Halloween window

A glorious day, but no chance to get out and about in it. Before I realised where the morning had gone, it was time to make my way across town to today's music session, in Ballsbridge. I was a bit concerned of being caught in traffic due to Stephen Gately's funeral, but wasn't affected along the route I took.

Apart from the music itself, which was great stuff, today was notable because the group made its decision about next year's city destination. By a large majority, it was agreed that we'll go to Berlin in 2010, attending operas and concerts there in and around the May holiday weekend. These trips began in 2001, and this is the first time that we'll return to one of the cities we've already been to (Berlin was previously honoured with our presence in 2002).

I didn't join the gang for after-music booze and chat, but went straight over to Carl's to give him a hand with preparations for a dinner party he'd decided to give for a couple of neighbour friends who proved hugely supportive of me during the months of my surgery and convalescence. They arrived at 8.00 pm and left at 2.30 am or so, after what proved to be a wonderfully successful evening. Apart from my duties as commis-chef, I was also needed to provide transport while essential last-minute purchases were made (principally, from far from exclusively, alcohol). That's when I saw this shop window on a sidestreet in Dún Laoghaire, nicely decorated for Halloween.