Quick refresher – I have talked about the ongoing issues with the referral (happy to leave that behind for a few posts to be honest) and I have skirted around why I did not tell people about Tony. Well, one of the main reasons was the my 60th was looming and I decided to make it the best weekend I possibly could.

I booked a venue which was completely DDA compliant as my lifelong (50+ years) friend (Phil Shoebridge) was in a wheelchair following a motorcycle accident in his teens which left him paralysed from the neck down. Him and his beautiful wife Kay went on to have a fabulous life full of travels, love and laughs. They are George’s godparents and we were part of everything in each other’s life’s. Very sadly and suddenly Phil passed away on 30th April – leaving a whole in many people’s hearts, RIP my dear friend.

The venue was booked and invitations were sent out to those people that have had a positive impact on my life whether that be as a support through whatever life dramas were going on, the end of a race, shared experiences with our children etc. – but everyone invited had made an impact on me somewhere along the years and I wanted to thank them and say goodbye, who knew? I did not know, still do not know, if that was the last time I would have all these people in the same place but if so, lets make it a banger! On arrival each guest had their hand stamped with ‘Let me in’ and were given a glo stick – very retro, very 80’s, very me.

Everyone had to wear something red (why not?), arrive by 7pm and be prepared to dance – all night! I spent literally months pulling together a very personal playlist which was/is 4 hours 43 minutes long with no gaps between songs (playing in the background whilst I type). The list started with ‘The Greatest Show’ and finished with ‘Sunscreen’ and in between were a whole host of songs that were either about moments in my life, moments in other people life’s, events and about individuals.

There was, shall we say, one person that was very sceptical that I would neither get people on the dance floor by 7:15pm let alone fill it but let me tell you at 7:15pm the dance floor was awash with people dancing their hearts out, smiling, hugging, dressed in red and having the very best of times.

George and Kingy had to many too list. Mandy (sis) had a session of Bay City Rollers; my brother (Blob) Crazy Horses; Janey Bat out of Hell; Awesome 8 Mr Brightside; for the Runners (and there were a lot there) Run to the Hills; Kathy Bonfire Night; all my girls danced and sang along at the top of their voices to Dancing Queen; my boys, what a moment, all the ‘boys’ were called to the floor – every one – and we literally headbanged our entire way through Thunderstruck plus two other tracks.

It was absolutely amazing and the rest of the evening carried on in a similar fashion finishing at just before midnight with a group Thriller (well done Denise, you smashed that).

After the cake had had its many candles blown out (thanks Pammy) it was time to make my speech. As with everything, I had spent time writing this and finding the words whilst keeping Tony at bay. But I had to let him in, just a bit, to create the words I needed to say. I needed to tell everyone how much I loved them, how my life is a better place because of them. I read the speech out, just about and my heart was breaking but you know, sometimes you just have to pull them goddamn big girl knickers up and deliver the message that they are all ‘Simply The Best’.

(A copy of the speech is attached for those that missed it, just so you know how important you are to me. If you get the time, listen to Sunscreen – actually make the time).

Please check yourself, here are some links: https://coppafeel.org/ https://prostatecanceruk.org/ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bowel-cancer-screening/ https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/skin-cancer/

Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you. Walt Whitman – American Poet 1938

#bootupandstompit