Penelope P in Port: My half a century!

I think it's official now... 50 years old!

OK, OK.... pulled my head out of my bucket.... I am now 50!

How I remember exclaiming with some concern when I was 25 - I am quarter of a century!

Never thinking that one day I would hear myself exclaim - 'I am half a century!'

My initial thoughts for my birthday was to have a few 'select' friends. Well, truth be known, they are only 'selected' because I don't have many friends here. So the original idea was a lovely sit down lunch in a beautiful setting.. extending into some afternoon drinking and revellry.

And so it was that I found a house that was available for the day of my birthday. That in itself was a major coup. All the beautiful houses for that weekend (and we are talking $500+ per night, minimum of 3 nights) were gone! So it was through a friend that I found it (it's who you know in this world!)

What a house.. 6 bedroomed set in the rainforest with views across to the sea!

My closest friends in Port, Gabs and Josh mentioned about extending the 'day' to Saturday and Sunday nights - so making a long weekend and also have a party on the Saturday night. When I voiced my concern about not knowing enough people for a party he said that the local rugby team that he played with would all come.. so that's a party in a can! I joked that even if I spent my birthday just with Gabs and Josh then that would be a lovely one.

So my 50th celebrations became party Saturday night, Lunch BBQ on the Sunday and then extend to Sunday night.

That was the plan..........

I took a deep breath, delved into my pocket and paid out for the extra nights, a PA disco system and lights, enough booze for a party and a BBQ and food to feed an army.... plus a 22 seater bus to pick up the footy team from Port Douglas to bring the to the party and then to leave at 2.00am. I had even organised a supply of some disco biscuits..

On Saturday.. running round like a blue arsed fly.. To keep the price down I was supplying all the linen.. so in the day - setting up the PA system, making the beds, preparing the food (coronation potato, tom moz and basil salad, couscous parsely fetta) and preparing the decorations, even delivering a sign and balloons to the coach company. for the ...... party bus!

I also managed to have a bikini wax, a facial and had my hair washed and dried (though after an hour, due to the humidity here it had all frizzed back out again and looked as wild as it had before!).

Phew!

At 7.00pm I get a call from Gabs.. change the bus to pick up from the Central Hotel not Rattle and Hum.. as the guys are watching the rugby match So did that with the bus company..

8.00 I had manged to throw some makeup on (decided on my 50th party cosutme).. demure white 'Roxy' T shirt dress and drove down to get the footy boys on the bus.

I arrived at The Central and spotted easily 3 tables full of dark green and dark blue rugby shirts.. and a rugby match on the big screen that was only half way through.. so nobody could even take their eyes of the screen.. let alone their bums off their seats to move to another location.

After asking around.. yep.. match finishes in an hour.. so come back in an hour. So spoke to the bus driver and he agreed to return at 9.00.

So Gabs, Josh and me proceeded on to the house.

Gabs getting in the party mood

9.00 call from the bus driver.. "where is everyone."....... and after some calls from Josh to various people.. seems that we lost our canned party crew and the bus left with all its 22 seats empty.

As a party crew back up - I had also invited friends that I worked with on Poseidon dive boat....

So Josh, me and Gabs sitting in the house.. and Tom, one of the Instructors that I worked with on Poseidon turned up (the other guys 'couldn't make it').. and then Gary (see earlier posts) and Maya turned up.. so that made 6 of us.

And then there were 3... when Tom arrived

Which was lovely... after Tom, Gary and Maya had left, Josh made a call and 2 other people rocked up. One I had seen around and another that I had worked with, so knew fairly well. We downed the disco biscuits and boogied. We had such fun. By the end of the night all the guys had their tops off and we were literally swinging round the room on the structural poles and having a wild night, I remember at one point being surrounded by 3 well toned chests and thinking.. not bad for a 50 year old!! Josh had hurt his leg in rugby so he was watching most of us dancing from the comfort of a chair. When he got the strong urge to dance he would hobble over to one of the poles and we would dance around him!

I went to bed at 4.00 - being 'responsible' and bearing in mind I had guests arriving at 1.00 the next day. Josh and Gabs partied on till 7.00am!

The next day was the more demure section of the celebrations.

The first people to arrive was Melissa ... in tow with her 2 daughters and husband - one daughter was 10 yrs old. Melissa is a friend that I know from school! Through my friends in the UK I found out that she was living in Australia.. and only an hour down the road! The last time we had met before we renewed contact was when we were 17! So we have met up a couple of times for coffee and get on very well.

My builder, Roger (ex Olympic swim coach) and his wife arrived, Gary (see previous blogs) and Maya, Doug - musician and chiropractor and friend of Gary and then Gary announced to me that Richard (the guy that he shares a house with and his friend Chilligo had arrived). I wondered why such an announcement. Then I looked down the stairs and saw Richards effeminate nail polished hand flying in the air as he's so pissed he can't quite negotiate the door entrance. Richard's gaunt petite pigeon framed was being admirably supported by Chillo (ex vogue model).. and yes, Richard is off his proverbial tree.

He makes quite an entrance much to everyone's entertainment.

At one point we are all chatting and sitting around when Richard stands up in a commanding (though somewhat camp) voice to announce that he is going to tell a joke. The whole table waits with baited breath (aware that there is a 10 year old present with young un-adulterated ears).

So Richard launches off "There were two eggs, one egg said to the other.. I can see your crack,,,,," Whereupon I stand up and firmly say to Richard that I think that is where this joke stops! Audible sigh of relief from around the table!

Judging by Gabs's reaction I think that was the moment that Richard's joke was found to be a rude one.

We had a lovely afternoon. I was so pleased that most people didn't seem to know each other and yet everyone was talking animatedly and enjoying themselves. Gary got his guitar out and thankfully Doug and Gary only played a few songs each. Always worry when the guitars come out (just looking around to see if any bongo players were appearing from the undergrowth) as they then tend to monopolise the event.

Towards the end of the night found Gary, Maya, Richard, Chilligo , Gabs, Doug and Doug's dog Scarlett - we went downstairs and sat by the pool.

The entertainment continued as Richard refused to get into his car unless he was driving - which was a highly preposterous idea, even despite Richard stamping his feet and throwing a hissy fit, didn't get him anywhere except to make us quite entertained at the carry on. Gary was driving him home so refused to budge until he calmed down.

Then it was down to 2.. Gabs and me... we got our swim things on and went for a swim.. ... had a lovely time doing handstands and doing back flips off the edge...