Cheers, your Majesty...

Street party today!

After a morning spent preparing home-made burgers, salads and a sponge cake stuffed to the gills with summer fruit and whipped cream, we emerged into the street at 3pm, only to find it deserted! The weather had kept us guessing till the last minute, sunshine, dark clouds, squally showers - I think most people were waiting for the final shower to end before they came out.

But before long the sun graced us with its presence, the neighbours gathered, and the street was soon busy with people barbecuing, drinking, eating and chatting. One family brought out a table-tennis set, which kept lots of people occupied, and brought out a bit of friendly rivalry amongst the men. After everyone had eaten, we went into a neighbours garden for the ritual sack-racing, wheelbarrow racing and tug-of-war. And as the evening wound down we repaired to another neighbours garden for croquet and giant jenga.

By 9pm most of the older generation had retreated to their houses for a well-earned rest, but the teenagers kept going into the small hours. A highlight of their evening was the tray of jelly shots I'd made, arranged in the pattern of a Union Flag. The red ones were vodka, cranberry and lime, white was Pina Colada and for blue we used blue Curacao and lemonade. They were actually very good, though the maths involved in their preparation was a bit taxing!!

I took lots of photographs, but thought this one best represented the day: friendship, home-made cocktails, balloons, bunting, silly hats, sunshine... and check out Alex's nail varnish... a true work of art!