Archives for July 2020

Saying Farewell to the Longest July on Record

30 July, 2020
Posted in: Mr. Waffle, Princess, Work

Monday, July 27, 2020

Another busy day in the salt mines but I was home by 7.30 which was terrific. We had our deferred cinema night. Herself selected “Ils sont partout” which was funny in places. It’s about being Jewish in France.

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Work was trying. I was sustained by the fact that it was our 19th wedding anniversary. Furthermore, to celebrate, Mr. Waffle had booked us dinner in Guilbaud’s. It was lovely and only very slightly marred by my getting a work call at 8.30.

I might take this opportunity to be mildly smug about how great my husband is. I feel, frankly, that I chose wisely.

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Work is starting to get a bit quieter and I rejoiced as I was home by 7. Small thrills. Herself made risotto for dinner. What a talent.

Thursday, July 30, 2020

I met a friend for lunch. It felt relatively daring.

Rentokil returned to our house to investigate the sounds in the Princess’s bedroom. They did a very thorough job according to Mr. Waffle and found nothing whatsoever which, obviously, is very welcome at one level but, as herself said, what is causing that noise then? A mystery and not really a satisfactory one.

And in “you will struggle to find a more typically Irish story” news, I got an email from a woman I used to work with 25 years ago who I am still reasonably pally with. She told me that a former colleague’s mother had died. She added in a bit of news about herself and her daughter (who is now 27 and who I first met aged 2 – an extraordinary thought). Her daughter’s boyfriend lives near me so she finds herself in my part of town more than previously. I encouraged her to drop in next time she was here. She said her daughter’s boyfriend’s mother actually grew up on our street. A house with a green door about two-thirds of the way down on the left. In fact, yes, you guessed it, we bought his deceased grandmother’s house. Now so, isn’t it a small world?

Tomorrow will see us heading off on our summer holidays. Not, sadly, to America (although, possibly, maybe we will get our money for flights back – very excited). And although I will, sadly, be accompanied by my laptop, I am hopeful that I won’t have to spend too much time bonding with it. I’ll tell you all about our Irish holiday when I get back. Something for you to look forward to.

Back on the Chain Gang

26 July, 2020
Posted in: Boys, Daniel, Ireland, Michael, Mr. Waffle, Princess

Saturday, July 18, 2020

We spent a quiet day at home doing laundry and gardening and recovering from the excitements in Cork . It’s not all glamour, you know.

Due to an ordering glitch, we got 18 eggs in the shopping. Our neighbours called round and gave us a further 15 from their hens. It’s an eggstravaganza, eggsessive even.

Sunday, July 19, 2020

I took myself off to mass in Irish at 10 on the basis that it surely wouldn’t be full. I got in alright but there was no mass. I sat there entirely alone in a big church in the city listening to the traffic outside and the seagulls squawking. It felt like a lot of space.

I took myself off to my first physical bookclub since March. I took one of the electric bikes you can hire which was grand but they are not set up for carrying eggs (I brought her 6 very fresh free range eggs, what’s your point?). I handed over a bag with an egg smeared bottle of prosecco and up to four intact eggs. My hostess seemed pleased but she is tactful. She had put in place all kinds of precautions and it was really lovely to see people in person at a 2 metre distance etc. I hope we’ll be able to do it again and it won’t be a short-lived development in between two surges.

After that, Mr. Waffle and the children picked me up in the car and we went out to visit the cousins bringing with us as a gift 6 very fresh free range eggs. They are moving into the grandparents’ house – which would otherwise be empty as my mother-in-law has moved into a nursing home – and that’s where we visited. We’ve all spent a lot of time there over the years with my parents-in-law and it was strange to be there without them and I think all the adults felt a bit sad – though grateful that they have given us and the children so many happy memories. The boys spent the visit playing with their cousins on the trampoline and had a great time. My parents-in-law were very hospitable and loved having us all round to the house and I hope they would like to think that their family are still having a good time there.

