So there’s nothing nicer than spending a warm, early summer’s evening surrounded by the sound of chinking glasses and laughter. And last night was exactly one of those nights. Loads of people came (Hubby had invited more people when he was down the pub last night) and we had buckets full of ice dotted around to keep all the drinks cold, tons of food (the kebabs went down particularly well) and sweeties galore for the tiddlers. Talking of smalls, I think at one stage we had upwards of seventeen kids between 4 and 15 running around like loonies. Happily, they had loads of space as they had the run of D, Little C and Lou’s garden too, and spent a happy evening playing 40/40 (no idea - a bit like ‘kick the can’), having running gun battles, playing football and generally wallying about. Us adults, meanwhile, nabbed every available chair in the place and parked ourselves outside on the patio where we continued to drink, eat and talk crap long into the night (kept warm by a very knackered, but startlingly hot patio heater we’ve had for years). Several kids stayed over, others eventually collapsed in front of the TV and as people started to drift off, we were eventually left with just D and his sister A (her hubby J had taken little E home). We carried on drinking and talking shite (oh yes, the Morgan’s Spiced came out) well into the wee hours until we decided to finally call it a night (morning?) and leave all the clearing up until we could stand up straight.
The jellies were a huge hit. #2 made little cranberry and raspberry shots, #1 made raspberry and lemonade ones, and I made Absolut Kurant and Blackcurrant ones for the adults. Basically you just make the jelly up as you normally would with half a pint of boiling water, then with the kids ones you just make it up to a pint with cold water and whatever else you fancy, and with the adults you add a big glug of whatever booze takes your fancy. Apparently, once you’ve melted the jelly in the ½ pint of boiling water, you can add up to ¾ of the rest in alcohol (depending on how strong it is) and it will still set, although I didn’t put in more than 4fl oz as I didn’t want them to be too potent and have people falling all over the place.
Anyhoo, I’m off to the carnage that was once my kitchen. Having been the hostess with the mostest, I’m now reverting back to my primary role in household management: chief cook and bottle washer, all with a crashing headache. Happy days.
Comment by Mum — May 31, 2008 @ 12:20 pm
When ever we have drinks with friends we end up trying to explain that England does have free health care, we don’t all drive 10 litre hummers, and you do have to go the bar to get a drink, and you don’t have to carry ID every where to get a drink… Mrs Moon/M/Monica regulary gets ID’d … even I did last week !!!! ha ha ha ha ha (see, scared of Vicarious law)
So to make up for it, our weding/blessing in Sept will be a big party.. and instead of Champagne to toast the happy couple, we wil be using Slovaian Domanca …. giddy up !
Comment by Moon — May 31, 2008 @ 2:16 pm
As I recall, one poor git was ‘it’ and had to stand at a central landmark like a lampost etc, close their eyes and count to one hundred during which time everyone else in the game fucked off and hid themselves elaborately. The idea was A. not to be seen because if you were clocked, the ‘it’ person would leg it to the landmark, touch it and say “40/40 I see Whatevertheirname was.” That person was then out of the game and so on until everyone was caught.
However, should one of the hidden people maintain cover, it was their job to sneak stealthily to the landmark without being seen. If they got there before the hunter, they could shout “40/40 save all souls!”, and then everyone that was caught up to then was free and the hunter had to restart the game and begin all over again. Some poor gits were there for hours.
Ah the memories. Sorry for wittering on…
Comment by Terence McDanger — May 31, 2008 @ 2:39 pm
Comment by Mary — May 31, 2008 @ 4:01 pm
Moon: Ha ha ha! We have to do various similar things here: explaining about the free healthcare (’what, you can, like, go to the doctors for ANYTHING and it’s completely free?’ said in incredulous voices), the fact that we don’t go to church every five minutes, that if you’re not a Catholic it doesn’t mean you’re necessarily a Protestant, etc, etc.
Oh and I’m SO looking forward to your wedding - aside from the posh dress/hat/shoes buying, there’s a proper British piss up to look forward to. Happy days indeed! xx
T McD: That’s exactly it! Except ‘home’ was the oil tank - various children crawling SAS style on their stomachs around the house, and loads of moaning about different forms of cheating. And yes, one poor git WAS there for hours! Oh, and where’ve you been?
Mary: You’d be less jealous of my revoltingly bad hangover. I’ve been back in bed all afternoon and still feel like death. A healthy case of STB as Hubby calls it (self to blame) xx
Comment by englishmuminireland — May 31, 2008 @ 4:38 pm
I guess I will be missing the good old English piss up - sorry, I mean my brother’s wedding
I sould be somewhere in South America, if all goes well.
If you haven’t watched Micheal Moore’s latest - SiCKO, you really should. He spends hours in an English hospital trying to find somewhere to pay for his medical treatment. He finally finds a cashier, only to find out that they are giving money back to people who had to pay for a taxi to get to the hospital. The movie is a real eye opener and quite funny in places - unless you actually live in the US…..
Comment by Don't Bug Me! — May 31, 2008 @ 5:04 pm
Glad you had fun EM - crashing headaches come with the territory! You’ll live! LOL!
Comment by Jay — May 31, 2008 @ 10:23 pm
It must have been one hell of a party ‘cos I don’t remember any of it!
Comment by 5h4mr0(k — June 1, 2008 @ 12:01 am
Comment by Natalie — June 1, 2008 @ 6:02 am
Jay: Wonder what you called it then?? I’m feeling a little better today, but blimey I’m a bad drinker! LOL
5h4m: I’m not surprised you don’t remember - you were wrecked! x
Nats: They’re surprisingly potent aren’t they. Ugh, we were down the pub until 2am again last night although I wasn’t drinking this time - I need about a week to recover!
Comment by englishmuminireland — June 1, 2008 @ 11:29 am
Get ready to toast the married couple, not with Champagne, but with Domanca … you’ll like that EM ….. maybe ….
Comment by Moon — June 1, 2008 @ 12:48 pm
Comment by heth — June 1, 2008 @ 3:20 pm
Comment by Thriftcriminal — June 2, 2008 @ 9:02 am
Comment by Thriftcriminal — June 2, 2008 @ 9:03 am
Comment by SleepyJane — June 2, 2008 @ 10:26 am
Thrifty: Ah, a ‘proper’ Irish weekend much like my own. We’ll be expecting the gory details.
Comment by englishmuminireland — June 2, 2008 @ 5:21 pm
I’m planning a dinner party and I really miss having a backyard for people to spill out in the warm weather.
Your yard looks enormous, EM.
Comment by Medbh — June 2, 2008 @ 5:27 pm
Comment by Moon — June 2, 2008 @ 7:01 pm
Medbh: Ooh, you MUST do jelly shots - they’re such an ice breaker. Yes, it’s the biggest one I’ve ever had (lawn, that is), but then you can buy half of Cavan for 50c so don’t think I’m rich or anything!! x
Moon: Domanca jelly shots for the wedding then?? x
Comment by englishmuminireland — June 3, 2008 @ 8:15 am
Comment by englishmuminireland — June 3, 2008 @ 8:18 am