Let’s do this together

When they said: “Long may His Majesty reign” – they clearly meant rain.

I’m all for sticking to traditions but pouring rain on Coronation Days is one historical reenactment we could all have done without.

I was set to give it my Best of British on Saturday for the street party and ignore the inclement weather, but when the heavens opened – and didn’t close – it wasn’t the rain but the number of times some of our older neighbours repeated: “It was just like this in 1953,” that finally broke me.

Hi-vis Susan declared our party cancelled until Sunday, which was a relief.

But for some bizarre reason, The Dark Lord had organised to meet her friends down by the river for their own “celebration”.

“You’ll be soaked within minutes,” I exclaimed, surprised she should be so insistent to go out in the driving rain. TDL only has to have a hole in her sock and she’ll say she can’t go to school.

“Well I want to go to the pub, so there’ll be no chance of a lift later. And why aren’t you wearing a coat?” I asked, as I dropped her at McDonald’s in town.

“Oh I’ll be fine,” she said flippantly, dressed in just a red hoodie.

I’d only been home for half an hour when the call came in. “Mum – we’re really cold and wet, can you come and get us?”

As I pulled up by the shop doorway where three of them were stood shivering and dripping, I noted none of them had worn coats and their trainers were soaked through.

They piled in the car, and the smell of bubble mint gum, burgers and cheap perfume was overwhelming, but there was another strong sweet smell I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

“Limoncello,” they roared with laughter, showing me the tiny empty bottle someone had obviously nicked from one of their parents’ drinks cabinet.

I don’t know what’s worse – attempted underage drinking or the rank choice of liqueur.

■ Email me at siobhan.mcnally@mirror.co.uk or write to Community Corner, PO Box 791, Winchester SO23 3RP.