Rosieroo ...

Tallafornia Swipe: Episode One

2012-02-09T16:46:00.000Z

Tallafornia Swipe: Episode Three

2012-02-09T16:39:00.000Z

New Blog ...

2011-11-22T07:56:00.001Z

A friend asked me about my blog last night and we decided I was "All blogged out" but am I , every now and again I still feel like just ranting my feelings or diarising what I have been doing, but as I said this one won't let me add any more pictures, so I have created a new blog. If you are keen on reading what I am thinking then you will find me here:

Moving

2011-11-13T22:47:00.001Z

Another reason I am moving this blog is it won't let me upload anymore photo's, keeps telling me I have reached my quota, oh well off we go to another spot...

Installing Winter in Ireland

2011-11-13T22:34:00.001Z

Just like summer never arrived, Winter is proving to be exactly the same, it's been between 12 and 17 degrees most of last week.

INSTALLING WINTER IN IRELAND.....

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44% DONE.

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 Installation failed. Please try again.

404 error: Season not found. Season "Winter" cannot be located.

The season you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is

temporarily unavailable. Please try again later.

∞One Friend∞

2011-11-11T07:41:00.000Z

LOOK AT YOURSELF AFTER WATCHING THIS.mp4

2011-09-21T07:52:00.000+01:00

Where the f--k is Webb Ellis- for the 2011 Rugby World Cup from TV3 Sport

2011-09-14T19:27:00.000+01:00

Nickelback - Far Away

2011-08-13T15:47:00.000+01:00

Friendship

2011-08-12T08:15:00.000+01:00

Friendship ~ None of that Sissy Stuff

Are you tired of those sissy 'friendship' poems that always sound good, but never actually come close to reality?

Well, here is a series of promises that actually speak of true friendship.

You will see no cute little smiley faces on this ~ Just the stone cold truth of our great friendship.

1.. When you are sad ~ I will help you get drunk and plot revenge against the sorry bastard who made you sad.
2. When you are blue ~ I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.
3 When you smile ~ I will know you are thinking of something that I would probably want to be involved in.
4. When you are scared ~ I will rag on you about it every chance I get until you're NOT.
5. When you are worried ~ I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be until you quit whining.
6. When you are confused ~ I will try to use only little words.
7.. When you are sick ~ Stay the hell away from me until you are well again. I don't want whatever you have.
8. When you fall ~ I will laugh at your clumsy ass, but I'll help you up.
9. This is my oath .... I pledge it to the end. 'Why?' you may ask ~ because you are my friend.

Friendship is like peeing your pants, everyone can see it, but only you
can feel the true warmth.

Unhinged: Surviving Joburg - Teaser to an Exciting New Film

2011-08-02T08:23:00.000+01:00

Gallery: KwaZulu-Natal snow

2011-07-29T09:55:00.000+01:00

Gallery: KwaZulu-Natal snow: "Widespread snowfalls interrupted morning routines but South Africans did not mind - they took to the internet to share their snow pictures."

Things to do before I die

2011-07-26T21:05:00.000+01:00

One of the guys at work today was telling me he was going to the "Galway Races", as it is Galway festival time, and he recommended we go sometime, so I said I would put it on my list of things to do before I die, so he said "now it's not that important", so I said I would make sure it is underneath the "Rio Carnival", and it just got me thinking of the Top 100 things to see before I die. Amy Winehouse used to be on my list as was Elvis but I guess they died before me, so ~~scratch~~ those out. So what is on my list? Okay I am going to list these in no particular order. My top 10 first and I will keep adding to it.

1. Sydney for New Year one year
2. The Rio Carnival
3. The Galway Races
4. The Greek Islands
5. The Taj Mahal
6. Hawaii
7. Jamaica
8. Cuba
9. Rocky Mountains
10. Alaska Cruise

Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good

2011-07-23T19:04:00.002+01:00

One of my favorite singers of all time, I somehow new she was going to join the likes of Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Brian Jones who all died when they were 27, mainly from drug overdoses.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/27_Club

I was reading this today and thought of you...xxxxxxxxxx

2011-07-19T21:48:00.000+01:00

A very special friend sent me this today and the words are just so true ...
Before you say “I can’t”
Make sure you’ve already tried.
Before you let doubts stop you,
Confront them with facts.
Before reasons convince you it’s impossible
Pursue the one reason that makes it possible.
Before failure enters your mind
Hide success in your heart.
Before fear holds you back,
Go forward with faith.
Before problems interfere with your plans,
Use them to accomplish your goals.
Before you hold back because others are better,
Show others what a winner you are.
Before you settle for less,
Hold onto what is most important.
Before you believe there is no way,
Keep going and you’ll make one.
Before you give up,
Be at peace inside.
Before you dismiss your dreams,
Wait until they’ve come true.
Before you go looking for happiness,
Make your own where you are…..

There is a God

2011-07-19T21:29:00.002+01:00

I never blogged about the most important thing that happened to me this year. Well I have to go back to when I was unemployed and looking for a job, which is not easy when you are a foreigner in a recession hit Ireland. Anyway I got a job with the company I was previously contracting to, but a much junior position but hey it was a job.

