Synchronicity

I was born in 1962, which means I turn 62 this year. I'm taking that as a sign it will be a phenomenal year.

The festivities began a week early with the trip to Mount Stewart (see earlier post). This, my birthday weekend, began with dinner at an amazing Vietnamese restaurant in Ballyhackamore with my friend Ali. Earlier, she stopped by with presents from herself and her sister Christine. She documented this for Christine.

Then we cycled to the restaurant and were just bowled over by the flavours. It makes you realise what food CAN be, kind of like the meal I enjoyed with Dara in Lisbon. Unbeknownst to me, Ali sneaked in a cake and, when the waiters delivered it, the whole restaurant sang happy birthday.

Friday morning was golf then lunch with my friend Lynda at a garden centre. Saturday, actual birthday, I went to the driving range in the morning. I've been playing really badly on the course so I was hoping the range would help me sort myself out. I played a game called Nearest the Pin and, for the month of April, I was top of the leader board. This is a very forgiving game – it overlooks all the bad shots – but it gave me a boost after some dreadful golf on the course. Ranked third is my coach's wife. Note the difference in handicaps. The game adjusts for handicaps so she has to be pinpoint accurate to get a point, whereas I can still spray quite widely and be given points.

Then I went to the John Lavery (1856-1941) exhibit at the Ulster Museum, which was lovely. Belfast born, Paris-trained, his colour pallette is lovely. He was influenced by John Singer Sargeant, another favourite artist. What I enjoyed as much as his galleries was the prequel gallery showing other Irish artists of the time, including Jack Butler Yeats. There were some fantastic paintings in that room.

Home, walked Paddy, then back into town for lunch with Ben, the Queen's student, followed by an afternoon at a Ten X 9 event, when nine story tellers share true stories on a theme. The theme this time was very broad – the stories just had to be funny. Which they were. One of the speakers worked in a call centre in Derry, where she learned where Uganda is: "Up at the house with your gran."

I'd like to have gone to a swing dance Saturday night but I was worn out and happy to stay home with my book. And happy to have so many friends make my day special.

Including my best friend.

Paddy is the best thing that has happened to me since moving to Northern Ireland. I got very lucky with my job – well paid and interesting – and I am happy with the home I bought and the friends I've made, but few things lift my heart like my dog. Birdsong is another thing that takes me right out of myself and into a moment of grace – as in the undeserved gifts so generously offered to us. Sunday morning I had Paddy at Belvoir Forest, where there is lots of birdsong and a river-swimming otter-springer.

I also played golf Sunday – badly – and went to Banana Block for some yummy vegan food. Monday's treat was dinner with Marta McCave, who hired me at Vanguard in 1999. She has been retired quite a few years and, with her husband Rich, is traveling the world. Their photos on Facebook look like a Vanguard brochure promoting saving for retirement (or Viagra, as she pointed out). They had taken a taxi tour, so a lot of our conversation was around what was and was not said on the tour. As in, where we stand now WRT tensions between Catholics and Protestants.

Tuesday's treat was to see Johannes Radebe, of Strictly Come Dancing. I am a huge fan because of his talent, his humour, his manners, his graceful way of working with other dancers. He is a very kind, compassionate soul and I enjoy listening to him as much as watching him dance.

He has 10 dancers and two singers in his show. The costumes are out of this world and the choreography is excellent. It was a thoroughly entertaining night. I was on such a high, I didn't mind that I got on the Glider going the wrong way (to West Belfast instead of East). When I got off and crossed the street, I had to wait only 10 minutes for the next bus. At 10:30 pm on a Tuesday night. Not bad.

All in all, a good weekend. Lots of friends new and old, lots of good food, and even time to sit and read a good book – The Gathering by Anne Enright.

30 April