Power walk

Today was quietish one. We had our regulation dose of Hollyoaks to begin with, watched Michael Clayton in Carl's Kino, had a bite to eat and watched an episode of Columbo on TV. When I left Carl's place I called in on one of my Grand-Prix-lunch friends, after which I stooped off at Sandymount Strand for a bit of Blip session before heading on home around 7.00 pm to get stuck into some work. It was very pleasant at Sandymount, and I wasn't the only one enjoying the balmy weather. It's hard there to get away from the backdrop of the Pigeon House power station and its two chimneys, though I did get a few shots which don't show it.

Today's laid-back pace was a complete change to yesterday, which in turn was following on from the hectic experiences of Friday night's dinner outing. Having got home at 4.20 am, I was up again at 9.00 to get the house ready for my hosting of the Music Group session. Washing-up and dusting and vacuum cleaning and furniture arranging were all done by noon, at which stage I had to catch a bus to the DART station where I'd left my car last night. As per usual, I just missed three buses, and it took another twenty minutes before another three came along. I picked up the car, did a mad dash to a local shop to get in a stock of biscuits to offer the the musical guests, and barely got back in time to greet the first of the gang.

We retired to my local pub when the music finished for chat and a few drinks. Everybody was in great form, and one of the guys announced details of a previously discussed trip to Gozo later in the year to attend an opera and have one of our music session in his new house there. (That will be at the end of October.) What with that and other chat, the time passed all too quickly and suddenly it was time to call a halt and make my way over to Carl's where friends were expected at 7.30 pm for a 9 o'clock dinner in an Indian restaurant near Carl's place. I had to stop en route for a few bottles of wine, so I barely got to Carl's before the other lads arrived. We had good chat there and then walked to the Rasam Retaurant. The food was wonderful, the company was great, the chat was mighty. I couldn't help comparing the eating experience there with the disappointing one in Dobbins in town the previous night. The Rasam is definitely one of the finest Indian restaurants I've ever been to, and I'd recommend it unreservedly.

Back in Carl's afterwards, we solved every conceivable problem in the universe over more wine, the lads got a taxi back to Bray at 3.00 am, and I stayed over in Carl's. A hectic couple of days, but great fun all in all.