You shall go to the ball…

From Mrs O to Mrs Ooh

It took a lot less than a pumpkin, a few mice and a Fairy Godmother to change me from the daft old bat with hump and varicose veins (my Acorn Antiques character) to the respectable lady with painted nails and floaty frock.

I had about an hour, the time available between returning home from the BritMums Live conference and leaving for the Spalding Midsummer Ball. I had no time to visit the hairdresser or do much beautifying beyond a quick shower and a bit of lippy. It’s just as well the photo on the right is slightly blurred: soft focus is the way to go.

Our annual charity shindig had the theme of Fire and Ice. The committee once again surpassed themselves with a stunning event. The room was decked out with icicles hanging from the ceiling, silver table-cloths, centrepieces featuring blocks of ice and tea-lights, funky, transparent chairs and an elaborate lighting rig which thrust itself into the room like an exploding firework.

Mobile phone shots from the Spalding Midsummer Ball

Entertainment this year was the best yet. For starters we had Snowglobe Dancers and Juggling Inferno before the main course, the hugely talented RPJ Band fronted by Rick Parfitt Junior. If ever you need a rock band for an event then you can’t top this bunch. Session musicians who normally play for Lily Allen, The Wanted, Robbie Williams and Lady Gaga, they are seriously good. The dance floor was packed all night with a crowd who jumped, shouted and sang despite being dressed in their best bib and tucker and tottering on high heels. Their sex certainly was on fire…

We didn’t bid for anything in the auction this year but had a flutter on the gift trees: £10 a shot for a guaranteed gift. Our ‘prizes’ this year included a set of wine glasses partnered with a bottle of 2003 Rioja. Was that a good year? We also took home the table gifts which this year, very appropriately, were potted chilli pepper plants. At least I do hope they were gifts or I’ve inadvertently snaffled the table decoration.

The cocktail bar was as popular as ever and, as I was driving, it was great to be able to sup decent non-alcoholic drinks (strawberry mohitos) rather than nurse an orange juice all evening. Those drinking indulged in a vodka luge which I gather was a blast but much of the vodka ran down your cheek if you didn’t position yourself correctly.

Food was tasty and served at the table which was much easier than queuing up a table at a time. A great deal of entertainment value came from the individual Baked Alaskas for pud. The ice cream was frozen solid so friends on our table were only successful in eating it if they used a knife and fork or plunged a fork in it to turn it into a rather delicious ice-lolly. The secret was to just wait a few minutes…

The committee think they will raise about £30,000 for the charities Action Research, Macmillan Cancer Support and the Pilgrim Hospital Bereavement Fund, Boston. Very impressive.

Cinderella left the party after midnight and is pleased to report that she retained both silver slippers and, to her husband’s delight, did not revert back to her alter ego as the clock struck 12.