Party, party

We hadn't been invited to a party for ages and then we get invited to two in one weekend. So not much got done, this weekend, in the house or garden. In fact nothing much has been done for about a week as I, unexpectedly, had to work on Thursday and Friday last week. The parties were planned in the expectation that it would be high summer when they were held and both were scheduled to be held outside.

Saturday's party was a birthday party at the neighbours. My first problem was to buy a suitable present as the neighbours have absolutely everything, and I mean everything. I happened to see some silk flower arrangements which I thought would be to the neighbour's taste and that I had solved the problem but no, I had not thought about wrapping it, which proved to be a challenge. My husband carried it round next door. I didn't pay much attention to how he was carrying it. Fortunately he managed to get it to the door before it fell through the wrapping, as he handed it to her. Luckily it was not damaged - she just didn't need to unwrap it. The birthday girl does not actually have her birthday until November but decided that she would like a summer birthday party, in the hope that it could be held outside. Despite her best efforts, it seems that the weather thought that it was November, even though according to the calender it is August. On Friday her husband gave up on the idea of an outdoor party and organised a marquee. The whole thing including floor, carpet, starry roof, tables and chairs was put up in less than a day and the outside flood light. When these neighbours have a party they do not do things by halves. They had organised waitresses to look after the food and a cabaret act for entertainment. The marquee proved to be a very good idea as about seven o'clock the heavens opened and a gusty wind started to blow. The guests were kept dry, if a little cold and when I got to the point that I had, had enough of being cold I nipped home to get a cardigan. One advantage of a party at the neighbour's. Another advantage being that we did not need to worry about drinking and driving. We do not see much of our neighbours so it was an opportunity to catch up with them. Del boy, who has recently blotted his copybook, like Mr Wickham in Pride and Prejudice, decided that it would be wise to have a prior engagement.

Sunday's party was a more sedate tea party held in a garden on the banks of the River Dee, in aid of Guide Dogs for the Blind. No present required for this one. I made a chocolate cake for the raffle. They were lucky with the weather. During the morning it had poured with rain but the in the afternoon the sun did show itself for a time as we enjoyed sandwiches and home made cakes and drank tea from bone china cups. We then admired the half acre terraced garden, which is quite steep and must be a challenge to manage and maintain.

A warm and sunny weekend would have made so much difference to these occasions.