Through humor,
you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers.
And once you find laughter,
no matter how painful your situation might be,
you can survive it.
– Bill Cosby
I found this quote this morning and thought I would share it.
I went to Dublin last week and spent my time playing with Buffy, visiting friends, shopping, eating, drinking and giggling like a school girl! (I’ll not mention all the toyboys I met… hugged…. and kissed!!!)
I spent most of Wednesday in Dublin City. I sauntered and rambled about with the camera and found a few ‘toyboys’ sitting or lying about the town. Each had a quiet spot where I could linger, mind you the chat was rather one sided…. You saw one of them in Sunday’s post and there will be more over the next couple of weeks.
I moved on to keep an appointment with Alice of My Wintersong and Pasu, her husband, who live in Utah. They were in Ireland for a few days as part of a tour of Scotland and Ireland. I thoroughly enjoyed our time together, and it was great to meet in realtime! As I always say, we (bloggers) get to know each other on-line from the inside, so meeting is the icing on the cake.
I did take my arm back and allowed him to go home with Alice! 
Thursday I found time to visit @eolai/ Liam in his studio and return a blank canvas that I offered to take back to Dublin for him. He was in fine fettle and back painting again after a couple of days rest.
Friday I went to Maynooth, shopping for a girlie night in, with some of Elly’s colleagues from Stateside. We did have fun and the craic was mighty.
Saturday we headed for the City once more and a little retail therapy. My sister joined us and we began with lunch in Brown’s Bar & Café by Carton House – at Brown Thomas department store.
As we headed for the escalator I was accosted greeted and hugged by Rowan Manahan It was wonderful to catch up even for a few minutes. I do hope his dear wife forgave me for keeping him late.
After lunch it was a rib crushing hug from Darragh before we followed the crowd for the launch of Gorgeous to Go, The Beaut.ie Guide to Smart Shopping, by Aisling McDermott.
Some of the ‘Gals’ waiting to have copies of the book signed.
Photo of the book and goodie bag
With Elly and my sister, Photo by Kirstie
After all that excitement we went in search of ice cream, but not before I bought a pair of boots for the winter. With all the talk of a harsh winter and forecast for snow, I need to be prepared.
On Saturday evening I moved to my sister’s and we had a short visit to see a friend who underwent surgery recently.
Big brother met us for breakfast on Sunday and then took me for a drive through the countryside of our childhood. I was returned to my sister for lunch and we both went in search of a sculpture after lunch.
Yesterday, after lunch I headed back north and home. The holiday is over and I am back to porridge my usual routine.
Mars Bars Squares
3ozs Butter or Margarine
3 Mars Bars sliced
3 Beakers Rice Krispies
Chocolate to cover
Melt Mars bars with the butter or margarine over a bowl of hot not boiling water. Remove from the heat and add rice Krispies and mix well with a fork. Press into a greased 13in X 9in tin and level out.
Melt the chocolate and pour over Krispies. Leave to cool and set. Cut into squares.
Oscar Wilde - Bronze
Danny Osborne
This Oscar Wilde sculpture is in Dublin’s Merrion Square
In true Irish fashion the sculpture is known locally as “the Quare on the Square or the “the Fag on the Crag”.
The sculptor is Danny Osborne. It was commissioned by the Guinness Ireland Group and unveiled on October 28, 1997.
Directly across the narrow path are two square marble columns covered in Wilde witticisms. The words are carved into the marble and it look like graffiti from a distance, but are to give the impression of Wilde’s handwriting. One column is topped with a small sculpture of a kneeling woman, and the other of man’s torso.
The Stuart Suite entrance at the Culloden Hotel, I like this gateway, leading to an archway and beyond.
The tall bare tree on the left is actually a telecommunication pole and not a real tree.
