An almost annual event in the social calendar, with the excuse of celebrating my (33rd) birthday. It poured down in the morning and I got soaked setting up the gazebo, but in the end the sun came out and it turned into a lovely evening. Thanks to all those who turned up and joined in the fun!
|
I'm wearing a special "Birthday Boy" version of the "Order of the Thistle" that Jacinta kindly made for me...
|
|
...she seems pleased with the result!
|
|
Keeping a close eye on the burgers, mostly successfully athough Graeme's Photo Journal captured the one failure...
|
|
Misty came out to see what was going on, and who all the people in her garden were.
|
|
Emma and Clare were early gineau-pigs for the chef...
|
|
The dining room becomes "ladies only" and unfeasible quantities of carrot and celery are consumed...
|
|
...there are even allegations it is a coven!
|
|
The ladies view.
|
|
Singstar on playstation provided entertainment (and cringing) later in the evening. Don't Wortley and Jacinta look sweet together!
|
|
Clare gets easily excited by such things.
|
|
Ruth usually kicks everyone elses ass on this game, so looks happy!
|
|
Clare and Rachel are both getting giddy with excitement now. Or maybe its a sugar high from all those alcopops.
|
|
Spectators anxiously watch the points accumulate.
|
|
Graeme smiles for the camera, but some people are camera-shy...
|
|
Ruth trying to pursuade me that this is going to be fun.
|
|
I'm trying to enter into the spirit of things...
|
|
...and Ruth's enjoying herself, so that's the main thing!
|
|
Mr McG mid-swig. Eminently blippable.
|
|
I'm not sure what he's just said to Emma...
|
|
The cooking and eating is now mostly over...
|
|
... although I caught Linda having a sneaky toasted marshmallow.
|
|
Keith looks like he's enjoying himself...
|
|
...even though he's sitting next to a trained killer.
|
|
The gazebo holds many more people than you'd think!
|
|
Keith is trying to get Neil to join in...
|
|
...but his mobile phone is more interesting than the conversation.
|
|
Intruder! One of the huge white cats from next door comes to see what's going on.
|
|
Rachel, borrowing Ruth's jumper to keep warm now the sun has gone down.
|
|
John has other ideas, with his home-made chiminea. An innovative way of recycling an old gas canister...
|
|
You can't say the man didn't come prepared. Chiminea, axe, saw, wood for fuel...
|
|
It did give off a nice warm glow once it got going though.
|
|
Becky was initially suspicious...
|
|
...but the romantic prospect of cuddling up to her man in front of the fire won her over.
|
|
I found some old sparklers and Ruth went wild with them...
|
|
...finishing with a beautiful pirouette!
|
|
Who knew that you could spell "PRAT" with the letters from "HAPPY BIRTHDAY". Thanks guys. Not.
|
|
Ruth and Clare spent about 2 hours on YouTube checking out John Barrowman videos. How sad!
|
|
Doesn't Emma look lovely? Another blip methinks.
|
|
I think we might be boring Emma's friends.
|
|
Steve and Clare are starting to zone out too.
|
|
Clare notices her glasses are dirty and asks Steve for help.
|
|
Clare forces Steve to look down her top. Steve is frightened.
|
|
Why do drunk girls want to put flashy bunny ears on boys heads? Why do drunk boys then give a silly grin when someone points a camera at them?
|
|
Oooh look Ruth, you wear them, they go with your top!
|
|
Ruth models a slightly sinister glow-in-the-dark look! At this point the photographic record ends. At the time of going to press, no-one was available for comment on subsequent events.
|