I’ve been meaning to blog for a while. I have lots of ideas, day trips, observations about my children as they grow up right before my eyes, lists of things. But I was sick, for what seemed like ages. Just as I would get better I’d relapse. Then I was away in the US. Then I broke my phone and had to sent it in to the insurance company. Next, my laptop started acting up, it ran so slowly I got frustrated using it for any more than a couple of minutes. The evenings were busy. There was instagram and that programme about the big old houses to watch, and Home of the Year. I’m starting to run thin on excuses now, so here I am, back with a snapshot post to remind readers that I have a blog and to remind myself how to publish a post, with a few updates thrown in too. I love to read these posts, hopefully you do too, if not close that window now, or better still have a look elsewhere on the site.
I was in on the radio in February, click on the photo to hear what I had to say
Here’s what I’m up to these days
Listening to always arguments and squabbles, requests for more screen time, protests at early bedtime. Also laughing and shouting, competing to tell stories from school, impressions at the dinner table. Lots of music practice “Maggie in the Woods” on tinwhistle and “Boolavogue” on the harp. Post Malone is the eldest’s favourite so he’s on repeat, and in an effort to carve out some time for myself I’ve been listening to “The Housegirl” by Tara Conklin* from my library on the Borrowbox app and am really enjoying it.
Watching the news, although it’s updates on this week’s storm and coronavirus mostly these days, you’d nearly miss Brexit. Escaping reality watching Home of the Year. I also binge-watched The Morning Show with my friend and absolutely loved it.
Gallivanting We visited Clonakilty as guests of the Clonakilty Park Hotel in January and had some lovely family time. In February, I took off alone to visit my friend in Richmond, Virginia. We chatted, walked, ate, chatted more, touristed a little, bought American candy to bring home to my kids and ate some more. It was like therapy.
Airport selfie
Looking forward to the holidays, always the holidays. We’ve no plans for Easter (my feet are itchy, open to offers!) and health advisory permitting we’re heading to Croatia in July.
Visiting – we had a great annual February midterm trip to Dublin this year. We got the Dart from Greystones to Bray, went to the GPO Witness History exhibition, Itsa in Arnotts for lunch, FAO Schwarz, Rolling Donut, the Wax Museum and then Milano for dinner. There was something in the day out for everyone, I’ll blog all about it soon I hope, but you can see the details in my instagram highlights here.
Playing – Back in October our GAA club, the one the kids play for and where I practically live during GAA season, started sessions of Football for Mothers and Others. I joined and despite a general lack of fitness and a 28 year break from playing football I have enjoyed it immensely. We run and try to control footballs and laugh and laugh some more, it’s absolute therapy. It’s not (that) competitive and we’re all women aged from 25 up to multiples of that, having the craic together. It’s the best thing that I have done for myself in such a long time.
Reading – I read my friend Andrea’s third book “The Sleeper Lies”* recently and really enjoyed it, highly recommended if you like a good thriller.
Frustrated by the struggle. As Tammy Wynette sang “sometimes it’s hard to be a woman” although my issue isn’t with loving just one man, it’s to do with dealing with all of them. There are days when I feel equal and days when I get just so frustrated at the everyday prejudice and sexism that is everywhere, from the way women are spoken to, to the most knickers for incontinence being described as “pretty” on TV. Wise up world.
Wondering will we be quarantined? Will the storms ever end.
Eating – this week was all about the pancakes, otherwise it’s the usual boring dinners that need to be shaken up. The boys have rediscovered porridge after I bought my first bag of Flahavan’s in years and are enjoying making it every morning, and even moreso eating it- with honey and cinnamon for one, and a dash of soya milk for the other. After years of them claiming not to like porridge I’m delighted. On the dinner menu this week we have spaghetti carbonara, shepherd’s pie, turkey burgers and I’m not quite sure what else yet, maybe porridge!
Enjoying sleeping in before the GAA calendar gets too crowded.
Working on so many other blogposts, they will get written, or if they don’t that’s OK too. Also, grief. It comes and goes, mostly I am absolutely fine, other times something triggers me, something obvious or something unexpected, something big or something so tiny and I feel really sad inside, or I connect with the sadness that is always there deep down. I don’t spend hours crying, but might need to wipe my eye . Taking it one day at a time still, what more can I do?
Thankful for my little family for keeping me smiling. Laoise’s started delivering us her own handwritten “noats” in the mornings in her best Senior Infants pre-cursive handwriting and jollyphonics spelling and I am living for them. They run along the lines of “Good morning mammy and daddy It is Friday wich (sic) is the best becos it is the wikend I love you lots like jelee tots”. She doesn’t sign them “because I hand them to you, who else would they be for?” Indeed.
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