Suprise Suprise

My wife had for months been saying she was having a garden party . A thing long looked forward to (by her) but unable to happen because she 'didnt want anyone to see the state of our garden'. I cant say I ever understood this as our friends had seen the garden and true friends dont judge anyway. Nonetheless whatever the difference the party was arranged. It turned out in part to be my retirement party. Slightly embarrassing when friends turned up with gifts , cards and mementoes , unexpectedly.

 Afterwards I am always left with the feeling I could have said something better , shown more appreciation , or given the kind of speech that only happens in films and which would express how I actually felt and not the embarresed mumblings I manage on these occasions..

I get the garden ready , we were not trampolining , it is my granddaughters. I now have 2 beautiful granddaughters. One only a few weeks old . If she has the personality of her elder sister I will be even more of a proud grandfather than I am now

 Why an Australian flag ? The Union Jack is in Spain, we only have this. We would have flown both as a mark of past and future hopes and to acknowledge the cosmopolitan nature of my family and it far flung connections

Part of the preparations were to build the dining room table. I take it apart as we don't use it generally. It is an aluminium  and glass construction. There is a central boss to which you attach the arms and legs and on which the glass top sits.

I dropped one of the legs on my foot

This picture does not I feel do it justice , half my foot is bruised. I dont think it is aluminium , it must be reinforced steel judging by the pain it inflicted.

this looks somewhat pathetic , we had more people than this I promise , but they were scattered , my wife incorporated a house clearance in with the general eating and drinking and several guests were sorting through items we wanted them to have (a nes for some of my sons friends).

People keep asking me how I feel about retirement. I find this a little suprising until I think about it. It is a step we all will face one day ,or, it is a decision we will all have to make one day and there are so many elements to stopping work , you are after all voluntarily making yourself unemployed and I am a belt and braces sort of person , down to having extra belts and braces on standby lest the ones I have fail , so how do I feel - Nervous..

 Not my granddaughter but my friends granddaughter , the ladies of my house consider it impolite to be on time , my daughter her husband and my granddaughters are yet to arrive. Below the proud Grandfather of the grandchild that was present.

Aftermath

Harry inspects my clearing up