Pondering over my choice of subject for the month has me ticking off one dark subject after another.
War in Ukraine, war in the Middle East, China’s threats to all and sundry in the South China Sea, a felon running for President of the United States, neo-Nazi politicians popping up here and there in Europe, record warm weather world-wide with a side order of serious flooding just to mention a few of the bleakest of my possibilities.
Perhaps I should just leave these bastard offspring of human nature for the time being and write about something completely different.
After the isolation that came with the pandemic we found our travelling feet again with a number of exciting destinations including a South African safari, Mauritius, Bali and a delightful river cruise from Vienna to Bucharest.
Once home again from Romania we were sucked up into the planning whirlpool for our eldest daughter’s 50th birthday. At a weak moment I had promised to brew some suitable beer for the event. Turned out as 32 litres of German pils and 16 litres of Hennessy Irish stout. My son-in-law had arranged for an empty cask painted in Guiness colours complete with emblem to be shipped from the Emerald Isle.
My one and only grandson, with an impressive network of contacts (not bad at the age of 14), had negotiated the use of a variety of equipment suitable for the intended carnival theme. This included several cable-drums of different sizes (for tables), a popcorn machine, a sound mixer complete with loudspeakers, a wheel of fortune and a tombola.
A number of family meetings leading up to the 3rd of August ensured that everyone had something to contribute one way or another. Needless to say the party was a success not ending till the early hours of the following morning thanks to the abundance of giggle water in various forms and not forgetting the weather.
It’s been a long and hot summer with few leaves turning brown before the second half of September. A visit from Sussex by a family very dear to us coincided with the party and added to making this a year to remember.
As a footnote I might add that all three beer kegs were emptied with one ardent beer drinker asking for the name of the brewery so he would know where to buy some for himself.
Things don’t get much better than that.
