GLORIA’S 40 YEAR CELEBRATIONS

In August (the 10th to be exact), 2015, I have been here, at this very address, for 40 years. Just think. In a few years I will have been living here longer than Gordon himself!

What about a celebration?

Ron says jelly, ice cream and cake. Jelly we can do. Ice cream we can do, but cake is more of a problem. Ron says go down to the supermarket for one.

In truth I fancied something which would last a bit longer, so on the actual morning I went down town and got a 40th Balloon.

It was rather tricky to find one which didn’t have ‘Happy Birthday’ on it, and a rather windy day, too, for taking a picture.

Then in the afternoon Gordon produced a lovely cake with ‘Party!’ written on it. In addition the Minister from the church was also kind enough to come and wish me well on the actual day, so we organised a party together. With the best china.

The failure was the candles.

Rev David managed to stick three of them into the cake, leaving only thirty seven more to go, but he rather ran out of space because of the patches of hard decoration.

One idea was to have candles sticking out of the sides, but in that case it would have been safer to go out into the garden to light them.

He went away later carrying a chunk of cake. It only occurred to me next day to wonder if the sticky icing would separate afterwards from the inside of the plastic wrapper.

Surprisingly his parting shot from the car was to ask for a picture for the Church magazine. I wonder what they will make of that!

Even more permanent would be to have a personal insignia. ‘Gloria International’. How about that?

I fancy it on a T-shirt, so first we plan the design on the computer.

Then it is switched to be backwards before printing it on the special paper which was generously supplied by Betty Brown.

In fact we, at home, have the added luxury of doing it not just in black and white but in colour, and not just in one colour but full Technicolor!

The vest is dried flat before carefully following the instructions to iron on the print.

We might have included the ‘40’ balloon, but the less there is, the better it can be seen.

Off comes the paper and there you are with the picture on the garment.

I am absolutely delighted.

Of course, saying ‘ International’ involves one in being widely travelled.

My web connections are already with India, Chicago, Deptford, places like that.

In person, I have been as far South as Waltham Cross!

At the Pavilion there I pulled a Christmas Cracker with Mayor and Mayoress, Eddy Rowland and his lovely wife, June.

North to Bishops’ Stortford to explore where my old Hospital used to be,

East beyond Ware to help the Christian Aid walk passing there,

and West to visit the new Hertford Hospital.

In fact even further West to practice skiing at Watton at Stone.

That’s pretty extensive.

During my 40th celebration, I also decided to pop out as far as Colliers End on the old A10 to make the acquaintance of a colleague who, I have been told many times, sits day and night at the roadside for all to see as they pass.

I was told she is in the bath outside the Junk shop.

What surprised me on arrival was to find that she is not just sitting In the bath. She is sitting, quite elegantly ON the bath. Amongst weeds.

We visited on a Saturday afternoon, and there was absolutely no sign of anyone around, in the cottage or junk shop adjacent for all the time we were there. So we couldn’t ask the maiden’s name. A few cars came past, but this piece of road is bypassed nowadays by the current A10.

You understand that personally I make absolutely no objection to appearing in the nude in public myself. But what raised admiration for my new friend was the fact that she was actually chained to the bath. Not very usual.

I might also find out about the Fox & Hounds. Where and when?

As my new friend becomes available I must invite her back to my place for Tea and Muffins... or Teacakes.

Meanwhile it has been a Glorious 40th weekend.

With lots of love, from Gloria..