Birthdays, Gray Days, Good Days

I had a birthday! I am now twenty-four. Celebrations kicked off last Saturday night and went into the wee hours of Sunday morning. Sunday (my actual birthday) was pretty quiet as I was tired (yes, already showing signs of getting old!) and it was gray and cold. All day it felt like something was off, like it wasn't really my birthday and I couldn't quite put my finger on it, and then suddenly it all become clear. It was June and freezing, which in sunny New Mexico would never happen. Birthdays of past were spent in swimming pools or picnics outside and here I was bundled up in a coat and scarf trying to keep out of the rain. So on Monday the sun came out and I declared to the Irishman that it was a do-over of my birthday as the weather was more appropriate and we had a lovely day starting with brunch and ending with an incredible dinner at Shanahan's on the Green. The restaurant's moniker is "an American steakhouse" and is very fancy and prestigious. We arrived early and went to the downstairs bar known as The Oval Office, adorned with photos of U.S. Presidents, large leather chairs, and carpet with the seal of the U.S. The atmosphere begged for a whiskey and that's just what I ordered. I saluted Kennedy, Clinton, and Lincoln and sipped away. Dinner was, of course, steak and it was hands down the most delicious steak I have ever had. I don't even really like steak. It was also the largest steak I have ever seen but I somehow managed to eat the whole thing along with a side of sweet creamed-corn and mashed potatoes. I ordered a pistachio-raspberry something-in-French for dessert. Then the waiter brought this over with some champagne. I really am spoiled, I know.

They even spelled my name right!

The Queen had her Diamond Jubilee over the weekend and all I can say is that off all 365 days in the year she chose my birthday, clearly a sign of how those born on June 3 are of royal prestige or something like that.

I am going to be volunteering in a gallery space over the summer and last week I gave my first tour. It's fun talking about art and meeting new people. Plus I was given two books on art and some bananas. Not too shabby.

We are still apartment/house/whatever we can get hunting. At this point I simply find the whole thing frustrating. Being an adult is so complicated! Why does no one ever tell you that? The weather has continued to be tempermental-cold and rainy one day and sunny and 60 degrees the next (or hot as the Irish call it). Now, I'm sure you're thinking why is this silly girl always complaining about the rain? Surely she must be used to it by now. Surely she knew what she was getting into when she up and decided to move to Ireland. Yes, I did know that it rains here but I was also tricked. The first two times I came to Ireland it was summer and was lovely! Not as warm as  New Mexico but not cold and raining either. So, I foolishly assumed it was like this every summer and the rain was mostly a winter thing. Oh, if only.

I am still running, I start week four of nine this week which means I'm almost have way there. My green monster smoothies now represent an appetizing shade of green as I have adjusted the spinach to non-spinach ratios.

Last night I went to a reading of work of one of my favourite authors, Jeanette Winterson. Her latest book is titled Why be Happy When You Could be Normal? I have read almost all of her work since I first stumbled across her books in college. You could say I have a literary crush on her. That and her love of organic farm-fresh food practically means we should be best friends. Of course all I could say to her as she signed my copy of her book was "You're amazing" or something to that degree of ridiculous, dumbfounded glee. I was too afraid to say anything else for fear of coming off as incredibly ineloquent, as she is someone for whom eloquence and wit seem to be second nature. Oh well, I'm still delighted that I was able to meet her and here her speak about her life and work. Maybe I will visit her organic food shop/cafe in London.

Tomorrow I am going to Dundalk with the theatre company and on Friday to Belfast for the International All Ireland Theatre Conference! Now, I must go on my run, while the weather is still amicable. By the way, running in the rain and puddle jumping should be the next Olympic sport. I am also pondering making banana bread with the several browning bananas I have.