Young trendy person in shop in Temple Bar: I love your briefcase, is it vintage?
Me: Actually, I got it as a present when I finished my first job.
Her: So it is then!
Archives for June 2013
Tibradden
We went off on an extended family outing to see the house that features in this book a couple of weeks ago. The house is open to the public a couple of times a year. My mother-in-law had read the book and enjoyed it and lent it out to most of us. We were curious. The author met us on the doorstep and showed us around. She was a delightful hostess but it was odd to be in her house and to know so much about her life. Not just the outer parts but her inner thinking also and the really upsetting things as well. I would have thought that it isn’t much fun for her either but she seemed quite cheerful. Weird but recommended, particularly, if you liked the book.
Incidentally, this being Ireland, it turned out that my mother-in-law had known the author’s mother’s parents well and lived next door to her editor’s aunt with whom the author had dined only the other day; my brother-in-law had worked with a friend of hers who had been to dinner the previous evening; and she and my husband had college friends in common.
Anti-podean
Michael: Ah, still all these posters everywhere “No to Australia”! When will they take them down?
Me: What?
Mr. Waffle: No, Michael, that’s “No to Austerity”.
Mocking the Exile
We were passing the Aviva stadium the other day and Mr. Waffle decided to relive with Daniel the time they had almost gone there [the crowd was too small – they didn’t end up in the main stadium]. They saw Lansdowne [a Dublin team] play Dolphin [a Cork one]. Lansdowne won.
Mr. Waffle: Remember the time we almost went to the Aviva stadium?
Daniel: Yes, Lansdowne beat Dolphin.
Michael: It was hard for Dolphin, they didn’t have much chance out of the water.
Daniel: But they live in schools, you’d think they’d be smart.
Mr. Waffle: They can’t be that smart, they keep getting caught in those tuna nets.
Oh we are all very funny.
Fast Learner
Me: If Daddy isn’t here in five minutes, yes you can eat it.
Her: How long is five minutes?
Me: When it’s twenty to.
Her: Let me see your watch. It’s not even twenty-five to.
Me: It is.
Her: And I’ve been waiting 2 minutes already.
Me: You haven’t.
Her: I have, I should only have to wait until 22 minutes to.
Me: Would you stop arguing, please?
Her: I’m not arguing, I’m debating.
The Spirit of Enterprise
The Princess has set up her own cake making business. So far she has set up a website [I would link to it but then I would have to kill you] and printed cards. She has had one order – from me – to make fairy cakes for the boys’ first communion which she dutifully delivered. Her site has had one like – from her – and she was outraged to receive a “you’re so vain” email from wordpress. She was still smarting from this several hours after receiving it. Truly, the lot of an entrepreneur is not a happy one.
Nevertheless, she is very taken with the whole business idea. As Mr. Waffle put her to bed the other night, I heard her say to him, “Entrepreneurs don’t have bed times.”