What a race!

I don't have a very big garden!  Actually it's not really a garden at all.  Just some decking surrounded by narrow flowerbeds and a few pots scattered around.  But it's my little domain and refuge, and I like to keep it nice.  I like planting stuff, digging with a spade is good therapy, or simply getting stuck in with your bare hands is also very therapeutic and rewarding.  And it's great to watch the results grow, literally!

But for years I have had to share my little plot with some of the other creatures on this earth!  Ugly one's that leave a slimy trail behind them.  And they eat all the nice stuff that I plant. Apologies to all slug and snail lovers.  But, lets call a spade a spade (ha!) and live with the fact that, snails are ugly - in my opinion, and a nuisance - in most gardeners opinion!  We have a constant battle for domination, which every year I lose! 

So today I noticed an article in the newspaper about snails and I thought, before reading it, great, this will give me loads of useful tips on how to eradicate them or at least, keep the creatures at bay!  Well, to my dismay, that wasn't the case.  It just told me some interesting facts about how they have great homing senses (that must be how they keep coming back after I throw them over next doors wall!) and how they have amazing reproduction skills (yes, that is very evident by their increasing numbers in my garden!) and how they are very hard to destroy (eh...like I didn't know that already!). 

But I also learned a very interesting fact!  There are annual World Snail Racing Championships!  Yes, you read that right, and they even have their own web site http://www.snailracing.net/!  I'm lost for words.

I am going home this evening to check out that website and look upon my snail community with renewed interest and perhaps some respect.  I might even think about planting some nice leafy plants to encourage them in!!  If I play my cards right and look after them, we could, at last, have an Irish World Champion on our hands!

Maybe I should give them names, any suggestions?  How about "Winning streak", or "Slime your man"...

I better go round and pick up all those slug and snail pellets I put down last night......I hope I'm not too late....

Every day's a learning day!

Stood outside for a minute, I know I have to go in but I'm just working up the courage.  Walked in through the doors, they opened automatically, wow.  I'm impressed, very modern, very bright, lots of glass, not like I imagined it to be.  But inside, it's still a school.  It has those polished tiled floors, that every school has as standard issue, and lots of corridors with lots of doors!  A big busy office with a glass window in it, for students with queries to queue up outside.  And of course, a huge notice board with bits of paper every shape and size stuck to it at many an angle.  I stood and read some of them, I now have a number to ring if I want a tattoo or my wellingtons customized.

It has that school smell too.  You know the smell, it reminds you of chewing gum stuck to the sole of your shoe.  Or the polish that your Granny used to use.  Or some small dead creature in a corner that you can never find.  Or the spare bedroom, when you go in having forgotten to open the window for over a week.

It's a long time since I have been at an evening class, so I was a bit nervous, but I sort of remember how the whole thing works.  My class doesn't start for a few weeks, but I went  in tonight for an induction, and a look around.

I'm following the 'Canteen' signs but I am lost already, how am I ever going to find my way around when classes do finally start?  After a few wrong turns, dead ends and ending back where I started a couple of times, I finally find the Canteen, and my 'Mentor'.

He handed me a cup, and a folder.  The cup contained coffee, the folder contained the course content.  Lucky he didn't mix them up.  The coffee was good, the course content was....96 pages long!  Yikes!!  I'm scanning the Canteen for the emergency exit, so that I can make a quick getaway!

We had a brief look together at the course subjects, and after reassuring my Mentor (and trying to convince myself) that I had no problem with it, we were off for a tour of the classrooms.  Is a classroom not just a classroom?  Apparently not!  There are several styles.  Conference room style, Theater style, 'relaxed' classroom style and just plain old ordinary classroom style, the style I am familiar with, all the desks pointing one direction, with the Teacher at the top.  Mine will be the relaxed classroom style, desks placed around the room, facing each other and the Teachers desk in the middle.  I like the idea of the relaxed bit, I hope I can be as relaxed as the room!  But on occasion, I may have to use one of the other ones, if the lecture calls for a projector etc.  This is all very confusing, and nobody mentioned projectors or infra red pointers or laptop presentations......Have I bitten off more than I can chew?

