It was a gorgeous day outside today....
The sun was shining, birds were singing, buds were blooming...
I do enjoy January in Ireland!
5 years ago
Thursday, January 31
An Unpardonably Boring Post
I'm afraid I have nothing terribly exciting to report today...no floods or getting lost in the mountains or anything.
I moved back into the Mawhinney's house on Monday, so I said goodbye to my little room in St. James Place, and hauled my accumulation of goods up to Quarry Hill. Its scary how much stuff I have now. As I packed I went through it all deciding what will come back with me (very little) and what will stay (a lot).
As a result of returning to this house, I am freezing again! I swear its colder inside than out. Thank goodness for the woolly socks and fuzzy slippers I got for Christmas from my family :)
Sam, Karen, and the boys are leaving tomorrow morning. They are going on Sabbatical (they were planning on going to Kenya, but now with all the fighting going on there that has recently been canceled) and will be back to move all their things to Dublin in March.
So I have this big cold house all to myself starting tomorrow afternoon...I don't know what I will do with myself!
I moved back into the Mawhinney's house on Monday, so I said goodbye to my little room in St. James Place, and hauled my accumulation of goods up to Quarry Hill. Its scary how much stuff I have now. As I packed I went through it all deciding what will come back with me (very little) and what will stay (a lot).
As a result of returning to this house, I am freezing again! I swear its colder inside than out. Thank goodness for the woolly socks and fuzzy slippers I got for Christmas from my family :)
Sam, Karen, and the boys are leaving tomorrow morning. They are going on Sabbatical (they were planning on going to Kenya, but now with all the fighting going on there that has recently been canceled) and will be back to move all their things to Dublin in March.
So I have this big cold house all to myself starting tomorrow afternoon...I don't know what I will do with myself!
Monday, January 21
Lurker's Lurgy
Lurk.er, n. 1. One who lurks.
Lur.gy, n. 1. British English slang for an unspecified or mythical contagious disease, generally one considered inconvenient and non-fatal with obvious symptoms, such as influenza or the common cold.
Have you ever read a blog and not commented?
Did the blog belong to someone you knew?
Maybe someone you didn't know well?
Maybe someone you didn't know at all?
If yes, then you have the dreaded Lurker's Lurgy.
I myself suffer from a mild case. I know how you feel...you find the blog entertaining, interesting, or at the very least a good method of procrastination. The topic of a specific post might make you laugh, smile, or spark controversy.
You react to the words on the screen, but you don't comment because...
You are afraid.
You think: "The blogger will think I'm creepy. They will think I'm stalking them, they will stop posting, they won't write as honestly, they will be weirded out, etc."
I have felt these things, my friends. I know your pain. Lurker's Lurgy is an uncomfortable affliction, closely associated with guilt and insecurity.
But if they didn't want people to read their blog, it wouldn't be open to the public now would it? No. So, moving on...
The only cure to Lurker's Lurgy is Commenting.
Revealing yourself.
Exposed for the Nosy, Time-Wasting, Addicted blogger you are!
Don't turn away! Its not as bad as it sounds. After all, we are all in this together. See, the thing is we all have it to some degree...so there is a capacity for understanding when a Lurker confesses! The blogger will understand where the Lurker is coming from, because chances are, that blogger lurks as well. So there are benefits all around!
1. The Lurker is cured of Lurker's Lurgy, and now has the freedom to comment when and how they please.
2. A sense of Blogging Community is nurtured.
3.The Blogger will have more comments to read, and appreciate, thus spurring them on to blog more regularly.
3. The Lurker-Turned-Commenter gets to read more regular updates!
As Mufasa would say, we are all connected in the Great Circle of Life! *private snicker*
You might think, "Easy for you to say. I'll bet you've never De-Lurked in your life."
That's where you'd be wrong. I've de-lurked plenty of times, in fact, if you blog and have received a comment from me that is evidence that I've De-Lurked right there. Furthermore, I De-Lurked today. I officially revealed my Lurking Presence to a Blogger I have never met.
