Before taking two years off to be at home with my children, I was a working mother for several years, first of one child, then of two. My memories of those times are mixed. I enjoyed being smartly turned out, being respected for my professional opinion and having the flexibility to work from home if… Continue reading Holding On To The Good Stuff
We are in the garden, not long home from the shop, in the midst of unpacking the groceries. The basket of the buggy is full. A carton of milk stands beside it. Inside on the table is a cloth bag of food that really should be in the fridge by now. It has turned into… Continue reading Fleeting Thoughts Captured
Yes, I know. The schools went back weeks ago. All over the world children had their first day of school or returned after the summer break in late August and early September. My eldest happily headed off on the first day back as if he hadn’t been off at all. The following day Number Two began… Continue reading Paper Pencils – A Back To School Craft
We bought a dog. You? You agreed to a dog? You’re not an animal person! Oh God, did the Bavarian not ask you? Are you ok with this? That’s what people who know me well will think. What some have said. My reply? Yeah, no, its grand. Sure it is fine. I’m not a dog person,… Continue reading What It Boils Down To
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
About a year and a half ago I wrote what has become one of my most read posts. It is all about being organised in a lazy way. If you haven’t read it already, you should. It may just change your life. With my return to work just days away now (sob), I have been thinking… Continue reading Lazy Organisation, One Year On
“Muck, bow, kuneen, shunnuk. OK?” says Number One, jabbing at his placemat. “Now can I have some cake?” he asks. I’ve introduced Irish (Gaelic) by buying new placemats. At school I wasn’t much fussed about Irish but my secondary school teacher was. She was very encouoraging and I ended up doing surprisingly well in my… Continue reading Learning Irish At The Table
Two years ago this whole school starting business was new to me. I hadn’t had anything to do with it since I began in Junior Infants in a 4-teacher school in rural Ireland in the early 80’s. As far as I remember, starting school involved being brought into the classroom by my mother, the teacher… Continue reading Starting School, The German Way
Lunchboxes are under appreciated. A good, simple lunchbox can make a parent’s and a child’s daily life easier. A bad one can be an annoyance, and we all know that extra annoyance is not what families need. If it can be avoided, it should be avoided. Sinead from Bumbles of Rice has recently given some… Continue reading Lunchboxes – My Three Favourites
Homemade Bounty has been all over my social media feed for a while now. Given that a) we are big bakers and makers in this house and b) we all love coconut it was inevitable that we would give these a go. Normally I steer clear of recipes that say have titles like “Amazing 2… Continue reading Our Attempt At Homemade Bounty
