Wedding Anniversary Party

My friends Mo and Jon celebrated their silver wedding anniversary by throwing a big party for friends and family at the fabulous Pitzanger Manor in Ealing, West London yesterday. http://www.soaneeducation.org.uk/project/pitzhanger/index.cfm

Mr Grumpy couldn't go because the nearest parking was a goodly hike away and he can't walk far since his strokes, so, dressed in all my finery (fabulous purple, silver and cerise striped Per Una skirt I'd bought for £3 in a charity shop, red tights, purple shoes, cerise top and black lace jacket), I went there by bus, which took an hour due to the usual traffic jams in Southall, but the weather was fine and sunny and I was lucky enough to find a seat on the bus.

On arrival, we were all handed a glass of champagne and after an hour of milling around, Jon made a lovely speech and we then found our allotted tables and served ourselves from the buffet. Mo and Jon are known for fine dining and the food, provided by a personal chef and caterer called Phillip McMullen, was out of this world. I have never encountered such combinations of flavours and textures - macadamia nuts, quinoa and wild rice, watercress salad with all kinds of additions, mouthwateringly tender beef, squash and beetroot mixed with flavoursome things I couldn't even name. And with a constant supply of wines, the guffaws and screeches coming from each table soon scared the squirrels on the rolling, sun-dappled lawns.

We had to vacate the building by 5pm and the party was due to continue at Mo and Jon's house from 7pm onwards, but after an hour on the bus home, I really didn't feel like spending another one going back to their house later, and anyway, I felt far too bloated to move. You don't have to look too closely at the photo of me (taken after I got back) to spot the spare tyre. It truly was a wonderful day. Most of the adults present, including myself, had been to their wedding 25 years earlier. When asked to put up our hands if we'd been at the wedding, their son George raised his, as he was born six months later!

The top photo shows Jon on the left, making his speech, and Mo in the lime green top at the far right. In the middle photo, the friend who was best man at their wedding is speaking (I included this pic to give you some idea of the wonderful ceilings) and the bottom one is bulgy me with my bright orange hair! The figure behind is a dressmaker's dummy called Molly whom I dress in a different outfit every week. This is a great way of finding out what goes with what.