Let's Rock 'n' Roll

What a party!

It was better then expected, it was bigger then planned, it was funnier then my brother, it was more perfect then the organization, it was tastier then MacDonald’s and more swinging then flying fishes.

We shook hands, danced in each others arms, laughed together, talked (way too much), left the organization to others, cried, gave hugs, sang to old tunes, ate hamburgers and received kisses.

So much family, friends, friends from friends, kids, colleagues, clients and happy people came to have a look; invited by my parents, my brother and me. It was a reunion for all of us.

Days of preparation had passed..... tranquilo my mum and dad had decorated the old school with black cloth (as if we were growing weed inside, hihihi), huge photo’s from days passed were printed and used as wall cover, Christmas lights, memories and standing tables. A bar was placed and a bbq outside. The tipi was raised and decorated and an outside fire pit created.
Two days in advance the first family members started arriving one by one; the first beer was tapped somewhere then. Some friends came one day in advance and more on the big day. The garden looked like a camping and the cars that drove by started honking.
A huge white ’75 Cadillac arrived and a ’75 Renault 4 followed.

The sun kept shining, the pool was fresh but inviting enough for a funny dip with clothes on and the hamburgers started sizzling.
We were ready to Rock ‘n’ Roll!

The first guest arrived while the party had already started. We took a photo from all individually with the huge Cadillac before they were allowed to shake hands with the birthday pigs. And what a cool surprise it was that everyone was dressed up, so awesome!
I don’t think my parents felt 60 at all this day; the Rock ‘n’ Roll band, an artist who imitated Bob Dylan and an Elvis were all in the house.

Our guests were treated with performances of my family, my brother and me and a fire show with my poi. Everyone was chatting vibrantly, even the quiet neighbors stayed for another beer.
One hundred people were expected, two hundred came.

It’s amazing how all worked out. We all had the feeling that we talked to everyone we wanted. We all had dizzy heads from all the attention. All four of us felt kings and queens in this house full of people that love us; and we were so proud that we gave this party to let everybody swing and meet.

As with all happenings, people decided to return home and we enjoyed the calmer hours in the late night. The tipi had been a huge meeting place with especially my friends, and now it was time to sit around the fire and talk about all we had seen, who had said what and how we felt ourselves.
The last beers and wines were drunk, the last words were said, beds were found and the birds started to sing.

Only a few hours later we were woken in our garden nest by the kids from my nephew. Breakfast needed to be made; several souls had slept around us and wanted to try ‘daddy-eggs’.
Even this next day was perfect, we sat around, drank tremendous amounts of tea, thanked our guests for helping us clean and take down the place. More peopel left, others came to do dishes. It all just worked.

There is not much more then the word idyllic to describe the feeling I have about this weekend.
I knew it was going to be superb, so here it was. I did not feel regret about Monday being the next day, it was too complete to deserve that feeling. We just had made a world-class piece of history.....

Pap, mam, Luc...... ik hou meer van jullie elke dag.
Nina, Zeph, Gemmy & Henny, Renee & Marian, Riet & Cees, Sjakie & Netty, Janny & Gerard , Jules &Jan and the wonderful kids ......... Awesome, your hands, laughs and old memories could not have been missed.
Marie & Thomas, Truus & Jesse, Emily, Frederike, Elly, Nienke, Siebe, Renke, Pepijn, Niels, Guus, Saskia ...... From far away to little contact, you guys came and made my night.
All the other Rock ‘n’ Rollers ....... We were very glad you made the party into what it became.

Let’s Rock ‘n’ Roll