Last year one of those wonderful occasions came about. The kind of thing you daydream about now and again throughout the course of your young life. My sister got engaged! And, to my surprise and delight, she asked me to be one of her bridesmaids. I‘ve never been a bridesmaid before and, with my friends… Continue reading Calling All Bridesmaids
It is no secret that we go to County Mayo in Ireland on holidays almost every year. Since Number One and Number Two have arrived at an age where we can go to a museum and not have to listen to “I’m sooooo boooorrred!” for the duration of the visit, we try to get to… Continue reading Easter Events at Ballycroy National Park
Last Saturday night a couple of friends and I went out. We had a cocktail. We chatted while music played in the background. We grabbed a bite to eat. In the restaurant I spotted a girl from work. By the end of the night AC/DC was blaring from the speakers and people were singing along.… Continue reading Don’t Look Down
Back in my college days I worked in Magill’s deli in Dublin. Around Christmas it was always alive with people, some just popping in for the smell. “Oh if you could bottle this!” they’d say, raising their nose and taking a deep breath of the spicey, smokey smell that hangs in the air. The mood… Continue reading Memories, featuring Butlers’ Chocolates
We moved into our home in quite a hurry in 2010 with a toddler and a newborn – a proper little family. We hadn’t time time or the money to spend on major renovations, so it was very much a case of do what has to be done and moved the furniture from our rented… Continue reading Red Is Not Just For Christmas
Recently I found a loom in perfectly good condition on the side of the road. It was out for the bin. Judging by everything else they’d set out on the path, they were clearing out the attic or the bedroom of a now-grown child. When I was 8 or 9 I had a loom just… Continue reading Christmas Crafts: Make Your Own Wall Hanging
Following last year’s summer holiday at home in Ireland, I wrote a list of the 11 best days out we’d had. This year we revisited some of those places and visited a few more. I didn’t get round to posting this before the mid-term breaks, but these places aren’t going anywehre. They still be around… Continue reading 5 Cheap & Cheerful Days Out In Ireland
Halloween is far from a massive thing in Germany. I don’t know how many times people have asked me what Halloween is or when it is. It is not something that people here have grown up with and not a traditional celebration for them. But it is something that I grew up with. I remember… Continue reading Halloween Muffins
Ever since Number One was very small, I have been on the lookout for books in Irish (gaelic) for him, and later for his younger brothers. Over the years we picked up a few here and there while on holiday in Ireland. None fit my criteria. The books I saw on sale were either too… Continue reading Toddler-Friendly Irish Books
I have rarely had as odd a week as this has been. Monday was uneventful, something I am glad of now, in hindsight, considering what else the week held in store for me. On Tuesday on the walk to school I was the sole witness to a car crash. No one was hurt but Number… Continue reading A Funny Old Week & A Big Thank You
