The snow started falling while my family and I were in Wexford for Wexworlds Sci-Fi and Fantasy Festival.
My events have been winding down as we head for Christmas, but since my last update, I had done an interview with Alan Stanford at 4FM and a visit to Gonzaga College in Ranelagh. Wexworlds was my last festival of the year, and probably the one I was most looking forward to, and the whole family came with me for a slightly intense weekend away.
The white stuff began to come down on Friday night, and by Saturday morning, we looked out of our hotel room window at roofs covered in snow. Despite its effect on the turn-out – a few guests couldn’t make it, and there were just fewer people in town – the festival went ahead and most people seemed to have a fine time. From talks on mythology to Lego workshops, crackpot experiments to offbeat cabaret, there was loads going on, and slippery roads and freezing temperatures did nothing to spoil the mood.
Particular favourites of mine were Kate Thompson’s talk at the library, catching up on all must-read sci-fi stuff I hadn’t read (ie. most of it) at the talk chaired by Maura McHugh, and the spirited session I had with the pupils of Wexford VEC. But perhaps the best part was all the stuff going on in between – mixing with all the other writers and artists, visiting the bizarre bazaar, and always the interesting conversations and weird little happenings going on.
The picture here shows Emma J. King doing explosive things with Coke bottles. Maedhbh and our football/sci-fi fan were present, but I had baby-minding duties. I did get out for the electricity experiments, which were great craic/crackle. Thanks to James Bacon and the other festival organizers for photos 2 and 3.
The buzzing Wexworlds spirit may have got us home safely through the snow on Monday, but things soon ground to a halt. In what should have been a sci-fi overload, my stepson and I were due to go to the ‘War of the Worlds’ concert in Dublin. We headed out that evening, but conditions grew steadily worse as we headed up the motorway. In the end, it was the thoughts of getting stuck in a log-jammed Dublin at night, or caught on one of the icy back-roads we have to take on the way home, that made me turn around. ‘Gutted’, I think is the word. I’ve loved Jeff Wayne’s weird but cool mix of music and storytelling since I was a kid, so this was going to be a big night for me, and I had hoped to create another fan along the way, but it wasn’t to be.
On Wednesday, the Christmas dinner for the staff and board of Children’s Books Ireland (I’m on the board) was called off because Dublin was snowed in, and by this time, I was more or less resigned to the fact that I wasn’t going to make it to London the following morning for the Random House Christmas Party. I might have got over, but the weather was worse the following night, and I might not have made it back for another day, which would have left Maedhbh alone at home with the kids in the worst weather we’ve had on record. I was sorry to miss the party, but given the choice between flying to London and back for a day, or staying at home in the snow with my wife and kids, and there really isn’t any competition.
I’d like to say I’ve been using this time at home to get some work done, but there’s been other stuff to deal with, and two kids with cabin fever and stomach bugs (and one who pukes all the time anyway, but in the most charming fashion). So it hasn’t been the most productive time. I just wish we’d thought to buy our Christmas cards ahead of time, or had more presents to wrap! The snow and crappy roads have kept us at home for most of the time, but after the mental goings-on of the last few months, a few days at home with the family has been just what I needed.
Now if only we had a few internal doors, or curtains. Or any kind of television aerial.
