Social event after social event...

Ok, so seeing the anonymous commenter has returned, and has reminded me of what I should be writing about, here goes...

Tuesday afternoon was our afternoon out with the lecturer - we lunched in Cafe-en-Seine on Dublin's Dawson Street. From the outside, it looks like a small pokey cafe. However, when you go inside, it opens out into two vast chambers with a huge bar, great atmosphere and good food.

The afternoon was pleasant and relaxing after a busy term.

More happened on Tuesday, but we'll stick for now with the social event after social event details. So last night was the next actual social event - we had the college Christmas dinner and party.

The kitchen staff were amazing, producing a great Christmas dinner, and a good atmosphere with the refectory (the dining room) ambiently lit by candles. After speeches, and the announcement of the new Sacristans (congratulations to Stephen and Martin), we retired to the Hartin Room for the party.

As tradition dictates, the first years were in charge of the organising, and they did a great job. The theme was James Bond - so lots of tuxes and evening gowns were on show. A couple of guys even made it in full highland dress! My costume consisted of turning up in a dressy shirt and black trousers, and I brought my duvet too - I was an undercover agent!

As well as lots of music and dancing, there was a 'Test the Congregation' quiz - with awfully difficult questions - and some Awards. I came away with one of them - the Preaching Award, for which I got a wooden spoon, with which to stir up some challenge!

When the dancing started again, I retired to my room as tiredness came over me. I missed the piper, but sure I see enough bagpipes in the year!

And thus we come to the end of the social update!

Hallowe'en

There we are... another Hallowe'en has come, so the goose must be fat by now...

Today has been rather strange, in fact, most of this past week, with the good weather - today I was down in the city without a coat, just wearing shirt and a hoodie... if this is global warming, then is it all bad???

Hallowe'en isn't really all that important for me... I've never, I confess, been at a fancy dress party. Never! The closest thing to a fancy dress thing were probably the fireworks nights in Dromore years ago, organised by the Dromore Civic Group (I can't mind their real title)- where there was a dressing up competition, a parade through the Square and then fireworks - at the Fire Station, appropriately enough, so the fire fighters wouldn't have too far to go if there was a problem! And even then, dressing up was a 50p witch mask and a 10p bin liner... hardly pushing the boat out! Glenn and me even made it onto the front page of the Dromore Leader one year in our costumes...

In more recent times, my only fancy dress experience was Lynn's 'big' birthday the other year, when it was 70's gear all the way...

Oh, and I might as well say it before someone wisely comments on my dressing up as Cilla Black at the BB Display about 4 years ago... I'm not sure that any photos exist - I hope not anyways!

But Hallowe'en this year for me is going to be leading the Sung Compline service in Chapel at 9.15pm. And I suppose I get dressed up for it - if you'll allow the cassock to be considered dressing up!