IT’S over and I think it went well. What am I talking about? My annual, get-together garden party.

I worry if the weather will hold out, whether I have made enough food, will there be enough variety of drinks to suit diverse tastes, if there is enough seating.

But on the day all goes well and it’s so lovely seeing friends and family.

The trouble is, we don’t do it often enough. It’s only on occasions like this that we realise how important they are to us.

Anne, my first barmaid at the Lodestar, was there, as we have been friends ever since, and people like Anne are the fabric and stuff that make up our life memories and history; they are the folk that we can say ‘hey! Do you remember when’ and they do remember.

Today’s life is so busy and it seems we are all always in a rush, and in that rush if we are not careful we brush aside the things that are important.

We should ensure that we make the effort and the time to ‘stop and stare’ and try to spend a few minutes chatting to those who are lonely.

Can you beat home-made cakes?

Edith brought some to the do and they were so lovely that all my good intentions flew out of the window, or wherever it is that good intentions fly to.

I ate more than I should and I even drank a little more than I should, but what the hell! It’s only once a year and I am promising myself faithfully I won’t over indulge next year.

  • For what seemed ages I was taught French at school.

Well, I obviously wasn’t, for can I speak it? No! Can I understand it? No! Am I thick? Yes!

I really think I must be, but from now on things are going to change!

I have bought a ‘teach yourself French’ kit and I am determined to master the art of communicating in a foreign tongue.

Let’s face it, it can’t be all that difficult — I mean, even the little kids speak it in France!