The Big Birthdays

1959 & 1988 heralded the arrival of the 2 reprobates who live here; Haz celebrated his 21st in August without too much fuss whilst Farmer has got to the grand old of 50 without loosing his hair and having an almost full set of teeth. A celebration of some description had been discussed months back but as with most things once the Summer Season arrives, everything else bar business flies very rapidly out of the window. Anyway l did remember to organise birthday presents for the 'lads', a couple of circuits at high speed driving ariel atom cars on the race track at Elvington near York. The date booked was for last Sunday.


As the departure date loomed ever closer for our annual sojourn to Corfu, the 'Party Planner Action Plan' kicked into operation. So that week prior to heading off for 7 days of grilled sardines and king prawn saganaki, the local butcher's hog roast contraption was hired, a friend's marquee was booked [avalon marques] plus twinkly lights as an 'extra' thanks to Lucy-Piglet's over protective attention providing ventilation to the posterior and of course the disco music chappy. Not a lot of fuss we had said, you know friends, family all pretty laid back.............

Ok, so it is great to GO AWAY, but, oh dear me, the return to reality. Mail to sort, bills to chase up not to mention the washing and those mosquito bites. I was more or less organised, l did know what l HAD to do and how go about everything in the party planner modus operandii guise. So Friday saw me speeding, as if you can from Beverley to Kingswood Shopping Centre [Hull], tracking down items from my every growing list; balloons - black & white, garden flares x 5, helium x 2, cellophane x ++ metres, tissue paper x black +++, and finally liquid refreshment - wine: red / white, larger, cider, bitter. Easy l hear your say? Well no actually, l spent most of the day hunting for the items to cross of the list. I tell you, my feet were killing me by the time l got home!

Writing this, l really think that l must have had a brain malfunction. Myself & Lora basically, on the Sunday morning, got the tent decorated and then a pile of 'stuff' ready to transport into the shop at closing time. Yes, we were open until 5.00pm. Balloons, flowers replaced menus and salt & pepper pots whilst Yorkshire curd tart was replaced in the cake cabinet by bottles of wine. Outside, the patio tables were to be illuminated by candles whilst the herb border by tea lights suspended in jam jars. I think l might have overdone the candle thing..

The sun set, the Disco Man & Butcher arrived baring sound systems and roast pig, the candles were lit and our car park began to fill with cars as our guests began to arrive. Gosh, were we lucky with the weather. The evening was balmy and mild with little breeze to stir the leaves of the trees that over look the terrace. People mingled and chatted, friends caught up on news and gossip. The younger ones sat outside under the stars munching roast pork with sage & onion stuffing topped off with home-made Bramley apple sauce. As the evening progressed and the air temperature dropped people drifted into the tent to dance to some sort of music, which although not to my taste, seemed to go down rather well.

I would be lying if l said that l wasn't knackered, it has been hectic, but l think we might have just pulled it off. The idea was to keep it simple, it was. No ties, no presents, no plates, people relaxed and happy. The Hazz's friends all behaved pretty well and exhibiting none of the drunken yobbishness that we read about in the Daily Mail. So that's it then, no more Big Do's for at least another 10 years..................

Late September

Just when you think that the warmth of the summer months has gone, you are surprised by a last blast of the sun's warmth, although the nights are now drawing in and the evenings cooler, the days feel warm and balmy. The Indian Summer. September, which last year was wet and dank topped by the global down turn, has been replaced this year with a warm & very, very dry September

Already the skies and stubble fields are proving welcome resting stations for the flocks of pink footed geese that noisily swoop low over head, making their final approach into wind to roost over night on the Cliff Top field which as yet has not been cultivated and thanks to the combine misfunction seems to have plenty of wheat left on the ground.

The hedgerows too seem to be enjoying a bumper harvest, along the farm walk the rowans are positively groaning under the weight of their glossy berries, hips & haws make up the contingent of the brilliants reds whilst the blackberries & elderberries tempt in the small flocks of birds with their juicy, sweet fruit. Thistles that we left for the wildlife are now awash with frothy white seed heads providing a welcome snack bar for the gold finches which provide a flash of bright colour as they flit from plant to plant. The hedgerows seem to be at their noisiest what with the twittering and chirping of the frantically feeding bird. The countryside is at its peak, a mad flurry of fruit & seeds, falling leaves and migrating birds, a rush before the slowing down of life in the approaching winter months.

So where has Summer gone then?

Phew, that was jolly fast, not my car doing 100mph, but the summer. it really has been a full on one, what with the stay-cations and fine August. Now, as l sit here in the office, stuffing remittance advices into envelopes whilst trying to locate the stamps, l actually have time to write something!

Certainly we have had a pretty busy time, not just in the ice cream parlour but also with the caravan site AND of course the wholesale side of the business too. Harry & Jenny were kept on their toes making ice cream five days a week whilst deliveries were flying out up & down the coast and inland to the West Riding. In fact we were having to nip up as far north as Whitby twice a week! And now? Well things are slowing down, the parlour is still busy on a weekend but weekdays are pleasantly copeable, affording time to do big chats to customers and generally enjoying life! I wonder how the winter months will do?



So, back to work then, l am refreshed after a week once again in Corfu, coming back on Friday. Villa was lovely, food was aMazing the Eucalyptus in Agg Steff is the favourite at the moment, with Taverna Agni coming a close second though there did seem to be rather a lot of Russians about with their, um, companions lolling around Agni in various stages of undress. Poor FIL didn't know where to look, though it would appear Harry most certainly did!


Anyway, just a brief scribble as you can see, but no doubt more will appear here over the coming weeks as l spend less time playing accounts and more times surfing ebay and planing next year's Corfiot holiday, must check flights................