A get together with Gordon and Lorraine July 15th

Today was almost a day off from Rotary, but not quite.  After spending the morning working on my "day job", in the afternoon Gail and I set off on what was a fine sunny day to enjoy everything that Darley Dale had to offer - well at least the hospitality and friendship offered by Past District Governor Gordon and Lorraine McGlone.    The occasion was a simple "Thank you" party for members of the District Team from Gordon's year in office.

Greeted at the door by Lorraine offering a Pimms, the afternoon looked set fair.    The sun was shining and there was laughter and chatter coming from several rooms already.    (We were a little late having made the elementary mistake of trying to drive through Matlock Bath and Matlock along the A6 in the afternoon on a fine sunny summers Sunday.  Wall to wall motor cycles,  riders seemingly with a death wish, coupled with the usual sprinkling of Sunday drivers was not the recipe for a steady drive.)

Lorraine and Gordon, as always, were fantastic hosts and the table, straining under the weight of so much food, seemed to be a bit like the "Magic porridge pot" - it never seemed to lessen in quantity.   Guests spread across the lawn, a gazebo, in the conservatory and the lounge, all enjoying stress free  chats with people they perhaps had not seen for a while.

During the afternoon, someone found out that it was Gail's ??th birthday tomorrow, which immediately resulted in a, quite tuneful by Rotary standards, of Happy Birthday

Towards the end of the afternoon Past DG Val asked everyone to come to order whilst she said a few brief but sincere words of thanks to Gordon and Lorraine for the work they had done during their term of office.    She then presented Gordon with a gift from Clubs and members of the District Team, for which Gordon said a big thank you.  During his short speech he commented on how few emails he was now receiving since stepping down, to  the extent that he sent himself one to check the machine was still working.    So, if you read this, just send Gordon an email to make him realise we still like him.

Under the gazebo - what's so interesting in the house??

Once the party broke up we drove back to Belper and made our way to our daughter Nicola and son in law Chris's house where my other daughter Sarah and her husband Craigtogether with all four grand children (Maddie, Francesca, Xanthe and Sebastian) were waiting to give Gail a birthday cake and sing happy birthday (for tommorrow) to her. 



Presentation to Gordon and Lor





At the party



 

Daves Clan - Gail with Sebastian, Francesca, Xanthe and Maddie

Tomorrow it's back to Club visits with Long Eaton at lunchtime with two new members being inducted (not inducedas someone described it to me the other day).  Looking forward to that.