Congratulations, we made it! We’ve finally shaken off the 1,000 days of January. Whatever the meteorologists say, the pagan in me knows that Spring starts on the 1st of February, and I relish it every year. To celebrate it this year, myself and my pal Eimear decided to take ourselves off to Kildare, not to …
A few years ago when I worked as a home carer, I used to visit a lady called Pat. From our first hello at the hall door, I knew she and I would get on. She was from Kerry and had a fantastic turn of phrase that both charmed and awoke me. Despite living in …
When we were children, we used to go to UCD to collect conkers. I remember Mum laughing, saying ‘I hope they’re not the only trophies you take home from here’. She was laughing because a) we lived right beside it and b) she felt confident we’d bag as many letters after our names as we …
By all accounts I was a very chatty child, too chatty going by the many sayings my father used to get me to pipe down. ‘A quarter of the talk Margaret’, was his mantra of choice, followed by ‘If there were prizes going for talking Margaret, you’d win them hands down’. But the one that …
The picture of The Brother when we were video calling last week was kinda foggy. I thought it might be the app we were using and suggested another one, (I’m suddenly au fait with half a dozen new technologies). Instead he just hawed out a big breath on his screen and cleaned it with the …
Monty's name really suits him, or Montgomery to give him his full title, which I only ever do when we're taking Earl Grey together. Though sometimes I think we should have called him Dumbo. Not casting aspersions on his intelligence, nor because of his over-sized ears. Simply because he poops as much as an elephant. …
I'm not a proper scout leader, more of a helper really. I've done sufficient training and paperwork to be able to don a neckerchief and roll up my sleeves. I'm just a parent who's grateful for how much my kids got from scouting that I can't see my local scout group stuck. Thankfully they are …
I've always loved personality quizzes. Everything from multiple choice questions in magazines to Myers Briggs. A chink of wisdom to help us understand why we tick the way we do. The earliest one I can remember was a test I was shown in school. You give someone a piece of paper and ask them to …
I'm a fair-weather sea swimmer. Lucky enough to live in cycling distance of the sea, I avail of its free membership for 6 months of the year. It's free for the other 6 months too, though less enticing. Every summer I dip, swim, float and bathe in the turquoise waters around my local Martello tower. …
I would be ashamed to admit how heavily I lean on the crutch of TV to get me through the winter months. Last August, I retook my seat on the couch to welcome 12 keen bakers into my life. From there it has been a slippery slope of hopeful business apprentices, celebrities living off rice …
Ordinary Plenty 