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..................