Against my better judgement that said 'you have too much on your plate as it is, what do you think you are doing you stupid woman' I've ploughed on with the Street Party plan. I picked a night for a meeting, leafleted the whole road to tell them that if they wanted a street party then they needed to help and waited to see whether anyone would turn up.
What was I worrying about before anyone arrived?
1. Would there be a big hoo - hah between the Royalists wanting a Royal Wedding event and the Republicans wanting a street party on any date EXCEPT the Royal Wedding.
(result: the Royalists didn't want it on April 29th as they want to watch the wedding on TV. Hooray!)
2. Should I lock the dog away until everything finished?
(result: dog howled in the kitchen and eventually got the sympathy vote until we let her out, whereupon she slobbered all over the lady from No. 12 who seemed to be OK with it... hopefully... )
3. Should I offer drinks to everyone and would anyone mind drinking out of brightly coloured plastic glasses?
(result: the dog knocked over the glasses with her tail, thankfully they were all plastic)
4. Should I offer booze to everyone?
(result: neighbour bought champagne. He's a very good neighbour to have on your street)
So, the great street party organisation has begun. We have a date and a time. We have a band (god bless the champagne bringing neighbour who is also in a band). But best of all, the street has all got together, shared a drink and had a gossip. As the oldest resident left, she said to me 'thank you so much for organising this, it is so lovely to get to meet everyone in the street at last'.
And actually, that is what this whole street party thing is all about. Getting to know our neighbours. I'm so excited.