The day was glorious, warm and windy. Christina and I cleaned the bbq, David, Paul and Chris, put up lights, Liz joined me and Christina in setting the tables, and we all did all those last minute things needed to be ready by 4pm. We had put a marquee up as the previous days had been cold, wet and windy and we readlly wanted the party to be outside. So we were lucky. Marquarette and Paul arrived with the cake around 2pm and that went secretly into the outside fridge. At 4pm the band, B-side, began playing,
setting an inviting upbeat mood. Neighbours, friends, work colleagues and family began arriving and gathering around the house garden, I looked around and thought, this looks like a pretty good party! Great to have our friends and family and neighbours all together. 
Lots of people had travelled over the hill from Wellington and the Kapiti coast, some from down the road and over in Martinborough, others from Auckland, Katikati and Sandra and Ran, all the way from Dunedin, so there was lots of talking and laughing together.
And I got to be with the birthday guy...............
people danced...
The table was set in the marquee, 
and at 7.00pm, the sides were rolled up and in we went and we sat down to delicious food provided by Entice Gourmet. The tables was decorated with terracotta coloured candles and olive branches. It looked great.
We feasted,
and drank lots of gorgeous local wines, and feasted some more, late into the evening .
Peter, Chris, Pirimia, Tia, Gerry and Simon, all spoke to David and their speeches were warm hearted and touching. David responded. The birthday cake delighted David - chocolate mudcake by Michael from the 10 0’clock cake company and he'd done a fabulous job
and it tasted delicious. We partied long into the night.
We were all a bit quieter the next day. Mike and Liz, Chris and Christina dropped in for morning coffee, then Rocky, Jeannie, Steve and Nikki picked up Pirimia and took her back to Wellington. Mark and Anne joined us for a late breakfast, then Sandra and Ran arrived with rock melon. Pete and Pip headed off around midday. Six of us went down to neighbours Jane and Paul's for a swim in the river, which was cool, clear and inviting. We sat in the shallows and chatted, glided down with the current, then swimming back up the river, reminiscent of when we were kids and knowing how lucky we are.
