Yes, I am still around and having fun. There will be more visits and catching up with friends today.
Yesterday it was busy. Real busy.
You see… I led my sister astray. Please don’t tell my brothers or that Elly wan.
Pictures, you want pictures? There are plenty but they are for another day.
What were we doing? Well now all I can say is that it involved an hour in Confession!!
It has been a quiet but productive day
With time for work, a walk and for play.
Chat with a friend, and making plans
The weeks ahead are looking grand.
On the tenth day of whenever,
my true love sent to me
Ten toyboys leaping….
I started out with a different kind of leaping in mind. Honest!
In my lifetime I have lived through a few of these leaping days. Sixteen to be exact. In just over a week the total will leap to seventeen.
What am I talking about? February 29th of course, what else?
We are reminded at every turn, that this is a leap year. February 29th had no legal status.
Irish Folklore would have us believe that St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick about women having to wait for so long for a man to propose. St. Patrick said the yearning females could propose on this one day in February during the leap year.
Meanwhile across the Irish Sea, a 1288 law by Queen Margaret of Scotland (then age five and living in Norway), required that fines be levied if a marriage proposal was refused by the man; compensation ranged from a kiss to payment for a silk dress or a pair of gloves.
A little dubious don’t you think? The Gregorian calendar only came into existence in 1582.
Now if this is the road you wish to travel…. take it handy.
He may not yell ‘Yes!’ straight away. There’ are a number of reasons that he might be slow to give you the answer you want, he might be plain surprised or even shocked. Give him some time to get used to the idea. Even if he doesn’t say ‘Yes’ this time, maybe it’ll be the perfect nudge for him to ask you next time!
Of course, I would never get away with it. Nobody would believe that I was being serious! I would probably be told that at my age I should have more sense. Elly would be straight round to the Home for the Bewildered to have me pushed up the list!!
BBC Radio 4 PM programme are asking people to use the 29th February to do some thing special. Anything started on this day is sure of success. It made me think….
A day to do something different.
Climb a mountain
Take a helicopter flight
Close the Laptop for a day – full 24 hours
A time to start some thing new like:
Learn to play an instrument
Join a group activity
Rediscover an old hobby
Start a ‘Pot Luck’ lunch club*
What do you think? Do you have any other ideas to add to the list?
Where to begin.
To make it special
Share what’s in your head
Your heart
Words once on paper
Can never be undone
Words you think need sharing
The feelings strong
You don’t want to spoil it
By getting it wrong
So eat another biscuit
While composing that song
For the day that is in it..
Some say love it is a river
That drowns the tender reed
Some say love it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed
Some say love it is a hunger
An endless aching need
I say love it is a flower
And you it’s only seed
It’s the heart afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance
It’s the dream afraid of waking that never takes the chance
It’s the one who won’t be taken
Who cannot seem to give
And the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live
When the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long
And you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows
Lies the seed
That with the sun’s love
In the spring
Becomes the rose
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:
( ) 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.
Always remember to make the most of every moment.
There are people that cross our lives for the briefest possible encounters, yet leave an indelible mark.
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!
