Count down to the big event

We're into the final week of preparation for my 60th birthday party. Garry and I are hosting about 40 people in our apartment on Saturday. It's going to be huge! We have guests flying in from New Zealand and driving down from Ballina and Newcastle.  Hamish, Matt & Shelley fly in on Friday evening.

We didn't do anything grand for my 50th birthday, so it's been twenty years since our last big bash (although we did host Murray's 70th birthday in our home).  Garry is making up for lost time and is going all out with the festivities. We have a private chef coming in to prepare canapes and cook a sumptuous buffet meal, plus we have a dedicated barman and two waiters working hard to keep everyone happy. Garry has also hired furniture for the evening, including bar tables, bar stools, a temporary bar and outdoor gas heaters.

Garry has a mammoth decorating plan in place that I'm not privy to. I've been instructed to leave the home at 9:00am on Saturday and not return until it starts at 5:30pm.  He's roped in Matt and Shelley as his decorating crew, while Hamish has been assigned babysitting duties to ensure I stay away from the house. 

Garry spent yesterday cleaning the entire northern balcony, water-blasting the tiles, walls and shade cloth.  I washed more than 70 wine and champagne glasses, as well as weeding pots and potting replacement plants around the balcony. We now have four lovely new Woolly Bush plants in place, ready for Summer.

The night is going to be epic!  Watch this space.