I was scared. But I did it...and in doing so, received a taste of the antidote to Lurker's Lurgy. Maybe in time I will be wholly cured, and comment indiscriminately wherever I go.
I encourage you to conquer your festering case of Lurker's Lurgy, for blogging's sake.
You can start today, by clicking the little brown link just down there that says "friends left a note". You can introduce yourself, tell how you found this blog, and why you read it, and then you will be a friend of PJ too!
Wouldn't that be exciting?!
Go on...do it! Do it! Do it!
Thursday, January 17
2-0
So now I am officially old...
I have left the teenage years behind me forever...and I can't say I'm sorry to see 'em go! They weren't all bad of course, but I think my 20's will be a million times better.
Yesterday was a lot of fun, especially spending time with a family from the church. I've gotten to know the two oldest girls quite well, and they are great. When we arrived at their house I was greeted with an alternate version of the Happy Birthday song by the youngest, and then presented with this:
She also made me chocolate rice krispie "buns" which were a true delight, and I got to wear this special pin:
I was spoiled rotten and given star treatment. Chocolate birthday cake with candles and lots of presents!
I have also learned that perfume is a popular gift here. Previously I've not really owned a lot of perfume, but since Christmas I have accumulated 4 bottles!
I felt really blessed to be loved by such wonderful and generous people here!
So all in all it was a great birthday...but when I woke up this morning I had some serious cold symptoms, and it was thundering outside, quite literally. So we'll have to see how this whole era goes...!
I have left the teenage years behind me forever...and I can't say I'm sorry to see 'em go! They weren't all bad of course, but I think my 20's will be a million times better.
Yesterday was a lot of fun, especially spending time with a family from the church. I've gotten to know the two oldest girls quite well, and they are great. When we arrived at their house I was greeted with an alternate version of the Happy Birthday song by the youngest, and then presented with this:
She also made me chocolate rice krispie "buns" which were a true delight, and I got to wear this special pin:
I was spoiled rotten and given star treatment. Chocolate birthday cake with candles and lots of presents!
I have also learned that perfume is a popular gift here. Previously I've not really owned a lot of perfume, but since Christmas I have accumulated 4 bottles!
I felt really blessed to be loved by such wonderful and generous people here!
So all in all it was a great birthday...but when I woke up this morning I had some serious cold symptoms, and it was thundering outside, quite literally. So we'll have to see how this whole era goes...!
Tuesday, January 15
Cappuccino Criticisms...
Volunteering at the City Gates Cafe in Cork is usually a lot of fun, and I had been thinking that I don't mind working in a coffee shop, and its nice, and la, la, la...but yesterday I got a little reminder of the negative side...the Annoying Customer.
*cue mystical "rippling" effect and harp music as we go back in time...*
First of all you must understand that previous to my time in the coffee shop here I would not be able to tell you the difference between a cappuccino and a latte, or an americano to a macchiato. But thanks to my little cheat sheet I can flaunt my knowledge to all and sundry.
Anyway, this lady comes in an orders a cappuccino so what do I do? Read the cheat sheet of course! Double shot of expresso + "textured" (read: steamed) milk = Cappuccino. Yay for me!
Unfortunately I am unable to make the milk foam much so it doesn't look quite as flashy as I might like, but all in all I'm rather proud of myself. I'm just easily pleased like that.
A few minutes later the lady comes by to pay and I ring it up: cappuccino = 2.95
So I tell her. And she goes,
"How much is it?"
"2.95" Sometimes my accent can be hard for people to understand, so I don't mind repeating myself.
"For a regular coffee?" She asks.
"Oh I'm sorry I thought you ordered a cappuccino," I say, thinking I had made a mistake.
"I did," She says, "But I only got a regular coffee."
"Oh no," I assure her, "That's a cappuccino."
"No its not." She says firmly.
"Um...yes it is." Trying to still sound chirpy at this point.
"No its not." She repeats.
