A Very Gay Evening

I've made mention before that Mrs The MIllbrooker and I have been extraordinarily lucky; washing up in Millbrook (as everybody does, eventually, of course) with genuinely good neighbours on either side of us.

Last night neighbour number one (or number two depending on which side you're viewing from and whether you count from the left or from the right), whom the world knows as Gay, held a bit of a bash at which all three of her grown up offspring played host alongside their ebullient mum. Andre, Michel and Corinne (apologies for any spelling errors) travelled from their far flung abodes in assorted parts of Europe with tales of foreign lands and many a "hail-fellow-well-met" to their old school chums of yore who had been invited by Gay to party at her pad.

Cornish weather being what it is, the food was an indoor affair, but none the less tasty for that; Michel's souvlaki should be legendary if it isn't already. We began with nibbles in the parlour. This is Paul and Sylvia with yours truly in the act of getting the chat going.

Here's a shot of Shazzerooneypoos and Comb-Over doing much the same on the other side of the room.

Food was soon served and photography became of secondary importance. This is part of the aftermath, though, as some of the assembled throng packed the kitchen in search of pudding and a drop more wine. Oh yes, there's always room for both pudding and a drop more wine.

The rain cleared and it seemed like an excellent idea to invade Gay's garden to party on in the gazebo at the top. And indeed - it was a good idea.

Dave Mashford toted his accordion up the Kilimanjaro-like slopes behind Gay's abode and something of a sing-song ensued.

Andre got in on the act, too, "reconnecting twenty year old synapses" as he put it, to remember some tunes that he'd learnt in his youth. Andre is extreme right in this photo with John in the checked shirt, Gay next to him and then Sylvia with Paul peeping over the top of the accordion.

Dong, of course, was in his element singing along merrily to many an old tune (we got through Daisy, Daisy and Wild Rover in short order). Here is the Dongmeister himself flirting outrageously (as he always does, the dreadful old smoothie) with renowned Millbrookian kayak enthusiast Julie.

And opposite them were Mrs The MIllbrooker and me - enjoying the music, the ambience and the company. And, yes we sang along lustily as well.

We departed around the witching hour even though the party still had some life in it yet; a long day's morris activity was to follow and at least a small amount of sleep was imperative.

Many thanks to Gay for inviting us; to Andre, Michele and Corinne for making us very welcome and for cooking up some delicious munchables and to Dave for the accordion playing and hard work during the preparations that I know he helped with.

It only remains for me to award, as is traditional, the Unflattering Photo of the Evening Award to Liability; well done, Liability, a tremendous effort.