Vince is one of the first (of many) Irish lads that I met in Cayman, at last year's GAA finals, to be precise. Vince arrived into my office a month later with his new salesman, Dec, and was promptly followed by their Engineer, Murph. From their came Jimmy Mc & Lisa, Jimmy H, Tim & Leonie, Sarah, Kenzo & Caoire....and so on!
Vince is married to Claire (Thursday was their 2nd wedding anniversay) and they both hail from Waterford where they were childhood sweethearts (although the story is fraught with ups and downs and is far from sweet and rosy!). Claire announced last month that she is expecting their first baby, and Vince announced a month previous that after 2 years, they are both leaving the island. This is how it came to be that we found ourselves at the beach yesterday having a massive going way barbecue, singing and having the craic in front of a bonfire as the rains fell. Yesterday was a good day.
It all kicked off around 1pm down on public beach, where we had held a Cabana and decorated it with ballons, bunting, and coolers full of ice and beer. We were well on our way when Tim and Leonie showed up with Vince and Claire, who thought they were going to grab a bit of lunch in Calico Jacks (the bar on Public Beach). Poppers were popped, there were cheers, and then we got under way with the barbecue. There were around 40 or 50 of us, plenty of food, and (we thought) plenty of drink. Murph's girlfriend Mairead is over at the moment, with her daughter Caoimhlionn, one of the cutuest kids you'll ever see (except for my nephews of course!). Caoimhlionn was truly entertained by a croud of increasingly intoxicated Irish eejits, fascinated with the giggles of a 2 year old child. Basically it was a day of chat, eating, drinking, football, cricket, swimming, sitting around and having the craic. A wedding took place in the cabana beside us at around 5pm, which we all had a good gawk at, before the sun fell around 7pm. With the light fading, myself and Tim went hunting for dry wood and sticks (thinking we were on the island in Lost), and finally lit a bonfire (apparently illegal in Cayman) on the sand beside us. With a lightning storm brewing in the distance, flashing the sky over our roaring fire, we drank beer, played Trivial Pursuit (odd, I know) and listened to music whilst Vince paraded around as proud as much at his first ever surprise party, and first ever beach fire, whilst his wife Claire left to indulge her crippling mourning sickness (nasty stuff).
When the rain finally fell, it was pouring down in the car park beside us, whilst only barely drizzling on the beach 20 metres away. The rain in Cayan tends to be very isolated when it falls, but to actually see a storm pass 20 metres in front of you yet miss you, is bizarre! Either that, or it was the 15 or so beers. Hmmmm...
Days like this will make it even harder to ever go home.....
Anyway, just felt like sharing that highlight of the week before we forget to blog it. Johnny Weir and Andrea arrive on Wednesday. We go to Orlando for two days on Saturday. The following weekend is my stag (combined with 2 other Irish lads, organising a total of 60 lads who will be driving across the island for a day of guaranteed debauchery!), the weekend after that is a bank holiday, the weekend after that Jill goes home, and I go to Miami to meet Niall and Alex for a night, and then the next weekend I fly home for my stags. The weekend after that is the wedding!
Its all go from here....
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Saturday, June 02, 2007
Long overdue....
OK, ok, so I've been a bit lazy recently with the blog. Time to catch up on the last three months, as if I dont do it now, it will never be done considering the big one is only 7 weeks away!
Today is actually an appropriately apt day to write this as it's the day of the Cayman Islands GAA finals, which was the first Saturday night I ever had out here, last June. More on that later!
March, now what I can tell you about March? I've had to go back through the photos to create a timeline in my head, so I'm sure to leave loads out, but it started with us finishing our PADI course, finally becoming certified. After two final dives on our fourth day, we went down to the Rugby Club where the week early Paddy's Day celebrations were taking place.
We arrived in time for the welly throwing and puc fada, and then got stuck in to the serious drinking, eating, and (karaoke) singing. Great night, no one missed out and yours truly was caught singing duets with various other vocally challenged drunks!