Monday, July 20, 2020

Dan started his basketball camp and Michael spent the day in bed. Both of them were pretty happy with this. There was a weird smell under the stairs. Ominous, I think you will agree in view of the previously encountered fluttering noise.

Work was absolutely manic.

Tuesday, July 21, 2020 – Belgian National Day

I celebrated Belgian National Day by putting in a very trying day at work, returning home at 9 and slinking to bed exhausted without even a cup of tea, let alone dinner.

Herself went to Cork to tend to my father. My sister is going on a short holiday and my brother has to be in Dublin for work on Wednesday. I couldn’t go as I was needed in the office so she was our nominee to deal with his various whims (home help were coming three times a day to deal with helping him up and to bed and so on). My father was very dubious.

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Herself enjoyed complete success in her day tending to my father’s whims. He put her number into his phone and called her every time he wanted anything from a cup of tea to finding his missing glasses. She said that no one had ever called her so much in her life. The engineer came to look at subsidence in the house also and she shouted his findings to her grandfather (he is rather deaf).

The green list of countries to which you can go without quarantining for a fortnight was published. It does not include the US. Efforts to get a refund for the flights for 5 of us out to New York and home from LA continue. I fear the worst. How deeply annoying.

Daniel made dinner which was fantastic as I was stuck late at work again.

Thursday, July 23, 2020

Herself returned from Cork crowned with laurels. My father rang me to tell me how fantastic she was. What a girl.

We had takeaway for dinner. I don’t even care, there is only so much I can do.

In possibly more positive news, the smell has completely disappeared from under the stairs.

Friday, July 24, 2020

Needless to say, I did not get to take my half day but I finished about 6 which allowed me to get to a barbecue to celebrate the 40th birthday of a former colleague. Given the constraints of Corona virus, the gathering was necessarily select also, we were outside and it did rain a little but it was marvellous. I had such a good time.

I’m really feeling like we are getting back to some kind of normal.

Saturday, July 25, 2020

We had a street clean up. The neighbours are really putting their backs into it. The place is immaculate.

Herself announced that there is a weird noise behind the fireplace in her bedroom and the cat is fascinated by it. She provided video footage. Is our house just basically a vermin infested disaster zone? I’d prefer if you didn’t answer.

I took the boys to get new school uniforms. €188 for 8 polo shirts and two vile nylon zip up tops. Pricey. We cycled to the uniform shop and then Daniel had to cycle home again to pick up masks for all of us (he’s the fittest and the fastest cyclist). Masks are compulsory in shops now and I am dutifully wearing mine but I’m a bit confused. Remember earlier when we were told that the science on masks was not clear? And we were told there was no point in wearing them or they might even be bad if worn the wrong way. Has the science become clearer? What has changed?

Herself babysat for friends around the corner and I stayed up in case for some reason she needed someone to walk her home. She didn’t but I waited up. When she got in she said, “Sorry you had to wait up.” “I don’t mind,” I said, “you know, I’m a late night bird.” “Is that the Tesco finest version of the night owl?” said she. We’re hilarious.

Sunday, July 26, 2020 – Feast Day of Saint Anne

I finally got in to mass. I’d kind of forgotten how dull our parish priest can be but quite a pleasant and familiar dull all the same. It wasn’t that different from before although there are a lot of markers on the floor showing where to stand and three pews out of four are cordoned off. Also there’s no collection just a bucket at the exit or the opportunity to tap and pay €4 which seems modest, to be fair. Communion is at the end which I think used to be the case pre-Vatican II anyhow. The leaflet was not particularly encouraging people to attend and reminded everyone that we all still have a dispensation not to attend Sunday mass.

We climbed up the Sugar Loaf in the afternoon in the teeth of some strong opposition. I was the slowest by miles and when I got down, they were all sitting waiting for me in the car in a marked manner. However, I redeemed myself by paying for tea and a treat in Enniskerry which was rather nice.

We rounded off the day with a quiz with the London relatives which was competitive but, ultimately, the children beat the grown-ups.

Cork!

