Grannymar

I had a great few days away from home and feel like I was on holiday for a month.

You heard about the lists, the tasks and the curtains so now you want the interesting bits.

Saturday meant an early start; we left home at 8am in order to reach Hotel Kilkenny and registration for PodCamp Ireland before 10 am. We drove through thick fog most of the way, so the journey was slow. Seeing friendly faces as we arrived soon brought the sunshine to our hearts. I was not the oldest and the generations were like steps of stairs to the youngest little lady that I saw at lunchtime, a mere one year old!

Ken McGuire Bernie Goldbach & Krishna De all did a trojan job in the past few months organising the event. It may have been an ‘unconference’ event but without the background work it would not have happened.

So what did I do?

I hugged, or should I say Keith tried to crush my ribs!

I listened with Marian while Darragh talked.

I learned, Ellie May shows me how to use an iPod.

I talked about blogging and Podcasting for the older generation.

AND

I was brought home to meet ‘The Parents’

We arrived back with Elly & George in time for a sumptuous dinner on Sunday night and again enjoyed friendship, fun and laughter for several hours.

On Monday a workman was due so I stayed around to let him in. I had three more fine young Toyboys on Tuesday and one of them came three times! The work was completed on Tuesday and everyone is satisfied.

Fearing I would be charged rent if I stayed any longer, the bags were pack and ready for the return journey on Wednesday. I didn’t go straight home. I went to meet and dallied awhile with another fine handsome Toyboy.

Then I was presented with this:

How’s your Latin?

Some of the 110 attendees that I actually had conversations with at PodCamp Ireland were:

Evert Bopp (Tipperary)

Mike Buckley (St Louis, MO, USA)

Cian Mac Mahon (Dun Laoighaire, Dublin) wants to do a Podcast with me.

Darragh Doyle (Dublin)

Keith Shirley (Carlow)

John Keyes (Kilkenny)

Rosemary Khelifa (Dublin) (whose talk I missed as it clashed with mine) gave me a lovely neck massage.

Elly Parker (Adamstown)

Martha Rotter (Dublin)

Gabriela Avram (Limerick)

Nicola Brown (Carlow)

Simon McGarr (Dublin)

Deborah Hadley (Tullamore) found her way to our hearts with delicious Brownies.

Jan Buckley (St. Louis, USA)

Marian Roche (Limerick) who made the PodCamp Logo buttons

Dean Whitbread (UK) presented and chatted despite an ear infection. Thanks Dean.

Sabrina Dent (Cork)

John Handelaar (Cork)

Keith Bohanna (Kilkenny)

Niamh Smith (Dublin)

Gav Reilly (Dublin)

Ian Healy (Kilkenny)

Jason Roe (Dublin)

Conor Lynch (Meath)

Marie Boran (Carlow)

Sabrina Marczak (Canada)

Katherina Fay (Dublin)

George Pratt (Dublin)

Sinead Murnane (Dublin)

Cathy Fowley (Dublin)

Sharon Tobin (Kilkenny)

If we chatted and I missed your name put it down to a senior moment.

More photos at Pix.ie

I am only home from my weekend (that turned into a week) with Elly & George. I spent the evening unpacking, sorting and generally getting things back to normal. The phone went into overdrive with people checking up to see if I was dead! All these folk who never thought to call or phone when I was sitting all here week on end alone - Awwww! They chose to phone, call or push notes through my door when I was away. I was even woken from my dreams before 7.30 this morning with a phonecall!

Resigned to the fact that I would sleep no more I got out of my warm pit and as soon as my feet touched the floor there was silence. Not a sound, no radio, no gentle whine from electrical appliances and the phone was dead. In other words I had no power and no breakfast.

Well now that is sorted.

I have no story for you today so I am depending on Maxine for help and I hope you notice she is in the Pink!

Hopefully I will be back to normal tomorrow!

Credit: The Pink for October image above is by Lee Caglioti

With thanks to Laura for the timely reminder and Image.

For several years now we have set aside the month of October as a time to draw awareness to the scourge of Breast Cancer. We all need to be aware and do what we can to help eradicate it.

We must not however allow it to draw a veil over all the other Cancer sufferers out there.

Cancer has played a part in my life story and taken away loved ones and friends over the years. I am also travelling the road with several good friends as they journey through the minefield that Cancer is. These wonderful people have taught me acceptance, patience and how to take life one day at a time and I am thankful to have known them and have them touch my soul.

Tomorrow I hope to include the Pink for October link.

I’m leaving on a jet plane by car this morning to head back home.  It is not easy leaving all these toyboys behind.  Don’t whisper a word to Elly … I’m meeting another one on my way for a coffee and a chat.  If I never appear again, my last will & testament is behind the clock!

