What happened the month of January?????

Happy Birthday Gail! And an advanced Happy Birthday to Dave for next week!
Well, where the hell have we been? What happened to the month of January, and am I going to finish that Christmas Blog? No, I'm not. All I'll say is the latter half of Christmas was much more relaxed, got to see everyone (nearly....), and we got to have two days of presents, in Jill's mother's, and in my mother's. Happy days!
I'll start with the now, and work my way back!
Was up this morning at ten to five to drive to the far side of the island where I ran the first leg (4 miles) of a 24 mile relay race. My leg kicked off at 6am, and I was delighted with a time of 30 minutes (7.5 minutes per mile). Got home, walked the dogs, then woke Jill up (you didnt really think she got up to support me now did you??) and we headed down to the Triple Crown to get breakfast at 9am, before the match. A gang of people had turned up by kick-off at 10am, and thankfully, two hours later, we were still proud to be Irish, although perhaps as much as we had been going into the game. A fair bit of work to do before France in Croker next week (a game my brother will be at, the jammy Bstrd!), but as long as our defence holds, we may just make it through! Anyway, taking a break now to write this before our GAA games this avo down the rugby club. Jill is being dragged down to play her first two matches. I played my first two last Sunday, and we remain the only unbeaten team going into today. Our forward three our myself, Paul Foxton, and Gav Tobin, the UCD trio! What the hell I am doing up there, I dont know, but I'm saying nothing until they actually notice that I cant play sports...
Last night we took it easy, knowing I had an early start, but Graham and Ais Skyped us on the Video Skype, so we ended up chatting and drinking with them for two hours, which was great craic. Ah, the wonders of modern technology and all that craic...
Friday we had also planned an easy one, but sure it was a full moon, and you cant miss a full moon party on the weekend, it just isnt right! We made dinner for some friends, and then a few more people dropped over, so we filled our coolers full of cans and headed to the beach at around 11pm, and then danced on the sand until they closed. Ended up quite piddled actually, which mean it was time for a kebab detour on the way home!
Skipping back a few weeks now......I arrived back on island on the 27th December, with Jill flying in the next day. Dogs were collected and settled back in nicely, and then Hubb and Louise arrived on the Saturday evening. We went out for dinner that evening, and were up the next morning to take a boat trip out to Stingray where we snorkelled, drunk some beer, and swam with the Stingrays (even Hubb!). We then headed down to public beach when the sun went down on New Years Eve, with a cooler full with ten bottles of champagne, beer, and wine, and we set up our own little barbecue. The fopd was burnt but went down well all the same.
We were joined by various punters as we invariably became more and more intoxicated, then moved up the beacj to Governor's where we hooked up with a few people just in time for midnight. The expected fireworks from the Ritz never happened, but loads of people had brought their own, so we watched them instead and drunk the cooler dry!
The next day we headed over to Rum Point, briefly, and then on to the Turtle Farm (I think, we could be getting our days wrong though!).
The week flew, spending most nights out for dinner, and then back to the house for a few quiet beers. On Hubb & Louise's last night we went to Sapphire, the cocktail lounge but still managed to get back at a reasonable hour.
The dogs had warmed greatly to our guests. Toby made a new best friend in Hubb, who despite trying to let on that he hated him, will I expect have his own dog within the year! That or a baby......
We were on a downer the weekend that Hubb & Louise went home, but partly happy to have a breather to chill out after a manic month! On Saturday I met up with some of the lads who had just arrived back, on the beach, and we went out for a quiet bit of food down in Sunset.
The following weekend was the One Day GAA Mixed Football Blitz, with myself and Jill lining up to play for Digicel. Our first game was just before 11, and we hammered the opposition. We sailed through our next two games victorious, topping our group going into the semis. We went into the semi on a high, only to lose the game by one point to the eventual overall winners, Fortis Fianna. Despite good intentions, we were home by ten that night, wrecked and sunburnt! The Sunday was a complete chill out day, well needed.
The weekend of the 20th (two weeks ago) was a bank holiday weekend. Jill went out with the a gang of 35 women on a hen night on the friday night, whilst I went out for some quiet ones with a mate of mine, Cormac, ending up in Aqua beach.
We had organised a catameran for the Saturday, and twenty of us chipped in for the boat and beer, heading out onto the North Sound at 1pm. We sailed out to the reef, snorkelled, swam with the Stingray, drunk beer, went to Kaibo, drunk more beer, played volley ball, and eventually headed back for Seven Mile at around 6, trying to keep ahead of a potential storm, which thankfully passed by us.
After a quick shower and change, we were all joined by some more stragglers out by our pool where we had a barbecue at around 7pm. By 1am we were all knackered, and the crowds thankfully started to head home. Great day, great night, reminds us all of why we live here!
On Sunday, myself and three of the lads went out for a game of golf on the Brittania course, my first game in over eight months! We teed off at 4pm, filling the coolers on the buggies with beer and rum. A gentle 9 holes later, we were nicely merry and ready for a few more beers.
On to Coconut Joes for a couple, where the bright decision was made to call the rest of the lads and head out to dinner. We met up an hour later in the Westin for a poor meal, and then on to Aqua Beach, where we met up with a stag party of Ozzies, and then we all headed on to O Bar, where we continued until 3am. Great craic had by all.
Monday was for complete chilling out, with Prison Break and 24 to send us off to bed.
Last weekend we again attempted to have a quiet one. Jill had been unwell during the week with a cold, but that didnt stop her from heading out after work and staying out until ten that night. I took a breather and stayed in, and resisted temptation to go to Boogie Nights at the Wharf when Jill got home. The next day we went back out for a game of golf, and seeing as it was Australia Day (like we needed an excuse!) we headed down to one of the beach/ pool bars where all the Ozzies, and half the lads, had been drinking all day. The night got messy, with Jimmy throwing a bottle of heineken at some small child, slapping women in the face, and pole dancing. We dragged him home to our spare room at midnight, letting him sober up before our games last Sunday afternoon. Most of the 6 Gaelic teams who were playing that day had been at the Australia day party the day before, so the pace of the GAA wasnt too hot. We had only nine players so we had to rob a goalie for each game, with no substitutions allowed. We battled on to victory nonetheless.! This afternoon will no doubt prove slightly more difficult!
In visitor news, Jill's mum arrives on Tuesday week for ten days, and then my little sis, Fiona, is alledgedly arriving for two weeks, followed on March 16th by my brother and his wife!
Easter will be here in no time, which means not long until the wedding!

Speaking of which, there is a special wedding rate for rooms in the Heritage Killenard, where we are getting married on the 21st July, and we are hoping that as many of ye as possible will also be able to stay down the Sunday night. The invites wont be going out until May, so if you are making holiday plans etc...make a note of the date, and ideally try booking into the hotel early: http://www.theheritagehotelatkillenard.ie/
Until next week, when I promise that the blogger will be back.....

BTW, well done Simon, I'm very proud of you! You'll know what I mean! Legend.