Friday, May 15, 2009
Strange Anomaly #34
Grocery store has become a surprise what is there one week may not be there the next. At first it frustrated me, now I like to think of it as a personal game. If I see it, I buy it and cannot expect it to be there next time.
Our Xmas
Ch
ristmas in our household was a quiet one. With all our friends away I made a full Turkey dinner for the two of us to eat on before we left for Amsterdam. We did the conference call to my parents in the wee hours of the 
morning while it was still Christmas Eve for them to open our gifts. We had a poinsette as our Christmas tree and a few decorations hanging from the doorway along with our cards and some lights hanging fro the window. That was our Christmas spirit. Colin met us the dday after Christmas and brought some of his homemade pudding with cusstard. Was a good treat and was nice to spend some of our break with our Dublin friends.
ristmas in our household was a quiet one. With all our friends away I made a full Turkey dinner for the two of us to eat on before we left for Amsterdam. We did the conference call to my parents in the wee hours of the 
morning while it was still Christmas Eve for them to open our gifts. We had a poinsette as our Christmas tree and a few decorations hanging from the doorway along with our cards and some lights hanging fro the window. That was our Christmas spirit. Colin met us the dday after Christmas and brought some of his homemade pudding with cusstard. Was a good treat and was nice to spend some of our break with our Dublin friends.
Dublin at Christmas
Tullia and I took a nice cool 
evening to stroll around the city centre and take some photos of the elaborate store displays and lights up Henry Street and Grafton Street. The displays were sometimes naughty, gaudy, simple and colourful. 
The naughty gingerbread men and women was my favourite. They really went all out this year on lights, it was good to see the Christmas spirit!
evening to stroll around the city centre and take some photos of the elaborate store displays and lights up Henry Street and Grafton Street. The displays were sometimes naughty, gaudy, simple and colourful. 
The naughty gingerbread men and women was my favourite. They really went all out this year on lights, it was good to see the Christmas spirit!
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Christmas Office Dinner
For
one last Social Committee Event using what was left of our measly budget we went to the Dropping Well just up the street from our office. Everyone headed up just after work for drinks, multi course dinner 
started a few hours later, with some Christmas Crackers to open. The crackers are these tube things you pull and they go bang revealing some toys and a crown made of paper. Sean was the only boy brave enough to sit at our table with all girls. We had a bit of craic before dinner with several bottles of wine disappearing from our table. While dessert was being served our little surprise came to set up: Karaoke. I know I said I do not do that, well I made another exception. Since no one would do it, I promised Ruth and Denise if they got up there, I would do a duet with them. I knew with how many pints, no one would notice my bad singing!
one last Social Committee Event using what was left of our measly budget we went to the Dropping Well just up the street from our office. Everyone headed up just after work for drinks, multi course dinner 
started a few hours later, with some Christmas Crackers to open. The crackers are these tube things you pull and they go bang revealing some toys and a crown made of paper. Sean was the only boy brave enough to sit at our table with all girls. We had a bit of craic before dinner with several bottles of wine disappearing from our table. While dessert was being served our little surprise came to set up: Karaoke. I know I said I do not do that, well I made another exception. Since no one would do it, I promised Ruth and Denise if they got up there, I would do a duet with them. I knew with how many pints, no one would notice my bad singing!Sean and Colin sang a
few good 80s tunes that got everyone up and dancing. The night ended with nearly everyone dancing, and me dragging the boss onto the dance floor. At closing time (since this was a Thursday) we walked back to the LUAS which runs late during the Christmas season and dropped Vinny off at Ruth's house so he did not have to take the 60 Euro taxi out to his place and she went to stay with her boyfriend. Tutti, Edell and I got into town and we surprised with how packed the city centre was. We were not the only ones that were going to have a rough morning, misery loves company!
few good 80s tunes that got everyone up and dancing. The night ended with nearly everyone dancing, and me dragging the boss onto the dance floor. At closing time (since this was a Thursday) we walked back to the LUAS which runs late during the Christmas season and dropped Vinny off at Ruth's house so he did not have to take the 60 Euro taxi out to his place and she went to stay with her boyfriend. Tutti, Edell and I got into town and we surprised with how packed the city centre was. We were not the only ones that were going to have a rough morning, misery loves company!Swap Shop
Since money has not been growing on trees here anymore I have to find new ways to getting new clothes and I do not mean stealing. They have swap shops here. It is great! I go in with a jacket I dont want, a few shirts and a tank top and traded them for a jacket, dress and a top. Cost me nothing and I even have a few tokens to spend next time I go. Great since I have new outfits and a few more to get in the future with all new stuff every Saturday!