I am wondering what the students in my class will be like, coming from all over and with different levels of skills.  And also, different attitudes and aptitudes!  I hope my skills are good enough to keep up.  I would hate there to be too many questions that I don't know the answers to!  But I suppose that's what learning is all about.    

It was a strange experience and all in all, a very enjoyable one.  I know I have a bit of work to do between then and now, but I am beginning to look forward to when the classes actually start.

It will be weird being back in the classroom again, especially as this time, I will be the Teacher....

Deer oh deer!

Just back from my evening stroll in Cruagh Wood.  Always a pleasant trek, and tonight was no exception.  The sun was shining on the pathway making the granite particles glisten like diamonds underneath my feet.  The birds were singing, the water was trickling down the side of the mountain over the rocks and moss, making small pools at the side of the pathway, and my boots were making their usual crunching sounds on the gravel.  There was no breeze and the trees were still, it was peaceful and calm.

The dog was running from side to side in his usual busy way, sniffing every blade of grass and investigating the rock pools for frog spawn, or anything else of interest he could find.  All making for a very enjoyable experience.  Near the end of the walk, just minutes before we got back to the car park, the dog became even more animated and it was difficult to hold on to him.  I found myself being dragged down the hill faster than I would have liked to go.

Then all of a sudden, I saw the reason for his delight.  And what a delight it was for me too.  Two deer standing still, watching.   Wondering who was strolling in their back yard!!  Amazing.  I  have been up there many times, most evenings in fact, and I have only seen a deer on one other occasion.  And that time he was running in the distance.  But these two were much closer and very still.  I tried to stop so that I could watch them for a minute, but the dog was straining on his leash, and it took all my strength to keep him under control.  As soon as they had appeared they disappeared again, leaving Rusty distraught, and me smiling in amazement.  What a brilliant sight.  Lucky the dog was on his leash otherwise he would have gone after them and I would have never seen him again!!

I had to Google them when I came home to see what kind of deer they were, I think they were Red Deer but I can't be sure.  It makes no difference, they were still lovely, and it was lovely to see them.

I wonder did they have to Google me to see what species I am....  :-)

Do we really need to know?

I like to read the results of surveys, sometimes they can reveal interesting trends or funny patterns in human behaviour.

For example, when questioned about favourite colours, every country surveyed, picked blue as their first choice but no country agreed on a second favourite colour.  Interesting! Is that because it's the colour of the sky.  Ireland couldn't have been included in that survey, the answer would have been gray....

A survey done in the US revealed that Indian women were the most stressed, with Mexican women coming in second and Russian women third.  Did the Irish come last in this section?

A British survey revealed that 50 year olds are fitter now, than when they were in their 20's.  Apparently it's because they eat more vegetables!  Duh!!  I don't know anyone in their 20's that eats vegetables, they all live on beer as far as I can tell.

An Australian survey shows that Sex Workers are the most trusted 'Professionals'.  - I have no comment on that one!!

Here in Ireland we also do surveys and publish the results.  And today we published the startling facts on:

"The amount of time that people spend in the Loo"!

Apparently, we do more in the Loo, than just use the toilet!
We spend 82 minutes a month on 'me time' in the bathroom.  (Well who else's time would it be??)
We spend 67 minutes a month 'romantic' time in there with our partners.  (I'm feeling a little cheated after reading that particular result!)
44% of us read in there!
33% of us sing in there!
24% of us make phone calls in there!
9% of us surf the net in there!
And
(most worrying of all results) one in seven parents see it as a playroom for their children.

We either need to rename our 'Toilets' or I need to stop reading.....

One small step...

I got into the car with my Son yesterday.  Nothing unusual about that, I hear you say.  No, not really, except that this time it was him that was behind the wheel.  He has been having lessons.  But, I have never seen him behind the wheel, hear him discuss his driving ability, or the pros and cons of driving.  Of course I always asked after each lesson, but as with all young men, I just got a monosyllabic reply.

I put on my best smiling nonchalant face and buckled myself in.  I tried to avoid the urge to grip the sides of my seat tightly with both hands.  I found myself sitting with my feet outstretched and my hand gripping the safety handle and staring straight out through the windscreen.   I was wishing I was back in my rallying days when I had a safety harness and a helmet and a roll bar in the car (and an experienced driver!).