The following Friday begun the real highlight of the month with the arrival of Graham and Aisling. It started on a bit of a downer as their bags had been delayed by a day, but clothes were borrowed and we kept them awake just long enough to get a few drinks in their first night.
The timeline of what we did during the day time gets a bit fuzzy, but on Saturday, which was Paddy's Day, we headed down to the local Irish bar where there was a U2 tribute band called Rattle & Hum playing. Most of our friends on island were away that weekend for the cricket in Jamaica, but the place was still packed, and the band were brilliant. As close to the real thing as you can get, especially with a few rums in you! Good craic had by all, including a detour on the way home through the Wendy's drive through where we were instructed to form an orderly queue behind a line of cars! Quite bizarre.
During the week we ate out most nights, basically just chilling out and enjoying good food and company. On the Thursday we were invited out on a friend of a friend's catamaran for a sunset sail on the North Sound which turned out to be on of the highlight's of the guy's trip. It was very chilled out, sailing out as the sun went down having a few beers with about 10 other people, eventually coming back in after dark where we stayed on the boat until after 11. Not the type of Thursday evening thing you can do back home after work!
On Friday we went to the Ritz but we were knackered and didnt make the club. Saturday afternoon myself and Graham went golfing with a few of the lads, ending up playing pool afterwards and coming home sozzled at 8pm after a day spent drinking and having the craic. The girls had been chilling out so no one was really up for much else. On Sunday we headed to the turtle farm for some snorkeling etc before the GAA and then out for dinner. All in all a very chilled affair, especially as Graham and Ais have been here before so were able to explore on their own and just relax.
We were very disappointed to see them go home the following week. The house was that little bit more empty without them!
Over the following couple of weekends we went out on our first unassisted dives, firstly to Cracked Conch where we did a shore dive to the first of the walls, diving down to see a huge school of tarpons and two turtles whom we followed for a while. The next weekend was Easter and Murph had a friend over from Jamaica, an Irish lad called Gavin. Justin and Cara organised a barbecue around our pool on the Friday night, and we booked in for a dive boat on the Saturday morning but had to come back in as the waves were too high. We then found another dive company who had a boat going out to the other side of the island later that day, so we booked in and explored cool caves off the South shore.
Sunday, myself and five of the lads rented a fishing boat and went out on the North shore for 5/6 hours with a few crates of beer. In typical fashion I was the only one not to catch a bloody fish! We came back in before dark, nicely chilled with beer in our bellies, and then met up with the girls in a local Italian restaurant where we promptly polished off many bottles of wine and a couple of bottles of brandy (after my suggestion that it could help digest the food, not expecting the brandies to flow for the next three hours!). A stumble to the pool hall followed by a "shortcut" through a construction site home after which I jumped into a car with a complete stranger who had pulled over for Jill, not seeing me, promptly asking him to drop us home for 20 quid. There were sore heads the next day!
The following weekend, or there or thereabouts we all went to the Ritz for a night out, cant remember much else though! Myself, Jimmy, Murph, and Vince also took a boat trip out for a two tank dive where we dove off the North wall, a massive and sudden cliff into an abyss, just a mile off shore, which was amazing.
Mid April saw the arrival of Simon and his "bird" Noreen (I'm sure she will love being referred to like this!). Simon had only announce that he was coming 2/3 weeks previously, which was a great surprise. Myself and Jill had never met Noreen, so were slightly apprehensive, which sounds ridiculous now looking back. Sure enough we all got on like a house on fire (unless Noreen is just a brilliant actress....food for thought), and I think Simon was under pressure not to go home at the end of their two weeks! Their first night (a Thursday) was quiet as they arrived late after missing their connecting flight in Miami, but Friday was busier! I had been dragged into helping my boss, Betty, with her efforts as Chairwoman for the Cayman Islands Olympics Fundraising Committee (her eldest son has two Olympic medals for swimming) and had appeared on a local radio talk show for half an hour on the preceding Monday, and on national TV on the Tuesday morning, on the equivalent of TVAM, to promote a fundraising dinner and auction that she had put together to happen on the Friday of that week. As a result, I had to drag Jill, Simon, and Noreen to this fancy do in the Ritz, which sounded grand on paper, but in fact was a bit of a pile of poo! Anyway, it ended at around 11, and so we said we would hook up with a few friends who were out for a quiet drink in a bar down the road.
