belgianwaffle

Dublin

Ask the Internet


Posted in: Dublin, Ireland

Email to seed vendor:

Hi,

I bought your suburban garden seed pack and something is flourishing in my back garden. Unfortunately, I lost the packet and I have no idea what it is. Do I dig up the root and boil it or put vinaigrette on the leaves, or is it some kind of cabbage? I attach some photos and would really appreciate your advice.

Thanks very much.

Picture accompanying image:

info@irishseedsavers.ie 001

Google image search unhelpfully offered this.

In fairness to the seed people, they got back to me:

Sorry to have taken awhile getting back to you, I have showed your photos to a few of the guys here, and we are all under the impression that it may be a cauliflower or cabbage, but whatever it is you should thin it out and leave to it grow a bit longer. I’m sure you can eat the leaves lightly steamed would be good, if there looks to be a good root growing it may be a swede or turnip. Sorry I can’t be of more help and we don’t have any set of seed we give out in those starter packs just easy to grow varieties.

good eating
All the best

But I don’t think it looks like any cauliflower or cabbage I have ever seen, although I take the point about thinning. Any ideas? I’m looking at you townmouse.

A Broad Church


Posted in: Dublin, Ireland

Our local church has an annual trip to a outdoor play area for children and their parents. It was held yesterday and, as we sat there in the drizzle, getting sunburnt (welcome to the Irish summer), I was chatting to another mother about what secondary schools our children might go to – a topic that fills me with gloom and dread as I continue to do nothing about it.

Her: What about school x?
Me: Mmm, not sure.
Her: You’re probably too late anyhow, unless you’re Church of Ireland?
Me: For heaven’s sake, of course I’m not C of I, we’re on the [catholic] church outing.
Her: Actually, I am C of I.
Me: But you go to mass every Sunday.
Her: Yes. Well, it’s a trek to a C of I church.
Me: And your daughter’s an altar girl.
Her: Yes.
Me: In fact, I thought you were a particularly devout Catholic.
Her: Well, I am devout, I’m just not picky.

Dragging the Devil by the Tail or A Sad Litany of Failure


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

OK, this happened months ago but the pain is still fresh. I appreciate the post is stale.

12.00 – Go to meeting.
17.00 – Meeting ends. Return to office to find all kinds of urgent messages. Urgent, urgent, urgent matter must be attended to. Ring husband to say I will be late home. Find text message from him that he is in a meeting and can I be home to relieve the babysitter. Tackle urgent matter at great speed.
18.00 – Urgent matter dispatched in record time while eating lunch. Go multi-tasking [faintly Bridget Jonesish] me.
18.05 – Hop on Dublin bike.
18.20 – 18.45 Cycle around looking for a rack to park my bike. Fail to find one.
18.50 – Arrive home. Stash bicycle in the back garden. Husband is there before me, face like thunder.
19.00 – Announce I will cancel dinner out. Am told not to. Slink out in disgrace.
23.00 – Decide not to drive around city looking for place to stash Dublin bike.
9.00 – Regret previous evening’s decision on discovering that charges for keeping the bike overnight are astronomical. Alas.

Dialogue


Posted in: Dublin, Ireland, Middle Child, Twins

Daniel: Guess what I heard a boy say in the park?
Me: What sweetheart?
Him: “Fook off, stop touchin’ me bag.”
Me: Oh dear, that’s not very nice. Don’t say that.
Him: But that’s what he said.
Me: But it’s not very nice, we don’t say that.
Him: Yes, we say my bag.