19 July, 2020
Posted in: Boys, Cork, Daniel, Family, Ireland, Michael, Mr. Waffle, Princess, Travel, Work

Saturday, July 11, 2020

We finally got on the road to Cork. Let joy be unconfined. A friend of mine has a holiday house in Kinsale and as she and her family are based in the US and unable to travel this year, she suggested I should go down and I decided that that might make a nice change now that nationwide travel is again possible.

Daniel fell asleep in the car. He explained to us that he had been awake all night as his wrist was so sore. Ominous.

We stopped off in Cork on the way to Kinsale to get supplies and to visit my father. Cork was looking delightful, I must say.

My father was only alright but he perked up a bit when he got the chance to examine Daniel’s (carefully sanitised) wrist. “A bad sprain,” he pronounced, “or possibly a scaphoid fracture, he’s going to need an x-ray.” We took Daniel to the clinic and they took an x-ray and diagnosed a bad sprain. He got a support for his wrist and we were finally free to go on to Kinsale.

My friend’s house is in Sandycove, just outside the town and it has one of the best settings of any holiday house I have ever been in. The views are delightful.

Sunday, July 12, 2020

I was sorry that poor Daniel’s sore wrist meant that he wouldn’t be able to kayak or swim but he had a better night with his support and slept fine.

The day started off overcast but the weather cleared as the day went on. Herself developed an inexplicable interest in Greek and she and Mr. Waffle spent a happy hour sitting together going through the basics (mostly the alphabet as far as I could tell) while the boys played Magic (if you don’t know, you’re better off) in their bedroom. There was no real internet – coverage was poor and I didn’t want to use my friend’s wifi with a data cap. We were thrown back a bit on our own resources and I was surprised how ok that was for all of us.

My brother cycled to Kinsale to visit us. It’s 30kms from Cork city but as he explained, he had to get a pump from a friend in Waterfall so he came the long way and did 45kms. I am baffled. He called me to get directions to the house. “I’m coming into Sandycove now, where is it?” he asked. As I was talking to him, Mr. Waffle was saying, “I can hear him.” Fortuitously, he had called for directions from the bottom of the drive. We were all pleased to see him and he promised to come back later in the week to try out the kayaks.

Myself and the Princess went out for an experimental kayak. It was satisfactory. We swam as well. A bit on the chilly side. The set up for the kayaks was excellent with private access to the shore from across the road from the house and, better again, a nearby island to kayak out to.

Then we went into Kinsale for a stroll. It is a very attractive little town and although I’ve known it all my life (even had my wedding reception there), it’s still lovely to visit.

Because I had briefly lost my mind and, I suppose, because there was no internet, I agreed to play monopoly. I still hate monopoly. Only one person left in a huff. For reasons I cannot explain the version of monopoly my friend has in Kinsale features St Barth. I now know more about property values in this Caribbean paradise than I expected to after a week in Kinsale.

Monday, July 13, 2020

It was lashing rain. I was on to work first thing and as coverage in the house was pretty poor, I had to drive the car around the corner to talk to people. Maybe not the best start to the week.

On the plus side, Daniel said his wrist was much, much better. The hospital rang saying they wanted to do another x-ray to check something that was unclear from the first one. A mixed report then.

A friend of Mr. Waffle’s who has bought a house in Kinsale and currently getting it renovated came to visit. She’s from Cork but based in London and had been self-isolating at her mother’s house for a fortnight. She found it tough going, I think. There were loads of English accents in Kinsale and, although a lot of English people live in the area, I have to say, some of them definitely looked like holiday makers. Other non-Irish visitors seemed thin on the ground.

That afternoon, Daniel’s wrist was so much better that he wanted to go out on the kayak. I was a bit reluctant but himself and Michael went out and had a great time, so I think we can probably rule out those concerns about a broken bone.

My father’s uncle and aunt had a house in Sandycove and after dinner, Mr. Waffle and I went for a look. It was a lovely Georgian hunting lodge and I experienced definite regret that it had been sold on rather than going to their deserving nephew and niece (Uncle Jack and Aunt Cecilia didn’t have any children of their own and my father and aunt were the only children on that side of the family, there are lots of things from that house that ended up in my parents’ house and some even in mine. By all accounts Uncle Jack and Aunt Cecilia were absolutely lovely, they certainly had lovely things).