Sure enough, they all left our house at 4 in the morning after several hours of singing and drinking!.
To make matters worse, I had organise a boat trip for the following morning, which was sailing at 12 noon! We dragged ourselves out of bed and met up with the other 20 or so people who were going out with us, and slowly we pulled out of the dock heading out to the North Sound. Polite introductions were made for Si and Noreen, and the beers were opened.
After some snorkeling, and swimming with the Stingrays (note Simon squealing like a girl!) we headed out to Kaibo where Tim had the inspired idea to take out his mini cricket set, splitting us up into two teams.
Who knew cricket could be such good craic? After an hour of this we had to board the boat and head back to Seven Mile, before the sun went down. Has to be said, you cant beat a boat trip on a Saturday afternoon in Cayman!
Afterwards we all headed to Aqua Beach for some food, and then quickly on to Fidel Murphy's (note: Irish bar) for the weekly karaoke and a game of darts. (Sounds bizarre and it would have been if you were sober, but after a day drinking on the boat it just seems like a perfectly normal thing to do!). We all had great craic singing and watching Noreen beat all the lads at darts, and Jimmy and Lisa having a dance off following their rendition of Summer Nights!
Sunday we were in dire need of some R&R so we drove out to East End, to a resort called Morritz where we chilled out in the Infinity pool, sipping cocktails and watching the kite surfers before moseying over to Rum Point where we swam about and just lounged before grabbing a bite to eat and heading home.
During the week there were more meals and a visit to Coconut Joe's on the Wednesday night for the Open Mic night (Gav Cooney and Dave Ralph, you would be in your element!).
Before all this though, after a couple of sensible days spent lathering himself with sun factor, Simon thought he had become immune to the sun's rays, and went about burning the skin off himself. The most fun was when he would sweat, and the water would get caught under the burnt skin in blisters. Some craic for us, not so much fun for Simon!
On Friday we headed out on the Jolly Roger sunset pirate cruise (see: Booze Cruise!) before heading down to the Wharf restaurant for Boogie Nights, the highlight of the month in Cayman! Tim, who's wife was away that weekend, was the first to meet us, very much cut after spending the day golfing and drinking with clients.
Not long later, everyone was down, the place was packed, and Simon was doing jazz hands to Jungle Boogie in the middle of the place. It is not often that the man gets really hammered, but the night of Boogie Nights was one of those great nights!
On Saturday we had arranged to take a helicopter tour of the island (courtesy of Joyce and Sandra who bought myself and Jill a voucher for it before they left in February). I was quite excited about the idea as I'd never been in a helicopter and it looked great.
The 10 hours drinking the previous evening probably wasnt a good idea. My stomach just wouldnt listen to my head, and despite the fact that I dont mind heights and actually loved the trip which took us over the lagoon and down the beach where we shaw turtles, sharks, and everything in the water, my stomach just wanted to heave and my entire body poured sweat, draining the colour out of my face.
I'll know in future!
That night we had arranged for around 20 of us to go for dinner in Papagalloes, after a game of golf that myself and Si played with the lads. It was a quieter night than usual though, with many still suffering from Boogie Nights!
On Sunday we went to the Rugby Club where myself and Jill both had GAA matches. Simon ws quite excited about the prospect of playing, and was initially asked to go in goals for one of the girls' teams, whilst I went in for the opposition. Si did well, I let 4 goals in and took two of the female players out of the game! Ah well!
When it came for Murph's team to play, whom Si had agreed to play for, he was back in goals, and not too happy about it, but in fairness he did well so they werent going to move him, that is until the next game when he let in 10 goals! The less said the better.
We all headed to Sunset Bar for dinner afterwards, making our way home at bed time ending the last of our two weekends with Si and Noreen. On their last night we brought a bottle of champagne to the beach and then cooked some burgers on the barbecue by the pool, chilling out over a few beers and wine.
