This was the party which should never have happened.
After a four year rollercoaster ride, Mr ("Grim" to his friends) Reaper was due to claim Richard in April or May.
But Richard consulted Professor Justin Stebbing, a cancer expert of international reputation, who suggested one last punt - redo the critical NHS tests performed at one of the most sophisticated laboratories in the world - Tempus in Chicago.
They demonstrated that one of the NHS tests was flawed and that Richard could be cured by immunotherapy. 
Having got his future back, Richard also got his 70th birthday back!

Richard had, like he does, prepared meticulously for his death under codename "Plan Z". Funeral service, will, headstone etc.

The shovel and the coffin were quickly snapped up on Ebay but the headstone is proving more of a challenge. 

Richard and Gilly are two weeks apart in age and so landmark birthdays are a gift. 

The 31st August was a Saturday and so the date was set and invites went out for a combined 70th and Not-Dead-Yet celebration.


By 1st September, there were two sorts of people in this world - those that had attended That Party and those who wished they had!

As cognoscente are well aware, the Snail Grand National is a flat race. The first race consisted of East Hill Farm's best. 

The champion then took on some very sparky Somerset snails procured and trained by Donna and Will Curtis.

The winner of this race is galloping off due left onto the blue zone. Unstoppable.

Using a half a dozen eggs with all hard boiled but one brings much needed tension to this contest. Using a revolver is a cop out by comparison.

Reigning champion, Virginia Guy, was in for an early bath when her first egg choice turned out to be the raw one. This handed the laurel to Pete "Killing Fields" Hadfield, all the way from Newcastle NSW in Australia.

But his streak did not hold as he lost out to Charlie Baughan, all the way from tough East Side, Leicester.

Genuine Real Meat Company sausages, specially made for the occasion, Waitrose finest burgers and amazing veggie quiches washed down with different coloured wines were savoured and consumed. 

Recovering and nattering (left to right) are:

Bianca, Professor of Medical Statistics, Population, Policy & Practice Dept. UCL GOS Institute of Child Health. Glen is a consultant radiologist at UCLH. It was Glen who got Richard admitted to UCLH and also pointed him in the direction of Justin Stebbing whose approach to Richard's treatment undoubtedly saved his life. Himself. Mike Guy (Richard's brother) is a retired solicitor living in Bath. Poor chap has to deal with every family query and does it brilliantly. Andrew Guy (Richard's brother) has a specialist television production company - Eye To Eye - making advertisements and information videos mainly for charities - Water Aid, Lepra, Shelter and others.

Left to right:

Charlie Baughan, school teacher from Leicester checking his Deerhunter prize money. John Young neighbouring farmer and good family friend. Thomas, a Dubliner friend of Charlie's studying to be a vet. Beccy, a social media manager at Dyson. Libby Bridel, ex Real Meat Company crew and family friend. Imber, part time Farm crew and crew on our neighbour's farm. Josh, part time Farm crew. Sue Davison, Website and SEO consultant and part time Farm crew. Frankie the Farmer! 

At 9pm the "water feature" and the music stopped and a figure appeared from the darkness.

A classic Richard Guy piece of insanity to bring on a bagpiper at this point (only Richard and the piper knew about this), the recital was much enjoyed.

Richard had been troubled by severe leg pain during the build, the Party and the de-rigg. By Monday, the pain had become unbearable and so off to University College London Hospital (UCLH). There they discovered that he had broken his hip two days before the Party.

That explained the pain!

He has now had a hip replacement. A titanium present from UCLH! The operation was a great success.