To everyone who helped make my daughter’s surprise birthday/welcome home party a great success.

In early January, having only recently stopped using crutches from my previous surgery, I came up with idea of having a surprise party for my daughter when she returned from her 6 weeks traveling. Little did I know, that I would be on crutches again for the party, the fact I was meant, I was next to bloody useless and had to have a phenomenal amount of help.

Isn’t it incredible how difficult organising a surprise party is, the amount of bullshit stories you have to come up with and the number of times you mess up and need to make up cover stories is ridiculous, well for us it was anyway. Unbelievably, we got to last night and my daughter didn’t know, I decided to tell her about an hour before it happened, so she could get ready, I don’t know about you but as much as surprises are great, I do think it is nice to be wearing something that fits the occasion.

Due to the fact that I am surrounded by the most amazing family and friends everything was ready. On arrival, my dad asked if he could help in anyway, I said no and that he should find my best friend and give her lots of cuddles. A few minutes later, my mum popped in to ask what exactly my dad’s instructions had been, when I told her, she just smiled and said “well he is definitely doing as he has been asked!”

Getting the food prepared the day before and served on the night was a huge team effort, at one point it felt like half the guests were in the kitchen with me. It’s a really difficult thing being unable to do what you would ordinarily do by yourself, I used to run an outside catering company with my best friend, so cooking for 30 people is not a problem for me, that is of course until I can’t carry anything!  You see normally, I would be in the kitchen on my own, invariably missing the party and when people offer to help I automatically say no because I don’t t want them to miss the party either. Yet, when you have no choice it changes everything and when we were all in the kitchen together, despite me being incredibly frustrated, we had great fun. There was something more than that going on though, under all the silly banter and laughing, we were working as one, the room was full of love and care and I don’t mean in a slushy Mills and Boone kind of way I mean in an unspoken way, by everyone’s actions and as we all know actions speak louder than words.

After dinner the playlists I had prepared came on and the beer pong started, the best player and dancer award definitely goes to my best friend’s husband. Although not wishing to be out done, my son did put on a pretty impressive show, dancing with his top off resembling something one could imagine seeing on Magic Mike – totally jealous as I avoid showing my prosecco belly at all costs! Watching people dance is also difficult, as I love to dance and not a casual step round your hand bag type affair either, I mean, your totally go for it type affair! I was restricted to the weight on one leg, wave your hands in the air like a muppet dance. Fortunately, I was able to do the Status Quo dance as no leg movement is required, however, quite how my husband and I didn’t knock each other out I will never know as we were having serious rhythm issues.

As often happens when drinking is involved, we had an injury and I am mortified that I caused it. One of my friends was attempting to open a door, that is renowned for sticking, so I gave it the necessary push and to my horror her finger was caught in it, thankfully it didn’t appear to be broken but it was bleeding and the nail started turning black instantly. The weird thing was that I seemed to go into shock and not her, very unusual for me as I am very good in those sorts of situations. The only thing I can think of is that, this friend has been so wonderful the last few months, I would have been lost without her and instead of showing her the gratitude I felt, I had hurt her. Not at all the way I wanted the party to end but in the great words of Mick Jagger “You can’t always get what you want”. Which has just reminded me, there was another contender for the best dancer, my neighbour does the most awesome impression of Mick Jagger, she had me in hysterics. I am going to end on that thought!