Instead of having a birthday party this year I decided we’d organise a grandchildren’s Dans Palais and Vaudeville afternoon tea party. So with 11 year old Cassidy as MC  we careered through a Punch and Judy show, a Balloon Dance to the tune of Zorba the Greek, two ukelele songs by Cassidy, a piano recital by Olive, a Bull dance with Lauchie as the bull and myself as the bullfighter and  Hazel’s  film of How to Make Friends starring the Chaplinesque Tony Burton. Lots of flowers and champagne, asparagus rolls and chocolates. And a couple of dancing chickens.

I loved every minute of it.