He got in a casual and relaxed as ever, adjusted the seat and the mirror, checked all around him and took off.  Just like that, no nerves, no stress, no checking all round him to find where everything is in this unfamiliar vehicle.  How do boys do that?  I have to check where everything is, figure out how air con works, find the on/off switch for the radio, and remember which button changes the stations.  But not him, he seemed to know instinctively where everything was and how everything works.   I was impressed.  (Hmm... maybe he has been in this car before, without me!!!)

I was also very impressed with his driving, we made it home, incident free, and he parked with ease, beautifully aligned with the kerb.  I noticed that I was sitting relaxed and chatting all the way.  My tension had dispersed.  I know it's not unusual and he is not the first, but it was a big day for both of us!  I hope he takes so easily to all the things he has to learn in life.

I am back using public transport this week for work, so he called me this morning and asked could he take the car to work.  I may never see my car again.

One small step for my nerves, one giant leap for his independence!!

Andy - I accept your apology!

This is what Andy Rooney (60 Minutes Correspondent with CBS) thinks about women over 40:

"As I grow in age, I value women over 40 most of all. Here are just a few reasons why:

A woman over 40 will never wake you in the middle of the night and ask, 'What are you thinking?' She doesn't care what you think. If a woman over 40 doesn't want to watch the game, she doesn't sit around whining about it. She does something she wants to do, and it's usually more interesting. Women over 40 are dignified. They seldom have a screaming match with you at the opera or in the middle of an expensive restaurant. Of course, if you deserve it, they won't hesitate to shoot you if they think they can get away with it. Older women are generous with praise, often undeserved. They know what it's like to be unappreciated. Women get psychic as they age. You never have to confess your sins to a woman over 40. Once you get past a wrinkle or two, a woman over 40 is far sexier than her younger counterpart. Older women are forthright and honest. They'll tell you right off if you are a jerk if you are acting like one. ;You don't ever have to wonder where you stand with her. Yes, we praise women over 40 for a multitude of reasons, unfortunately, it's not reciprocal. For every stunning, smart, well-coiffed, hot woman over 40, there is a bald, paunchy relic in yellow pants making a fool of himself with some 22-year old waitress.

Ladies, I apologize."

Cake

Feeling a bit domesticated tonight so I decided I would make a Chocolate biscuit cake for my father for his 'official' birthday on Sunday.

I went shopping earlier and bought all the stuff, I sort of had an idea what ingredients you might need. So I bought chocolate (the dark variety), biscuits, nuts, sugar....

I wasn't sure exactly what to do so I Googled it. OMG there are so many combinations....

Golden Syrup in one recipe, well I didn't buy that and I don't have any in my larder, so that one is out the window! Raw egg in another, no, I don't fancy eating something with a raw egg in it, another recipe in the bin. Condensed milk, emm...that would probably be too rich, delete, delete!  Marshmallows, to sweet. Next?

I feel like Goldilocks here, stuck in my own little fairy tale. Nothing's quite right. Better keep searching. Might open this chocolate and taste a bit...

After discovering lots more evil concoctions, I have finally hit on a perfect recipe for Chocolate Biscuit Cake, with added Malteesers. Yummy! Luckily I have a packet of these in the
fridge, they were for my 5 year old niece, but she can have some cake instead.

Oops...I have been searching the Internet so long that I have inadvertently eaten all the chocolate!!

Oh well I still have the biscuits.....cup of tea anybody?

The three word game.

I've been playing a game with my fellow bloggers, thought I'd share it with you.  It's probably not a new game, but it's new to me!!

You don't have to be blogging to play this, you could text it!  Or play it at a party with a pen and paper.  The rules are simple.  You start a story with three words, and then somebody adds to it with three more.  You cant post (or write, or text, or say, depending on how you are playing) any more words until at least two other people have posted their words.  Our story so far....

Meanwhile, back at
the dungeon, creepy
big headed cats
dressed in paisley
walked with stealth
up the winding
path.  The atmosphere
suddenly became eerie
and empty of
any emotion, but
a feral hedgehog
lurking in the
deep, dark, dank
dungeon jumped out
but landed in
a pile of
ancient treasure maps.
The hedgehog opened
his one remaining
magic green banana...

