October Weekend

Recently there was an online post written by an American (to other Americans) who had spent a year living in Britain and Ireland about some of the differences between the continents. Apart from being awfully funny to us local yokels, there were scraps of insight, as you might expect, of how others see us. One of those scraps went along the lines of; 'A bar is called a pub and is actually a sort of communal living room.' All the people I have repeated this to have firstly laughed and secondly agreed.

On Friday night last in Ellen's that was particularly apparent. It was a filthy night out, lashing rain, too dark for the moon to be seen, and the wind rising to gale force. In fact the wind was so strong that the front of the pub was bolted closed and everyone was splashing through the mud to the back to get in...where else but the West do you try every door in the pub to see which is open? As a result there were only about fifteen or so die-hards crammed into the small dimly lit front bar, elbow to elbow with fiddles, bodhrán, guitars, an accordion and a dancer. The drink was flowing alongside the music and of course, coming up to Hallowe'en, there had to be ghost stories.

Now the thing you have to understand about Irish ghost stories is that they are a most singular genre; they can be startling, horrid, gory, fearsome, suspenseful, true, imagined, but are as likely to end in laughter and argument as tingling fear. In fact, the one thing they generally are not, is macabre, although you may want to check under the beds when you get home...also, to an academic, they often have no beginning or end or apparent resolution. A really good Irish ghost story is as much the starting point for conversation as a story in itself, and there was never yet an Irishman who didn't have an opinion and like to hear himself propound it!

And so it was that we told ghost stories, and, being western Irish, we told true stories as well as imaginary ones, and laughed, and looked to each other for more. And then back to the music, some poetry, insult and laughter, more music, and then, refreshed, back to the real world of driving rain, wind and the road home.

Yes, the Irish communal living rooms are as alive and well as their music and their story telling.

Thankful Thursday...oops! it's Friday!

Thou hast given so much to me,

Give one thing more- a grateful heart;

Not thankful when it pleaseth me,

As if thy blessings had spare days,

But such a heart whose pulse may be

Thy praise. (George Herbert.)



Yesterday I went to Dublin for the day with Mum, to visit the Knitting and Stitching Show at the RDS, which is why Thankful Thursday is late! So, first my 'Thankfuls' and then my 'Yesterday'!



1. Thankful that last week with the Ma-in -law went so well and I think she had just as good a time as us.



2. Thankful I have managed to catch up on the weariness as well as the chores this week, and am feeling more able for the next half of term and the School and Church music run-up to Christmas.



3. Thankful that the Hub's workplace has lifted the ban on overtime so that he can catch up on all the engineering maintenance as well as accumulated bills, and order oil for us this winter. God's perfect timing AGAIN people!!!



4.Thankful that on Wednesday two lovely things happened:- a friend arrived with a load of eggs (http://heartwarmingtreasures.blogspot.com/2009/10/country-saying.html), and then Mom brought her God-daughter to visit my quilt frame so she could figure how to do a similar home-made article. Both those visitors are great people and it was up-lifting to catch up with them and their family newses!



5.Thankful that I got the gumption to start selling my sewings on ebay.ie. It took me three 'go's' of at least two hours each to upload the first item, but finally I got it sorted, and I am hoping to upload some more bags as well as three lap quilts when I've finished writing to y'all! Some extra dosh would be nice, but also I think I need to achieve this for my own self-esteem, if that doesn't sound too corny? Anyhow, first bag here: http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170400277861&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT! (As you can see,links are my strong point!)



6. (Afraid I just gotta keep going here...) Thankful Sos and Dilly had a good time together in Dublin this week and they were kept safe from harm- God minds 'airheads' too!

7. Thankful that, although B wants a Hallowe'en Party, she wants a traditional one with a 'Torch Walk' down the lane through the mud and flooded Trickle, a campfire with melted marshmallows, a Barm Breac with tokens and story-telling. Dirty, wet and great fun, no 'nasties'. I dislike the ghosties and ghouls aspect and I am thankful she chose this alternative herself.

