I was judging one of my favourite shows today, so up and out first thing and driving through Moreton in Marsh before 8am.  The forecast was good, but as it was early, I’d put on an additional layer, just to get me through until the sun came out.  Working in a damp marquee can be chilly on the warmest of days, so I thought I’d better be prepared.

One entrant in the “memory book” class had created a treasure but I smiled as I wrote a comment about it needing a bigger spine.  Physician, heal thyself!

We worked our way methodically through our allotted classes, did our usual humming and hahhing with the stewards before taking a look around the other parts of the Home and Garden marquee and sympathising with my colleague judging a large class of jars of chutney.

Some of the vegetables were huge this year.

I had intended to go and take a look around the cattle before going for my lunch, but when I saw the quagmire that had been created by the entrance to the livestock arena, I thought better of it and simply watched from a distance.

So much for the fine weather forecast – it seems as though it had rained pretty heavily earlier on.  Such a shame when everyone has poured heart and soul into the organisation of the day.  Each year, there seems to be one particularly popular item of clothing on everyone’s stand – it definitely wasn’t a sunhat this year, but these were flying off the racks!

I took refuge inside the food tent instead and did a little pre-lunch tasting!  I just might have made a purchase here at the Cotswold Fudge Company – something sweet for my Hero, of course.

But the product of the day here?

Gin!  Damson gin, sloe gin, plum gin, plain gin…all offering little tasters just right for a chilly day

Who knew there were so many?  Well, I do now!  What a pity I was driving.

Clearly the programme for the day was similar to last year,  because as I went for my lunch the Ladies’ Sidesaddle competition was under way.

Watching the judge climb up onto each horse in turn, my colleague Carolyn and I heaved a sigh of relief that judging crafts involves no such peril.

Because not all the participants in the class were behaving themselves and one in particular was being difficult.  It certainly put my challenge of the morning into perspective – I mean, dealing with a motheaten sweater is a piece of cake compared to managing an unruly horse, isn’t it?

I hope that judge found her way to the gin tent.