Black Tie

Last week I received an email from the managing director of the Ireland office inviting me to a Black Tie Charity Ball sponsored by the Irish Canadian Business Association. My first reaction was OH NO I have nothing in Ireland to wear to something like that!!! I sat in my desk chair at work and realized the event was only 10 days away and one weekend is NOT enough time for me to find something suitable to wear and even if I did find something, it would be so ridiculously expensive. So, I called my mom in a panic and she went to my house gathered a dress, shoes, a handbag and a wrap and shipped it all to Ireland. Mom you are amazing!

The event was last night and it was fun! My company sponsored a table and some of us on assignment were invited...everyone else on assignment is from Canada, so they were pretty excited to hear the Canadian Ambassador speak. It is one of those nights that makes you feel like a little kid playing dress up. Apparently a tux in Ireland does not include the different versions like the vest. They consider that just a suit, so all the guys were in black tuxes with bow ties. There were beautiful ball gowns and of course the simple black dress. It was a night of wonderful food and they raised money for Crohn's disease research.

I head back to the states soon, so I need to start packing and preparing. I am flying to Germany to meet my parents tomorrow and spend the week traveling with them in Germany, Austria and Slovakia. Then one more week of work and I head home. I am getting excited to see family and friends and just to be in my own house and bed and to drive a car!!