OH FOR THE LOVE OF MERLIN! Relax, Kali darling. Of course, I am not going to tell your dear SOUP readers about that party we went to where you... OOOF!! *Proceeds to duck out of the way of a low-flying Bat Bogey Hex*
Well, now, dear SOUP enthusiasts. As you can probably tell, I have returned to grace you with my sporty knowledge and experience in a more entertaining way than our disgruntled friend Kalina could possibly manage right now. The very wise and noble Editors of our wonderful paper decided that it would be more fitting for this month's theme of Birthdays that I would be the one to regale you with some stories of some of the fabulous parties I have been to in recent years. My family and I are often invited to rub shoulders at such events with many famous Duellists and Quidditch players, and boy, do those folks know how to kick back and have a good time!
You may not believe me when I say that even the most uptight of referees get a little loose and verbose once the firewhiskey begins to flow. It really is quite entertaining to watch. Not that I or Lugh would ever spike their drinks to make hilarity more likely. We are not chaos gremlins all the time. I swear!
But for the sake of not waffling on, I am going to tell you about the birthday party I went to just last month. It was for a Quidditch player I am sure you have all heard of. His name is Aiden Lynch, and he used to be the seeker for the Irish National team. Yes, I do mean the Aiden Lynch who played in the infamous Quidditch World Cup that Mr Harry Potter attended when he was younger. As you may or may not know, He turned 50 this year, and to celebrate, his family and friends, including my Father, brothers and myself, all attended the most glorious bash at the Westbury Hotel in Dublin.
You would not believe how splendid it was! The hotel is already one of the most luxurious I have ever stayed in, and it was decorated with the most beautiful patchwork of glittering lights, golden arches made of shamrocks, and crystal everything. It must've cost an absolute fortune! Even for someone as elegant and fluid as I, it was nerve-wracking. Heaven forbid that I had accidentally broken something. I dread to think what the other guests would've said.
But that did not stop some others, I assure you! There was so much I could tell you. Even though I probably shouldn't for fear of being called a gossip. However, for the sake of being a good journalist, I can't not tell you that the guest of honour made an unfortunate choice of outfits. Leaving himself open to a fair amount of ribbing by his ex-teammates. You see.. he wore what was, I am sure, a very lovely white silk suit. But as I'm sure you are aware, white is never going to be a wise choice at an event where you have over 100 boisterous and slightly inebriated sportsmen and women. Needless to say, I pity him for the dry cleaning expense after that mistake.
It was also heard in whispered corners that the Appleby Arrows, a small south coast team that a friend of mine plays for, could be in the process of being sold to The Nimbus Company for an extraordinary amount of galleons! What do you think about that? I mean, I know that Muggle football teams are often owned by large commercial corporations, but that is something new here in the Wizarding World for sure. I have no idea how that will turn out for all the players and support crew. All we can hope is that they are not forced to partake in any ridiculous marketing shenanigans that distract from the game, as that would be a crying shame, don't you all think, readers?
However, back to the party. I will admit that if I were to have a party to mark such an occasion, I think I would have done something very similar. After all, one of the best reasons to have a party is not always the presents and the cake even though I will never say no to more cake but the friends and associates that you share it with. It will definitely be something I remember when I begin to plan my own 21st birthday party for next year. Just remind me NOT to leave Kalina and Lugh in charge of the entertainment. Please? No one ever needs a repeat of the horrifying gnome fashion show they came up with for my 18th *Shudders*
So, until next time I grace your pages, dear readers, have fun and celebrate all the birthdays with as big a bang as possible! - Tabitha