not a good friday a great friday

i love long weekends. especially 4 day ones, when after 2 days its like you've had a normal weekend, and then you've got a whole other weekend straight away. I'm working for a bit on monday, but then i've tuesday off so thats okay.

I worked late on thursday, but made it to the pub for the last hour and a half of drinking before one of the only 2 days in the year when pubs are closed here. And then wahey catherine proclaimed the presence of wiiiine in her gaff so we trooped back there and were regaled with tales of the mental health profession (all patient confidentiality kept entirely intact.) Then, cos I worked so very hard on thursday night I didn't have to go to work on friday - yay! So instead I went into town for some hardcore hanging out. It was perfect, sitting in the sun in Itali-ally, eating ciabattas and drinking posh coffee, and then as if we were locals our friend Lara walked by and we were able to go dahling! join us! And The Hairy Wallace was wandering around. Me and KK decided at exactly the same time that he probably keeps his money in his hair. But that was only messing, he is a Good Man. While Itali-Ally was being built by him, he put this small sign on the front of the site in reference to the refuelling stops by the US army in Shannon.

The only shadow cast over my day was a brief one, where Sylda and I were 1st hand party to extreme bridal rip off prices. We went to this really trendy salon/make up place just to enquire on my behalf how much it might be to get 'done' on the day of my wedding. €150. €75 for hair, €75 for makeup. Oh but it includes a 'suite' for the bride, ie you get done in a private room. Big swinging mickey. She was also very reluctant to give me a price for a trial, and sort of mumbled €50 for each at me finally. So it seems crossing the threshold of what it normally the salon storage closet costs an extra €50 on the day. Nice. We then enquired of Catherine how much she had paid to get her make up done in the same salon on her birthday. €30. Now, I would still like to go there, but I will not be part of the ridiculous rip off wedding industry of this country, which undoubtedly exists. Cha-bleeding-ching, big windows n all that. So I think I'm gonna ring and make an appointment for the day with no mention of brideyness and see what they quote. grr. seeth. Just one street away I was in a lovely shoe shop (Cherche Midi) where upon hearing I was looking for wedding shoes were showing me deadly shoes all round, nodding sagely at my looking for probably colourdy shoes and presenting me with 'these ones, they're reduced from €310 to €60' No hard sell, just enthusiasm. Now thats customer service. (and one of the girls asked was i "Mrs. Dunphy's daughter?" That is always going to be the result of your mother teaching infants for millions of years in the same school. Half of wexford learned 'teddy beag alainn' from my ma)

So after some skit in Sylda's, i pedalled furiously to Lisa's to look after Cosmo and Muttley. God those dogs love me. We went to the park - sure they could be cute for ireland that pair. mark joined me after dog walking (lazy fecker) and he was followed by Steve and Sue, over to clonskeagh from the wilds of Navan(avan) for the night. We watched Extras, and drank lots of beer and wine in honour of the supposed crucifixion of our Lord. Mark also ate 3 types of meat yesteray. Screw you jesus he may as well have said*

*non-irish catholics, you're sorta supposed to fast between meals and only eat fish on good friday.

This morning, we strolled to Ranelagh again with the doggies. Mark only agreed to come because put 4 rashers on the grill for him this morning. I have NEVER done that for him before. I have NEVER, repeat, NEVER cooked meat, or handled meat for him (yeah yeah wheh wheh smutty joke here). But he hates walking for no reason so I had to bribe him. For a bit we held hands while walking the dogs. We were trying to see if we could make someone crash from puking at the sight of us. Did I mention we're getting married in less than 7 weeks? (i'm getting excited). Then we sat outside a cafe with our michievous (read: bold) doggies drinking posh coffees ruminating on how we were playing at being a well to do and perfect young hip couple. Then a little girl got excited and pointed at muttley telling her dad he's a dalmatian. Bless.

So anyway, time to continue this weekend of socialness... There is afternoon pints with Matt From Chicago today, then dinner in Greystones in Catrionas new gaff, then tomorrow I walk dogs again, then its GAMES NIGHT! in mal and kk's. Sylda got the new Buzz, she has 8 controllers. We are ready to have the most fun ever. Did I mention I love holiday weekends...