Go on, I dare you, add three words!

New words...

Learned some new words today, cos you know how I love to extend my vocabulary..



Chadult:
Child who dresses and behaves like an adult.

Well......it makes a change from adults who behave and dress like children!

Visual Polution:
The (mis)use of outdoor advertising.

It could also refer to the adults who behave like children.
But I agree, sometimes outdoor advertising can be visually polluting (unless of course it's a life size poster of David Beckham displaying the latest line in underwear).

Granny-chic:
Denotes a fashion style that which consists of old fashioned items worn in a stylish way.

(They must have seen those David Beckham ad's too....)

Femiman:
Refers to a man with very feminine looks.

(Are these new words all about David Beckham?)


And my favourite?



Quintastic:
A very glamorous and youthful fifty year old.


Hmmm....they do say fifty is the 'new forty'.....this is all very confusing.  So if fifty is the new forty, what does that make forty?  The new thirty?

Now I know where the word "Chadults" came from!!

Good Luck!

OK everybody, it's not often we have an Irishman doing well in any International sport to cheer on.  And this week we had a great performance by one (well he's Northern Irish, so we are claiming him).  So lets hope our 'man at Wimbledon', Conor Niland, can do us proud also.

So I am sending him some good luck wishes by Blog!  You can join in an send some too by Blog!  Or Tweet!  Or Telepathy!  Or Osmosis!  Or, just by putting a comment on the end of this post, and of course he will read them!!  :-)

GOOD LUCK CONOR!!

PS....He's playing a Frenchman.....and we haven't forgotten the world cup......!

Quiet please....

Just read a post on Twitter by Paul Brady.  He is playing at a Feis in London, he was halfway through his set and was approached by the sound team who asked him to turn his music down a bit because............wait for it............Van (Morrison) was in a "quiet phase" over on stage one and he was being disturbed by Paul.

He didn't print his answer!

I thought it was the ladies that are supposed to be the Divas!

What a shot!

There was a young fella called Rory,
who today is basking in glory!
With his putt and his stroke,
joy in Ireland he invoked
and this is just the beginning of his story....

I bet you can't...

I bet you can't watch this without crying......watch it to the end....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BewknNW2b8Y

I was one of the 50 million or 6.5 billion (and I might have cried too!).

Cover-up?

Why do girls (or maybe boys?) who like to apply their make up over the sink, leave as much of it on the sink as they put on their face?

It's nearly as annoying as boys (or maybe girls - don't want to be accused of being sexist!!) who shave over the sink and leave the hairs in it when they are finished!!

I came to work this morning and not for the first time I was greeted with make up dredges all over the sink in the bathroom.  Now maybe you don't think this is unusual, and it's probably not in an office full of girls, but, I am working in an office on a building site!  And - the plot thickens - I am the only female employee in these offices at the moment, and I don't wear that powdery make up.

I am confused, concerned, curious.....

There has to be an explaination, and the best one I can come up with, is that perhaps one of my (male) colleagues was formally the 'construction guy' from that 70's group, Village People.  And perhaps, in the evenings after work, he still does some 'gigs' around town.  He could easily slip out of here in his hard hat, harness, hi-vis vest and work boots, and nobody would be able to spot him.......Except for the give away sign......the trail of make up in his wake!!

I will be watching my colleagues very closely from now on!!  I might try singing a couple of lines from YMCA and see does anybody join in....

London's calling!

Off to London tomorrow for the weekend!  Woo Hoo!  One of my favorite places.  And for the first time in I don't know how many years, I am not going to stay with any of my family!  I am sure they won't be too upset as they only saw me two weeks ago at the family reunion.  They are probably breathing a sigh of relief too that their Cava stocks are safe for another while!  The weekend activities have all been planned for me, in secret, which means that all I have to do, is just pack and turn up!  Easy!  Well...dilemma!

Because I don't know where I am staying, tent? Hostel? House? B & B? 5 Star Luxury Hotel? I don't know what to pack.

Because I don't know what I am doing, indoor activities?  Outdoor activities?  I don't know what to pack.

