Naz's 70th
The house looked a right state. Every single glass or cup was out of the cupboard. Birthday cake spread all over the table. Drunks in every corner of the house. Ashtrays full, beer cans empty.
What a great party!!!
It started off quite sedately, with a bunch of us enjoying a "Chippy Tea Time" (think Abba and you'll get the point), then wandering down the road to the local, The Fox.
We hadn't been in there long when more bodies started to arrive and the proper drinking ensued. Then the appointed music man arrived. Late. To start the musical part of the evening.
During one of the musician's frequent dashes to the bar, we managed to slip in a presentation to the person for whom this had all been organised.
Soon the room was full of chatter and laughter. And drunks.
Some of the locals wandered in to enjoy the entertainment and spectacle. Everyone mingling and talking shite as usual. Conversations only stopped by the numerous 'sets' performed by the esteemed Andy Rudd on stage. Well, I say on stage, I mean in the corner, by the patio door...
During one of the musician's frequent dashes to the bar, we managed to slip in a presentation to the person for whom this had all been organised.
Naz received a very nice birthday cake with the club Thunderbird on it. And a card, signed by all club members and friends. And a present or two. Firstly, a very nice brass-topped walking cane - with a drinks flask inside! When I say a drinks flask, I mean a very small, plastic test-tube with a cork in the top. It's good job that Naz doesn't have far to walk, as he managed to neck the whole contents of the flask in one!
Andy Prez then read a poem written by Ali, to celebrate his years. This was presented to him, framed. He then received another present. A little less subtle - a zimmer frame in club colours!!!
Then the drinking carried on as planned, the music got more upbeat, the stupidity began.
Lots of dancing WITH the zimmer frame, then some dancing IN the zimmer frame - with lots of people ducking as the zimmer frame nearly took their heads off in the whirling dervish kind of way...
At some point in the proceedings, Connor got up and played, joined by Mitch on gob-iron, giving the muso a chance for another drink...
lots of people ducking as the zimmer frame nearly took their heads off in the whirling dervish kind of way...
Chris, the manager of the pub, (and a good friend of mine), decided that we didn't have to be out by midnight, as planned, and insisted that we stayed and partied for another hour or two! He knows a good party when he sees one, and said it was too good to stop!
Eventually, we wandered noisily back to mine, where we got ourselves organised, then proceeded to start a jam session in the dining room...the party was off again!
The whole house was full of revellers all enjoying themselves and each other's company. And more booze. This continued for quite some time, before people started to wander off to their chosen bit of floorspace, to try and sleep.
Connor made a particular bad choice of floorspace. Right next to four drunks, who insisted on sitting there drinking and talking loudly, till seven in the morning, when one wuss gave up and went to bed. I had to, I was knackered! By that time Joan was already asleep, head-down on the table, leaving MTL and Tracey to either drink or sleep, I don't know which they chose...
As I laid in bed a few hours later, I didn't hear much noise, other than someone knock on the bedroom door to wish Thora and I farewell. So when I wandered out into the house, expecting chaos, imagine my surprise when I discovered the house was perfectly clean and tidy! Probably cleaner than before anyone arrived!!! The Party Fairies had visited! Fantastic!
I'm lead to believe this was upon the invitation of Joan. So thank you VERY much Joan! Greatly appreciated. You can come round again. How does every Tuesday and Friday work for you?
Thanks to Naz for getting to an age we were chuffed to celebrate.
Thanks to Mickey and Lesley for sorting the Club Zimmer.
Thanks to Ali for writing the poem for Naz. Click here to read it for yourself.
Thanks to everyone who turned up and shared a great party!
Wigan Paul
Wigan Paul ran riot with his camera, so click for a bucketload of pix...