Strange Anomaly #33
As a registered architect the insurance for design work is super expensive and besides being worked into our contracts we are not allowed to do work on the side. But here, Nixers, or side work, is what people normally do on the side and get paid some cash. I even did a little one on the side, some 3D work. Not bad, especially since I needed the cash!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Extended Team Dinner
With so many of our friends gone over the last year. We decided to do an extended team dinner to include Mick, Derbhile and Orla
ith's teams with everyone who still works with us or was made redundant in the last year come. We headed to Yamamori's one of the best restaurants and is somewhat resonably priced for a 30 person dinner. They have long be
nches there so we could have 14 people at each table. It was so good to catch up with everyone and to have us all dressed up to hit the town.
After
a fabulous dinner, we headed to our Secret Bar. Since it was still early for a Thrusday night (10:00) we got to have one of the smaller rooms with its own bar and fireplace all to ourselves. Many of us had to go back to work the next day, so after a few pints we called it a night. Edell did not have to go back to work, but I did, hence the happy and sad face in our photo. Since I have no family here, this is my family Christmas dinner!
ith's teams with everyone who still works with us or was made redundant in the last year come. We headed to Yamamori's one of the best restaurants and is somewhat resonably priced for a 30 person dinner. They have long be
nches there so we could have 14 people at each table. It was so good to catch up with everyone and to have us all dressed up to hit the town.After
a fabulous dinner, we headed to our Secret Bar. Since it was still early for a Thrusday night (10:00) we got to have one of the smaller rooms with its own bar and fireplace all to ourselves. Many of us had to go back to work the next day, so after a few pints we called it a night. Edell did not have to go back to work, but I did, hence the happy and sad face in our photo. Since I have no family here, this is my family Christmas dinner!
Strange Anomaly #32
The presentation of news here is quite different. While watching the news on the telly they will how what the front pages of the paper looks like for the day. When reading newspaper articles, there will be a large picture that will take up most of the page, but really has nothing to do with what the article is about. It will just have a one liner at the bottom, I think they just use it as an excuse to put a large picture, of say, Colin Farrell or David Beckham, generate interest. It is also great that there are two free newspapers in the morning Hearld and Metro. Both are good for different things, word scramble and sudoku. Also the horoscopes are vastly different, one is up beat and the other is always glum.
Girly Holiday Potluck
With
the recession 
in full swing, we wanted to stay in and not head to the pub to do our Chris Kindle gift swap between the girls. There was a 7.69 Euro limit and we were just to make or buy something that was to go into a bag and be pulled out randomly. I made the main course with Tullia and all the other girls brought a variety of other things for our yummy potluck. 
Cathy made one of her Groovy Fairies that Karen got, I made a necklace that Cathy got, I got the grab bag from Claire, Edell got a handbag from Karen that got red glitter all over the house that I think I am still finding and Ruth got some sweets and a purse.
Ben
was supposed to evacuate the house, but he stuck around to get dinner and the yummy dessert as well before heading to his movie. After he took off, we had girly chats and a few drinks to catch up since it had been a while since we had all gotten together. We need to do more potlucks!
the recession 
in full swing, we wanted to stay in and not head to the pub to do our Chris Kindle gift swap between the girls. There was a 7.69 Euro limit and we were just to make or buy something that was to go into a bag and be pulled out randomly. I made the main course with Tullia and all the other girls brought a variety of other things for our yummy potluck. 
Cathy made one of her Groovy Fairies that Karen got, I made a necklace that Cathy got, I got the grab bag from Claire, Edell got a handbag from Karen that got red glitter all over the house that I think I am still finding and Ruth got some sweets and a purse.Ben
was supposed to evacuate the house, but he stuck around to get dinner and the yummy dessert as well before heading to his movie. After he took off, we had girly chats and a few drinks to catch up since it had been a while since we had all gotten together. We need to do more potlucks!
Off to see the Kerry Nolans!
Karen got us train tickets to visit her and her family in Kerry 
for the weekend. We hopped on the train early that morning, with our names digitally over our seats, which is pretty cool. Just after lunch we got into Farranfore where her Da came to pick us up. Just as we got off the train trying to mind many of her bags she was movi
ng home with, I nearly forgot my own, oops. As we appeared at Chez Nolan I could smell something YUMMY wafting from the kitchen. Bacon and cabbage! Her Da is a good cook and I devoured the mean before we set off for the Crag Caves. As we headed into Castleisland I noticed how wide the street was. This may not seem like a big thing, but this was the second widest road in Ireland. O'Connell Street in Dublin is first. Of course, these are about as wide as Burnside.
