I don't have a sister. Everything I watched on TV as a child told me that I was missing out. The Waltons, The Ingles, The Brady Bunch, (yes, I was quite the fan of cheesy TV families), all had the comfort of at least one sister who permanently had their back. Someone whom they could …
Continue reading "I’ll Be There For You, Because You’re There For Me Too"
As Christy Moore sings in his song Lisdoonvarna: 'everybody needs a break, climb a mountain or jump in a lake'. Now that summer is upon us, I hope to do both and a lot more besides. A little hiatus from posting weekly blogs, some time for new adventures that hopefully will lead to more stories …
Every Saturday morning The Brother and myself would gather up all the little brass bells and boots, vases and chalices, and lay them on newspaper in the kitchen. Like a scene from a Charles Dickens novel The Brother would clean them with Brasso and pass them to me for polishing off. That I will never …
Last year when my youngest was in Irish College I made the rookie error of writing my first letter to her as Gaeilge. She stopped short of sending it back to me covered in red pen correcting my many errors. Instead she simply said 'it's OK to write to me in English, that way I'll …
Continue reading "I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter"
Some people have career paths, visions that take them from classroom to the top office. Focused, hard working people who know what they want, and won't rest until they get it. My CV is evidence of hard work too, but lacking the linear progression a graph maker might like to make a decent bar chart. …
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 …
One of the more disturbing aspects of my time of life is the irritability. We get ratty, easily wound up, it can feel as though people are practicing the violin with the chords of your nervous systems. Jangling, jarring notes that screech in your ears and make you fit to scream. So far so predictably …
I've told you about this tree before. The one in our back garden that prepares a different programme for each season and never fails to dazzle us with its beauty. We didn't plant it, weren't even thought of, when those who owned our house before us, choose that spot to settle a sapling in place. …
As Monty's election campaign manager, he has asked if he could get his paws on this week's article. Not to eat this time, but to put out his manifesto for the forthcoming local elections. I tried putting him off, but even the sight of his lead and a few doggie treats wouldn't dissuade him, he's …
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 …
Ordinary Plenty 