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Feeling extremely sorry for myself, I got up at 7.30 in the morning and did 90 minutes of hard labour on the laptop. My general sorriness for myself was tempered by observing Mr. Waffle who, also very busy, got up at 4.30 to finish something. Note to file, no more July holidays.

In ongoing success for Tuesday, I took the family to the Old Head of Kinsale where I have been many, many times. Not since the 90s though, it appears, as all access for non-golfers has been blocked since then. I knew about the travesty that was building a golf course on the Old Head but I thought some limited access for walkers had been retained. My mistake.

We went back into Kinsale and walked to St. Multose’s church. You may recall that I have become fascinated by the dramatist Lennox Robinson who it turns out was from Cork. I mean, who knew? His father was a curate in this church and his nephew put in a stained glass window so we went to have a look. Lennox Robinson’s sister married one of the Dormans who were a big family in Kinsale and I was pleased when Mr. Waffle told me that he noticed that there is still a scion of the Dormer family on one of the church committees. Ah continuity.

Then we walked out to Scilly and had lunch in the Bulman. A traditional pleasure which seemed largely unchanged and, for me, was only marred by fielding a brief work call. The restaurant seemed fine – only one menu per table and a sign at the door asking you not to come in, if coming from abroad and you hadn’t self-quarantined for 14 days, but otherwise pretty much as normal.

We did some brief shopping in Kinsale and then Daniel and I kayaked out to the island.

Mr. Waffle and I fielded some last work calls and then it was time for dinner.

After dinner, he and I and the Princess walked out the headland to get a good look at Aunt Cecilia and Uncle Jack’s house. I did feel a mild pang. My father has always been strongly against holiday houses on the, not unreasonable, grounds that then you have to go to the same place on holidays every year. But I quite like going back to the same place. My father said that when Jack was getting work done on the house, everything went wrong – the builder went bust etc.- and for the duration, he and Cecilia put up at the Imperial hotel on the South Mall. The glamour, lads. He was an engineer and he designed a turf powered central heating system for the house. Revolutionary for its time, I’m sure, but I would imagine it has been replaced by now.

View from the house out to sea.

Herself was a bit glum as she wanted to spend a couple of days staying in a friend’s house in Cork but we vetoed it on Coronavirus grounds. It’s a bit hard to know what the rules are and I felt a bit of a heel as she has been so good but, on balance, we decided best not.

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Mr. Waffle had a big meeting at 10 and I said that I would take the children to Cork for the day so we were up showered and in the car for 9.55. Quite the achievement, I can tell you. At 10.30, he rang to say that (very positive) developments meant that he did not actually have to work all day after all. We were in Cork by then so I left him to rejoice alone. On my own count I rejoiced also as I was not expecting any more work calls for the remainder of the week.

Herself and myself went into town in Cork leaving the boys in my parents house enjoying the thrill of re-connecting with the internet. It’s a bit weird going clothes shopping when you can’t try anything on so I failed to buy anything other than 6 vests for my father and a new teapot (a particularly middle aged haul) but herself got a couple of things. She bought herself a poké bowl in the market (it’s far from poké bowls etc).

We went back to Kinsale after lunch and my brother drove down to join us at about 5.30. We went out in the kayaks with him, went swimming (absolutely freezing), had dinner together and played 20 questions, it was lovely.

About 10.30, he said that he had better go and wondered aloud whether a) he would have enough petrol to get to Cork, the low fuel light was on and b) whether the garage in Kinsale was open. As to b) the answer was no. He went off into the darkness and I very much feared I would get a call to rescue him but no, he just managed to limp to Cork airport where he was able to fill up. Honestly, once a feckless younger brother, always a feckless younger brother.

