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March 21, 2004
40th Birthday at the Castle - Yanda Pics
For about a year, maybe more, my darling sweet little bunnykins, Dr. Vicki, has been asking me what I wanted to do for my 40th birthday. I had always answered, "I want to rent a castle for a week. I want everyone I've ever known to come. There needs to be a moat and tennis courts and beautiful women in revealing outfits and we need to have a big ass party!"
I never actually meant it, however. I assumed it would be far too expensive and ridiculous. But then one Sunday morning, I was laying in bed, reading the paper, and she asked me once again and I replied with my stock answer. Except this time, in the paper I was reading there was an article about Belle Isle Castle in Northern Ireland and so I showed the article (which was quite glowing) to her and said, "Here! I want to go here and we'll invite everybody and it will be really cool! Look it's on an island; that's as good as being surrounded by a moat. And it's got a tennis court. And it's perfect!"
She threw up her hands as always and said, "Right. What do you really want to do". I ignored her because I had now reached the end of the article and found that you could rent the entire castle which sleeps 14 people for about £1200 for a weekend. "Holy shit! I said, this is actually kind of affordable! It's less than £100 per person!"
And so we started working towards the castle plan. We looked at a few other castles and chateaux hither and yon but eventually came back to Belle Isle because it sounded like the best deal and wasn't too hard to get to from London.
Rather than a week, we cut it down to just a long weekend. The estate had some more accommodation near the castle so we looked into hiring a bit more of that and started inviting people. There wasn't room for everyone and so my apologies to all those that I didn't invite. To those that I did invite and who turned me down, you are all a pack of fools! What the heck were you thinking? That you'll just go to the next castle party you get invited to?
In the end there were 24 of us, almost all from England. My mother came from Canada and my friend Derrick came from... wherever the hell it is he calls home at the moment. He's kind of an international man of mystery so, although originally he's from Canada, he actually flew in from Geneva and has a Saipan address. A couple more friends came from Lancaster, but everyone else was a Londoner.
My charming spouse, Dr. Vicki, wanted to get me into a tux for the party on Saturday night so after a bit of hemming and hawing we decided on a Jame Bond theme. I was hoping this would prod the women into going a bit sexy and, My God, but it worked beautifully! And I mean, "beautifully"! Damn! But I've got some good-looking friends.
In order to keep costs down, Dr. Vicki volunteered to cook Friday and Sunday nights and we just told everyone to fend for themselves for breakfasts and lunches. (Mark did stellar breakfast duty for all on the Sunday morning.) Saturday night was catered so Vicki could relax a bit. We hired a coach from a Lakeland Tours in Enniskillen to get everyone to and from the airport and rented a car for the weekend to pick up groceries and booze.
The castle and rest of the accommodation was absolutely beautiful, far nicer than I expected. Most people chipped in to help with the cooking and cleaning and I think everyone had a grand time. There was poker. And cigars. And a piano and people who could actually play it. And tennis, and an expedition to the local pub, and boats that I don't think anyone used, and dancing, and booze, and board games, and Bond Girls and Bond Villains, and fun, and romance, and sun, and rain, and fun. Did I mention the fun?
Anyway, I'm definitely going to do it again in another 40 years. Thanks to everyone for coming out.
Posted by YandaMan at March 21, 2004 11:18 PM
Category:
Britain (except for London)
Comments
Well count me in for that if I am still living in 40 years! My boots should be broken in by then :-)
Can we bring Cranium along with us again ?
well had an absolute blast with a great crowd and look forward to many more of them
j xx
Posted by: Crazy Landlord at March 22, 2004 10:33 AM
Hellos to you, Chris and Dr. Vicki -
I claim the dubious honour of being the first person to wake you guys up on the Saturday of Castle weekend. Although I didn't mean to. And forgot to wish Chris a Happy Birthday, because it was all too weird to be chasing you down in Ireland when I thought you were in Islington, getting ready for the party. Lost the schedule in there somewhere.
Wish I'd caught up with you during my visit to Marie, but was on the run a bunch and sick with a lethal cold for almost 3 weeks, which knocked the middle out of the trip. Nothing to share with anyone, even though Princess Hannah shared it with me.
Marie, Mike, Hannah and I went to France for lunch one Sat. - Haywards Heath to Dover to Calais to Boulogne - took the Seajet Hovercraft - Hannah's a born sailor - rolled with every wave. It was great to get out there and see some new stuff.
Marie and I belted into London on the fastest shopping trip in our history - didn't have a long stretch with the other Grandma doing the baby-sitting. We'll be better organized next time.
Hope you're both in the best of spirits and health - if I ever find your email address again, I'll use it.
TTFN - Karen.
Posted by: Karen Blanchet at April 26, 2004 7:40 PM