Should I revert to age 8 mode and start shouting, "Is to?". I'm really not very good with confrontation, and I'm not too sure what the policy here is for cranky customers.
"I don't mean to sounds rude," She says, sounding very rude, "But it is NOT a cappuccino. It tastes like coffee."
Whoa...hold on a minute. A specialty coffee tastes like coffee?! Something must be seriously wrong here! (forgive me...sometimes the sarcastic voice in my head is the only thing that keeps me sane. Frightening isn't it?)
She wouldn't pay for it, insisting that it was a regular coffee, so in the end she only paid for a regular coffee. And it made me angry.
Just goes to show that even though I might be hitting the big 2-0 tomorrow, I still have a lot of growing up to do! I let people like that get under my skin, and I take everything personally. And if I had spoken to her in the way that I really wanted to, she probably would not think very highly of the Christians at City Gate Cafe...
*cue mystical "rippling" effect and harp music as we go back in time...*
First of all you must understand that previous to my time in the coffee shop here I would not be able to tell you the difference between a cappuccino and a latte, or an americano to a macchiato. But thanks to my little cheat sheet I can flaunt my knowledge to all and sundry.
Anyway, this lady comes in an orders a cappuccino so what do I do? Read the cheat sheet of course! Double shot of expresso + "textured" (read: steamed) milk = Cappuccino. Yay for me!
Unfortunately I am unable to make the milk foam much so it doesn't look quite as flashy as I might like, but all in all I'm rather proud of myself. I'm just easily pleased like that.
A few minutes later the lady comes by to pay and I ring it up: cappuccino = 2.95
So I tell her. And she goes,
"How much is it?"
"2.95" Sometimes my accent can be hard for people to understand, so I don't mind repeating myself.
"For a regular coffee?" She asks.
"Oh I'm sorry I thought you ordered a cappuccino," I say, thinking I had made a mistake.
"I did," She says, "But I only got a regular coffee."
"Oh no," I assure her, "That's a cappuccino."
"No its not." She says firmly.
"Um...yes it is." Trying to still sound chirpy at this point.
"No its not." She repeats.
Should I revert to age 8 mode and start shouting, "Is to?". I'm really not very good with confrontation, and I'm not too sure what the policy here is for cranky customers.
"I don't mean to sounds rude," She says, sounding very rude, "But it is NOT a cappuccino. It tastes like coffee."
Whoa...hold on a minute. A specialty coffee tastes like coffee?! Something must be seriously wrong here! (forgive me...sometimes the sarcastic voice in my head is the only thing that keeps me sane. Frightening isn't it?)
She wouldn't pay for it, insisting that it was a regular coffee, so in the end she only paid for a regular coffee. And it made me angry.
Just goes to show that even though I might be hitting the big 2-0 tomorrow, I still have a lot of growing up to do! I let people like that get under my skin, and I take everything personally. And if I had spoken to her in the way that I really wanted to, she probably would not think very highly of the Christians at City Gate Cafe...
Thursday, January 10
The Great Flood of Fermoy
Check this out...
When I told you its been raining buckets lately, I wasn't exaggerating!
Fermoy has flooded!
Well, part of it at least. The stretch of stores just down the road from my place are all closed for flooding.
The river is sooo high, and a couple roads are blocked off, and a field is completely submerged.
For once I wasn't the only one carrying a camera, so I didn't feel self-conscious about snapping some shots! (Unfortunately I think I may have damaged my camera with all the damp it has seen here. The pictures haven't been turning out so well lately. Grrr....why am I so irresponsible?!)
I did some errands this morning and that was the extent of it.
But by the time I headed back mid-afternoon there was only small dry spot to cross on. I had to cross the bridge again after 3, and walked through an inch or so of water. Car traffic was being funneled by the garda. At 4:30 the water had risen so much that no cars were being allowed across the bridge, and it was several inches deep. One garda was ferrying poor stranded pedestrians such as myself across the flooded road. I was so excited thinking I was going to get a ride in real Irish police car!!!
