Happy Birthday, Derek Addyman!

Bucks Fizz for breakfast!
Well, almost - the surprise party for Derek Addyman's sixtieth birthday was set for 10.30am, at the shop in Lion Street.
Derek himself had been sent off to collect something, and while he was away the shop filled up with well wishers, as well as balloons and party nibbles and drinks. He arrived back to a packed shop and a chorus of Happy Birthday. There was even an overspill into the street, and a few people still arriving with cards and bottles of wine and so on.
The other Derek, at the Wholefood Shop, provided quite a few of the nibbles (and very nice they were, too). There were several booksellers and other local shopkeepers there, and other friends of Derek's - it was quite a gathering. I saw a few people there I hadn't seen for ages. Ann and Mollie were presiding over the drinks and nibbles table (i.e. the counter) and Cassie, Marina's daughter, was helping with the clearing up.
"Is this alcoholic?" the potter from Haymakers asked of the drink that was pressed into her hand, "because I've got to paint some pots later!"
I saw Judith from the Children's Bookshop filling up a bag of goodies to take back to her son Colin, who was minding the shop for her. "Just like Amelieranne's umbrella," we said (this being a picture book from the 1920s where the little girl of the title hides party food in her umbrella to take back to her little brothers and sisters).
Derek had to leave quite quickly - he was due to catch a train to London to stay at a swanky hotel and see a show with his son and daughter - that's why it happened so early in the day.