The Life of a Party

Late nights this weekend (as is the way when crossing the border.) Welcome to Northern Ireland where I get no sleep :) Went to Armagh city on Friday night for a surprise 50th birthday party... There was a huge crowd including Gaelic footballers (mmmmmm), aged politicians, hot grannys, college students -everyone whose ever partaken of the hospitality of our (very generous and very drunk) host. I also saw the largest beerbellys of my life at said shindig. Bellys that you could carry on a tray. Long term effects of drinking the black stuff?! Attempted to set dance (well was coaxed onto the dance floor kicking and screaming ;) ) which was good fun but anyone watching would have thought that I actually have two left feet... I am quite the image of grace and coordination at these things... Think I was meant to dance only in large crowds where no choreography need apply...haha.

Saturday, we headed to Belfast and went to a wedding After-Do. Think this is a peculiarly Irish phenomenon. You have the typical reception, dinner, toasts, cake etc... and then you open the event up to (from what I can tell) everyone you've ever known ;) to keep the party going... Good stuff. Off go the children and the grannies (except for our friend's ninety-five year old granny who had more energy than me!) We were there to see Kerry and John - another half-Irish, half-American duo living in the states which was really great. Sometimes forget how much I miss the company of women.

After the after-do, we crossed town to a, "fancy dress," party. Now, when I hear fancy dress, I think, cocktail dress and tuxedo so was somewhat surprised when Gee (the host) answered the door wearing a full-on Elvis costume... Party was typical Belfast with the ever-present set o' decks. No northy party is complete without the scratch...wikky, wikky, wikky. Martina (who we recently visited in London) was playing hip-hop and soul records in a spandex red devil suit and there was food and beer in every corner. The theme was gods and goddesses and other costume highlights included: Gavin (a male) dressed as a domestic goddess, medusa herself, Ozzie Osborne (rock god?) Eve (naked suit with fig leaf - funnier after the woman wearing it took it off and a skinny guy put it on and started dancing) a spied (translation = white trash) with four arms (not sure why the four arms but they looked cool) and Monkey Magic (some sort of European cartoon character.) I took a ton of pics which will appear soon on the blog. I know you will all be waiting with baited breath...

Today, it's back to the grind although Ilana and Rich arrive tomorrow so it should be a good week. Take care.