Because I don't know where I am going, sightseeing? Browsing in the Tate?  Theatre? Concert? Shopping? I don't know what to pack.

Because I don't know what the weather will be like (getting mixed reports), I don't know what to pack.

But....

Because I am going Ryanair, I know exactly what to pack.......not much!!  Won't take me long so....

Jealous!

I remember when it was good to talk!  Apparently now, it's good to blog!

According to an article in the Irish Times, blogging is the new "sitting round the kitchen table having a cup of coffee" and all the housewife's are at it (apparently!).  For stay at home Mums it (supposedly) replaces those 'water cooler' moments that they miss from work, and it's a remote way of getting close to people in similar situations to yourself.  It's also, according to the article, a new form of self-help or therapy.

The article brought to our attention a stay at home Mother who writes under the title "Hot Cross Mum".  So, being the curios creature that I am, I read her blog.  It's nice, sweet and sugary, light and fluffy!  She writes about her family and she put up lots of hints and tips about everyday stuff, and some nice photos.  Personally, I think that she should be prosecuted under the trade descriptions act, as she is neither Hot nor Cross!!  And she has thousands of readers.

This must be where I am going wrong.  Perhaps I should stay at home and take out my computer as soon as the children are gone to school, oh wait, I have no children of school going age, so that's no use.  Maybe I should start giving you some handy tips.....Like, how to make a bottle of wine go further - that's easy, don't share!  Or, how to explain the clumps of dog hairs that blow around the kitchen like tumbleweed to visitors - again that's easy, just tell them that because of the recession you are making all your own clothes and you are collecting the dog hairs to spin them into to wool and knit a jumper!

At least you know exactly what you are getting when you see the title I write under.....Maybe I should stay at home and not hang around the water cooler any more....

I hope she doesn't read my blog!  Oh wait, I hope she does, it would double my readership!!

I love the internet

I read an article today about a 42 year old, male, American student of the University of Edinburgh, who began blogging in February, under the title 'A Gay Girl in Damascus'. 


He posed as a 35 year old lesbian feminist called Amina, living in Syria who wanted to "explain what it was like living here"!  She told tales of living in hiding, involvement in street demonstrations and was even romantically linked and exchanged hundred of e-mails with a Canadian woman.  A posting in June by somebody claiming to be Amina's cousin told of her kidnap, which in turn sparked an Internet campaign to highlight her plight!!


The hoax was discovered when journalists tried to get in contact with her, or anybody connected to her, and followed the e-mail trail to the University...


Oh dear!


In light of this deception, I thought I better come clean about myself.  I don't want to fool my reader (someday that will be plural) any longer.


So, confession time.  I'm not really that cartoon character that you see in my profile picture.  (Very long pause here, like when they are going to announce the winner of the X Factor).  I am actually........(another long pause).......Mrs Goggins, from the reality TV series "Postman Pat"!  


Phew! It's good to have that off my chest!


I apologise for fooling you into thinking that I am just an ordinary cartoon character with slightly different opinions on things.  But you see, at the end of a hard day at the Post Office (Pat can be very demanding you know!) all I want to do is come home and be two dimensional.  Life in the village of Greendale can be very demanding, first of all I have to get that bun into my hair every morning!  And if you think being involved in street protests is somewhat dangerous than you should see some of the (mis)adventure Pat gets me involved in.  Such as Postman Pat's rainy day, or Postman Pat and the hole in the road. or Postman Pat and the tuba (I think that one may have been censored)...


So my only release from the stress of it all is to pretend to be B'Limericks....that cartoon character with the mad hair and the unruly dog, or should that be the unruly hair and the mad dog?  That's why I love the Internet, when I come home from a crazy day at the PO, I can be myself......Oh no.....wait........

Happy Birthday....

There was a young fella called Dex

who over the weekend wore some funny objects

A very big hat

and underneath that

a moustache that was very complex...

His impression of a Mexican was great

right down to the beans that he ate

But he will never be forgiven

for his impression of 'Dylan'

and for keeping us up very late!!

Happy Birthday!

Another dramatic rescue!

Yesterday we had a 'Naked sailor' a rare species, rescued.

