Party # 24

Georgie at 9

It was Georgies 9th birthday yesterday, his second one already on the island. We held it at a hotel with a large, sparkly pool and slide which I know seems a bit odd when we are surrounded by crystal, turquoise bath water, but it's considered a big treat by the children. So 18 kids spent 3 hours tearing around the pool, dined out on hotdogs and fruit punch and a happy time was had by all.

All of this was justified, I felt, after another late class party on our balcony, Thursday evening. A tiny rivalry may have developed between Grade 3 and Grade 5 in that the latter stayed longer, drank more and was all round slightly more dishevelled on Friday morning. 

Twenty fourth time I've done this already.....

One friend yesterday mentioned that now that her youngest child had also reached nine,  the big parties had come to an end. She also has 3 kids and had worked out that she had stuffed over 4000 goody bags, made hundreds of cakes, sung happy birthday more times than she could count and had done her bit. As you can probably see, I quite enjoy parties, but I did feel a moment of deep depression when I worked out I had 22 years of baby albums to catch up on. My other thought is that if I don't do it pretty soon I'm probably going to have to make most of it up (First Words: urrrrrrr "juice"/"I started crawling when I was"......urrrrr, 8 months?). It could get silly.

The rest of the week disappeared in the usual boiling hot blur of work, PTA meetings (yes me, do not laugh) and the daily afternoon dance of piano-tennis-sailing-judo-football. The low, low season of September is now over and things will start to pick up again. Must say I've rather enjoyed having the island to ourselves during the summer, but tourists make the world go round.

I've started a rather serious detox programme today (well wouldn't you if you had this lifestyle?). I get to live on bee pollen tablets and aloe vera gel for 9 days.  I'm OK at the moment, but it's only 11am in the morning on the first day. I made the boys pancakes and Barefoot Contessa hot chocolate for breakfast and have to do the chicken roast later. It's pure, pure masochism, really.  Anyhow it needs to be done and only I have  to look at any photograghs taken from about Christmas onwards, to feel totally motivated. It is not going to be easy. I really don't want to think about my first glass of Pinot Grigio or my Monday morning coffee in the office, and will save my bee pollen pills for those moments.

Anyhow thought I'd look at a few food blogs today to make me fell like I'm doing something on the family food business front and totally torture myself with. Then I'll get out the Christmas Album. Then I'll have a bee pollen pill and do some ironing, or something. Maybe I should plan a Detox Party for the middle of the week, when I'm really taking strain?



The Big Boys