june5

June 5th 2016

In our house
holidays and parties
always start with a family fight.

So,
today being bittersweet anyway,
was less lovely and fun than anticipated.

Judy is now 19

and LEGALLY able to drink.

We had rented out a pub style

restaurant in London

called the Bull and the Barrel.

We also hired a mechanical bull operator.

The party was to start at 1pm,

THAT is naturally when the big storm

arrived in downtown London.

The winds were so high

that it was picking up driveway gravel

and whipping them at my knees.

It also tore the flashing off the roof

just behind where we were.

As fast as it came, it settled enough

for all 36 guests to manage to get in

relatively in one piece.

We had a lovely party,

and everyone who wanted to

could take a shot at riding the bull

whose name is Fu Manchu.

Judy did it several times,

and before it was shut down for the day

I jumped up and rode it too.

The service was excellent,

the food was delicious

and wonderfully large servings!

The guests were amazing and fun

and very generous to the birthday girl.

We headed home to deliver

cupcakes to those who could not come

due to sickness or work.

Then it was off to GT's on the beach

for a little volleyball and supper.

Once again the storm found us

and threw a little hail

before simmering down

and relenting with sunshine.

When we got home around 9pm

Judy and a few friends

went over her gifts, read the cards

and played the scratch tickets.

John and I went to bed.

Hence me writing this now!

Bittersweet,

my baby doll is now a woman

who hopefully will continue

to learn from her mistakes

and choose what is best for her

not anyone else.

Good night from John Street