It’s taken me this long to get around to writing down the best moments of Greenbelt, even though I listed them in my head on the drive home. After Greenbelt my son and I spent the following week on holiday with friends, and then back to school and work… well, you know, how your feet don’t touch the ground sometimes.

We arrived at Greenbelt via the home of some good friends, who kept us going with spare bed and endless cups of tea over the weekend. The first thing that happened was the gob-smacking amazement of realising what a long way we have come in a year. A lot of things have happened in their family and ours in twelve months, and it was immensely cheering to realise that we are in a much, much better place than a year ago.

Seeing the people I only see once a year is always a highlight of Greenbelt for me, and this year was no exception. Tea with Serena and Alastair, ice cream with Robin, chats here and there with Tom H., Steve, Sarah, Jonny, Gareth, Dan, Sally… and lots more.  Seeing people at a distance but only getting to wave at them, or smile across a sea of faces – that’s more than a shade frustrating.

My son had a crack at the YMCA climbing wall – didn’t get very far up it actually, but we might try and find another one near home and have another go. Then I stopped in a little tent nearby and had a Thai massage. I cannot tell you. This was possibly the highlight of the weekend.

Until this year I’ve always taken care to make sure my son is entertained and having fun of his own while I get on with my speaking/singing stuff at events like this. I hate the idea of trailing children around adult stuff and expecting them just to put up with it. This year I decided he could come with me to God’s iPod (see left sidebar for the links). En route from Martyn Joseph on the big stage to me on a little stage my son suddenly began to register that his mum was going to talk and sing – on a stage – in front of lots of people. It was like a light went on inside his head. He couldn’t quite put his mum and "that stuff" together. I settled him down at the front (gameboy in his pocket just in case he needed diversion) and he watched intrigued while I tuned up and soundchecked. A few minutes later he grabbed my elbow, and whispered in my ear, "Mum, don’t be nervous, OK? It will be fine." Sweet.

The weekend began and ended for me with two excellent musical moments. Friday evening I caught a bit of Martyn Joseph’s set on mainstage – I love that man. Such an excellent performer, and such a nice man. And later I got Andy Thornton’s new(ish) album and played it all the way home. Go and buy. The first track alone is worth the cover price.