Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose, as they say in the better parts of County Cork. The usual suspects have, like fireflies about a campfire, gadded about in a mad frenzy to end up in pretty much the same shape as they were in the last time I had the occasion to check in with you.
Congratulations, first of all to Billzinho and Elaine for the first birthday of their loverly daughter Isabella and thanks, Bill for the free beer and grub at the party. Carl?o managed to take three hundred pictures so those that did not attend can cure insomnia just flicking through the pics.
Congratulations also to our favourite Dane bar some, Vitus the Viking, (incidentally, the only man capable of challenging Carl?o in the number of photographs taken per minute...although the V-Man cheats; his are digital pics...) Alek J, our favourite Croat (we don't know any others) and Hector, nobodys favourite anything (we don't know any others, thank God), for their move into new residences somewhere near the Paraguayan border. The enterprising among you might provide them with a transfer service to O'Malley's and make a fortune. Congratulations, also to Carsten, the V-Man's raison d´être (father, stupid!) for birthday and retirement. Apparently the craic was ninety!
Seeing as this is turning somewhat into a village paper where everyone gets a mention, let's get a few more in... Congrats, Cris & Joe Koch for the wedding anniversary...it is a surprise to us all too! Congrats, our feisty friend Lee Morgan who managed another birthday without being shot, Congrats, Mark Gaycop, birthday, and may the Force never be with you, Congrats, Sara & Sarah, never knew which was which, but I believe that the drunkenness was attributed to someone's birthday... Congrats to one of ther O'Malley's brats, Yasmin on the birthday and christening...well, let's see if we can dilly dally on the subject for a second or two...
For those not in the know, Yasmin is the fortunate offspring, tyhe fruit of the loins of one John Ryan, a would-be spinster of this parish. Very nice, too, the party, with caterers galore, excellent barbecue and a wonderful buffet. Needless to mention the booze, seeing as we were where we were. Red and white wine flowing off the taps, whiskeys and spirits of the best but someone pinched my vodka with the gold leaf! Grand, it would all have been except for the errant uncle, although as the bard would have said, all is well that ends well.
Meanwhile the eponymous Little Antihero went off for another stint in the cold, this time without the pre-requisite Absolut and tabs. Seems to have been an easy sojourn.
Not quite so for our would be film star and platwright, young and prematurely balding Steve Payne. Apart from bringing down a bunch of Boks...one goodish...yes, that's you Donald, he managed to heed the rules of the Ryan household and was duly rewarded with an additional night's stay, courtesy of Big John who hid the poor boy's passport, ticket and luggage. I hope that jobs as good as his are easy to find.
More from Steve's trip in a few. My thirst is building up!
