belgianwaffle

Dublin

Content Continues to be Stellar*


Posted in: Dublin, Ireland

I have previously written about my electric toothbrush. It has decided that it needs a new toothbrush head and nothing will stop it beeping pathetically and flashing at me. I have looked at several very dull internet videos in an effort to make it stop (if it beeps high-medium-low it’s enabled but low-medium-high means turned off, this is ridiculous) but clearly they don’t want you to make it stop (those toothbrush heads cost a fortune) so I yielded to the inevitable and put on a new head and it’s now purring away happily. This is today’s achievement if it can be called such.

*Thank you for sticking with it. Surely, things can only improve.

Back in the Saddle


Posted in: Dublin, Ireland

Is it November? It is.

Am I going to post every day? Yes, I am.

Is NaBloPoMo still a thing? Who can say – but it will be here.

While gearing yourself up for a month of fascinating content, do please admire my festive Halloween decor.

By night:

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By day:

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And will we have a close up of the autumn wreath that I made myself using a hanger, ribbons, leaves and cuttings from the garden? Yes, yes, I think we will. To be honest, it made for a stressful week as it had to be regularly refreshed with leaves from the garden as the old ones wilted or blew away but I felt very crafty, as is seasonally appropriate.

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I had cute little pumpkin nightlights and my entire decorative gourd collection on the mantelpiece last night and I was extremely pleased. Sadly it did not photograph well due to glare from 12 nightlights (judge away) so you will just have to imagine gourd perfection. May I yet again refer you to this article which is now an essential element of the season and describes my sentiments admirably.

Commitment


Posted in: Dublin, Ireland

Regular readers will be aware that I am committed to the bicycle. However, over the summer I saw an older gentleman cycling with golf clubs on his back. It just goes to show, it can be done. Though, I have to say, I would definitely hesitate.

Decorative Gourd Season Update


Posted in: Dublin, Family, Ireland, Mr. Waffle

I played tennis this morning at 10 and cursed myself for agreeing to get up early a third morning of the bank holiday weekend, I mean why, why would I do that to myself? But, as always, it was very enjoyable when I got there and we all played really well (it was the regular doubles group) or else the beginners at the next court made us feel we played really well but either way we were delighted with ourselves and had tea and bun afterwards to celebrate (we always have tea and buns afterwards if we play on the weekend).

Afterwards I went into town on my ongoing decorative gourd quest. Even though Halloween is next Friday, upstairs in the homeware section of Dunnes (my happy place, sadly, I know, sadly) it is Christmas and all trace of Halloween has been removed. Downstairs in grocery though what did I find? Oh yes, decorative gourds galore. Reduced to clear to boot. I got nine for €4.41 (managing to avoid the mouldy ones). Where would you be going?

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After lunch, Mr. Waffle and I went out to the pier for a walk. A bit wet but not actually raining. What can you call that but a win? The ice cream vendor at the end of the pier was open as well so I got a 99. Thrills.

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After our health giving walk, we were going to go to the Royal Marine hotel for a cup of tea (our help in ages past) but our eye was caught by this new place where we hadn’t been before – Haddington House – I can definitely recommend. We got lovely cosy seats by the fire and very prompt service. The Royal Marine is a bit careworn and although there are lovely views from the drawing room, the good seats are often taken by people who bagged them in 1966 and haven’t moved since. Younger punters like us are generally shunted in to the windowless back room so all in all, I think our pier experience will be considerably enhanced by the entry into our lives of Haddington House.

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We dropped in to say hello to Mr. Waffle’s brother on the way home (he limped to the door after yesterday’s marathon experience but seems otherwise unaffected). He had lots of news; they are staring down the barrel of major house renovations and they have just found somewhere to live while the builders take their house apart and put it back again. He was home alone as my nephew and niece were out with their friends and – rather more excitingly – my sister-in-law had just left for Tokyo for work. I would like to go to Japan, I must say; though not for work. And that was that for the weekend. There is something to be said for a peaceful bank holiday weekend. How was your own bank holiday, if you celebrate?

Idiotic Injuries I Have Sustained this Week


Posted in: Dublin, Ireland, Twins, Youngest Child

For reasons I won’t bore you with (you thought there was nothing I wouldn’t bore you with, think again), my electric toothbrush charger is on a low shelf in the dining room. My old electric toothbrush died in July after many years of faithful service and I bought a new one. Was the new one working? It was not. When put on the charger it blinked its light rapidly trying to convey a message but what was it? Unclear. When taken off the charger after sitting there overnight, it acted like all life was extinct. I crouched on the ground beside it trying to reset it and explored various youtube videos in vain. Eventually I sprang angrily to my feet in a state of extreme frustration and banged my head on the marble mantelpiece giving myself mild concussion for the weekend (no reading, no screens, some throwing up) and I seem to have jarred my back also and it was quite sore for a couple of days. On the positive side despite not having retained my receipt, Boots gave me a new electric toothbrush instead when I showed them the Revolut receipt (showed location and amount spent but not what spent on, if you see what I mean). Pretty pleased and surprised about that.

Michael had a terrible cold all week which he transmitted to me on Thursday and I felt pretty miserable on Thursday and Friday and, honestly, not too hot today. It’s the first time I’ve been sick since last Christmas (a miracle which I partly attribute to the flu jab which I will be getting again this year) so I’m just not used to it.

I paid a man to rehang all my pictures after the painting job (judge away) and he came a couple of weeks ago (stay with me, this is a bit relevant). He did an amazing job but never have I felt so judged for my very inadequate art collection (mostly a series of prints acquired in my 20s). He said family photos have their place but there was no point using his expensive time to hang them. I was inclined to agree. I hung them myself yesterday, on the landing in a spot a friend of mine once referred to as “shrine of revered ancestors”. It was a long and tedious job involving the ladder, several dusters, some unorthodox hanging techniques (ask me about thumb tacks) and windolene. I did not enjoy. As I was standing on the ladder, hammer in one hand, picture balanced precariously on the top step of the ladder, masonry nails between my teeth (big tip I got from picture hanging man is that to hang almost everything all you need is one short masonry nail) when sneezes began to rack my poor sickly body. I sneezed, I spat nails, the hammer fell, I twisted to save the picture from the same fate and somehow, I hurt my lower back making me incapable of bending for the rest of the day. It is still a bit sore today but better, thanks for asking.

Where, you ask, is the holiday content you came here for? Stay with me, it’s on the way.

A Period of Unparalleled Hideousness Begins


Posted in: Dublin, Ireland, Twins

We’re getting the hall, stairs, landing and reception rooms downstairs repainted.

Work began on Monday. I have already agreed to buy a new carpet for the stairs and landing and to remove all the anaglypta (probably no loss). The idea is that the work will be completed while we are on holidays. Unfortunately, it started before our departure. The photos below do not at all convey the level of absolute chaos that prevails at home. I went to the bathroom in bare feet the other morning. A painful error.

The painting plan was set up before we realised that one child would not be on holidays but would be at home in Dublin preparing to resit an exam. My brother (agent of chaos) will also be staying in the house. Have we set up our child to fail? Well, we’re not exactly removing obstacles from the path, that’s for sure.

Anyway off on holidays to France now. Back in mid-September with tales from the holidays. Something for you to look forward to.