.

Sunday afternoon Emily and I went to the Sony Screen to see ‘Behind the Screens on Planet Earth’ by Doug Allen and Sue Flood. Sadly Doug had to be filming in Greenland, but Sue entertained us well. She’s got a great sense of humour. The Guardian Hay Festival programme describes the screening. “From the extremes of the Arctic winter filming polar bears in -40 degrees centigrade, to the tropical shallow seas of the South Pacific, where they swam with humpback whale mothers and their newborn calves, the wildlife film-makers show their captured images.”  We both really enjoyed this. Those little polar bear cubs are to die for! Rupert Isaacson had told us all, at the end of his talk this morning, that a pair of Lusitano horses would be performing some dressage, etc., on the Festival Site later on at 3.30 p.m. So, after Sue Flood’s screening had finished, we went over to see it. A wonderful way to finish off the Festival. Actually, not quite. We called in to see my old friend, hat-maker Yvette Jelfs. We both lived in Newmarket at the same time. She is now at Staunton-on-Wye and I am now at Hay-on-Wye. Small world. If you haven’t seen her hats then you must. They are a bit whacky – just like Yvette – but they are amazing! I know Yvette won’t mind me saying that!

I know I keep saying it, but we are so lucky to have such a wonderful Festival on our own doorstep.  Can’t wait for next year!!

Clare