A Bag of Mixed Nuts

I have tried to schedule this post to appear while we're away on hols, I've never done that before so I hope it works!

The weekend before we left we were invited to two family parties, both on the same evening; due to a, how should I put it?, lack of communication,! Two of my sister in laws both planned big birthday parties for the same evening! One was 50 and the other was 60, and we really wanted to attend both.

I have made mention before that my husbands family are best described as eccentric, so we left home with more than a little trepidation; you never know who/what you may meet at these occasions!

Not my actual in-laws but a good representation!

Only The Builder, myself and Little Miss went in the end, both boys had cried off! We ventured into the city centre for the first party, a room above a "spit and sawdust" pub, it was a while before we realised there actually was a room above as we mingled with some odd characters in the bar! The invitation, via Facebook was a little unclear.....

Several family members hovered around, noticeably the chap wearing all black, a vest top and trousers which probably didn't really flatter his beach ball physique. His specs with their bottle bottom lenses probably meant he couldn't actually see what he looked like although I do remember him wearing the same outfit 30 years ago!

The lady with the slightly askew wig was scaring Little Miss, well in between making her giggle that is. She'd had to give up the booze she told us, whilst downing a half of lager,

and the wig tilted slightly further over one eye!

There was more than a usual array of leopard print in the room,
most of it bustling about on the dance floor

to a 60's soundtrack played on a loop.

The buffet, laid out on the pool table was good though, some made by our talented nephew who has just sent off his entry for The Great British Bake-off 2014. Two enormous birthday cakes full of all manner of sugar laden fillings were hastily scoffed by all, in between cigarette breaks on the balcony (in the freezing weather).

Little Miss was very wary of some of the strange creatures, particularly the odd looking gentleman who said he was so pleased to see her again, he'd not laid eyes on her since her Christening - odd we all thought as she's not been Christened. We just nodded and smiled, as we backed away!

We made our excuses and made the journey to party number 2, closer to home but with a very similar mixture of dysfunctional family members. I'd say the individuals are dysfunctional more than the actual family as a whole! Given that my family is mainly just dysfunctional I like being with my in laws, what you see is what you get - what you see isn't always pleasant though! But I love them dearly all the same.

We chatted at the second party to one family member who regaled us (again and again!) with  tales of his career as a champion boxer, marathon runner, bricklayer, darts champion, award winning chef, professional footballer (I'm sure I've missed a few out) - obviously none of it is true but we like to humour him! We had a great evening just people watching, something I love doing anyway however it is slightly different when you're related to the whole box of frogs! (is that just a local saying? "mad as a box of frogs") We didn't venture to the buffet this time, although there seemed to be an endless supply of it.

I may make fun of my in-laws, as does The Builder in private, but I love them loads and I'm happy I married into this bag of mixed nuts!

Little Miss thought the whole evening was strange but fun, but as I said to her at the time, she has more than a little of this insanity coursing through her veins, I however do not!

I chose to marry into it though which may be slightly worse!