Thursday, July 16, 2020

This was our last full day in Kinsale. Herself went into Cork city to meet a friend and Mr. Waffle, the boys and I went to Garrettstown beach. It’s my father’s favourite beach near the city and the place we almost always went when we were children. We took the body boards as it usually has great waves. The waves were not as fantastic as normal but Daniel and I still had an excellent time. Mr. Waffle went in only briefly and Michael, after a brief paddle, declared it just too cold.

I went up to Cork and paid a last visit to my father before collecting herself from town. She had been to the cinema which, she said, was an odd and almost solitary experience. She also said that a lot of shops in town weren’t letting in people who hadn’t the Covid tracker app. The previous day it was announced that pub openings would be delayed and that masks were to be compulsory in shops so perhaps everyone was just a bit more vigilant.

As it was our last night, I’d booked us in to a restaurant in Kinsale where I had been previously for lunch but never for dinner. It was busy enough. We had our temperature taken on the way in and there were screens between tables. Sadly our screen did not protect us from the noise of the cheerful but slightly drunken Dubliners at the next table who were celebrating the birthday of one of their number. The service was slow, the food was mediocre and the noise was deafening. Overall somewhat disappointing. Honestly, I’m just not sure how well this whole thing is going to work when people are drinking and eating out. I saw our waitress snap a picture of the drunken Dubliners on one of their phones. It’s all a bit worrying.

We scurried home to have dessert looking out at our view.

Friday, July 17, 2020

We left early on Friday morning as Mr. Waffle had a meeting in Dublin that afternoon. Quite honestly, it was one of the best holidays I have had. It was weirdly great not to have wifi. The house was really well set up for a family with every bit of kit you might need. The water and the kayaks were 100 metres away. The view was amazing and we all really needed a break. It was great to see my family. Notwithstanding work demands, I think everyone enjoyed it. Maybe we will go on holidays in July again.

Also, when we got home, our long awaited masks were in the hall. The postman had managed to get them though the letterbox so good news all round.

Is it still only July?

18 July, 2020
Posted in: Boys, Daniel, Dublin, Ireland, Michael, Mr. Waffle, Princess, Work

Sunday, July 5, 2020

I took myself off to mass for the first time in many months. I was greeted by this sign. Punctual worshipers only, it appears.

Daniel had his first GAA match since March. They were flattened, alas, but he was still delighted with himself.

Mr. Waffle and I cycled to the Bull Wall for a walk. A longer cycle than I anticipated. And it lashed rain on us. But I was sustained by a sense of inner smugness. Until I had to cycle home against the wind and into the rain. A low point was when I was cycling at maximum speed into the wind and Mr. Waffle hopped off and started walking beside me.

Monday, July 6, 2020

The beginning of a quite hideous week at work – now definitively full time back on site. On the plus side, I had lunch with a colleague in the park.

I was late home but as a treat, the council had laid on bollards at the end of the road. The excitement, I was absolutely delighted. Filtered permeability is the way of the future. I made my utterly uninterested children walk to the end of the road and inspect the temporary bollards (more like wands really). There was a bunch of men standing there looking bitterly at the bollards and as I re-screwed in one that had been taken out and thrown on an adjacent planter, I engaged them in conversation about the merits of filtered permeability. It would be fair to say that neither side was convinced by the arguments of the other but, in fairness, it was all reasonably good humoured (to clarify, I do not think they were the authors of the outrage that was the unscrewing of the bollard). Hilariously, they said it was no wonder that this kind of thing was happening as the CEO of Dublin city council was himself a cyclist. In my view, the cycling provision in Dublin wouldn’t exactly be a testament to that. In my mind’s eye, I see the roads division as stacked with engineers who live in the suburbs and want to turn the city centre into a motoring paradise as they don’t have to live there but that may be unfair.

Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Another trying day in the salt mines and it became clear that I wouldn’t be able to go on holidays on Friday morning and, worse, would have to travel back to Dublin on Monday for a meeting. I thought we might stay on a bit longer the following week to make up for it. I rang herself to see whether this created any difficulty for her social plans. I described my travel plans. “Fine by me,” she said, “but it sounds like the diary of a super-spreader.”