A great two weeks had, and fortunately coinciding with everyone being on island and loads of things happening. Again, the house was that little bit emptier again with the departure of good guests!
Si's last weekend coincided with the arrival of Dec's girlfriend, Reg, who had spent a month here back in November/ December, for a 10 day holiday, so we all arranged another boat trip the following Saturday, again heading out to the North Sound, playing cricket, but this time ending up back in town where there was a big festival on.
We made our way to the Hard Rock cafe where there was an air guitar competition being held on a stage erected outside, followed by a decent rock band from the US.
Despite Jil's concerted efforts to organise a party back in our house, I had to send Kenzo and Caoire home from ours, after another detour to Wendy's where we demanded that our cab driver go through the drive through on the way home to buy us burgers. He was a very patient man!
The month of May has been altogether quieter. We had a bank holiday a few weeks ago, but both of us were down with colds for a few weeks, so not much happened. Also, the weather has been poor most of the month, with rain most days, leaving only a few days here and there to do anything. We went out for dinner with Dec & Reg, had a barbecue in Dec's, the lads has a Friday night card game where I finally won some money (before losing it all again). We played golf 2/3 weekends. Vince and Claire announced that they were pregnant, which is great news, although we'll be sad to see them go when they move home to Ireland at the end of June. A lot of people were off island during the month, which suited us fine as we had more respectable nights out for drinks and food with Tim & Leonie, Kurt & Meredith, and Kenzo & Caoire. We were meant to go to Orlando two weeks ago, but have postponed it to today two weeks, for the next bank holiday!
This week was the beginning of what I expect will continue to be the big wedding countdown! The invites were sent out earlier in the week, and everything has really swung into motion. We're both really looking forward to it now!
Johnny Weir and his girlfriend Andrea arrive on Wednesday week, and we're really looking forward to having them out, although unfortunately our two days in Orlando falls on their first weekend here in Cayman.
The following weekend both myself and Jill will be having our Cayman stag/hens, and then the following weekend Jill flies home to Ireland, and I fly to Miami to meet up with Niall and Alex for a night, as they will be in Florida that week.
My cousin Paula is getting married next week in Italy, which I will unfortunately miss, and today is Hubb and Louise's first wedding anniversary, so our love goes out to them. Also, Sarah O'Toole, who I used to work with got married last week, so congratulations to them, and last but certainly not least, Dawood and Jean were married a month ago, a wedding I was gutted that I had to miss. Hope you guys are enjoying married life!
Regarding the wedding next month, here's the low down:
Jill arrives back in Ireland on Sunday 8th July, I arrive back on Friday 13th. Our stags/ hens will be on Saturday 14th. I believe Jill's is in Dublin, and mine in Waterford. The wedding is on Saturday 21st July in the Heritage Killenard (not the the Heritage in Portlaoise!), and I believe that good value rooms are in short supply. The wedding itself is in Ballintubbert Church, just outside Athy, at 1:30pm, so I doubt many people will be coming from the hotel, but rather checking in after the service. There are more people coming to the service than there are seats for, so arrive early (although I am confident that Jill will be late!).
We're asking friends and family, if they can, to stay down on the Sunday night so that we can all properly chill out and catch up, as we fly out to Panama on the Tuesday morning, for a week, and then we pretty much wont be back until Christmas, although I should be back for 3 days in September for Mick's wedding and Jay's stag.
I will post directions and maps to the church and the hotel on this blog over the coming weeks, so until then, enjoy the bank holiday bank in Ireland, and wish us luck in the GAA finals today!
Johnny and Jill!
Today is actually an appropriately apt day to write this as it's the day of the Cayman Islands GAA finals, which was the first Saturday night I ever had out here, last June. More on that later!
March, now what I can tell you about March? I've had to go back through the photos to create a timeline in my head, so I'm sure to leave loads out, but it started with us finishing our PADI course, finally becoming certified. After two final dives on our fourth day, we went down to the Rugby Club where the week early Paddy's Day celebrations were taking place.
