Jude's 40th Birthday

Ok so Marguerite and Jude were away in Florida over Jude's birthday so his 40th birthday party was held back in Boston the following weekend.











Marguerite went to the effort of buying 40 birthday presents for Jude, which you can see all nicely laid out here on the wee table in Apt 52, 111 Park Drive, Fenway, Boston. That was of course really thoughtful, kind and generous of her. Oh my God.....the thought has just hit home.......this wee set of table and chairs will be looking for new owners in the not-so-distant future. Jude's a sentimental sod sometimes and you'd be surprised what he grows attached to...like these for a start and the view out thon window for seconds!!!!!


'Now if only every Saturday morning was like this', says Jude as he settles down to start un-wrapping with his early morning cup of tea.











Marguerite has got Jude one of those funny birthday cards that are meant to cheer you up but do nothing of the sort as they are really just a reminder that you are now officially an auld lad/auld doll.





Sure it was like Christmas morning all over again as Jude got stuck in.












When Marguerite asked Jude what he wanted for his 40th birthday Jude replied, 'now don't be going buck mad buying me stuff that: a) will not get on a plane, b) I do not like, and c) I have absolutely no need for whatsoever. Just keep it simple, buy me simple things I like and I'll be happy'. So Marguerite's 'top-secret-super-well- thought-out' idea of a guitar was blown out of the water at point 'a' then.


Marguerite, already being a little concerned that Jude may miss some things in Boston when he goes home, is clearly planning for the future with this gift - it's a Boston Celtics 2011 calender!!!!!






The latest copy of football mag 'FourFourTwo' (which Jude subscribed to at home) was just perfect....








....as was this super cool Rolling Stones t-shirt.












Loads of effort went into this present.....wha? I mean, tight git or what, why $70, why not $80, $90 or $120? Wha? Tight git!!

Well there is an explanation actually - Jude had spent an hour the previous evening looking for jeans and when he had found a pair he liked he then spent a further 10 minutes looking for a changing room before chucking the jeans in a heap in a corner and storming off mumbling, 'sod this for a game of marbles, I'm off, ye can stick yer jeans'. Folk normally grow out of impatience such as this when they are 12...but not Jude!!!!!!!

Meanwhile Niamh and Victoria have only gone and organised a super fantastic birthday party for Jude at their house. Niamh went to the effort of making this class '40th' cake. Here she is presenting it to Jude. Niamh also made Irish Stew among other things, she's a great cook that doll!!!!!








Soon the party was in full flow as Marguerite, Lauren and Victoria have some fun. Lauren and Victoria are like Niamh's little helpers so they take plenty of the credit too.





Phil asks Jude where he got his cool Beatles t-shirt from as he faancies getting one too. Jude told him this was a special delivery all the way from Liverpool via Ballygalget and eventually to Boston. Kevin (Jude's brother), Lorraine, Aideen (member of Boston Buttons), Megan (member of Boston green Sox) and Amy had sent it over as Jude's birthday present. Aideen, who has just started University in Liverpool England, picked it up over there for his birthday present. It was a perfect match of course as it says 'Hey Jude' on the front. Nice one folks, it's cool!!!!!

Oh yeah...spot the melter!!!!!


Ann Marie, Jude's mucker and colleague at the Irish Immigration Center, gave Jude this class book called 'Skylines' all about the skylines of the major cities in the United States and how they have been developed over the years. A word to the wise - next time it's your birthday, throw a party, ye get loads of presents!!!!!







Sam presents Jude with a wee Southern Comfort......nice. Sam's yer man!!!!

One time Jude and Marguerite's mucker Charlene throw her own birthday party (no-one else organised it so she did it all herself, wha?) and she got about 25 presents, it was nuts but brilliant and ingenious at the same time. Chazza you have your head screwed on mucker!!!!


Pete made a guest appearance at Jude's party and it was good to catch up with him.








More presents!!! Clare wishing Jude a big fat happy 40th with a book on the history of the Boston Red Sox..........cool. Megan chats away in the background.






Everybody brought a dish to the party. The one in the middle with the green wrapper is Marguerite's new specialty - chocolate covered raspberry ruffles balls...............super tasty nice.






Showing off their swagger are Marguerite and Lindsay.












Left to right - Paul, Alli, Marguerite, Pete and Jude in front. Paul is a recent addition to the social gang as he has just recently arrived from Northern Ireland to work at InvestNI.










Kay Kay has also recently started in InvestNI with Marguerite, Niamh and co.








What's that old saying folks...............'your only as auld as the doll yer with', wha? Aye well, that makes Jude 32!!!!!