Our last week of December was pretty quiet. Bill was laid low by the flu and was just starting to feel human again on Jan 1. Needless to say 2008 went out with a whimper. Bill took a nap and woke up at 11:30 to ring in the New Year with a cup of tea. We watched a countdown of favorite comedians as voted by UK viewers. Number one favorite: Billy Connolly.

Thankfully Bill was back to cooking strength on New Year’s Day to make us a tasty, traditional meal of Bacon and Cabbage. The bacon in this meal is a cured, un-smoked pork. More like what my people call ham. He also mashed potatoes with scallions, aka champ. All this was topped with an Irish classic–parsley sauce.

We hibernated for the first couple weekends of the new year. Last weekend we started venturing out again, attending a fun, 60th birthday party on Friday night, dinner in Malahide and a movie (Slumdog Millionaire) with friends on Saturday, and meeting another friend on Grafton Street for lunch on Sunday. We were back on the social scene!

We also realized we felt a little lost with no travel plans on the calendar, so we booked a long weekend in Paris for Februrary. Ahhh, that’s better.

Last week we saw a play on Monday evening–Playboy of the Western World. This 1907 play by J.M. Synge has been updated by Bisi Adigun and the bard of Dublin, Roddy Doyle. This tale of the allure of a mysterious stranger is sad, but hilarious. Friday night we attended an RTE Orchestra concert of Haydn, Rachmaninov, and Mussorgsky. We used part of the Mussorgsky for my bridal processional. Pictures at an Exhibition is an exciting piece and hearing it live better reveals all the instruments and melodies working together. The guest conductor was extremely, um, lively. At one point I thought he was going to crowd surf into the orchestra.

Last night we hung out in the wine cellar at Fallon and Byrne with a couple who is planning an Italian honeymoon. The bride is from Georgia, and is learning that while much of Irish culture is familiar to Americans, wedding traditions can be quite different. We ganged up on the groom-to-be a bit, trying to convince him that a rehearsal dinner is not really that bizarre.

Today after church we tried the new breakfast menu at our local pub. Fried egg sandwiches and chips hit the spot. And for dinner Bill made a spicy and bright pasta puttanesca with some surprising fruity salted capers.

And now, ladies and gentleman, this blog is now current with real time! Enjoy it while it lasts.

Also, at present, the Gunter B&B is completly open for 2009, so dig out your passport and call the airlines. We’d love to see you.

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