Grannymar

It came in an email from Brighid.

The idea was to:-

Hit forward and place an X by all the things you’ve done,
remove the x from the ones you have not, and send it to your friends. So being a good sport, I am prepared to share it with all of you:

This is your life:

( ) Shot a gun
(X) Gone on a blind date.
( ) Skipped school
(X) Watched someone die – alas, more than one

Visited any of the following:
(X) Europe - I live in Europe and have visited quite a few countries
( ) Africa
( ) Asia
( ) Australia
( ) Antarctica
( ) Canada
( ) North America - Massachusetts
( ) South America

(X) Flown on a plane – often
(X) Served on a jury - Once
(X) Been lost – only once
(X) Travelled to the opposite side of the country – Not difficult in Ireland
(X) Swam in the Ocean. - Atlantic
(X) Cried yourself to sleep - more than once
(X) Played cops and robbers
(X) Played cowboys and Indians
(X) Recently coloured with crayons
(X) Sang Karaoke
(  ) Sang a solo or duet in public
(X) Paid for a meal with coins only
(X) Made prank phone calls – as a child
(X) Laughed until some beverage came out of your nose
(X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
(X) Had children - ONE
( ) Had a pet
( ) Been skinny-dipping outdoors
( ) Been fishing
(X) been boating
(X) Been downhill skiing - Does sitting on the slopes unable to stand up for laughing, count? I was wearing Skis.
(  ) Been water skiing
(  ) Been camping in a trailer/RV – No!  I’m Irish!
(X) Been camping in a tent - without a groundsheet too!
(  ) Flown in a small 4-seater airplane
(  ) Flown in a glider
(  ) Flown in a helicopter
(  ) Flown in a hot air balloon
(  ) Walked on a glacier
(X) Driven a motorcycle/been a passenger – Yes a passenger
(  ) Been bungee-jumping
(  ) Gone to a drive-in movie
(X) Done something that could have killed you-but not – Yes went on a date, it nearly did!
(  ) Done something that you will regret for the rest of your life – Regrets are a waste of energy.
(  ) Rode an elephant
(X) Eaten just cookies or cake for dinner …and ice cream for breakfast
(X) Been on TV
(  ) Stolen any traffic signs
(X) Been in a car accident - minor
(X) Donated blood
(  ) Gone Curling

Favourite drink:  Good coffee
Favourite number: 10
Favourite Colour: Cornflour Blue
Favourite movie:  84 Charring Cross Road
Favourite dessert: Not sure I remember dessert.
Where you hope to be in 10 years:  Hopefully still getting out of bed unaided and chasing Toyboys!
Furthest place you will send this message:  You tell me

I watched a film last night ‘Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont’ from the book by Elizabeth Taylor.  It was Directed by Dan Ireland, and starred Joan Plowright, Rupert Friend, Anna Massey & Zoe Tapper.

I was physically tired and it was just right to help wind down for the evening.

This is not a review, more to share a few lines that stayed with me…

Destiny might lead us to the path –  the rest is up to us.

There are people that cross our lives for the briefest possible encounters, yet leave an indelible mark.

◊-ο-◊

While looking for some information about the film I came across an excellent review of the book at Book Snob with references to the film in the comments that followed.

The Oriel Gallery is part of the Clotworthy building complex recently renovated as part of a major £5.8m restoration project of Antrim Castle Gardens. Restoration work on the rest of the Gardens will continue until the summer, I intend returning to the house and gardens in the next few weeks.

Remember the shell of the building I posted this morning?

It was burned by vandals some years ago, but look at it now:

New entranceway, windows and roof with roof lights.

Looks like there is somebody home already!

Clotworthy has begun throwing open its doors to some strange and colourful characters…..

Will Knott will not be pleased to miss this! :sad:  Tomorrow will be the last day……!

What is this?

Bright interior

Looking down at the invaders from the Gallery.