8. And the last one; thankful that Mum and I had a lovely day yesterday in Dublin!

We went up on the first train which left at 8.30am, but was really as bus as far as Dromod as they are replacing the bridge across the Shannon. After Mullingar the train was packed as I guess lots of folks fancied a day out! We got the Dart across to Ballsbridge and walked to the RDS (Royal Dublin Society) where we met friends of Mum and had lunch in the Club Members Lounge. It is the most glorious old building and besides that, holds memories for me of being taken there as a child by my Grandmother.



At about 2.30 we finally hit the Show (I thought the grown-ups would never stop talking and get on!), so here are a few photos for your interest:



I was very restrained in my purchases!

Some of the Irish Patchwork Society's exhibits, the theme was 'Journeys'.

This one was stunning, and my photo doesn't do it justice: An overview from the upper gallery, its a pretty old hall, Victorian perhaps? Big enough but not huge like a modern Convention Center, so the aisles are a bit narrow and a lot is crammed in.

After a cuppa tea we got the bus into town for some Department Store browsing and price checks (as in 'Who'd pay that?', 'Ye Gods!'-one of Mum's favourites, '239 euro for THAT?', 'Not bad for a 37 piece Dinner Service, but what are the extra seven pieces?', 'Aren't they cute but I wouldn't want it in my house!'...get the drift?), snacks for the train and a newspaper. Then the Luas back to Connolly Station in the lamp-lit city where we had another cup of tea/coffee and I chatted to a guy carrying a double bass as I remember the days well when I carted my 'bass around and received all the stick- 'big violin, does it fit under your chin?' and 'did your guitar grow?' being the two main ones. I heard someone saying the identical things to this guy which is why I stopped to chat.

Then the last train (and bus) back to Sligo where we were met by the relevant husbands and home just before 11pm.

It was a nice day out, a pleasant break in routine. Sos returned from Dublin on an earlier bus, gathered two friends and headed out on the raz. There appear to be three cocoons on the sitting room floor this morning so I guess its them? And B had a quiet day at home until the Hub returned from his shift and dragged her out to shop for supper...pizzas, despite there being plenty to eat in the fridge and cupboards! Typical Dad! Mine would do the same!

I'm Back!

Ladies and Gentlemen, Umbrellas and walking sticks...I'd like to inform you that its back to business as usual!
The past week went grand, and I think that one's Ma-in-law had a good time. After her and the Hub's safari round all the relations in UK it was a fairly quiet week. They had one long day out to the Ceide Fields in Mayo, but mostly just went for scenic drives and long walks locally.

The first evening she arrived B and her friend went to the School Hallowe'en Disco, which is rather a highlight of the term. All the school discos are great fun and all three girls have enjoyed them over the years- they are so strictly 'policed' by the teachers that I've always reckoned it to be a controlled exposure to 'going out'. B and her friend dressed as 'Good Conscience' and 'Bad Influence', and here they are with Ma!
Another morning we took the dogs with us and had a lovely long walk on Streedagh Beach.

On Friday it was School Prize Day, and since Dilly had come down to see Ma, Dilly, Sos and Ma went to Prize Day. B was singing in the Choir. They all enjoyed it, and then Dilly took them all out to lunch in town, and around the French Market, which is here for the October Bank Holiday Weekend each year.

Saturday morning the Hub took Ma to Dublin Airport to return to East Africa, and Dilly to collect the trunks we'd lent to the theater in August. Dilly remained in Dublin as she had work on Sunday.

After that I ground to a complete halt and it has taken me until today to catch up on cleaning, laundry, tidying up and replenishing the pantry! This afternoon Sos got the bus to Dublin to stay with Dilly and see what her work entails, as well as going to two plays. B has just returned from a day in town with a friend wherein they went to the cinema.

And so it goes. This week is half-term for B and Reading Week for the other two so I plan to take it easy and do lots of quilting! Early start tomorrow morning though as my car is finally in the garage and the Hub leaves for work at 5.15am, and guess who is driving???