But then he drove off and didn't come back, so I had to walk through it. It only came up just past my ankles, but the water was FREEZING!!! When I got home I quickly changed into my new warm, dry slippers, but snapped a picture for the blog of course ;)
The day was actually beautiful, sunny and warm, and it seemed like everyone made it out to take pictures, survey the damage, and talk with neighbors. It was like a big town get-together! Fermoy even made it on the news. Sadly, it sounds like the damages will be quite high, but they are used to flooding here, so it hasn't come as a big shock to anyone. Its just that this has been the biggest flood in a long time.
And sure I know that this isn't my "internet day", but I figure news like this can't be kept waiting. It needs to blogged about while its still fresh...so don't give out to me about breaking my restriction. Spirit of the law, not letter of the law, ok?
When I told you its been raining buckets lately, I wasn't exaggerating!
Fermoy has flooded!
Well, part of it at least. The stretch of stores just down the road from my place are all closed for flooding.
The river is sooo high, and a couple roads are blocked off, and a field is completely submerged.
For once I wasn't the only one carrying a camera, so I didn't feel self-conscious about snapping some shots! (Unfortunately I think I may have damaged my camera with all the damp it has seen here. The pictures haven't been turning out so well lately. Grrr....why am I so irresponsible?!)
I did some errands this morning and that was the extent of it.
But by the time I headed back mid-afternoon there was only small dry spot to cross on. I had to cross the bridge again after 3, and walked through an inch or so of water. Car traffic was being funneled by the garda. At 4:30 the water had risen so much that no cars were being allowed across the bridge, and it was several inches deep. One garda was ferrying poor stranded pedestrians such as myself across the flooded road. I was so excited thinking I was going to get a ride in real Irish police car!!!
But then he drove off and didn't come back, so I had to walk through it. It only came up just past my ankles, but the water was FREEZING!!! When I got home I quickly changed into my new warm, dry slippers, but snapped a picture for the blog of course ;)
The day was actually beautiful, sunny and warm, and it seemed like everyone made it out to take pictures, survey the damage, and talk with neighbors. It was like a big town get-together! Fermoy even made it on the news. Sadly, it sounds like the damages will be quite high, but they are used to flooding here, so it hasn't come as a big shock to anyone. Its just that this has been the biggest flood in a long time.
And sure I know that this isn't my "internet day", but I figure news like this can't be kept waiting. It needs to blogged about while its still fresh...so don't give out to me about breaking my restriction. Spirit of the law, not letter of the law, ok?
Tuesday, January 8
Coming Soon...
An earlier comment got me thinking all things Narnia...and I found this! Cinematically (made that word up, but you know what I mean!) I've been living under a rock until this past week, so I was pretty excited to see that Prince Caspian is well on its way, and I'll be able to enjoy it in June! SO EXCITED!!!
A Taste of Home
So, a week into the New Year, and it brings me a little taste of home :D
First, during a visit to Tescoes (The Irish -or maybe European?- equivalent of Superstore) what do I spy with my little eye...? Tim Hortons prepackaged donuts! It was a little twilight zone experience. I could hardly believe it. There right in front of me was something very Canadian. So naturally I took a picture!!!
And then I got my "Christmas package" from home!!! How exciting!!! Amongst the goodies were these delightfully warm, and much-anticipated slippers!
And my favorite tea that is sadly unavailable here. I look forward to sipping the nectar later today...
Not much has been going on with me. The kids/teens clubs don't start until next week, but I'm busy preparing the crafts for them. My "scissor hands" will be very developed soon! Nice and muscly. Very attractive.
The weather has been cold, frosty on two occasions, which felt a very little bit like Canada. Right now its raining buckets. I haven't been out walking much due to the rain. And my laziness.
I have socks stuck around the French doors in my room to keep out the draft. Last week we had serious wind storms and I could feel the freezing cold breeze circling my room. It was actually so strong that some of the socks were blown out! Now its not so bad. It just looks funny. I have very colorful socks.
