What a night!

Hello darlings!

You must have seen all the hype and felt the excitement of Jooly's Joint 10th birthday party! Well! Me and Arf went as well! Oh! Yes we did! It was a scorcher of a day as we drove to Birmingham from Norfolk and I arrived looking like a boiled beetroot! However, the Hilton Metropole Hotel, where it was all happening, was air-conditioned.

Our bedroom had a lovely bouncy double bed and a perfect shower room for anyone with a disability! I ordered a sandwich as we hadn't stopped to eat lunch and received a meal on a plate with all the trimmings! I thought I might move in and live there!

After changing into our party gear, we trundled downstairs via a lift and bumped into Jooly so hugs and kisses all round! There were a few people already in our party room but I didn't recognise anyone at first. However, soon we saw old friends appear and there screams of delight and hugs that made us all wobble about! We found a table and for us and our welcoming drinks. Suddenly, the whole room lit up with laughter, chatter and music!

There were huge screens on the walls where different pictures of JJ folk appeared with a blurb about them - me included! Modesty was never my best asset!

Food was available on tap - veg dish for those who wanted it! Our host, Iain Lee, was brilliant and brought us all together as one big happy family. He even making our brains work with a pub quiz!

The band, Revolution 9 played all the songs we know and love, and... wait for it... me and Arf had a dance! Well, it was more like 'hold on bloody tight, Arf, my feet have a mind of their own'! But we loved it!

Jooly gave an emotional speech which in turn brought out our tissues! She was cheered and cheered and rightly so! Oh! AND! She danced like a fairy to the Robbie Williams song, 'She's the One' - how she stayed upright is her secret!

A few friends I email but have never met found me and Arf and I was overwhelmed. I must mention Russ and Sue - I've longed to meet them and when I finally did I babbled and waffled as usual! Everyone was smiling as I looked round the room. Cameras were flashing and it was almost too much for me. I kept my eyes wide open so my mascara didn't run down my face! We went to bed before the cake was cut. (Bear in mind that I'd had the ambulance out the weekend before 'cos I'd fallen and my head had had an argument with the edge of a coffee table! Arf found me lying in a pool of blood but all ended well except for a very sore head!) I heard that Jooly did her own 'cabaret' so we missed out on that bit of fun! [Jooly adds: 'It wasn't just me!! I was forced to do it!! I never want to hear that 'Mustang Sally' song again, as long as I live!]

Next morning, we had a breakfast fit for a king. Everything you can think of and more! We helped ourselves. Arf had the full works on his plate, hot and cold! Then it was time for goodbyes! These took longer than expected 'cos we kept finding more friends to hug and say goodbye to. Arf was so excited by this time that we took forever to get out of the NEC complex. He was chattering, I was babbling! Eventually we found the right road and sadly made our way home. Oh! What a night!