Our topic today for the Loose Blogging Consortium was chosen by Rohit
It all started with the social studies teacher’s extra-credit project: Think of an idea for world change, and put it into action. Whilst this proved a little ambitious for most of his classmates, twelve-year-old Trevor thought he would start by doing something good for three people. But instead of paying him back, he would ask them to pay it forward by doing a favour for three more people. If it all went to plan, Trevor thought, it would be the start of a long chain of human kindness …
So began the story of Pay it Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Long before I read this book, paying forward was a philosophy I had adopted. So many times in my early life people were kind to me, and at times went out of their way to help me along my road. I was never privileged to return that favour, so decided by way of thanks to help others instead.
A few weeks ago a young lady helped me. She could have walked past me as I lay dazed in the street, but she didn’t. She stopped and talked to me, called an ambulance and stayed with me until the ambulance arrived. All I know about her, is that her name is Pauline. Our paths may never meet again, so instead of paying back her kindness, I will help someone else in need.
*
*
*
The Pay It Forward Movement has come about as a real-life reaction to the release of the novel.
It always puzzled me how anyone could give more than 100% all is now revealed:-
What Makes 100%?
What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?
Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%? We have all been to those meetings where someone wants you to give over 100%.
How about achieving 103%?
What makes up 100% in life?
Here’s a little mathematical formula that might help you answer these questions:
If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.
Then:
H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%
and
K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%
But ,
A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%
And,
B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T
2+21+12+12+19+8+9+20 = 103%
AND, look how far ass kissing will take you.
A-S-S-K-I-S-S-I-N-G
1+19+19+11+9+19+19+9+14+7 = 118%
So, one can conclude with mathematical certainty, that while Hard work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, its the Bullshit and Ass Kissing that will put you over the top.
Now you know why some people are where they are!
§
§
§
Thank you David for passing this one on.
Tuesdays are fast becoming my lazy days. I somehow don’t manage to have a post ready at the usual time. Yesterday I had little Miss Buffy to distract me.
Buffy
Now that is not my knitting, It was once a dog toy in the form of a thick plait. Another week or two and it will have gone full circle - once more looking like sheep fleece!
Buffy loves somebody, anybody to hold one end while she tugs away at that other. I was completing a task this morning when she wanted to play. I stood on one half of the threads and she tugged at the other. Suddenly I moved! Yes she had found a new game - Drag a granny round the room.
I soon put a stop to that, one fall is more than enough thank you very much.
It was a day for talking, cooking,walking, and making friends.
A Pair of Peacocks
Today I will be heading out to meet a visiting Blogger….
More later!
Quick Veg Soup
1 each - potato, carrot, courgette and onion grated.
Sauté in a little oil. Add zest of 1 orange, vegetable stock and some red lentils. Cook until tender.
Serve with wheaten bread or fresh crusty roll.
“Johnny The Jig” - Bronze
Sophia Rosamond Praeger
“Johnny The Jig”, a bronze figure of a boy playing an accordion, is in Holywood, County Down, very appropriately placed beside a children’s playground. The play area was very busy when I arrived, so I was careful with my camera in case I upset any of the parents.
Sophia Rosamond Praeger, MBE, HRHA, MA (1867 - 1954) was an Irish artist, sculptor, illustrator and writer. She was born in Holywood, Co Down
She was the daughter of a linen exporter originally from The Hague. With her brother Robert Lloyd Praeger (later a famous naturalist and director of the National Library of Ireland), she attended Sullivan Upper school at Holywood, Co Down. Following a period at the Government School of Art in Belfast, she attended Slade in London at the age of 17.
Returning to Northern Ireland she worked from a studio in Belfast before purchasing her own studio in Holywood.
In addition to illustrating children’s books and providing botanical illustrations for her brother’s work, she exhibited sculptural works throughout Ireland and Britain.
Examples of her work can be seen in the Ulster Museum and the Ulster Folk Museum, as well as the Royal Victoria Hospital, St Anne’s Cathedral, the Ulster Hospital, Donald, and the Queen’s University of Belfast.