Speaking of super spreaders, I had lunch, in a cafe, with a friend. So gratifying. Herself went on the bus for the first time since March. Pretty empty she said.

She told me about her friend who said that he was contemplating reading the Bible as it’s such a best-seller.

Him: My parents have an old edition, about 20 years old in the house, do you think I could read that?

Her: Sure, why not?

Him: Well, I was thinking that it might be quite offensive from today’s viewpoint and maybe a more modern updated version would be more appropriate.

Her [long pause]: Um, it’s 2,000 years old. They don’t update it. It’s as offensive as it ever was. Knock yourself out.

It is an ongoing mystery to me how in a country where some 95% of primary schools are denominational, children and young people seem to have no idea whatsoever about religion. Even in general knowledge terms. Insert your own curmudgeonly joke here.

Arrived home from work late and absolutely sodden. Alas.

Wednesday, July 8, 2020

I was at my desk from 9 to 7.45 with a short break to buy a sandwich which I consumed at my desk. I was not delighted but on the plus side, the prospect of having to return on Monday for a meeting receded. There was much rejoicing on this latter front.

And then when I got home, Daniel had made pizza for dinner. Pleasing.

Herself got her braces tightened. Miserable.

The neighbourhood whatsapp group went crazy over the bollards. Entertaining.

Thursday, July 9, 2020

Another delightful 12 hour work day. Note to file, never, ever, go on holidays in July again. It is not quiet, it is busy. Herself has developed a principle she’s tentatively calling the Polly principle (an homage to the Peter principle): “Responsibility devolves to the person available.” It’s definitely feeling true at the moment.

I got herself to order take away for dinner. When I got home I went out to join Mr. Waffle and our residents’ association chair to canvas people and encourage them to love the bollards. I was no use as they had seen everyone already by the time I caught up with them. Feeling on the doorsteps was broadly positive, I understand. All to play for, we have a four week trial to convince people.

When we thought we would be going to Cork on Friday, we moved film night to Thursday and it was too much mental effort to change back. We saw “Hot Fuzz” which wasn’t bad although, unbeknownst to Mr. Waffle, who chose it, the boys and I had seen it relatively recently.

Friday, July 10, 2020

When I finally left the office, late in the evening, the place was deserted and the bike access was locked. Who knew they would do that on a Friday? Not the person who normally takes a half day on Fridays. I was a bit reluctant to take public transport home as I had no face mask and Mr. Waffle was off with Dan at a GAA match and couldn’t give me a lift. I eventually managed to raise someone from security and got home about 9.30, tired but triumphant.

I got an email from the local Irish company (name not included to protect the guilty) from whom I ordered my face masks at great expense in mid–May that they would finally be delivered in the next 2 days, i.e. when no one would be in the house for the first time since March. However, I could not work up any significant levels of indignation as I was finally on holidays (even if, alas, my laptop was travelling with me).

Daniel arrived home from GAA with a sore wrist but we sent him to bed and hoped for the best.

Soon there will be a post on our week in Cork. There’s something to look forward to.

Still Diarying

4 July, 2020
Posted in: Boys, Daniel, Michael, Mr. Waffle, Princess, Work

Monday, June 29, 2020

Although the plague feels much abated, I am still noting things every day. I’m not sure why but we’ll keep going and see when I run out of steam.

I am back to work in the office pretty much full time for July at least. The traffic was light on the cycle in which surprised me. There was hardly anyone in the office but one of my colleagues offered the frank appraisal that I looked pretty miserable. I suppose I was a bit. It was all strange and disorienting and it’s a different feeling to be going in to your office than downstairs to your desk.

I forgot my swipe card and spent some time trapped at reception but was rescued by a kindly security guard.

The creches have gone back today and, I have to say, I noticed the productivity boost immediately as colleagues are not limping along trying to mind children and work at the same time.

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

Last day working from home for a while. It felt a bit strange. Mr. Waffle got his hair cut to celebrate the barbers reopening. It was time.