RoboCop

RoboCop details

B9 Robot

Grace 2.0

Not Buffy

The Toys

Sorry Will, these are just to give you a flavour of the exhibition, you know the characters better than I do.

When I was young the choice was oatmeal for porridge or cornflakes.  Nowadays you need a week to decide between the good, the bad and the nasty!

According to Hamburg sex researcher Dr. Werner Habermehl, women with red hair have more sex than women with other hair colours. He also postulates that women in a relationship who dye their hair red may be signalling that they are unhappy and looking for something better.

Now I know why my life is dull….

Because my hair turned………

Grey!

The wind is howling, the lights were all a flicker

News is full of doom and gloom, enough to depress a Vicar

But

I have a plan…

Time to stuff Christmas into a box & shove it in the loft

Then…

Shake the dust, wash the floor & throw the rubbish out the door

And

Sit down, relax and enjoy…

If I had a rich man,
Daidle deedle daidle
Daidle daidle deedle daidle dum
All day long I’d biddy-biddy-bum
If I had a wealthy man.

I wouldn’t have to work hard,
Daidle deedle daidle
Daidle daidle deedle daidle dum
If he were a biddy-biddy rich,
Daidle deedle daidle daidle man.

Lord who made the lion and the lamb,
You decreed I should be what I am–
Would it spoil some vast, eternal plan,
If I had a wealthy man?

Wide awake at four am this morning I was happy to lie in the darkness listening to the radio. Sometime after five I drifted off to dreamland.  Sunrise was not until 08:47, so I don’t mind.  Soon the mornings will stretch and I will jump out of bed ready to face daybreak and the world.

One more day of laziness after today, then normal service will return on Thursday.

Now… I wonder what I will cook for my dinner today?

Well the fuss is all over for another year bar the wait for credit card bills, if that was the road you took.

I did my Christmas Celebrating on 24th with Elly George and Buffy for entertainment. Miss Buffy spent about five minutes rediscovering my house, the corners and smells before she sat to play with a toy  in the middle of the floor.  While we were at the table for eats, she sat stretched out underneath in such a way that her was touching all our feet.

Miss Buffy

Yesterday was quiet, very quiet, just as I like it. I did make and receive calls, texts and a few emails. and the day passed off well.

Today I was feeling lazy, so got up for a cuppa, opened the blinds - signal to the neighbourhood that I am not dead - and went back to bed to laze and listen to the radio.

I had planned to post a luscious cake recipe today, but I am sure by now tummys have had their fill and only want to pick at the festive left overs.

When I was young (cue violins…) I would spent a St Stephen’s Day morning peeling a half tonne of potatoes and cutting them by hand into chips.  That was all the cooking we would do that day.  Hot fresh chips - the best in Ireland - and you filled the rest of your plate with the cold cuts and stuffing left over from the day before.  There was always more than enough for the army of us and it was followed by slices of Christmas pudding fried in yuck butter.  I preferred mine cold.

Speaking of leftovers and cake reminds me of a special Birthday cake that appeared earlier this year…

Miss Buffy’s Birthday Cake

Now if you want the recipe for that one…..

I think you better ask Elly!

½ cup of Hugs
¾ cup of Smiles
4 teaspoons Kisses
4 cups of Love
1 cup of Special Holiday Cheer
½ cup of Peace on Earth
3 teaspoons of Christmas Spirits
2 cups of Goodwill Towards All
1 Sprig of Mistletoe 1 medium size bag of Christmas Snowflakes
Mix, Hugs, Kisses, Smiles, and Love until consistent.
Blend in Holiday Cheer, Peace on Earth,
Christmas Spirit and Goodwill Toward Men.
Use the mixture to fill a large, warm heart where it
can be stored for a lifetime, for it never goes bad!
Serve as desired under Mistletoe, sprinkle liberally with
Christmas Snowflakes
It is especially good when accompanied by Christmas
carols and family get-togethers.
Serve to one and all!