It seemed like a good idea

When we moved into the village all those years ago we were invited to a garden party within days of arriving. We must have meet more than 30 people that day. I came away and could not remember anyone's name but they all knew us so when we met in the street they would chat and very soon we became village people.
This always struck me as a very kind gesture to , what at the time we were, complete strangers. We now hold a garden party for our friends in the village and always try and invite any new people.
This Saturday was the party day. The invites sent, the booze bought, the food made, family travelling especially for the party, everything sorted, except the picture on the blip.
Its been mainly a very hot dry summer until the end of this week when we can expect thunderstorms and , some say, a months worth of rain in a few hours. 
We have lived with this for days, knowing we can not cancel and working out how to move the furniture about to accommodate everyone inside. And what can we do with the kids and what if someone brings their dogs and lots of other questions.
In the end it was 2pm and, despite the black threatening skies people started to arrive. Everyone we invited turned up, indeed a couple who had previously turned us down came as their prior engagement had been called off because of the weather. It did pour with rain at one point but the event shelters and new marquee proved water proof and everyone stayed dry. Except the three kids who went searching for puddles to jump in, much to the amusement of most of the grown ups (their parents not totally happy).
I think it was a success, lots of chatting, laughing, eating and drinking. The pile of empty wine and beer bottles would indicate success as would all the empty plates , food platters and cake stands. Final proof of success might be the number of people leaving just before 7pm, since it was meant to end at 5pm.
Lots of tidying up but it was worth it.
But (as usual) NEVER AGAIN, just too stressful.
Well until next year.