Easter and a Birthday Party

I can't say that I really celebrated Easter this year. I was up spectacularly early and spent most of the morning in the kitchen baking cupcakes and a "Victoria" sponge and meringues. While I was about it I made a pork and sage sausage meat, a party pie filling and a vegetarian potato, leek and cheese pastie filling. Then I made the pastry dough to assemble all those pastry treats. And then I iced all the cakes.

Finally I remembered that it was, indeed, Easter Sunday (though I had listened to both of the Easter services on the radio and sung along to Songs of Praise on the telly) and put a piece of pork into the oven to roast then sat down with a glass or two of wine.

The weather forecast for Monday was atrocious (aside from the fact that we need quite a lot of rain - but not on Easter Monday!)

We were expecting over 30 people to lob in on Monday afternoon.

Our house does not have elastic walls :-S

As we were going to bed I thought: "We could put the garden chairs in the porch and use that for a bit of extra space!!"

Thus it was that The Builder spent the morning of his 70th birthday sorting out and tidying up the porch, half emptying and moving the redundant water butt (something he'd been meaning to do anyway, but possibly not on his actual birthday) and assembling the lovely wooden garden table Lindsey and Ian gave us for Christmas (not much call for garden furniture at Christmas in Tupton, so it and its accompanying chairs got put away until the weather warmed up. Or now).  And I spent it moving everything possible from the lounge room and dining room and moving the furniture to allow for the maximum number of people in each room.

And I made sandwiches and the pies, pasties and sausage rolls.

And at the time the visitors were due we were sat down and ready and waiting.

Freyja and Simon came with Paul and Carol. Paul and Carol remembered to bring the wine glasses they had promised to lend us. Freyja and Simon FORGOT the Australian party food that Freyja had bought in London. Tabitha, Gaz and Cally came with Ginger Rich - and remembered to bring the paper plates and napkins left over from Cally's party but FORGOT the twisties and barbecue shapes. Freyja and I went into the kitchen and chopped vegetable sticks to supplement the party food - until Freyja sliced her hand and had to retire hurt in search of a band aid (how anyone can chop their hand off when slicing up avocado is a mystery to me!) and I made more veggie pasties and cheese sandwiches.

And lots and lots and lots of people came. And ate the food. And drank the wine. And had tea and coffee.

And the house seemed to divide itself up. Calm, quiet, peacefulness in the lounge room. Raucous behaviour in the dining room. And people smoking, drinking and just hanging out in the porch.

It all seemed to go quite well. The Builder's family came up from Whiteley and Winchester. Loads of my cousins rocked in for a mini family gathering. Some friends came. And everyone seemed to have a happy time.

Then people started to drift off until only Barb remained. And she decided to stay over rather than heading out into the wind and rain (which, given that she had come all the way from Warminster seemed fair) and the spare room got to fulfil its function as a spare bedroom rather than a junk room so it too was happy.

Thank you for coming, everyone. And thank you for the wine and the presents. You helped The Builder celebrate his 70th birthday really well.

Click on the cakes to reach the party photos