A day of lists

Five grumpy things that I have said today:

1. This is the last time we do this!

2. Go on – go to your room!!

3. Turn that off!

4. No! Stop it right now!

5. That’s it, I’ve had enough of your cheek!!

Five not-so-grumpy things I have said today:

1. Happy birthday Missy.

2. Would you like some cake?

3. More kir royale anyone?

4. These sandwiches are lovely!

5. Crikey, that was a bit whiffy!

Ahem, this last comment could be taken as belonging in the first category of grumpy things said but no, it was said in jest to my lovely daughter who managed to wrench herself away from her own party and took the time to go to the toilet which, as you may have surmised, was a tad smelly!

That aside, the day was lovely. M and myself worked damned hard to get the place looking wonderful and the weather was a terrific 27 degrees. At the risk of overdoing it with the lists, my “To Do” list looked like this.

Clean windows

Mow lawn

Put up our newly purchased gazebo (no mean feat)

Sweep front and back of house

Fix towel rail in downstairs cloakroom

Make 24 rounds of sandwiches of varying fillings

Arrange table to look drop dead gorgeous

Ensure drinks chilled (for parents as well as children)

This was all completed at – I promise you – 1 minute to 3pm, just before the party guests were supposed to arrive. Believe me, we are not usually that organised!!!

On a scale of 1 to 10, I would call today an 8 on the success front. It could have been higher if some of the guests hadn’t turned up over an hour late and if some of the other guests had bothered to turn up at all!!!

Words may have to be had!

I sit here writing, and it could so easily be a case of ‘another year, another birthday party’, but something has stuck in my mind since about 4.30pm this afternoon.

We are lucky in so far as we live in a lovely house; I know that. Next door is divided into two flats with the lower flat having a live-in owner and the upper flat having Polish tenants. While there seems to be different faces going in and out of their flat, they are all very polite, even though they keep themselves very much to themselves. This afternoon, I was talking to a friend in our garden when I happened to glance up and I saw the young son of one of the couples that live there – he is maybe 4 years old – and he was looking down at our garden party.

I just stared at him for a short time – it lasted maybe 2 or 3 seconds – before he caught my eye and he stepped away from the window. I took a minute to look around me, taking in what he must have seen.

Things I saw included;

Lots of children running around, eating, laughing, having fun

Colourful banners and bunting flags

A big white gazebo

Pedal cars, scooters and bicycles lying all around

Plates of cake, bowls of crisps, discarded pass the parcel wrapping, people talking and enjoying themselves

and so on …..

I waited for him to reappear, waited for him to see me again so I could wave him (and his family) down, but it wasn’t to be. I did consider knocking on their door but..……. but …… but ……..

I didn’t.

It must have all looked magical to him but …….

Well …. "but" nothing.

When everyone had gone and I was tidying up, I considered knocking to invite them over for tea tomorrow but it just wouldn’t be the same.

I had tidied up for a start, gazebo down, guests departed, toys away, everything had gone, it wouldn’t be the same!!!

Anyway, slightly random guilt aside, it was a wonderful day, with Annabel generally getting spoilt rotten and everyone seemed to have a great time.

Like I said yesterday, happy birthday Missy, we love you tonnes. You sure are a sweetie!

Obligatory cropped shot of Annabels’ party dress

(see here for last years shot).