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A Low Point

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Posted in: Boys, Daniel, Dublin, Ireland, Michael, Mr. Waffle, Princess

It’s been stormy. Our recycling bin blew over and the contents got wet. “Did you put them in the black bin?” I asked Mr. Waffle. “That would have been a terrible waste,” said he. Then he added, defiantly, “I dried them out by spreading them over the Aga.” I was not pleased. Was it for this that I spent my children’s inheritance?

The weather has been quite awful all month. Michael and Daniel spent much of their mid-term break holed up in the house (herself has an elaborate series of ongoing social engagements which mean she touches down in our sphere but rarely) so today Mr. Waffle and I forced them out for a walk on the pier in Dun Laoghaire after visiting his mother. They were very good despite the fact that it hailed on us. Good God in heaven.

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I suppose snow is next.

Rainy Saturday

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Posted in: Dublin, Family, Hodge, Ireland

We were all in reasonably good form this morning. Yesterday evening I had said that we were going for a walk in the mountains to look at the snow. This announcement was greeted with limited enthusiasm. Even I had second thoughts overnight and was contemplating getting out of bed early without truly looking forward to it and only sustained by the reflection that we would enjoy it in retrospect. I was awoken at 9ish by rain dashing against the bedroom window and the glad tidings that it was too wet for our walk were conveyed to the children by Mr. Waffle while I sat up in bed with my book.

I was summoned from my bed at 10 by indignant shouts from herself. The cat had got sick on her bed. One of the joys of adulthood is cleaning up cat vomit, I find. Normally this falls to Mr. Waffle’s lot but he was out getting bread so I was the chosen victim. Later, leaving the boys in the thrall of their electronic devices, Mr. Waffle, the Princess and I braved the rain and went to breakfast in a local cafe.

On our return we brought all the children to town to acquire new hiking boots (when will their feet stop growing?), a camp bed (can only be an improvement on the air mattress, surely), more candles and some Magic the Gathering Cards for the boys (if you don’t know, you’re better off). We got sodden but it was speedy. Then we came home and were still back in time to drop the cat vomit soiled duvet to the dry cleaners (the hilariously named “Day and Night” cleaners which closes at four). Then we came in, lit the fire and battened down the hatches. It’s been delightful.

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How’s your own Storm Dennis day going?

Lovely Lunch

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Posted in: Work

I am friendly with a former boss of mine, now retired from the world of work. I arranged to meet her for lunch on a Friday when I thought I would be quiet at work but it was not quiet and I scooted out to meet her and arrived late and had to leave early. I then realised that I had left my wallet back in the office and she had to pay for my lunch. The final indignity was that she had bought me a box of chocolates for the children and I forgot to take them with me so she dropped them round to my office later in the afternoon.

I think I probably owe her a nice lunch.

Update on Herself

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Posted in: Princess

Thing one, she is finally taller than me. We’re both delighted really.

Thing two, she was in a documentary film in transition year and now she’s on the poster for the film on her own looking quite cool and moody (though she tells me her role is a small one and that she does not love the picture they have used for the poster). I am very excited and think she looks amazing. She seems to be indifferent, at best. To her absolute mortification, I have messaged the director to see if I can get a hard copy. She is never going to tell me anything ever again, she says. Still, worth it if I can frame the poster and hang it on the landing.

An Attempt at Redress or a Vignette from a Wednesday Evening

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Posted in: Dublin, Ireland

I went to a colleague’s father’s removal after work. Having dutifully sympathised with my colleague, I saw that there was an Aldi next door to the funeral home which was pretty handy as I had no plan for dinner. I graced it with my presence and picked up the ready-made lasagne (I’ve had worse). As I was going towards the till, I saw a bowl of hyacinths and picked them up as well.

When I got to the check-out, the queue was enormous. A man with two mountainous trolleys let me pass ahead of him with my two items. The hyacinths caused massive confusion and the assistant disappeared for ages into the back of the shop while I made apologetic grimaces to the kind humanitarian who let me pass ahead of him.

The hyacinths are blooming now and smell delightful. Every time I see them, I say a prayer for my colleague’s deceased father and also the man who let me pass him out at the Aldi check-out.

Election Fever

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Posted in: Ireland

We have been canvassed. It was all very thrilling and, to prove that canvassing definitely works, I changed my preference after encountering various candidates. My favourite was a candidate from a smaller party who turned up on our doorstep and met herself. In fairness, although acknowledging that she didn’t have a vote, he engaged with enthusiasm. He was ready with his climate change patter but she was interested in his party’s policy on penal reform (don’t ask me). While we had the distinct impression that his party’s policy was being made up on the hoof on our doorstep, I was much more positively disposed to him after his visit. And he might even get elected – still early days.

I can tell you, it’s all very exciting here at the moment and even people with zero previous interest in politics are glued to the count.