Poor Daniel was very glum suffering from the boredom and inactivity which has been a huge part of his summer 2020 experience.

Wednesday, July 1, 2020

I cycled into the office in lashing rain and continue to adapt myself to this brave new world.

Mr. Waffle took Daniel out to visit his cousins and pick up a spare keyboard belonging to his uncle (immensely sophisticated yoke, Dan is delighted with it). Then he went back to real physical GAA training that evening in the lashing rain (both he and Mr. Waffle have done the return to GAA training post-covid course, no more spitting apparently, a delightful thought). He came back from training jubilant. Apparently between the daily runs and reps he’s actually never been fitter.

Herself meanwhile partook of more intellectual pleasures and went to visit Marsh’s Library with a friend. She sent us a picture of Queen Elizabeth I’s Irish primer.

Michael remained at home all day rubbing his hands in delight at having the house to himself.

Thursday, July 2, 2020

The boys got their hair cut. My menfolk are now all shorn which is, frankly, a welcome development.

I’m getting used to being back at the office full time. It’s still pretty empty though. On the way home, there were loads of people outside the pubs drinking. I feel a bit nervous.

Herself went to the GP alone for the first time – she hurt her foot a couple of weeks ago and it was getting worse. Mr. Waffle was in an endless conference call and I was in my office so neither of us could go with her. She was quite pleased. They made an appointment for her to go for an x-ray.

I finally finished book 7 of the Harry Potter audiobooks. Go on, judge away. Listening to them all via Borrowbox (excellent library app which allows you to download audiobooks and e-books for borrowing purposes) has been my pandemic soundtrack. A bit of a marathon.

Everyone else in the family has become obsessed with flags. I know it’s anti-intellectual but this is not an area of learning in which I can muster any interest. I know I’m always saying to the children that anything can be interesting if you learn about it but, personally, I seem to be hitting a brick wall on this one. Here’s what the family whatsapp group looks like these days.

Friday, July 3, 2020

This is the end of civility: we got an email from facilities management asking us not to hold the door open for each other. Understandable, I suppose. I managed to tear myself away from the office by 3. This half day on Friday is so often observed in the breach that I wonder whether I should give it up altogether and go back to full time working.

Herself went for her x-ray and they diagnosed a torn ligament and gave her a compression sock thing. She had to cycle to and from the appointment as her parents have really taken to this new regime where she deals with her own medical appointments.

Dr. Tony Holohan, the CMO who has been guiding the nation through the corona virus thing has stepped back. Never has a nation loved a public servant more. His wife has cancer and is going into palliative care and he is going to look after her and their two teenagers. How grim. In early March, someone from Limerick (background – Dr. Holohan is from Limerick) said to me that she thought his wife had terminal cancer. I never heard anything further about it in the media or anywhere else and I thought that my Limerick source was wrong but in fact she was right. Loads of people must have known and I find it reassuring that in a tiny country like this, people respected his privacy and, as far as I know, not a word got out publicly until he decided to tell people himself.

For cinema night we had “Red”. A comedy action movie about a former CIA agent – Bruce Willis – who is being hunted by the CIA. The plot is complex – I suspect more than one screen writer had a hand in it. It was enjoyable in places but I was pleased that all of my children were well able to identify the misogynistic tropes which it included – for example, good guy kidnaps the girl and she falls in love with him. I think we can all acknowledge that kidnap is not the path to a loving relationship founded on mutual respect.

Saturday, July 4, 2020

One of the neighbours has opened up a fancy coffee van. We went to buy pastries. On the way we inspected the new road layout to facilitate temporary bollards at the end of the road. Saturday morning thrills. Am I turning into Mr. Pooter here? Please, no replies.

Michael and I went into town and went to an art gallery (for me) and various game shops (for him) and had pizza. It was the most normal set of Saturday activities in ages. I also made him have a go on an electric bicycle. He didn’t love it.

We booked the rest of our summer holiday in Ireland. Hallelujah.

Daniel’s friend called to see if he would like to go on a basketball course. He would. When is it? One of the weeks we are away. Of course.