Do you own slippers? I wear soft shoes indoors or ballet pumps when away from home
Worst injury you’ve ever had?  Damage to my face
What’s one trait you hate about yourself? I find it difficult to ask for help

What’s in your pocket right now? A hole!
Where would you like to go today? On a mystery tour
Does someone have a crush on you? Nobody would be that daft!!

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It’s now or never,
come hold me tight
Scrub my back darling,
please do it right
Your touch is much to light,
please do it faster
or I’ll miss my flight.

My Everest may not be a mountain,

but the effort to achieve my goal

may take the same determination and energy.

Don’t worry it was in my own house and I was on my own.

This morning I awoke to a surprise…

The sun was shining!!!

I spent the morning being reacquainted with the weeds in my garden.

I wonder which of my Toyboys will prepare a pleasant refreshing drink for me later in the afternoon? I fancy a…

Sea Breeze

500ml  Cranberry juice
225 ml fresh orange juice
1 lime
A few ice cubes

Combine the chilled cranberry and orange juice with the juice from half the lime. Add the ice cubes and serve with slices of lime.

For an extra kick, add a good splash of chilled Vodka.

Misneach ~ Bronze
Sculptor ~ John Byrne

“The Slag on the Nag” or to give it the proper title Misneach* sits in school grounds, on the Main Street in Ballymun.  The area has a history of young girls riding horses bareback through the streets  This statue of a young girl on horseback, was modelled on Ballymun teenager Toni Marie Shields.

Better than I could tell it.

The story in Video form - John Byrne gives us his story behind the designing and making of the piece.

* ‘Meisnech’ (modern ‘misneach’) means “courage” in the sense of being able to keep one’s head. It generally implies that one can maintain control over one’s mood.

No change there!

“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.”

No change there!

Doesn’t look like there is any change here either!

Maybe I should try busking…

I came across these guys in Henry Street, Dublin when I was there earlier this month. It is not a sculpture.  There are two clues:

• The cup for change on the ground in front of them.
• If you stand long enough one of them will move in some way…. it might be a wink, a toe tapping or the movement of a hand.

On the way back down to O’Connell Street, there was a group of about six dark figures in a huddle,and I am not sure whether they were on the way home or about to set up for a long stand somewhere else. I wonder where this craze started?

º

Both quotations above are by Robert Frost.

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The topic for The Loose Bloggers Consortium today CHANGE was brought to you by the giddy goose known to some as Grannymar. Now lets change step and take a tour through the other active members: Delirious, Maxi Maria/Gaelikaa, Maria SilverFox OCD writer, Padmum, Paul, Ramana, The Old Fossil, Will Knott.

She agreed, but asked how he would know when the baby was born.

To keep it discrete, he told her to simply mail him a post card, and write ‘Spaghetti’ on the back. He would then arrange for the child support payments to begin.

One day, about 9 months later, he came home to his confused wife.

‘Honey, ’she said, ‘You received a very strange post card today.’

‘Oh, just give it to me and I’ll explain it later,’ he said. The wife obeyed and  watched as her husband read the card, turned white, and fainted.

On the card was written:

‘Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti.
Three, with meatballs, two without. Send extra sauce !!!!!

<*>

<*>

<*>

I wonder if Mayo likes spaghetti?  He has been very quiet of late. Thanks for the story pal.

Here is the evidence:

Standing on Torr Head, County Antrim on a warm sunny August day.

Looking towards Fair Head with Rathlin Island off to the right.

I need some of that sunshine now, to warm my bones.

Melt the butter and sugar. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Press into a greased swiss roll tin. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool in the tin.

For Icing:
3 tablespoons orange juice
6 ozs icing sugar

Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl and add the orange juice and mix well. Drizzle over the cold tray bake and cut into squares.

The Linesman ~ Bronze
Sculptor: Dony Mac Manus

At City Quay in Dublin’s revitalised Docklands, this lovely 7ft bronze sculpture by Dony McManus recalls the days when the Guinness boats docked close to the centre of Dublin City. With several new bridges now in place, only small vessels can access this part of the River Liffey.

Can you feel the pull on the muscles?

Massereene Forge, Antrim.

I was on my way to photograph the building above, back in the month of September. It was following my visit to Pogue’s Entry. Alas, I had an unforeseen change of plan, it was the day I landed flat on my face and ended up in A&E at the local hospital.  I am doing fine, but even all these long months later, I have numbness in my face. I still need to think about the food I eat, my meals take longer to consume and I am unable to chew on the right side of my mouth.  I have not starved, and indeed come a long way from drinking coffee through a straw and eating baby soft food.

The Forge was originally built in 1887 and was home to Viscount Massereene’s blacksmith’s forge. The distinctive horseshoe entrance still survives.

I have no idea of when it ceased to be a working forge. I didn’t cross the road today, so what type of stock was massively reduced, is still a mystery to me. I did visit an outlet shopping centre later and nearly every second shop has closed at this stage. I first noticed the gaps pre Christmas 2010. One of the young sales ladies was saying that the leases on the shops were due for renewal at the end of June, she knew of several outlets that would not be renewing!  Sad. Very sad.