Grannymar

Bless me father, I did!

Well it is like this: I am out of the bed at the skreak of dawn for the drive to PodCamp.  Time only for coffee and a layer of warpaint before that son-in-law of mine calls out ‘Time to go!’  He is a very tall fella and when he bellows, sure I quake in my shoes!

Now for those of you not travelling you need something to think about, so I broke No. 7!

I stole this from Chrisb who got it from Barbara who got it from Yoli’s blog:

A Woman’s Poem

Before I lay me down to sleep, I pray for a man, who’s not a creep,
One who’s handsome, smart and strong.
One who loves to listen long,
One who thinks before he speaks,
One who’ll call, not wait for weeks.
I pray he’s gainfully employed,
When I spend his cash, won’t be annoyed.
Pulls out my chair and opens my door.
Massages my back and begs to do more.
Oh! Send me a man who’ll make love to my mind,
Knows what to answer to ‘how big is my behind?’
I pray that this man will love me to no end,
And always be my very best friend.

A Man’s Poem

I pray for a deaf-mute gymnast nymphomaniac with huge boobs who owns a bar on a golf course, and loves to send me fishing and drinking. This doesn’t rhyme and I don’t give a s***.

Now be good while I am busy!

Over the years I have received many a gift. There were pens, gloves, scarves, and of course books. More recently perhaps due to my age the gifts have become smelly. There are candles, lotions and potions, perfumes and pickles, all accepted gracefully and used or passed on to someone in greater need.

I have always preferred the gift that was thoughtfully selected to cater for my interests and hobbies, rather than the latest fashionable ‘must have’ at exorbitant cost.

This wooden spoon was carried from York, England at the end of Elly’s first school trip and week away without her parents. She was all of nine years old. The harvest mouse and my name in poker work on the bowl of the spoon have long been worn to a shadow. The spoon has served me well over the years mixing cakes, stirring jam or many a large pot of soup. Each time I take the spoon in my hand I think of that little girl who excitedly handed me the gift as she recalled the fact she nearly missed the bus back to the hotel while queuing to have my name engraved on the spoon.

There were the twin machine sewing needles to give a double row of stitching that she brought back from London the following year and the measuring tape bought the first time she went shopping in Dublin without me.

These are items I have used many a time and often. Little did she or I think that that the measuring tape bought in Dublin all those years ago would be used in the measuring and making of her wedding outfit many years later!

At the weekend I received another gift, it was rather different and something we would all find hard to refuse.

It was a Money Tree! The gift came from Steph.

A money tree would be very useful these days with all the talk of recession. My mind began to wander… If it was real money what would I buy?

My needs are simple. Since the tree came from Steph I would buy a celebration gift for her and her hubby on this special day. Tonight I will raise a glass to you both and to another 30 years together.

I would give Elly & George a gift. Fill the Oil tank. Pay my bills for the year. Carry out running repairs on the bungalow. Pay someone to do the garden, perhaps update the car.

Now if you had a money tree how would you spend your windfall?

Lunch was of the sit-in variety yesterday, well I was in the kitchen and although the sun was shining on the front garden, there was a gale blowing at the back of the house. Having survived the winter without coughs, colds or splutters (says I knocking on wood) I didn’t want to tempt fate and end up with something I’d never be rid of.

I let my mind wander and it travelled around Europe. Travelling like this is less hassle as there is no packing, queuing, flying, driving or getting on trains. Since I was there before I knew my way around and had no fear of being lost. I remember having my Passport stamped at several borders that now no longer exist. Some place names have changed and of course the money is easier nowadays. Was it Belgium that we had to be careful changing money because you were unable to exchange any leftovers when leaving the country?

I was supposed to pop into Turkey one year, but they had yellow fever so our plans were quickly changed. I still have some ground to cover, the Northern Lights are calling much louder than the hot spots further south.

I wondered how a map would look if I coloured it in, that was before I read this so red is the colour of my true love’s hair are the places I’ve visited.

create your personalized map of europe or check out our Barcelona travel guide

What does your map look like?

The very first time daddy brought us to see a round tower it seemed to touch the sky and you needed a rope ladder to reach the door which was a long way off the ground. The window holes were like slits and had no glass in them, so it must have been very draughty and dark inside. A round tower was like a round room and it was not as wide as our house. In my head it seemed only as wide as our toilet, well that was the smallest room in our house (separate to the bathroom) and I needed to get things in proportion.

I seem to remember being told then that round towers were originally built to protect our ancestors from raiders such as Vikings.

My childish mind worked overtime when I thought about it. To begin with I was small for my age when I was young, my father and uncles were all over 6ft tall. If they were standing when they spoke to me I had to look a long way up to see their faces. When we were near the tower daddy didn’t reach the bottom of the door. I hoped there would be no more Vikings. I didn’t want to climb up there.

