Linda’s still sexy at sixty!

Lovely Linda – nobody would ever believe she has just turned 60.

All aboard the Love Boat – Linda and Barry wait at the top of the “gangway” for us all to board.

Dianne and Alan who turned their lovely big house into the Love Boat so Linda could celebrate her birthday in style

A great party last night, Saturday June 27, at Di and Alan’s for Linda Simister’s 60th. A Love Boat theme and most people dressed for a cruise from the days when we did this with style and elegance. Barry made a fine Captain to welcome us all aboard, a bowl of sangria by the door (companionway?) warmed us all on a chilly evening, food was abundant and delicious, champagne and other beverages flowed freely, Linda looked gorgeous, so did some others of us, all ages sang and danced, a firepit gave atmosphere to the “shore excursion” and some of the decor looked familiar to those who remember the Pirates Panto of a couple of years back! And the cake, made by Di (with Linda as sous chef) was HUGE! An occasion that will be remembered by all who attended. As usual, the pictures tell the story:

Me, all dressed up and ready to go. Who says you can’t wear animal prints when you are in your 70s?! (Even the earrings are leopard print!)

Cap’n Barry, very nautical in his uniform mostly borrowed from the Zamia Theatre costume department, welcomes guests aboard the Love Boat with a brisk salute

Di, also there to welcome us aboard and channelling Ginger from Gilligan’s Island

A glamorous trio, reminiscent of Titanic, Sandy, Louise and Renee.

Emma and her mum Debra come aboard, ready to join the crew

They SAID they were from Idaho. Chuck and Whatsername – something typically rural American anyway. But some of us recognised them as Kevin and Lisa!

I have several friends called “Diane” or “Dianne”. This is one of them and as I hadn’t seen her for about four years it was great to catch up. But I really took his pic to show how Di and Alan’s big entry hall-cum-living room can be made to look like a ship’s saloon, with the quarterdeck through the doors beyond – the deck came complete with a help but alas you can’t see it from here. It all looked very shipshape out on the quarterdeck but as the night was chilly few of us lingered there.

Warrick Bailey made a very fine pirate. And the shoes were made specially for him when he was in a production of…I think he said Man of La Mancha. Something appropriately Quixotic anyway!

Another Di – this time Di Parker with daughter Meg. Thoroughly enjoying themselves as you can see.

Of course we had singing. And of course Margy Rose kicked it off for us. Here she and Cassie perform a comic song before leading us all into a rollicking version of Toyota Corolla.

And of course we had dancing. Though with only about four dance-able men (Wayne, Rob, Kevin, Barry) the girls had to partner each other – here Margy and Sandie Hardy give it a whirl. In the background the very talented Rob plays and sings us some Spanish…great stff.

You just can’t keep Sandy Hardy still – here she dances with Lisa.

As for Debbie, well, the old professionals never give up and she just can’t resist that beat. She and husband Wayne were dressed strangely but strikingly in black and were our “mystery” passengers. Though exactly what the mystery was, we never did find out! Maybe they wee planing to lead the pirates in a hijack! Di is clicking her fingers and tapping her feet in the background.

Alan is wondering whether he could give the dancing a go…or maybe just planning how to thrash Bob at chess again!

Anyway, some of the girls dragged Alan into the ring and while Renee, Cassie and Elizabeth all give him a whirl it takes the irrepressible Louise H to show him some dirty dancing!

Linda, looking just gorgeous, welcomes us all to her party and tells us basically how wonderful we are for being there. We heartily agree! And indeed, all the guests represent the many different aspects of LindyLou’s very busy community life. She sings, she teaches ukulele and rock and roll, she acts, she works with both the elderly and the young, she brightens every room she’s in and she has more life in her smile than most people have in their entire bodies. All that, and she has Barry too! (And Ollie the dog and Fergus the Fat Cat!).

Pirates galore. And Sue Albury on the right, looking pensive.

We’ll leave the last word to Louise H – she usually has it anyway! Though exactly what she’s up to here is anyone’s guess. Behind her is our other Louise, looking elegant in her gorgeous sequined dress – and op shop find – and an elegant but unusual stole made by her mum! Local newspaper editorBarbara Proudman is in the background, camera round her neck as usual. The only time she takes it off is when she’s dancing – and she surely does love to dance! As do we all. Age does not wither us, nor the years condemn, we can still get up there and shake it all about as we did when we were 16. Though perhaps not quite as gracefully!!!! And (groan! moan!) we pay for it the next morning!

Below are some more photos, taken by Barbara Proudman.