I will be glad to get home, if only to rest my arms.  They ache like hell.  It happens every trip.  Now I wonder if it has anything to do with hugging Toyboys?

All these journeys start with hugs.  Last night I bade farewell and hugged my son-in-law, this morning I was hugged so many times by Elly that I began to get worried… was I going to come back again?

I began to think of all the farewells from my mother as we approached the front door on our way to school.  We walked to the door, two or three of us leaving at the same time.  ”Have you got your bus fare and your lunch?” was a usual question.  Then followed the ritual of her dipping her finger in the tiny Holy Water font beside the door and blessing each one of us with the sign of the cross.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, take you there and bring you home safe!

What rituals did you have before leaving home?

Day two of the European Heritage Open Days (EHOD) on 14th September took me back to Carrickfergus to check out a couple of places I only viewed from the outside in the past.

Carrickfergus Museum was my first port of call. Since the place was modern, all exhibits were behind glass and the lighting not conducive to taking photographs, I managed only one image that I was pleased with.

The item had little to do with the history of the town.

It is a Valentine Card. The sections of paper like fine tissue all fold into each other until only one heart shape remains. Because of the poor light it was impossible to read either the text on the card or the notes almost at floor level inside the glass case with the back story to the card. Now if only I had a valentine to make a card like this for…..

The street signs outside on the walls were a little unusual!

Or this one beside a gate:

Alas the wall here looked as if it was recently rebuilt and the gate was modern looking through to a courtyard or garden beside modern Council offices.

I will return to the subject of EHOD later in the week with a more interesting find from last Sunday.

Steph asked before she headed off for warmer climes if i had a recipe for Chicken stock. I do and reproduce it here today. I hope it is to her and your liking.

Chicken Stock

Bones from a cooked chicken carcass including skin
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 medium sized onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 stick of celery, roughly chopped
6 black peppercorns

1 teaspoon salt.
1 dried bay leaf
fresh parsley
1 sprig fresh thyme

Put all the ingredients into a large pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and skim off any scum that has formed. Cover and simmer very gently for 2-3 hours. Strain the stock into a large bowl, allow to cool and chill overnight. Skim off any fat that has formed on the surface. Use within 3 days or freeze.

To freeze, reduce the stock by half by boiling vigorously. Cool. Pour into ice-cube trays and freeze. When frozen put the cubes into a bag, label it, and when you want to use one, just put in a jug and add boiling water to dissolve the cube.

Ian I hope this doesn’t happen while you are preaching!

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!

Good morning from a sunny Dublin.  I am actually weraring a summer top because it is so warm.  Summer has arrived in ernest.

So who wants to know how I am

To be truthful I am feeling rather confused…

I am a Mammy and I have a daughter.  I got that right didn’t I?  Somehow the roles have changed when I wasn’t thinking or looking or listening.  It is all very confusing and upsetting really and for a ‘lady’ of my mature years, not good at all.

Yesterday when I arrived I was dispatched to the shops for a message and then when I got back I had to sit still and be QUIET because she was working.  Needless to say I kept my mouth shut tight but danced up and down like unelegant elephant just to get my own back.

Today I thought that peace would reign since she was going into the office.  Alas, as I was sitting enjoying the lovely coffee that George made for me (not a bad lad that fella!) when along comes little miss with a pen and paper.  Yes I did say PEN & PAPER!  When that happens you know things are serious.  ”I taught that girl well!” I said to myself…. make a list of all that you need to do and that way you won’t forget them.

It was when she started talking and writing like an oldfashioned school ma’am that I began to get worried.

The paper was for a list of chores; to be done…..   BY ME!

You should see the list it is as long as your arm.  One item has 2pm after it!  Talk about time and motion.  At this rate I’ll have no energy for Toyboys tomorrow!

I would eat the list but for the fact I don’t like the taste of paper.  I can’t throw it up on top of a wardrobe ’cause they all go to the ceiling.  There is no fireplace to burn it, so I need your help!

How can I get rid of the list and what should I do to get my own back?

She’s leaving home after living alone for so many years….

By the time I get to Phoenix Newry, you will find this

‘cause I’m off to Dublin in the green.

Yes I am off to Dublin, or indeed half way there by now. It is the first stage of my trip to PodCamp. I hope to see you there. Now did I pack everything…

Clothes - yes

Pills - yes

Pen - yes

Paper - yes

Camera - yes

Curtains - yes

Now I know there was something else….

Toyboy Badges

Have fun while I am away but no hanging dirty washing on my line!