Been watching some movies on a portable DVD player lately. Amazing Grace was last night's delight. 'Twas fantastic...really liked it. Maybe I will watch Transformers tonight :P
EDIT: Oh PS...Did I mention that I am giving my first ever official Piano Lessons this week?! I'm terrified!
First, during a visit to Tescoes (The Irish -or maybe European?- equivalent of Superstore) what do I spy with my little eye...? Tim Hortons prepackaged donuts! It was a little twilight zone experience. I could hardly believe it. There right in front of me was something very Canadian. So naturally I took a picture!!!
And then I got my "Christmas package" from home!!! How exciting!!! Amongst the goodies were these delightfully warm, and much-anticipated slippers!
And my favorite tea that is sadly unavailable here. I look forward to sipping the nectar later today...
Not much has been going on with me. The kids/teens clubs don't start until next week, but I'm busy preparing the crafts for them. My "scissor hands" will be very developed soon! Nice and muscly. Very attractive.
The weather has been cold, frosty on two occasions, which felt a very little bit like Canada. Right now its raining buckets. I haven't been out walking much due to the rain. And my laziness.
I have socks stuck around the French doors in my room to keep out the draft. Last week we had serious wind storms and I could feel the freezing cold breeze circling my room. It was actually so strong that some of the socks were blown out! Now its not so bad. It just looks funny. I have very colorful socks.
Been watching some movies on a portable DVD player lately. Amazing Grace was last night's delight. 'Twas fantastic...really liked it. Maybe I will watch Transformers tonight :P
EDIT: Oh PS...Did I mention that I am giving my first ever official Piano Lessons this week?! I'm terrified!
Tuesday, January 1
2008 Update
A year ago I made some New Years resolutions...let's see how I did...
Monday, January 1
2007
Things I Want To Do This Year:
-Make exercise a habit
Well, well, well...a classic. Can't say I succeeded, with this one, but who really does? To be fair, I do exercise more now than I did last year, but its far from being "habit".
-Break a bad habit
Didn't break the habit I wanted to. That makes two failed resolutions. Not a good start!
-Visit friends in Alberta
I visited Family which I count as friends in September...so I'll count this one.
-Challenge myself to not buy clothes that blatantly sport Brand Names
Aha! I only bought one "blatant" name-brand item, and it was here in Ireland on sale and I needed a hoodie, so I don't even feel bad. But notice the wording here. I DID challenge myself, so this is definitely a successful resolution.
-Expand my library of both books and music
Check.
-Get a new job.
Check. (Tim Hortons is but a distant memory...*BIG grin*)
-Go to Ireland
CHECK!!!
-Get a credit card
Check.
-Move out
Check?
I know there is probably a lot more, but I''m tired and this is all I could think of. I'll check in Jan. 1/08 and see how well I did.
I think I did pretty well!
So well in fact, that I don't think I will make any this year. I'd hate to tarnish this sparkling record.
Monday, January 1
2007
Things I Want To Do This Year:
-Make exercise a habit
Well, well, well...a classic. Can't say I succeeded, with this one, but who really does? To be fair, I do exercise more now than I did last year, but its far from being "habit".
-Break a bad habit
Didn't break the habit I wanted to. That makes two failed resolutions. Not a good start!
-Visit friends in Alberta
I visited Family which I count as friends in September...so I'll count this one.
-Challenge myself to not buy clothes that blatantly sport Brand Names
Aha! I only bought one "blatant" name-brand item, and it was here in Ireland on sale and I needed a hoodie, so I don't even feel bad. But notice the wording here. I DID challenge myself, so this is definitely a successful resolution.
-Expand my library of both books and music
Check.
-Get a new job.
Check. (Tim Hortons is but a distant memory...*BIG grin*)
-Go to Ireland
CHECK!!!
-Get a credit card
Check.
-Move out
Check?
I know there is probably a lot more, but I''m tired and this is all I could think of. I'll check in Jan. 1/08 and see how well I did.
I think I did pretty well!
So well in fact, that I don't think I will make any this year. I'd hate to tarnish this sparkling record.
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