My Dad's birthday party

A few weeks ago my Dad was 84. The first chance we had to get together to celebrate was last weekend. I went with Mabel and Millie to Mum and Dad's for the do.. Mabel had already been there a few days and my sister Lucy arrived on Friday to help with the cooking.

Sunday morning was frantic, too many chefs in the kitchen, too much to do and everyone running around. Before long my Dad's infamous Champagne cocktail was being made (a couple of sugar cubes, a few drops of Angostura(sp?) Bitters, a capful of Brandy, a squirt of Cointreau filled up with Champagne).



Millie was a hit with Mum and Dad's friends and Mabel was the perfect little lady.

Towards the end of the party my Dad starting talking about his distant relation, an Italian called Giorgio Manley. His portrait is the first thing one sees when entering the hall. As a consequence some of his friends started calling him Eduardo instead of Edward (Ted) at the end!



Here he is showing off his Aplini Mountain hat presented to him by some Italian army mountaineers he trained years ago on Monte Bianco. Something I remember well as I traveled in the back of their army truck with them as an 8 year old.



Later on I took Nelson across the fields and came across this lovely old piece of machinery. It has Dyson on the cast brass bearing caps. Anyone know the origins? I suspect it was last used as part of a farm trailer, but probably was part of a truck once.