The luck of the Irish?

Well, I'm sorry to say, the same thing has happened again- my Sunday entry appears to only be being published on a Monday- I am terrible! Let's just say, I'll post up whenever I get time. I don't want you all to get your hopes up and then have them dashed when there's nothing for you to read!

To be fair, though, I have a really good excuse for not writing last night. I spent literally 11.30 to 11.30 with the Basel Irish Club yesterday because, when we do BBQs they are whole day things. I can't even begin to tell you how unbelievably glad I was to go to the event, because I had been worrying a fair bit about it and for a while it looked like I might have not gone. Talk about the luck of the Irish...they got my company...ooooh, I'm terrible!!

More of the Amazeballs Sunday in a smidge...but first, as with the best of aything, there has to be worse moments, doesn't there? These weekend has been a bit of a sandwich situation. Friday was great, Saturday a bit crap, Sunday brilliant. Because everybody loves that second piece of bread, right? ;)
Friday, I went into town with a friend. We did some Zentastic shopping and bought matching Zen-looking t-shirts for 3 francs in Chicories- a bit like a friendship bracelet, we'll always be Zen buddies when we wear those tops! Next we went to dinner at Mister Wong's chinese buffet sort of thing. It was weird, because the Chinese restaurant I always got food from at uni was also Mr Wong- ahh memories! Mostly of eating huge plates of food and watching reality tv...

Having a teddy bear's picnic in the forest

Unfortunately there was a wee tad of misunderstanding with me and the women cooking the food. I ordered two chicken satays as I was getting food for two of us. She misunderstood and just brought me two miniscule kebabs. I just looked at her and thought 'What? Do I really look like the sort of person who would only eat two kebabs?? I'm blatantly a big eater...LOOK AT ME!' Anyway, she slags me off to the other workers and they all have a good laugh and I'm just thinking 'I just want some satay, without the side order of snark thanks!' Later on, I tried to go to the bathroom. You needed a password to get in. As if I'd ask the bitchy workers! Luckily another girl came and unlocked it. Phew!

The view from the BBQ

There were some weird sights to be seen from our perch outside the restaurant. A gang of upwards of 20 men in lime green mankinis, stormed past us, singing loudly and vulgarly. 
A man walked past, wearing a knee length kilt and a t-shirt saying 'Pure F*ing Meth'...alright. Advertising your drug preferences. Smaaaart.

On Saturday, the out of date Tuna filling of my weekend sandwich, saw me deciding to be brave, mostly because it's on my bucket list, and going to Paddy's alone, because I wanted to watch some rugby. I showed up, Craig the bartender remembered me, which was (I think) flattering. He put on the rugby for me on a separate screen from the football, but of course, the only tables in the rugby area were big four seater upwards tables. So there I perched, completely alone, sipping a Magners, the only person watching the match. I tried despondently to get some conversation from the waiter. He didn't buy it! And then, just because things were bad enough, a couple came and joined me at their table for a date. There we were, the three of us enjoying some awkward date small talk, the man talked to me about rugby. I was trapped in from leaving in every direction. They were directly in my line of vision for watching the match so it always looked like I was staring at them, even if I was just checking out a particularly fine Springbok in action. All I could think was 'My life is a George Michael music video. Great.'

Luckily, the Sunday horizon was bright and clear and at 11.30, I was illegally dropped off at the BBQ site, my driver having to pretend someone had collapsed and needed picked up quickly in the car. Crazy lady! I was the first one there, and was responsible for that whopping big fire that cooked everyone's meat. Not that I told anyone that. Who likes a girl who can build fires? Nobody! Unless they're very cold.

The BBQ site before everybody else arrived

It was all worth it. I had the best time. I didn't want the day to end. And it didn't. For 12 hours. I met such a great variety of people of all ages and interests and I flitted from one group to the other and had easy chat with everybody. I can't believe how lucky I felt to get to meet such lovely people. And to be able to talk as broadly and slang-ily as I wanted. Knowing nobody would say 'What was that?' They all knew! Plus, I couldn't believe that my pronunciation of my home county would have provided such fascination and delight with the rest all day. A group of us went on to Paddy's from the BBQ to continue the good craic we were having and the craic really did continue on. Of course, by the evening, it was just men and me left. As all the women were wives and mothers and therefore had to look after the children. Although I was the youngest of the group by quite a margin, I still hope I've made some really good friends who genuinely want to keep in touch with me. Maybe. You never can tell when people are all talk though. A lesson I'm quickly learning.

The best part of the day? I have so many favourite parts...

Instead, I'll tell you the worst bit. Not being able to get a tram home. Getting a bus that dropped me in the middle of nowhere in pitch black nighttime. Finding my way home was a wee bit tricky. But I did it.

I'd love to have done Sunday all over again another time. Not to change anything. Just because it was so nice to feel included and liked. And I'd like to feel that again soon.

P.s. I managed to pee in the forest...in literal nature...for the first time in my life...and I feel liberated!!