We walked through the Crag Caves where huge underground rivers once flowed. It was a strange tour sine we were the only two on it, and the guy givingt the tour used to go to
school with Karen so he would talk to us about what she has been up to, and then she would say things like Ladies and Gentlemen, over here..... There were Reindeer there for Santa so we took a few pics of them before doing our own bit of Christmas shopping. Her Da just waited patiently in the car for us. When we headed back to her house we stopped and Grandma and Grandpa Nolan's house. We had a spot of tea accompanied with bread, tomatoes, cheese and some butter. It was just the snack I needed. I did have a bit of a hard time with the Kerry accent, but it started to come to me in the end. We got to her house just in time for me to meet her mom Margaret. She was off to her company dinner. Dave made us girls a nice fire to curl up in front of and watch a movie. When our movie was over we headed into the town to get some din din at the chipper. As we go into town we saw a parallel parking a Lamborghini tractor in town to pick up some take away. Now that is a sig
ht you don't normally see. The chipper was packed as I scanned the board to see what I wanted. There was stuffing and coleslaw chips. curry chips, or mushy peas on chips?! I like gravy and chips, or even cheese on my chips, but mushy peas. Those country folk are strange here for what they cover their chips in. The stuffing and coleslaw was actually quite good and went well with our fried chicken. Then it was off to bed, it was so quiet and peaceful I slept like a rock until I heard my phone vibrating, which really was just the cows mooing from across the street, HA!
We slept in Saturday and had a filling breekie before heading to Killarney. We spe
nt the sun filled morning walking through the the national park, muckross, hiked up to torc waterfall and stopped at some ruins. After running around the place, we saw a man pull up in his horse and cart pulling some tourists. We had our jelly babies sweets and when the horse Padrig heard the crinkle of the packaging he bee lined in straight to Karen. We got to feed the horse and your man took our picture with the horse and castle in the background. If we had been a couple, it would have made a perfect Christmas Card picture. Next stop was Killarney town where we shopped successfully for our Christmas dinner outfits. While at the grocery store for some nappies, I noticed a special spraypainted logo on the parking and it was for child/parent. Now that is something new. Killarney is a great town, and 
was so alive with tourists, markets, shoppers and life. After our crepe snack, it was back home for some homecooked supper. While Karen repacked her suitcase and did some chores, I took a long HOT bath and headed to bed. The train ride up was nap time and I finally could feel refreshed enough to do the push just before Christmas.
for the weekend. We hopped on the train early that morning, with our names digitally over our seats, which is pretty cool. Just after lunch we got into Farranfore where her Da came to pick us up. Just as we got off the train trying to mind many of her bags she was movi
ng home with, I nearly forgot my own, oops. As we appeared at Chez Nolan I could smell something YUMMY wafting from the kitchen. Bacon and cabbage! Her Da is a good cook and I devoured the mean before we set off for the Crag Caves. As we headed into Castleisland I noticed how wide the street was. This may not seem like a big thing, but this was the second widest road in Ireland. O'Connell Street in Dublin is first. Of course, these are about as wide as Burnside.We walked through the Crag Caves where huge underground rivers once flowed. It was a strange tour sine we were the only two on it, and the guy givingt the tour used to go to
school with Karen so he would talk to us about what she has been up to, and then she would say things like Ladies and Gentlemen, over here..... There were Reindeer there for Santa so we took a few pics of them before doing our own bit of Christmas shopping. Her Da just waited patiently in the car for us. When we headed back to her house we stopped and Grandma and Grandpa Nolan's house. We had a spot of tea accompanied with bread, tomatoes, cheese and some butter. It was just the snack I needed. I did have a bit of a hard time with the Kerry accent, but it started to come to me in the end. We got to her house just in time for me to meet her mom Margaret. She was off to her company dinner. Dave made us girls a nice fire to curl up in front of and watch a movie. When our movie was over we headed into the town to get some din din at the chipper. As we go into town we saw a parallel parking a Lamborghini tractor in town to pick up some take away. Now that is a sig
ht you don't normally see. The chipper was packed as I scanned the board to see what I wanted. There was stuffing and coleslaw chips. curry chips, or mushy peas on chips?! I like gravy and chips, or even cheese on my chips, but mushy peas. Those country folk are strange here for what they cover their chips in. The stuffing and coleslaw was actually quite good and went well with our fried chicken. Then it was off to bed, it was so quiet and peaceful I slept like a rock until I heard my phone vibrating, which really was just the cows mooing from across the street, HA!We slept in Saturday and had a filling breekie before heading to Killarney. We spe
nt the sun filled morning walking through the the national park, muckross, hiked up to torc waterfall and stopped at some ruins. After running around the place, we saw a man pull up in his horse and cart pulling some tourists. We had our jelly babies sweets and when the horse Padrig heard the crinkle of the packaging he bee lined in straight to Karen. We got to feed the horse and your man took our picture with the horse and castle in the background. If we had been a couple, it would have made a perfect Christmas Card picture. Next stop was Killarney town where we shopped successfully for our Christmas dinner outfits. While at the grocery store for some nappies, I noticed a special spraypainted logo on the parking and it was for child/parent. Now that is something new. Killarney is a great town, and 
was so alive with tourists, markets, shoppers and life. After our crepe snack, it was back home for some homecooked supper. While Karen repacked her suitcase and did some chores, I took a long HOT bath and headed to bed. The train ride up was nap time and I finally could feel refreshed enough to do the push just before Christmas.
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