Party!!(!0

It's between Halloween and Guy Fawkes, but more importantly it's still half term, so Dilly and Al threw a party. Aimed at children and their families, so it started at 5.30 and the menu was simple - hot dogs, bought cakes (and Party Rings, woo hoo) and the like. Even the fireworks were colour more than noise. It all went down a storm, except that it rained. Darlings, were we daunted? We were not! The bonfire has been postponed until real Guy Fawkes (Remember, remember the 5th of November, gunpowder, treason and plot. I see no reason why gunpowder treason should ever be forgot - for those dear souls who are Foreigners and who can hardly be expected to understand) but we all watched through the windows while the Sage, Phil and Al busied themselves in the rain letting off fireworks. We had the windows open so that the real gunpowderish aromas would waft through.

Ro's first party was a Bonfire Night party when he was 3 months old, and he loved every minute of it and stayed awake all evening until well after 11 o'clock. Zerlina is not quite 11 weeks and she was quite as entranced, although the fireworks were gentler. Squiffany was as interested in her reactions as in the fireworks themselves, and kissed little z between fireworks. All the children were lovely and played happily together; even the boisterousness was good-humoured and without tears. Afterwards, I fetched more beer and wine and we got cheerfully mellow together (noo, not the children, what do you think I'm like? not like that, at any rate).

What is most worthy of remark is that Zerlina has blown her first deliberate raspberry. She has been interested and has copied the mouth movements for a while, but tonight, after much practise, she finally managed a brief but deliberate 'pfft'. We are immensely proud.