When the sun shines in Ireland...

It is heaven on earth. I am sure I have said it all before but amuse me, won't you? There really is something special that happens on this green isle when the sun shines. The traffic jams to Brittas Bay are horrendous, so don't do that, instead head out for a walk up the Dublin mountain and sit on the rocks overlooking the sea and the land below. On your walk up every person who passes you by will nod and smile and say hello, hi, hey or some form of greeting they particularly like. You will pass people with dogs, people bending over the hedgerows filling pales with black berries (wish I could say big fat blackberries but they are not genetically modified up there) and marvel at the way the light filters through the forest bits of your walk. Or get up early and head for the beach or go further afield to Wexford if you like....just DO NOT stay home and do the chores!
I reckon that in SA we get so used to our fabulous weather that we take it for granted, here a sunny day is a gift, a thing to enjoy and boy oh boy we do.

Bagless

Engrossed in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo on the bus this morning and my phone rings and I am rudely yanked from Hedeberg Island in Sweden as I hear the panic stricken voice of my youngest....
She got off the bus and left her school bag behind, a rather ingenious way of avoiding the dog ate my homework excuse, only the bag was a brand new Roxy one and she was not a very happy young lass.
I sprung into action, luckily Jess had her bus ticket so the number on the top right corner helped dispatch contact the driver who confirmed that Kirstin's bag was on his bus.
The fact that I had done this all before for my eldest ensured a sleek operation, only this time I had to go to Donnybrook garage to collect the abandoned bag. Last time we just met the bus on its return loop, very handy that was! BUT having said that I felt a true sense of belonging when I hopped in the car and headed for the Donnybrook garage this eve without my sat nav! Silver linings on every cloud.

Forms of torture

Hockey season has started again, I did play summer hockey and had a fabulous time, scoring three goals per match towards the end of our short season and feeling like a real pro, okay an IMPROVER is more accurate, but hey this is my story!
That is until I ventured out on a cold and wet Wednesday night and reality came tap tapping. I am not very good at the drills, in fact I wanted to lift a corner of the astro turf and hide. The weird thing is that once we started playing, unfortunately only after 1 hour and 15 minutes of humiliation, I was actually quite good. I thoroughly enjoyed getting soaking wet and having rivers of water running into my eyes, slippery grip on the hockey stick and soggy shoes. It somehow added to the satisfaction of going out there and getting some exercise!

After all that running around I decided that a more gentle approach to exercise was a good follow on and so S and I took her Scottish terrier for a walk up Kilmashogue, a poorly timed walk it has to be said. We met at 7h30 and began our ascent with Alfie happily leading the way. At 8h15 we decided to turn around and head back as the evenings have shortened alarmingly and we found ourselves stumbling back in near darkness towards the end of our descent! Of course we had Alfie for protection and S and I did not feel the need to speed walk, or jog on our way back to the cars, at least we got to appreciate the sights of lit up Dublin spread peacefully below us. I think form now on our mountain walks will have to take place on the weekends and when the urge of an evening walk attacks, we will prowl the streets of suburbia instead.

New Beginnings

This post has been postponed and put off for a very long time but I guess I have to bite the bullet and get it over and done with. I think I have not been blogging because things are so different now and even though all the important people in my life know about this, it is still a very awkward topic that will hit a nerve with loved ones. I also do not want to upset anyone with posts, but I guess at the end of the day reading what I write is a personal choice.

Simply put I asked Malcolm for a separation and after a year I moved out into my own apartment and started a very new and foreign journey. The girls have been absolutely fantastic and although I am sure it is difficult for them they have settled well and are very encouraging and supportive.
I am not going to say much else about it, as it is obviously very personal but perhaps after getting this out the way I can return to blogging with some enthusiasm, instead of treating a hobby I used to enjoy as a duty and a chore.