Post 194: A very special evening.
My brother-in-law has bailed on the curry
But there are more than one other worry
———
There was a commotion first thing as all the others were heading out for various things.
Our eldest was on a promise. Our youngest had invited him down to the beach home and to play some frames of snooker, which was something he couldn’t refuse.
The girls were all off to the bigger shops in the bigger town to do some big shopping. Don’t ask me what, when or how, I just knew I’d be alone a while — and I was happy with that. After receiving a peck on the cheek and a wave goodbye, I was happily on my own and I closed the door to everyone and everything.
I immediately settled down to a few little jobs that would ease the burden on the girls when they returned, and a few new ideas that needed squaring up — after I had a bowl of sugar and corn in the name of crunchy nuts — and in my ever more capable mind went over the list of things to do while my Darling was away shopping.
Auntie Jackie is a welcome distraction for my Darling right now, to be with a little part of her enormous family is comforting. Jackie loves going shopping and is very good at it too so the time is very well spent this morning.
The last couple of days has been hard too. With the constant sad thoughts about uncle Kev not being here, there’s been so many tears, so many hugs, so many memories. Tonight will not be without him, we will take him with us.
Ah, will it ever get easier?
I washed up my breakfast bits and headed back upstairs, slowly, with a mission.
My recovery room was going to be on show today, and whoever was going to get anywhere near it shouldn’t have to be discouraged by it, so my first job was to tidy up all the stray ends and make it look inviting, practical and homely.
Next was my outfit for tonight — choosing a decent shirt and hanging it in my room ready for later with a clean pair of longs (jeans).
My shower was to be put off until I had my list done, and I was only getting started.
Up and down the stairs I went next with dry towels and newly clean clothes that had passed through and completed their passage via the washing machine and dryer to German perfection.
As I headed back upstairs slowly on the groaning stair lift, I mentally ticked off more boxes and began to get somewhere with today’s list of chores.
Once the laundry was filed away my next task was more personal and interesting and in the shape of a UK passport with my name on it.
With a holiday to end the year on a high at the top of another list of my very best ideas — and the favoured destination a snowy luxury getaway — it was only going to happen if I got all my ducks in a row.
First duck: is there enough remaining time left on my passport?
Then, have a look into the year-long travel insurance to check what the changes in my health have done to my policy and contract now I’m looking to fly again.
Going online in the usual way, I found the “facts” about Finland’s entry requirements. But as they’re in Europe there is only a need for three months on my passport, which I definitely had. It runs out in June, so that’s another mental tick.
As for the insurance, that was very different. I expected to need to be patient — which I was — but now I’ll need more data and more patience when Insure-with call me back Wednesday evening to go through all my new medical history — and then I’ll have all of the ticks in all the right boxes.
I decided a shower was next, so all the remaining jobs I had, I hoped, would be clean ones.
The time was now close to when the girls ought to be back, so I quickly changed the batteries in the 6 & 0 Hollywood-illuminated signs (see today’s image) that would adorn the table and highlight my Darling’s age even when it was the last thing on her to-do list, ha-ha. Once done, there were only a few little bits left to do — but I still hadn’t found the coins.
I had long since promised Auntie Jackie a few coins for her grandchildren, and if this year had gone to plan, I would have accompanied my Darling to Ireland for our 35th anniversary, the dinner, and a real good catch-up. However, that plan was ruined — like many other plans of ours this year — due to my blinkin’ treatment.
So the coins meant another trip upstairs and another rummage in the office drawers.
I found the bag of bags more easily than I expected, and there was a note of all the denominations of different coins and their numbers and value, all bagged individually for ease of mind.
Anyway, the last mental tick was ticked and I placed the bag of bags-of-coins beside Auntie’s pillow so she would find the 60-plus quid’s-worth when she got home.
Job done.
When the girls got home they were full of chatter and smiles, and I was worn out. So they busied themselves and I decided that I needed a break and thought it best that I crashed out — not before eating a hastily made mock sausage sandwich, made by my Darling, that fortified my body and soul.
Before too long our mates D & J, from the same northern town as our eldest, had arrived to hug us, sit and chat to us and wile away the afternoon with anecdote after anecdote of funny moments we’ve shared.
We had such a laugh and had caught up with all the stories by which time they needed to check in to their B&B Lodge, ready to freshen up and get back for the ferrying into town of all the guests at home for the short trip to town.
The kids hadn’t arrived back from snooker and the time was pressing but all was not lost — they were apparently 5 minutes away and we would still be ahead of time if we left now, even though nerves were jangling about everything.
As luck would have it, our northern friends arrived just after the kids so my Darling and I jumped in their car and we left everyone else to sort themselves out — and off we went. We were not about to start herding cats.
The laugh now was, due to my appalling navigation communication, I had sent our lovely driver around the towns one-way system totally accidentally. My Darling made some corrections, I piped down, and we ended up walking into the “Raj” last.
Everyone had either sat down or reserved a seat with coats. After a whole load of hugs there was just time for me to slip away and have a little word with the restaurant manager on the QT.
With all the table arrangements now done and all 16 guests seated, the manager came over, clapped his hands twice — quietening the whole room, not just our table — and proceeded to tell our guests that “the drinks tonight will be pay as you go, but the food is on one bill and your host is dealing with that separately. Enjoy your night.”
After a few happy moans and groans everyone realised there was no changing my mind and graciously accepted the deal and got on with the job in hand - ordering loads of lovey food.
Long ago, when I envisaged this small but beautiful dinner, I wanted my friends and family to sit and be my guests, at my expense. I planned the Irish celebration the same — my invites and my treat.
The chatter and smiles prevailed and the food firstly filled the long table — then filled my guests’ tums.
The food was terrific and the company wonderful. It could not have gone better.
It was sad to see everyone leave so soon, but I was shocked to find out that we had been around that table from 6:45 and it was now after 10pm and we were pretty well the last customers in the restaurant.
The time flew by so fast, but I enjoyed everything and everyone.
Our northern friends dropped my Darling and I home, stayed, and didn’t leave till very late.
The kids and their tired mum were still laughing, jumping and playing cards long after I went to bed.
By then the generous gifts were unwrapped and the drinks continued to flow in a kitchen party that was happily unstoppable.
Tomorrow I’ll find out who survived the best and who slept where, if some had any sleep at all.
Another party to remember fondly has happened right under my nose.
What a wonderful night.
What wonderful people.
What wonderful memories.
Breakfast in the town in the morning, me thinks.
Have a great Sunday wherever you are.
PS
Good luck to one of our guests, my Sister in law V, who is running a half marathon tomorrow morning at 8am.
Thank you for staying and I hope your feet fly along the roads tomorrow. 
️