Today's dramatic rescue is another even rarer species, a Pine Marten.  This endangered creature was found on the side of the road in Co. Westmeath by a 'Bear Grylls' type guy, who instantly knew it was some kind of rare creature.  A bit like our sailor, the Pine Marten was a long way from home and not in good shape.  We know so little about these creatures, that we had to call in the Scottish SPCA to help.

So, to sum this up, we had to get the Japanese to help with the rescued Sailor and now the Scottish to help with the rescued Pine Marten.

Do we not know how to look after anything ourselves?  They could have called me, and even tho' I know nothing about naked sailors, I would have been very happy to help.....!!  :-)

The heat is on...(?)

I gave in.  I turned on the heating.  It's cold.  What's going on, I am wearing clothes that I would usually wear in October.  It's June for heavens sake, somebody tell the weather man!!  His dial must be broken, the temperature should be 20 not 10!

I should be outside in the garden sitting in the evening sun, wearing a tee-shirt, reading my book, with the birds chirping in the background, listening to the fountain trickling water behind me, sunglasses on, feeling the last of the rays on my face.  Not sitting on the couch with the heating on, looking out at the rain, the shrubs blowing in the wind, wondering should I make hot chocolate to warm me up!!

I'm going to get another fleece....and a pair of woolly socks....and a blanket.....

What a headline...

Front page headline in the Metro this morning:

"Naked rower rescue drama"

I've seen it all now, and so did the Japanese Sailors who rescued him.....!

Lots of words - but they're not mine...

Just recovering from a Family Reunion long weekend.  It was in honour of the 'Big Chief' who will turn 80 this month. Collectively know as Eddie/Dad/Granddad, it was a surprise party for him and it turned out to be fantastic fun filled weekend, in a great setting, and even the weather smiled on us.  Being the 'comedy crew' that my family is, we decided to have a Wild West night to mark the occasion.  The entertainment on the night was provided by all involved.  Including two amazingly beautiful 'Saloon Gals' who, as if by magic, appeared on the night.

Eddie's three eldest grandchildren decided to give him a comedy roasting in 'Mock the Week' style under the heading "Things you would never hear Granddad say".  Those boys really know their Granddad, they got it so right and made everybody laugh, including Granddad himself.  The highlight of this was Cian delivering the line "I have a new joke...."

Next came the "Life and Times of Eddie Brennan" quiz, with questions compiled by his middle son Ciaran. Of course everybody wanted my mother, Eddie's wife of 53 years, to be on their team, as who better to answer questions about the man himself.  Eh....her team lost.....!  The "favourite daughter's" team won....hmmm!!   I could go on and on here and give you a blow by blow account of the whole comedy weekend, including how one (very drunk) brother sang every song at the 'Guitar-eoke' session in 'the style of Bob Dylan'.  But...

... in typical Eddie/Dad/Granddad fashion, the man himself, who knew nothing about this party, upstaged us all by producing his own 'party piece' at short notice and...He made us laugh, he made us cry.  I can't compete, so I won't even try....

80th Birthday Poem

Where the river Lifey divides a town in two

A village on both sides, modern but not new

To Chapelizod I arrived and in the year of 1931

The world was introduced to the Brennans second son

The village had a school where I began to learn at 5

All the readin’ an’ the ritin’ that helped me to survive

In a time where education mattered

Although the students clothes were tattered

In 1938 when I was a lad of only eight

We were granted a house which had a garden and a gate

A most timely move up the housing ladder

Which made happy parents of my ‘mudder’ and my ‘fadder’

The move was to a new town known as Drimnagh

Which after the ‘Lizod” was kind of EDEN or something simla

I now moved to a new school over the canal at Inchicore

where I loved the schooling and it never was a bore
there the Maistir O’Maille taught me the “cupla focal”

