Moving times and leaving parties

The school finishing was a bit sad, especially the finish of primary school.  Attending that last mass in the junior hall, singing along to strange hymns that all have actions it occurred to me that I may not get to do this again. 
Theo had a leaving party, 30 guests tops, I said.  I think there were about 70.  Luckily it was an absolutely beautiful summer evening, even balmy, so they were all outside in our big garden and even luckier the power kept cutting out to the music so people were talking, reclining on all the chairs that we had put around and trying to hide their alcohol from me.  I provided a lot of cans of soft drink and a lot of sausages in bread, packets of chips etc, followed by ice cream sundaes and they all had a great time.  We had put fairy lights in the apple trees and Matilda and I made some bunting which all looked very pretty.  Theo did not enjoy the party as much as he thought as he had not previously realised that being a host to a big party is more about facilitating than partying.  I had not bargained on the amount of trips to the toilet that would be made, in fact was stunned to realise that I had not even thought about it.
The highlight of the party was the arrival of about 10 girls. They came sashaying down the drive way wearing very high heels, tiny skirts, huge hair and skimpy tops and carrying very large handbags, which I later found was where the bottles of wine were stored.  Matilda, Toby and I watching from the lounge room just stared open-mouthed as they walked down to where a group of about 10 boys were already assembled in a half hearted sort of way and we witnessed the start of the party.  It was like magic. They were the fizz. The other big party animal is Rudy the dog, he had a ball, he thought the party was for him and he played with everyone, a onsummate host.

Matilda's party involved a huge bouncy castle with slippery slide and a tea party under those same apple trees with fairy lights and bunting and only 10 guests.  We moved a big round table down there and had it set up like a mad hatters tea party and it was lovely, although high pitched. 

Toby had his party later, while the packing was happening for his birthday and the weather was not so good.but they enjoyed it.  Harry and I did not have a party.