We arrived in time for the welly throwing and puc fada, and then got stuck in to the serious drinking, eating, and (karaoke) singing. Great night, no one missed out and yours truly was caught singing duets with various other vocally challenged drunks!
The following Friday begun the real highlight of the month with the arrival of Graham and Aisling. It started on a bit of a downer as their bags had been delayed by a day, but clothes were borrowed and we kept them awake just long enough to get a few drinks in their first night.
The timeline of what we did during the day time gets a bit fuzzy, but on Saturday, which was Paddy's Day, we headed down to the local Irish bar where there was a U2 tribute band called Rattle & Hum playing. Most of our friends on island were away that weekend for the cricket in Jamaica, but the place was still packed, and the band were brilliant. As close to the real thing as you can get, especially with a few rums in you! Good craic had by all, including a detour on the way home through the Wendy's drive through where we were instructed to form an orderly queue behind a line of cars! Quite bizarre.
During the week we ate out most nights, basically just chilling out and enjoying good food and company. On the Thursday we were invited out on a friend of a friend's catamaran for a sunset sail on the North Sound which turned out to be on of the highlight's of the guy's trip. It was very chilled out, sailing out as the sun went down having a few beers with about 10 other people, eventually coming back in after dark where we stayed on the boat until after 11. Not the type of Thursday evening thing you can do back home after work!
On Friday we went to the Ritz but we were knackered and didnt make the club. Saturday afternoon myself and Graham went golfing with a few of the lads, ending up playing pool afterwards and coming home sozzled at 8pm after a day spent drinking and having the craic. The girls had been chilling out so no one was really up for much else. On Sunday we headed to the turtle farm for some snorkeling etc before the GAA and then out for dinner. All in all a very chilled affair, especially as Graham and Ais have been here before so were able to explore on their own and just relax.
We were very disappointed to see them go home the following week. The house was that little bit more empty without them!
Over the following couple of weekends we went out on our first unassisted dives, firstly to Cracked Conch where we did a shore dive to the first of the walls, diving down to see a huge school of tarpons and two turtles whom we followed for a while. The next weekend was Easter and Murph had a friend over from Jamaica, an Irish lad called Gavin. Justin and Cara organised a barbecue around our pool on the Friday night, and we booked in for a dive boat on the Saturday morning but had to come back in as the waves were too high. We then found another dive company who had a boat going out to the other side of the island later that day, so we booked in and explored cool caves off the South shore.
Sunday, myself and five of the lads rented a fishing boat and went out on the North shore for 5/6 hours with a few crates of beer. In typical fashion I was the only one not to catch a bloody fish! We came back in before dark, nicely chilled with beer in our bellies, and then met up with the girls in a local Italian restaurant where we promptly polished off many bottles of wine and a couple of bottles of brandy (after my suggestion that it could help digest the food, not expecting the brandies to flow for the next three hours!). A stumble to the pool hall followed by a "shortcut" through a construction site home after which I jumped into a car with a complete stranger who had pulled over for Jill, not seeing me, promptly asking him to drop us home for 20 quid. There were sore heads the next day!
The following weekend, or there or thereabouts we all went to the Ritz for a night out, cant remember much else though! Myself, Jimmy, Murph, and Vince also took a boat trip out for a two tank dive where we dove off the North wall, a massive and sudden cliff into an abyss, just a mile off shore, which was amazing.
Mid April saw the arrival of Simon and his "bird" Noreen (I'm sure she will love being referred to like this!). Simon had only announce that he was coming 2/3 weeks previously, which was a great surprise. Myself and Jill had never met Noreen, so were slightly apprehensive, which sounds ridiculous now looking back. Sure enough we all got on like a house on fire (unless Noreen is just a brilliant actress....food for thought), and I think Simon was under pressure not to go home at the end of their two weeks! Their first night (a Thursday) was quiet as they arrived late after missing their connecting flight in Miami, but Friday was busier! I had been dragged into helping my boss, Betty, with her efforts as Chairwoman for the Cayman Islands Olympics Fundraising Committee (her eldest son has two Olympic medals for swimming) and had appeared on a local radio talk show for half an hour on the preceding Monday, and on national TV on the Tuesday morning, on the equivalent of TVAM, to promote a fundraising dinner and auction that she had put together to happen on the Friday of that week. As a result, I had to drag Jill, Simon, and Noreen to this fancy do in the Ritz, which sounded grand on paper, but in fact was a bit of a pile of poo! Anyway, it ended at around 11, and so we said we would hook up with a few friends who were out for a quiet drink in a bar down the road.