his teaching was only kindness and he never used the knuckle

After primary school with cert in hand I moved on to Bolton St

On a scholarship which was no mean feat

I learned lots of new subjects in this school called the Tech

And it payed me a handsome twice yearly cheque

From 1946 until 1952 I was apprenticed to a trade

Ml. Phelan and Co. gave me a grinding in how furniture is made

Six years on and now a journeyman, work is hard to get

Jobs were scarce and I knew that my future was not set

At twenty five it was clear a change was overdue

So I sat the P & T exam in the hope of something new

As a result I became a postman on Dublins Stephens green

I went around like lightening the smartest they had ever seen

At this time a most fortunate meeting with a lass

Introduced me to a lady who displayed a different class

To all whom I had known in the recent past

The one whom I had hoped for appeared at last

It was said that you never make passes at pretty girls who wear glasses                                                        

But she was my exception to the rule

Because I thought that she was as cool

As the breeze from the sea at Collimore

On our first date in those days of yore

Through the courting years of 56, 57 and 58

I knew that I had found my true soul-mate

On the day we were wed we planned to emigrate

Across the pond to a very different state

We hadn’t much but we had each other is an old cliché

But the start that London gave us set us on our way

And brought us together, stronger and closer every day

Although we arrived in London just a lonely two

Before returning home how the number grew

Now four more than whence we came

All were christened with a Gaelic name

Deirdre, Shane, Siobhan and Fergus

With three more later set to join us.

Bluebell was to be our home until 1969

School for some and work was fine

In turn Ciaran, Eamonn and Declan arrived

Now there were seven but none were deprived

January of 1970 brought the Brennans a new dawn

we moved to a house in Tallaghts Old Bawn

a semi – detached with a mountain view

with space to play for our motley crew

There were schools to go to for those who should

With sporting clubs and scouting cubs that would

Keep the children busy smart and fit

If you could afford the cost of togs and kit

With the growing the studying and the learning

Each developed, matured and grew quite discerning

In a house always busy with cousins and friends

Discussing music, sport and fashionable trends

With ever maturing bodies and minds

They studied subjects of varying kinds

At college or tech. And some still at school

All made good use of the educational tool

The eighties rolled on and before the decade ends

A new experience was meeting girl or boy friends

By Eighty Five two daughters had married

The boys were more cautious and decisions were tarried

The new men had to take all of us as part of the deal

And even were invited to an occasional meal

Mother went working and  back to a job

All were to benefit from the extra few bob

In the Nineties four daughters in law joined the clan

And perked up the family as strong women can

Then came a young lady from Worcester in Mass.

The youngest sons choice an American lass

The coupling complete the outlaws increased

But the joy for us parents never has ceased

It was then retirement for me and a new lease of life

With the added bonus and benefit of a working wife

We made good use of leisure time previously so scarce

Which is hard to explain in one line of verse.

  

Now we enjoy life together with family around

Where in-laws and outlaws regularly abound

I thank the Lord prayerfully each and every day

For all of the blessings He has directed our way

Were blessed with grandchildren the first three being lads

All who have grown to be as big as their Dads

The next being Sasenach and two of a clutch

Not least is Alexander, he is partially Dutch

Next are two lassies - Rachel and Eliza

Two you’d be happy to have sit down beside yah

One likes things pink and the other things flowery

which will be the one to inherit the elusive Dowry

A life longer than hoped for, healthy and strong

With such in-laws and outlaws I couldn’t go wrong

So God bless you all for giving me such joy

I promise you all that I’ll be an even better boy

A heartful thanks for all that you have done

You have more than increased my quota of fun

I love you one and all and I am happy to say

You have made this for me an unforgettable day.

Wrap it up

Just heard from a reliable source, the results of a survey that say Irish Consumers use enough cling film each year to go around the world thirty times.

What the hell are we wrapping, and where does it all go when we are finished with it??  Makes you think!!

It made me think...

I thought about the roll that is sitting on top of my fridge, and has been, for about two years..
I thought about how you would wrap some of the things in the world, like the Eiffel Tower, or the Taj Mahal, or the statue of Liberty, as the pointy bits on them would pierce the plastic...
I thought about how you would wrap the sea, as the film always sticks to liquid...
I thought about how you would wrap a hedgehog..
I thought if the world was wrapped in cling film, then would the rain still get in...

I thought about who sat down and worked that computation out....

Then I thought that I need more to do, I have too much time to think!

Something to make you think...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LP7pdAn3foE

Made by a college student, who is now trying to find all the people to thank them because it has become such a big hit...