It began, as this things do, with an idea.

To celebrate the Golden Wedding Anniversary of Jean and Michael Dann, it was suggested that 50 signed ducks should be collected to ‘fill’* the house swimming pond for the anniversary.

* For a given definition of fill. Duck to pool ratio may vary. Check your local duck dealer for details.

It was a raison d‘ucktre, so to speak

Susan Dann drafted the e-mail. It seemed comparatively reasonable, all things consider... I know this is an unusual request but ... it's my parents 50th wedding anniversary on 9 September and they've decided that instead of having a party they want to fill the swimming pool with rubber ducks signed by people who have been important in their lives over the past 50 years. If you are happy to do so, could you send a signed duck to me at the address below in time to fill the pool on 9 September. 

So the call goes out across the networks…friends, family, colleagues and comrades…

And thus, the ducks did arrive.

And keep arriving.

And continue to keep continuing to arrive…

Until the troops were mustered, and a Colonel appointed…

A leader anointed…

The Leader of the Quack. (Vroom! Vroom!)

As it happened, the cat took that last pun marginally better than expected.

Only marginally though…

Launch day came. Pre-flight nerves and henticipation…

Drakes in a Lake: The sequel to Snakes on a Plane?

Moving the ducks out.

More ducks than you can poke a stick at… as tested scientifically with a stick.

To those who did sign a duck of congratulations

Thank you.

With your help…

It all went rather swimmingly

Thank you.

To our awesome, wonderful, fantastic, amazing talented family –THANK YOU - THANK YOU - THANK YOU.

Wishes can come true – a casual comment burst into a wonderful experience and a wish made was granted.

Luv Ya Alll

It started as a secret mission but the secret leaked out and then it became a time of anticipation – would we make the fifty – as you have seen – they just kept on coming. They brought joy not just to the recipients but to others who heard about or became involved in the ‘plot’.

Luv Ya All

• Sorry to be repetitive but all I can say to all you wonderful people out there is- THANK YOU – THANK YOU – THANK YOU.

• Just hang around and let’s see if we can make it to 60 years and then maybe we will work on woolly mammoths – that would be a challenge!– Jean and Mike