Last weekend was our local charity ball, which every year raises a very decent amount of money for Macmillan Cancer Support, Action Medical Research and, this year, Wish Upon A Star. We must have attended every one in the past 8 or 9 years, always on the same table of friends, and it is always a bloody good night.
This year was a 70s theme, Boogie Nights, though thankfully it didn’t require themed dress. But I caused a few ripples at home by saying I might have a little look for a new frock. Husband executed a gleeful jig when I returned saying I couldn’t find anything. I would have to recycle one of my old dresses, a pale pink one which I’d last worn about 6 years ago. No-one would remember.
Arrived at the venue and a friend air-kissed me, saying “Oh I always love that pink number of yours!”Room looked fabulous – magnificent table centres, glitter balls, twinkly lights on a black background. Guests looked equally stunning: the hairdressers and spray tan salons must have had a cracker of a day by the looks of the up-dos, ringlets and tango-palette flesh on show. There were some gorgeous dresses; very envious of the 70s retro maxi-dresses which were ‘bang-on trend’ (I watch Gok, you know).
After dinner, Dougie and I made our annual trip to the Gift Trees. I’m a sucker for a raffle or a tombola but I love gifts trees more because there is always a prize; my kind of gamble. Two years ago we won a voucher for a chiropodist and a rose bush: thankfully one friend was particularly keen to have her corns seen to, so she swapped. We now have a lovely pair of pink rose bushes in the garden.
PS – Have just received my voucher and actually it seems I may have nabbed myself a bargain – 1 luxury room within the Grade II listed Heythrop Park Hotel (in the main house) with access to state of the art Health Club. It’s also near Bicester outlet shopping village…..
"a dirty weekend in Oxfordshire", sporran lifting…? And I thought this was a clean blog! 😉
Sounds like a thoroughly good do. Hope your £150 night in Oxford will be worth it. x
@Steve – no, you were very much mistaken!
@Very Bored – the room itself is worth over £175 plus there's dinner included. We still might go but currently asking around friends to see if they fancy it for maybe 100 quid.
You have brought back memories of jumping up and down like a loon (so much so I wet myself, shameful admission) at the Bjorn Again concert in Kew Gardens last year.
And guess what? Going again in a couple of weeks. Must remember to drink less or take a nappy.
Looks like you had a fab time!
LCM x
@London City Mum – Tena Lady?
Yes, we really did have a great time. The committee do an amazing job. Will be doing my pelvic floor exercises in the run up to next year!
As for wearing old dresses – that's the new black isn't it? I always say (with a very tired tone in my voice) "Oh I don't waste my money on fashion". Lovely photo.
@Expat Mum – The photo is a nice one, isnt it. No strange faces pulled or eyes shut!
I like to think my dress-recycling makes me very carbon neutral (and that's so on trend is it not!?)
I would have jibed a comment back on being able to still fit into all the beautiful outfits across the years is such a bonus and how you considered your wedding dress (how many ladies dearly wish they could still fit into theirs!)
You look lovely, sounds like a wonderful night of fun xx
Gorgeous Trish..now, just need to know what really goes under a kilt a)normally and b)on a boogie night.
@kelloggsville – now why didn't I think of that!
@Sally – a) pants b) pants
due to inquisitive females and apparently rather itchy wool.
What a fabulous time. So what are you calling that bear then? You can't call him Big Ted. Haggis?
Donald?
You look very Pretty in Pink. If you were coming to Cybermummy, you could have worn it again!
@Deer Baby – Still no name for him. He now sits between both son and husband while they watch the footy but thankfully eats less crisps. Maybe I should call him Harry as Mr Redknapp always sits in the middle too?
As for my dress, I'm afraid I'm strictly rotating my gowns now so if I had been going to cybermummy it may well have been the lime green sequinned number. What an entrance that would have been 😉
Lovely photo, and a great night by the sound of it. 'Gurdling about'..is a new expression to me..sounds fun! As I have shopped in thrift shops and charity shops for years I am all in favour of 'vintage' clothing….good stuff should have more than one outing!
@libby – I seem to have picked this word up from my Scottish husband who tells me I've spelled it wrong: it's "guddling". Who knew eh? Will alter the text!
Sounds like a good night and you looked lovely in pink. We are all 'balled out' this month – two in the last fortnight, and I DID buy a new dress as knew some folk would be at both balls so there was no WAY any self respecting gal could wear the same outfit! Must ask my husband if he would like me to 'guddle'his crotch… Seems to be a few too many allusions to balls and crotches here, but I think it was your reference to your friend's corns!
Trish… you need to get my daughter on the case: she named her first three bears, 'Spade', 'Roof' and 'Sponge' (don't ask!) and, as far I as I know, they're still the only bears in the world called by those names.
Although she's far too grown up and sensible to do that now, so how about I ask Charlie?
How about "Scrambled Egg"? We have a million teddies called teddy, and a tiger called Scrambled Egg. Why I have no idea.
Oh, and just for your edification, "guddling" is something you do to catch trout and it involves basically putting your hands in the water and wiggling your fingers under the trout's tummy which apparently it likes so that it goes "ooh" and stays still long enough for you to flick it out of the water…. Down south it's called "tickling". And if it's really what you were doing in Dougie's sporran, this really isn't a family blog any more!
@diney – oh I agree, can't wear the same frock in the same season! Terrible faux pas that would be!
@dotterel – well Harry seems better than Gary but suggestions from Charlie most welcome!
planb – you're quite right, just looked it up. It would seem guddling was rather an accurate description of what I was up to 😉
That is a GORGEOUS dress. Sounds like you had a fab evening! x
@Liz – thank you! Im getting such lovely comments about the pink dress I will ensure I don't leave it another six years before it gets another airing!
Think you should call that big ol' bear Guddle.
And just for the record I once went to a ball in my wedding dress. Also pink. Had to shorten the straps actually as non-breast-feeding bust had reduced dramatically. So there! Re-cycle and shimmer!
@MSG – "Guddle" – of course! Mind you I'm sort of getting used to Harry. May call him 'Harry Guddle, the bear you can cuddle'. Genius.
Will hunt out wedding dress: 1990 vintage meringue in peach – lordy, lordy!
It is a long while since a woman asked me if I fancied a dirty weekend in Oxfordshire and suggested I started bidding. In fact so long ago I've actually forgotten it.
Or am I misreading what's on offer?
PS – call the bear Nigel.
@Troy – I've had no bids so far, so I'm going cheap. Have you got permission from Mrs Troy?
Nigel??