Sure enough, they all left our house at 4 in the morning after several hours of singing and drinking!.
To make matters worse, I had organise a boat trip for the following morning, which was sailing at 12 noon! We dragged ourselves out of bed and met up with the other 20 or so people who were going out with us, and slowly we pulled out of the dock heading out to the North Sound. Polite introductions were made for Si and Noreen, and the beers were opened.
After some snorkeling, and swimming with the Stingrays (note Simon squealing like a girl!) we headed out to Kaibo where Tim had the inspired idea to take out his mini cricket set, splitting us up into two teams.
Who knew cricket could be such good craic? After an hour of this we had to board the boat and head back to Seven Mile, before the sun went down. Has to be said, you cant beat a boat trip on a Saturday afternoon in Cayman!
Afterwards we all headed to Aqua Beach for some food, and then quickly on to Fidel Murphy's (note: Irish bar) for the weekly karaoke and a game of darts. (Sounds bizarre and it would have been if you were sober, but after a day drinking on the boat it just seems like a perfectly normal thing to do!). We all had great craic singing and watching Noreen beat all the lads at darts, and Jimmy and Lisa having a dance off following their rendition of Summer Nights!
Sunday we were in dire need of some R&R so we drove out to East End, to a resort called Morritz where we chilled out in the Infinity pool, sipping cocktails and watching the kite surfers before moseying over to Rum Point where we swam about and just lounged before grabbing a bite to eat and heading home.
During the week there were more meals and a visit to Coconut Joe's on the Wednesday night for the Open Mic night (Gav Cooney and Dave Ralph, you would be in your element!).
Before all this though, after a couple of sensible days spent lathering himself with sun factor, Simon thought he had become immune to the sun's rays, and went about burning the skin off himself. The most fun was when he would sweat, and the water would get caught under the burnt skin in blisters. Some craic for us, not so much fun for Simon!
On Friday we headed out on the Jolly Roger sunset pirate cruise (see: Booze Cruise!) before heading down to the Wharf restaurant for Boogie Nights, the highlight of the month in Cayman! Tim, who's wife was away that weekend, was the first to meet us, very much cut after spending the day golfing and drinking with clients.
Not long later, everyone was down, the place was packed, and Simon was doing jazz hands to Jungle Boogie in the middle of the place. It is not often that the man gets really hammered, but the night of Boogie Nights was one of those great nights!
On Saturday we had arranged to take a helicopter tour of the island (courtesy of Joyce and Sandra who bought myself and Jill a voucher for it before they left in February). I was quite excited about the idea as I'd never been in a helicopter and it looked great.
The 10 hours drinking the previous evening probably wasnt a good idea. My stomach just wouldnt listen to my head, and despite the fact that I dont mind heights and actually loved the trip which took us over the lagoon and down the beach where we shaw turtles, sharks, and everything in the water, my stomach just wanted to heave and my entire body poured sweat, draining the colour out of my face.
I'll know in future!
That night we had arranged for around 20 of us to go for dinner in Papagalloes, after a game of golf that myself and Si played with the lads. It was a quieter night than usual though, with many still suffering from Boogie Nights!
On Sunday we went to the Rugby Club where myself and Jill both had GAA matches. Simon ws quite excited about the prospect of playing, and was initially asked to go in goals for one of the girls' teams, whilst I went in for the opposition. Si did well, I let 4 goals in and took two of the female players out of the game! Ah well!
When it came for Murph's team to play, whom Si had agreed to play for, he was back in goals, and not too happy about it, but in fairness he did well so they werent going to move him, that is until the next game when he let in 10 goals! The less said the better.
