THE FAMILY BARBEQUE

Today was the big family barbeque at my parent's house in Kenton - they live in a smallish terraced house right in the middle of a very long road - they have quite a large garden, which is just as well because by the time you get all of us in with our kids it leaves just enough room to swing a cat.

The morning was quiet enough, my nephew from Mallorca stayed at my house last night and was still fast asleep on the couch(sweet darling), when I came down for my morning coffee and two plain chocolate digestive biscuits - the digestives keep me regular (if you know what I mean) and the chocolate on top gives me the feel good factor. My younger son was also still asleep, so I sat infront of my pc and played a few games of spider solitaire - my son tells me I am addicted to playing this game, but I said that I find it relaxing - my niece noticed when we looked at the game stats, last night, that I had played 38 games in a row!! I think I had better cool it.

My nephew woke up around 9am and immediately wanted the TV on, so he watched a couple of episodes of Pokemon and then decided that he wanted to wake his cousin (my son) up. I told him that unless he wanted to be growled at that he should not do this -he took my advice(thankfully).

Got ready to go to my parent's and got there around midday. My sister and mum had been preparing all the meat, enough to feed an army: Lamb chops, pork slices marinated in garlic and olive oil, chicken pieces, also marinated, burgers - with buns, friend onions and ketchup - sausages, chinese style chicken wings and chicken drumsticks.

Other food prepared for our great feast was:

Prawn and Seafood Cocktail
Fresh Salad
2 Huge potato omelettes 1 plain and 1 with onion,
prepared by my brother london cabby
Hot Sausage rolls
Assorted Indian savouries ie. onion bhaji and samosas
Assorted crisps and pringles
One huge 18th birthday cake surrounded with Ferrero Rocher chocolates
One massive trifle(previously mentioned) complete with toasted almonds*

*I tried/ate everything that is written in red!!

There were 25 of us in total ranging in ages from 75 (the eldest) to 22 months (the youngest).

We sang 'Happy Birthday' four times to four different people, April/May are busy months for birthdays in our family.

The weather was kind to us today, so we managed to spend quite a bit of time in the garden - the kids playing on two new sun loungers that my mum bought this morning at a CARR BOOOD SALE, for £4 the pair (what a bargain) - the youngest of my nieces was delighted with her new trampoline and kept jumping up and down, much to the delight of her older cousins.
The older cousins also spent some time amusing themselves by taunting their young cousin from Mallorca, by throwing his slippers across the garden, while he was running up and down trying to retrieve them - the game was cut short when the slipper landed in the next door neighbours garden.

Stuffed with happiness and good food (the alien in my stomach ever present, threatening to burst forth), I took my leave and went home. This was not before I kissed every person in the house, with a double kiss (well we are spanish descent!) goodbye.

Back to work tomorrow - oh, great joy and bliss (not)!

I love the world tonight. Jo xx