House party...

I do love a good party. We really must get out more. In slightly more youthful (pre-children?) days there were so many parties that I never appreciated the true joy of a perfect one! Now there are a proliferation of 40th birthday parties, the same ilk as those I recall my parents going to. Tinged with a 'how did we get so old?' sensation of grown-up reality; we are incredulous at how mature we all are. There is also something marvellous about 40th birthdays. For many of our friends we are exactly where we want to be. Children slightly older, life regaining its freedom, sleep and more buoyant finance. Many hard decisions made and reconciled. The angst of how we appear to the world seems to have passed. We are replete. Traumas, for that night at least, were all gone away.

For me, there were last minute wardrobe doubts and a u-turn change of dress at the final moment. Despite that, it was so the right outfit in the end, (the LBD triumphs again) and I love it when that happens! There were a wonderful group of friends, old and newer, food and wine, nostalgic 80's music, a few drunken occurrences that were side-splittingly funny at the time. Tears of laughter. Dancing. A midnight swim for some; very warm pool, very cool night. More wine. A belated small-hours home-coming, sneaking in to a house all asleep. And today, that familiar hungover weightiness peppered with smiles and memories of a great, great night. I just had so much fun.