surprise!

this is perhaps the earliest posting i have ever made. was up before seven... there's a pot of espresso brewing and dawn is quickly rising...

well, as birthdays go they don't get much better than this one...

a great party on Saturday in co-celebration with ::Padraig, my love::, who turned 31, and some wonderful folks filled the house with chat, laughter and singing into the wee small hours. my co-host redefined finger food by laying on an impressive spread and i mastered opening bottles of wine. i was overwhelmed in receiving some really wonderful gifts from those same people that spoke of intention and attention to detail... then yesterday there were text messages and phone calls and the promise of getting round the table with team fury for the evening. but more was to come.

while it's still not completely sealed, but i am hoping the details will get sorted today, i've got the chance to go on tour with duke special in a week's time and do merchandising for the divine comedy around britain and ireland for two weeks. when the duke himself called yesterday afternoon to set it up i thought a birthday can't get much better than this. and yet moments later as i sat with keli and ricky with a celebratory drink in hand a voice said, happy birthday! i turned my head to see none other than a walking, breathing, grinning present walking towards me in the shape of jude. i'll never trust my friends again. not a word had been breathed by any of them. what a delightfully sneaky crew they are. what a present for a friend to give, but themselves and their time? it's fair to say i was as gobsmacked as i was delighted.

so, jude, on a flying visit from london, treated the 3 of us to a bite to eat and drinks and we went to the RUA exhibition at ormeau baths gallery where i got to see the incredible work of jonny mcewen, heather wilson, and tim millen amongst the exhibits, and then she joined the team for dinner. daniel and jonah helped me blow out the 3 candles on my cake and there were yet more gifts. we stayed up late with keli watching the election night double ep from west wing s7(we all cried) and then we were up at the crack of dawn to get her to the airport shuttle.

so. colour me surrounded by cards, books, cds, jewelry, artwork, the 3 major food groups (coffee, chocolate and wine of course), wearing underwear rather more fancy than my usual girl boxers, with a new zippo to replace the one i lost in greenbelt (i was gutted - that dear departed was a gift from zippy ben during the summer - i actually cried over it's loss) and a look of still bemused wonderment on my face.

here's hoping the tour stuff works out smoothly. keli's due to depart at the weekend for a week in my place as i need to finish out my current work contract. i think i'll be joining the tour in edinburgh on the 29th. i won't believe it 'til my flight is booked.

keli was the source of the new zippo. she had it inscribed. the words?

cause we may catch fire yet

:0)

thank you to all of you who made turning 33 such a wonderful experience. this is only the beginning.

right time to get ready for work...

LB,x