Champions League final weekend

It's the weekend of the Champions League final and Jude had a wee party in the apartment to watch the the game between Manchester Utd and Barcelona. Marguerite had scooted off to Rockport for the day with a couple of her friends so that meant the lads had the place to themselves.







The Champions League final weekend started off with a game of softball. This game ended 11-9 to the Irish Red Sox. The standards have now risen somewhat from this year's first game, as everyone becomes more familiar with the game. Also at every game you will notice a few new faces, just like in this pic.







And as always the 10th inning of the game is held in Emmetts pub. It's at this stage that the slagging about tonight's game starts in earnest. Like for example, take David there on the left he's from Mayo and couldn't catch a cold, poor fella, the joke is he is bringing a pair of step ladders to the next game so he can catch those balls which he flaps at as they sail 18 inches over his head. Or take Stephen there in the blue, he's from Derry he was called out at first base and moaned about it for days, poor fella ain't over it yet, he may never get over it!!!!


Oh......Jude took the first pic so here is the team pic with him in it.












A little over 24 hours later and the tension is building as the today is the big day everyone has been waiting for for weeks, it's Champions League Final day, Manchester United v Barcelona. The Derry boys have got the 'T' to Summit Ave to meet Jude. Here they are looking cool as ever, I mean check out the shorts there.....wha?

In a bid to put on a good party Jude had been out that morning stocking up on crisps, dips, popcorn, cheese-pineapple-ham cocktail stick thingys, and....................


.........Man Utd balloons!!!!!! Wha?

Jude had more red, white and black balloons than ye could chuck a dart at and stuck right in there in the middle was this super class football balloon. It was like a professionally organised party!!!!!

As the match kicked off the scene was set for a super day at 32 Winchester St. However things soon began to go pear-shaped as everyone quickly realised that today was not going to be Utd's day. Barcelona the took the cup with a 3-1 victory.

The lads had organised 'first goalscorer' bets, correct score bets, the heap, but of course Jude won diddly-squat.




But despite the result the party was a good one. Here are the lads all lined up with thon balloons in the background. Left to right: Jude, Ciaran, Tom 'I nutmegged Darron Gibson', Ian, Bryan, Daragh and Darren 'I love Fermanagh'.










What's the best way to get over a bad defeat in football? Head out on the town, that's what. And that's just what the lads did, as they visited Cityside in Cleveland Circle and finished off in the Coolidge Corner Clubhouse where this pic was taken.








This is the scene in the living room of the apartment the next morning. All the Man Utd balloons had died but the football one lived on (is there some kind of freaky spiritual message in there.....eh....maybe not then). Jude had got up early to watch the whole match again. Much to Marguerite's amazement he was cheering Utd on and actually shouting things like, 'go on score, go on', etc even though he knew the result. 'Eh....Jude he's not going to score.....eh Utd lost, HELLO!!!! the game was yesterday, what are you like?', rambled Marguerite. But Jude, being loyal to the core, cheered them on to the final whistle regardless and amazingly at the end of the 2nd viewing of the game..............the score remained 3-1 to Barcelona!!!!

Eventually he did get over it. But how? It would take something good to forget this......



...........well by going to Niamh's 'welcome to summer' BBQ, that's how. Niamh is flying solo these days after her long term side-kick-partner-in-crime Victoria fled to watch the Royal wedding and has not been seen since. Niamh retains the ability to put on a great BBQ though. Here is a pic of her magical mystery potion diesel. Pure rocket fuel!!!!






Marguerite sported her cool new dress to the BBQ party. As Jude and her made their way to the BBQ (a 10 min walk to Niamh's) at least 4 folk on the street complimented her on her cool dress. Very nice it is too!









Meanwhile Niamh's BBQ is in full flow. Here she is going clean buck mad with her bubbler wand thingy......much to Lauren and Nancy's amusement.

'Hehehe, bout ye, check out me Armagh bubbles folks', muttered Niamh.







Ok this is an odd picI know, but it's a cool one all the same. It's one of Niamh's Armagh bubbles!!












'How do you like your chicken Jude', asked Marguerite. 'Dead, make sure the blighters dead', was Jude's response.











This is actually a pic of Amanda but one of Niamh's bubbles has invaded the pic. Amanda is the new Victoria. Well, by that I mean she has taken over the room vacated by Victoria, eh.....and she's just as mad as Vicky.









Marguerite polished off the weekend with a shot of this diesel. Moments later the party ended as the police arrived and turfed everyone out at 12.05am for being too noisey!!!!!! Wha?