Val’s birthday. Happy birthday, Val. All of 20 – no longer a sweet teenager. There was to be a picnic today, organised by the English Language school for whom both Graham + Barbara work, but it looked as tho’ we were going to miss it, since at 8.30, when we were supposed to be at the school, we were abed. However, there was a phone-call at 9, whereby Judy, a friend, promised to pick us up if we were all ready in half an hour. Somehow, we managed it… well, more or less, + were shortly all packed into Judy’s boyfriend’s car + on our way.
When we arrived at the appointed spot – over an hour’s drive away – couldn’t see any sign of anyone else, but then tried an alternative possibility, down a rutted pot-holed farm track, + there they all were. There was a game of 3-a-side football going on, so Graham + I joined in. Very exhausting, being up so high, but very good fun. Graham + I scored a hat-trick apiece, but his team won 4-3, when we stopped for food. There was plenty of it too, since they’d catered for many more people, but unfortunately I couldn’t eat very much. After all that running around, all I could do was drink coke. It was a beautiful day, + a lovely spot up in the mountains, but just about now the clouds started to roll in, like a bank of fog. I discovered that England were thro’ to the World Cup finals – terrific news. Then, another football game of our own was started up. Started off very even, but then we got pasted, since not only were they better than us, but they also had an extra man. Still, good fun, + I scored a few more goals.
Drove straight back, + I prepared Val’s birthday present. I’d bought her a do-it-yourself Margarita kit – a bottle of tequila + about 20 limes, + I spent ages preparing a huge jug of it. Successful tho’, since we all got drunk – Graham actually crashed out. Had some pizza + tortillas, then once more got into Cosmic Encounter. Fittingly, Val won. Judy just about had to be carried out, tho’, suffering from a surfeit of Margaret – as an English margarita was christened.
Unsurprising that we should have made a late start, after the very late night the previous day… if that makes sense. Good to be welcomed into a social environment, all the more so given the chance to play football… and score a few goals, it seemed.
I do remember Barbara asking if I wanted to find Val a cake, and me assuring her that tequila made a most acceptable substitute, but I suspect that was more for my benefit than Val’s. Though the result does seem to have been enjoyed by all. Or most.
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