Monday 29th August – Australian Cousins Birthday.

Ever surprised anyone? We did today, as a result of an eight person conspiracy including the mother-in-law.

Carol, our Australian cousin, was under the impression that I and her husband were going to the speedway in Kings Lynn, and she was spending a ladies day out with my wife and her cousins from Bury St Edmunds.

Wrong! As the ladies set off on their intrepid journey to Holkam Hall, I and the cousins husband, Lawrie, made good our escape to Morrisons at Fakenham, where he brought lots of party fodder and then we went straight back home.

Then began a three hour spell of furious kitchen type activity, doing 60 sandwiches, cooking sausages and sausage rolls, defrosting cakes, boiling eggs and lots more besides (Including 5 lots of washing & wiping up!).

The table was cleared and moved to the end of the dining room and heavily laden with lots of party fodder. One of my important jobs was to go into the loft and seek and recover our blue and white Christmas lights.

The front room was decorated with birthday banners and Christmas lights, then we waited for the ladies to come back…………..

We were almost rumbled because another set of cousins came over from Ipswich and pulled up outside the house at EXACTLY the same time as the ladies party returned – but, amazingly, the cousin suspected nothing. Well, what are the chances of that happening then, eh?

Then she walked into the house……..

She was bombarded with the banners, dazzled by the Christmas lights on the front room ceiling, and greeted by the table full of food. After a few minutes, I came into the house with Laurie from the back garden, where we had quickly hidden ourselves, and then the surprise party really began.

An excellent day all round, and one both cousins will remember forever.