We all headed to Sunset Bar for dinner afterwards, making our way home at bed time ending the last of our two weekends with Si and Noreen. On their last night we brought a bottle of champagne to the beach and then cooked some burgers on the barbecue by the pool, chilling out over a few beers and wine.
A great two weeks had, and fortunately coinciding with everyone being on island and loads of things happening. Again, the house was that little bit emptier again with the departure of good guests!
Si's last weekend coincided with the arrival of Dec's girlfriend, Reg, who had spent a month here back in November/ December, for a 10 day holiday, so we all arranged another boat trip the following Saturday, again heading out to the North Sound, playing cricket, but this time ending up back in town where there was a big festival on.
We made our way to the Hard Rock cafe where there was an air guitar competition being held on a stage erected outside, followed by a decent rock band from the US.
Despite Jil's concerted efforts to organise a party back in our house, I had to send Kenzo and Caoire home from ours, after another detour to Wendy's where we demanded that our cab driver go through the drive through on the way home to buy us burgers. He was a very patient man!
The month of May has been altogether quieter. We had a bank holiday a few weeks ago, but both of us were down with colds for a few weeks, so not much happened. Also, the weather has been poor most of the month, with rain most days, leaving only a few days here and there to do anything. We went out for dinner with Dec & Reg, had a barbecue in Dec's, the lads has a Friday night card game where I finally won some money (before losing it all again). We played golf 2/3 weekends. Vince and Claire announced that they were pregnant, which is great news, although we'll be sad to see them go when they move home to Ireland at the end of June. A lot of people were off island during the month, which suited us fine as we had more respectable nights out for drinks and food with Tim & Leonie, Kurt & Meredith, and Kenzo & Caoire. We were meant to go to Orlando two weeks ago, but have postponed it to today two weeks, for the next bank holiday!
This week was the beginning of what I expect will continue to be the big wedding countdown! The invites were sent out earlier in the week, and everything has really swung into motion. We're both really looking forward to it now!
Johnny Weir and his girlfriend Andrea arrive on Wednesday week, and we're really looking forward to having them out, although unfortunately our two days in Orlando falls on their first weekend here in Cayman.
The following weekend both myself and Jill will be having our Cayman stag/hens, and then the following weekend Jill flies home to Ireland, and I fly to Miami to meet up with Niall and Alex for a night, as they will be in Florida that week.
My cousin Paula is getting married next week in Italy, which I will unfortunately miss, and today is Hubb and Louise's first wedding anniversary, so our love goes out to them. Also, Sarah O'Toole, who I used to work with got married last week, so congratulations to them, and last but certainly not least, Dawood and Jean were married a month ago, a wedding I was gutted that I had to miss. Hope you guys are enjoying married life!
Regarding the wedding next month, here's the low down:
Jill arrives back in Ireland on Sunday 8th July, I arrive back on Friday 13th. Our stags/ hens will be on Saturday 14th. I believe Jill's is in Dublin, and mine in Waterford. The wedding is on Saturday 21st July in the Heritage Killenard (not the the Heritage in Portlaoise!), and I believe that good value rooms are in short supply. The wedding itself is in Ballintubbert Church, just outside Athy, at 1:30pm, so I doubt many people will be coming from the hotel, but rather checking in after the service. There are more people coming to the service than there are seats for, so arrive early (although I am confident that Jill will be late!).
We're asking friends and family, if they can, to stay down on the Sunday night so that we can all properly chill out and catch up, as we fly out to Panama on the Tuesday morning, for a week, and then we pretty much wont be back until Christmas, although I should be back for 3 days in September for Mick's wedding and Jay's stag.
I will post directions and maps to the church and the hotel on this blog over the coming weeks, so until then, enjoy the bank holiday bank in Ireland, and wish us luck in the GAA finals today!
Johnny and Jill!
Friday, June 01, 2007
The Killers, Live, Acoustic, from Abbey Road.
Pure class. I know that a proper Blog entry is long overdue, and I swear I will do it thia weekend, but in the meantime, have to share these two class tracks.
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