As some of you know my birthday present this year was this lovely camera.

Not a good image but it was taken on an iPhone 3G and not the camera pictured!

Well I just thought I’d share some of the first few piccies take with it. Future pictures will be available by clicking on the big red ball to the right (the one with iSee written on it!) and there are images up there now. If you can’t see a ball then the link you need is isee.iamlanders.co.uk

Anyway, here ya go..

[View with PicLens]

Picture Key: (Left to right)
Row 1 – View from the front door – Eddie (front) & Hillie (back) – Driveway – House
Row 2 – Our house – Loughrea – Loughrea – Loughrea
Row 3 – Loughrea – Huw – Max – Eddie
Row 4 – Kitchen (& shirtless Brad!) – Work at night – Work at night – Work at Dawn (same as 2nd pic)

We arrived to view the venue at 10.30am as booked and we’re greeted by the duty manager. I knew the events manager wasn’t available as she’d already told me the night before that she wouldn’t be about but I only wanted to look at the rooms and maybe get a price so it didn’t matter too much.

The events manager, Niamh, had told me that the dates I wanted had already been pre-booked by two other couples but they were only pencilled in so she’d call them to see if they’d made their mind up. I explained to her that I’d rather have my party on the actual date of my birthday what with it being a Saturday and all that but I’d be happy to change it if need be. I’d happily have it the week before or even week after if it meant I could have the venue I wanted.

I’ve been to the Galway Bay Hotel quite a few times now. The Duggan’s wedding, meetings, nights out for drinks and such like and I’ve always been impressed by everything. Quite literally everything. The place always looks stunning, the staff are always nice and friendly.

It’s all that which makes me want my birthday there.

It’s all that which makes it so much worse when the treatment we got today was so awful.

I don’t think I’ve ever felt more unwanted! If I didn’t know better I’d swear she was trying to stop us from booking the place. I came home with a couple of brochures on a different hotel, miles away in County Westmeath, rather than gorgeous Galway.

I didn’t get a price but I did get a brochure on booking a conference. Interestingly enough Niamh told me that if I wanted a seated dinner the room she had in mind will hold 250. I told her there would just be a buffet and she said that it would hold many more then. This was great as it was the room I wanted.
Today the duty manager tells me it will only just hold 200 and not really many more for a buffet. The website gives a third figure.

She also told me that they try to save Friday, Saturday and Sundays for wedding so could I possible have my birthday midweek? Well no, not really, I want it at the weekend so my friends can come!

So now I have a dilemma. I really want my 40th at the hotel but I don’t think I want the shite (look I said shite and not shit!) service or weekday party.

Do I compromise or do I find a different venue?

I think I’ll end up finding a different venue given that I’ve still y

et to hear off Niamh or anyone else. All I really wanted was a price but overtime I ask I get fobbed off with another question.

What makes it worse is that the course I’m attending today is the same hotel and I’m heaven. I’m sat in the lounge looking out over Galway Bay and the Atlantic Ocean and it’s lovely. I want the bloody party here but I will not have it midweek. As if she’d even suggest such a thing!

Happy Birthday Brad.

I love you x

So yesterday was my birthday.

I had a lovely peaceful day. No kids, just me, shopping on my own. I didn’t actually buy myself anything but bought a few things for the house. It was still a lovely day.

Affleck took me out for a meal the night before to a lovely restaurant on the marina. Everything was really nice even if his fish was grinning at me all the time.

I had some lovely gifts including DVD’s galore, money and a huge basket of choccies but then today, my brother sent me this…

Fan-fucking-tastic!

Obviously I had to put it on the front gate.

I am refusing to turn 33.

It’s not even old but I’m still refusing to do it.

I shall be forever 29.