Nearly a nightmare!

This last saturday we had arranged to have our annual party in the wood and organised two wonderful
musicians to come and play so we could listen, dance or sing during the evening.Luckily we had put up the big tent the day befor when it was warm and sunny. But the  next day we woke up to torrential
rain AND to hear an ominous hissing coming from under the kitchen sink and quantities of water
swimming around the kitchen floor.Tony investigated and saw a pipe coming into the house had cracked,We were lucky that the village mayor arrived bringing us tables and chairs and was able to get through to an emergency number where we had failed.The rain continued to fall heavily so  we
decided to cram as many seats and tables into the tent as we could. Meanwhile the water board emergancy services arrived with the news they would have to cut off our water supply until after the weekend!!!!We were so glad the mayor was here,and the result that they linked a pipe along the road to our neighbours house where they had an exteriour tap. They were out so we couldn't ask permission it was just done. Luckily they were kind about it.

We contiued in the dreadful rain to get all ready. We didn't put up most of the pretty decorations we had made guessing what would happen if we did,just my chinese parasols hanging from the roof of the main tent.By 7:00 that evening we were almost hoping people would see the contiuing downfall and decide not to come. But everyone did,wearing macs and boots and warm clothes.How they all squeezed in is a miracle,even the two musicians decided it was too dangerous to use any electric equipment so fitted them selves into a corner.

    I don't know why, because normally I try to keep myself in the background ,but I wore an old silk indian dress I had had for years and   never worn.I had to wear my trainers  because the wood was a mud bath,extremly slippery and it was cold . This is july and hard to believe this weather contiues and continues. It was my 70th birthday and and it turned into an amazingly fun evening, the best birthday I've ever, ever had. The french friends brought me loads of watercolour pads,drawing pencils ,paint brushes  and more,the english friends bought me two wooden chairs for the garden and an envelope of money to spend as I wish .Others friends , my daughters  and brother and sister gave  me The David Hockney's exibition book plus 4 very extravagant  and beautiful pillows , more painting materials,clothes  a book   on imaginative painting, bunches and bunches of flowers and three huge garden plants. I felt quite over welmed by all that kindness plus can you believe it Tony bought me 70 presents !!!!

     I have to say seeing myself in the dress and apart from looking rounder than I hope I am I was somewhat over dressed but maybe its what happens when you reach 70. The party went on well into the night. At midnight it finally stopped raining  and by then   we were all singing and swaying, as we couldn't dance,to the music.