Anyway, if we did manage to get inside how could we all fit? Maybe I would be lifted up onto someone’s shoulders. The round room went way up to the sky remember, so there would be lots of people standing on other peoples shoulders! What would I do if a heavy person was standing on my shoulders? It would be terrible if their feet were dirty and smelly. Again I hoped there would be no more raiders.

What brought this on?

You may well ask!

At the weekend I went out for a walk in the sunshine and on my travels I saw this round tower:

In 1866 James Chaine, the son of a prosperous linen merchant from Co Antrim, bought the Larne harbour with a down payment of £9,000. He repaired the existing pier and quays and had them extended and developed a rail link to the Port. In 1871 the Larne and Stranraer Steamboat Company was formed and a new paddle steamer the Princess Louise commenced a regular service between the two ports on 1^st July 1872.

A mail route was established in 1875 and a trans-Atlantic service between Glasgow, Larne and New York began in 1873. Using the renowned State Line vessels, this service continued until December 1889 and many hundreds of emigrants left Larne to start a new life in America.

James Chaine died from pneumonia in 1885 at the age of 44 and as a mark of respect the people of Larne and district raised funds by public subscription to build the Chaine Memorial Tower which dominates the entrance to the harbour.

Well I glanced, as you do, at the bit where the fishes swim in opposite directions you know well what I am talking about. Now we all know it is the greatest load of codswallop , but we have to take a peek. Some day… just one day it might be right….

Horoscope for Monday, January 14, 2008 By Rick Levine

‘Your life could settle down enough now for you to get your personal responsibilities under control. Perhaps you’ve been remiss in meeting your obligations, but today you are driven by more practical concerns. Forget about the idle fantasies.

Direct action — not dreaming about it — will bring you face-to-face with the happiness you seek.’

“Direct action” I murmur thinking of all the chores for the day.

I put the computer to sleep and put away the keyboard. I stand up and turn around and what happens? I am face-to-face with >>>>>

Well for a split second I of course thought it was my mother. She follows and haunts me so much that I say “What are here for now?”

Relax she was not back from the dead, it was Me! Yes I was face-to-face with my reflection in a mirror. Not bad for a Monday morning I thought, at this distance the lines don’t really show and the hair is more pepper than salt. Turning the corner I see the lens cleaning cloth and remember to clean my glasses. Removing the glasses I discover how smudged and greasy they are, it is a wonder I can see anything through the lenses.

“Direct action, direct action” I hum to myself and decide to go purchase the extra ingredients needed to make a pot of soup. Going into the bedroom to get my coat, I am once more face-to-face with me! This time there are more lines and the front of my hair has gone very white. How can that happen in a couple of strides and a half a minute? Of course the light is different in the bedroom (and the glasses are now clean)! Well if that’s how I look, that’s how it is, I have no intention of taking to the bottle. There are far to many women my age out there walking around with dead straw on their heads.

I did make it to the shops and buy what I needed, but everywhere I went I was confronted with mirror walls or glass cases that reflected my face back at me. Why had I never noticed them before? Walking uphill with my bundle to my little castle I met an acquaintance who told me I was looking very well.

Continuing on my uphill journey I mulled over what the acquaintance had said. Yes, I was looking well and health wise so much better than this time five/six years ago. Back then I was racked with pain and unable to cross my living room without hanging on and I mean HANGING on to the furniture. I do have my bad days and various aches and pains but not the constant 24/7 pains in joints and muscles making it difficult to get out of bed, dress and raise my arms to brush my hair. I have a GP who really listens to me and the cocktail of medication finally suits me and works for and not against me.

I am normally a ‘glass half full’ kinds gal, but November and December were a real drag this time round. The corner has been turned and today we reach the halfway point in the longest most difficult month in the Calendar. Perhaps the prediction was correct for once, and I was able to come face-to-face with the realisation that the happiness was there all the time deep inside myself!

Sometimes we have to travel through a dark passage to appreciate the good bright times ahead.

Back in March 2002 Elly came home from Scotland to spend a weekend with me. Instead of drowning the Shamrock we spent the time in A&E at Antrim Hospital. I was ill and in extreme unexplained pain. On her return she gave notice and returned home to look after me. It was a very black time for both of us. After several months she had the chance of a good job in Dublin. Once again I pushed her out and changed the locks

It was the best move she ever made, she found a career, love and a wonderful caring husband. Perhaps without my illness that might never have come to pass.

My back is broken!

I have spent the morning slaving away in the garden. Cutting grass and pulling weeds. Exhausted I sat to have a coffee and to daydream….

I have solved my gardening problem and want to share it with you

http://www.procreo.jp/labo/flower_garden.swf

When you click on the link you will get a black page.

Click your mouse anywhere on the black page & see what happens!

Better yet, click & drag your mouse forward and backwards over the black page…

If only gardening was this easy…..