Half way down a long line stripping the willow on the Friday night ceilidh, I suddenly realized that I felt happy.  Not just any kind of happy, but the kind that comes with feeling completely stress-free and relaxed and knowing that life is really good.

Walking round the convention and feeling the buzz - people were relaxing and enjoying themselves (buying extra comfy chairs and sofas was probably the best decision we ever made as a committee)

Passing waveney dressed as an orangutan and collecting masses of money for 'Match it for Pratchett'.

Seeing all the volunteers standing up in the closing ceremony.  There were masses of them and I hope it helped everyone realise how much work goes into  a convention and how much the committee appreciate them all.

It was a joy to realise how many of our volunteers were first-timers.  First time at a convention and they offer to help - and still want to come to the next one!

Hugging all the guests after the closing ceremony.  (I never did get around to getting any autographs)

Having a truly amazing number of people come up to me and tell me they were having a great time.

Realising that the hotel staff were on our side and wanted to help us have a great event (they did their best on the temperature, but were fighting a crappy air conditioning system).  It was so much better than working at the Hinkley Island for the last Redemption - there, we felt the hotel staff were really interested in looking after the business meet that was in the rooms we were not using.

Meeting so many friends old and new.

Tommy, the night security man from The Corps who turned up several hours early every night, and managed to be both very professional and very relaxed with the fans at the same time.

Doing my poi routine in the cabaret and getting a massive round of applause and lots of positive feedback afterwards (and no tangled strings or poi flying off - both of which had happened when I was practising only a few minutes earlier!)

Seeing the team cope with many problems and potential disasters and fielding them before they became major problems.

Feeding chocolate to random gophers because they deserved it.

Watching the tech crew letting down their hair  and playing manic air guitar in the disco after doing some incredibly long shifts.

Finding time to go round the art show and enjoying some great pictures.

Listening to Neil Gaiman reading a short story.

The expression on cobrabay's  face when he realised he'd won the Doc Weir award. (which he richly deserved)

The expression on frandowdsofa's face when I invited her and John, on behalf of the Odyssey committee, to be our fan guests of honour.

Tying up tanngrisnirin the bondage workshop.

Eating late night bacon baps.

Seeing snow fall behind palm trees in the Newbury room.

Dropping in the childcare room and seeing quiet clusters of children contentedly playing with everything from play doh to a mini ice hockey game.  the creche was run by Rainbow and I'd be happy to recommend them to any other event in the London area.

Laughing at Mitch Benn.

Listening to 'Will ye come back home" in the cabaret (It almost had me in tears)

Seeing Gavin's 'Generic elf number 5' in the masquerade.  Hysterically funny - he had exactly the right kind of long fair hair to do generic elf poses.  It was a chaos costume by a teenager and it won first prize overall - and he didn't win it because of his age, but because his performance (and the costume) were brilliant.  (I think he was almost embarrassed to discover he'd won)

Being on the winning team for the crisis management workshop.  Our team were organised, efficient and calm as we organised the MOD response to a dalek and cyberman invasion of London.  I really cannot praise the team too highly.  I could give my radio operator a generic order and know that he would carry it out in detail.  The people on the boards were updating information from both myself and my deputy so that we had only to glance at the board to take the situation in rather than needed to take up time discussing it.  My deputy evacuated civilians and I organised the military.

Having a con breakfast with both lots of fresh fruit and scrambled eggs made from fresh eggs rather than powder.

Meeting with the committee for an hour every day at lunch time to relax and eat and update one another on the situation.  (That's something I intend to do in future cons as it proved very useful in giving everyone a break.  The only change I will make is to ensure that everyone, including myself, has their radio switched off.  People can find us if there is a real crisis, but radio makes it too easy.)

Having my voice!  This was an unexpected bonus.  I'd been fully prepared to be voiceless for the entire convention.  In fact, it only started to go on Monday evening - I was able to say all the 'Thank You's in the closing ceremony - and that meant a lot to me.

Thank you to the committee - you were amazing.  Thanks you to the heads of departments who achieved miracles.  Thanks to all those who helped, whether it was just for a few minutes clearing chairs or for many hours a day.