Anyway my new "boss" found it in her to use me as her protégé, I don't think she had much experience managing adults before because we immediately had a personality clash, I am not going to go into the whole story, just that I was unhappy for over a year - which caused a lot of stress in my life. But at the end of June she was moved to a different section, and life became wonderful ... all I am hoping for is that it lasts, I mean after all you spend most of your awake life at work.

I think my friends also got tired of me wining on about her, but I think they must have all prayed very hard for me, because I realised there is a god out there after all.

150+ Hilarious Funny Facebook Status Updates Ideas!

2011-07-17T22:25:00.000+01:00

150+ Hilarious Funny Facebook Status Updates Ideas!

Remember...

2011-07-17T18:34:00.003+01:00

Inspiration Line - Daily Inspirational Quotes - Friendship and Love

2011-07-16T08:54:00.000+01:00

Inspiration Line - Daily Inspirational Quotes - Friendship and Love: "In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit."

Thought for the day

2011-07-14T08:00:00.003+01:00

The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon...but that we wait so long to begin it

Gino's ... in da South

2011-07-09T21:01:00.000+01:00

This morning I was thinking about what I really miss from home, and the first thing that popped up was decent Pizza. There is no one in the world not even the Italians that can top the Pizza's made @ Gino's in the South. Gino's started in the 80's and they were the start of people in the South being able to go out and eat at affordable prices, back then you could go out and have a starter, main course, desert and a bottle of wine for about R25.00. The waiters would score big time, because the meal was so cheap you would give them and extra tip.

When we were home in April, my brother-in-law suggested Gino's and I was worried that after 28 years the standard would have dropped and the food wouldn't be great. But it did not disappoint it lived up to it's excellent standard. Still run and owned by the same Italian family, it was wonderful and although the prices had increased, it was still a bargain, starters, main course, desert, drinks and Don Pedro for round R100.00 including a tip, that's €10.00, which would buy you a chicken wrap and coffee in Ireland, nothing more.

I also started reminiscing about all the times we had been to Gino's, how we had waited one evening for 4 hours for a table (they never took bookings, but you could wait in the bar), and how by the time we got to the table we had, had so much to drink that my friend actually passed out in her food! Hopefully Gino's will be around for another 20 years so that we can enjoy the food every time we go back.

Just check out their menu

Zumba Fitness - Que Te Pica

2011-07-08T21:56:00.002+01:00

I thought I would share one of the Dance songs we do at Zumba, awesome class again tonight!

I just don't get it...

2011-07-06T23:14:00.000+01:00

Tonight I was at the Gym doing my 20 laps or more before our Boot camp aerobics class, when in waltzes the skinniest girl I ever saw, long blonde hair almost down to her waist, wearing only a "GOLD" string bikini. She waltzes up to one of the gym instructors who was busy doing his yoga exercises. Now I know I shouldn't stare but it was quite obvious from the body language that all she wanted was him, the meeting was very short and sweet and she ambled over to the Jacuzzi and half put her body in, so that the other half was sticking out for everyone to see, and then not 10 minutes later she was gone.

Did I miss something, were they looking for a new BOND girl at our local gym? Not that I would have been chosen - lol :) , sometimes I just don't get woman!

Brilliant Status on Facebook tonight: Destiny may decide who touches your Life ~ Your heart may decide who touches your Soul ~ But...Tequila decides who touches your body... :-D

Do we work to Live or Live to work?

2011-07-06T08:17:00.001+01:00

Funny thing, being in Ireland for 10 years now makes me think that when we were living in the rat race, we were always working and life really revolved around work, whereas the Irish have it right, they work to live! Nobody rushes in to get the work done, because whether you rush or get there when you have to the work will still be there, nobody worries if you are a few minutes late in the morning, because sometimes you just have to stay that few minutes extra in the evening.

And what happens when it is a sunny beautiful day, well most Irish people take the day off - who wants to be stuck in doors on a beautiful day. Week-ends well if the sun is shining, forget about the housework, it can always be done another day, get out and enjoy the sunshine!

I think I could get used to this, although they say the Aussies are very similar and I think I would prefer the weather.

Chilean Volcano

2011-07-04T21:21:00.001+01:00

Someone sent me these photos today, which I had to share with you because they are absolutely awesome, they were taken of the Volcano in Chile.

Zumba Class

2011-07-04T08:04:00.001+01:00

So I went, and I had so many flashbacks, firstly I can't dance, secondly I have absolutely no co-ordination - but I did it. The guy who took us is a South American guy, so the Latino dance music is in his blood. It was fast and furious and required both arms and leg co-ordination which just didn't work with me, it reminded me of my first aerobics class that I went to with my friend Sheila in Edenvale, she spent the entire hour killing her self laughing watching me than doing the exercises.

After 10 minutes I really thought I was going to die, but I stuck it out and after 60 minutes I thought well blow me over it's time to go, but our instructor had other intentions and kept us there for another 10 minutes.

Will I go again ... Absolutely!

Fitness

2011-06-30T22:40:00.003+01:00

Well after our walk along the cliffs to Greystones, I have become a bit more motivated with my exercise.

On Sunday I went off to the pool at the gym and did 35 laps and some aqua aerobic exercises. Then Monday I did 15 laps and 20 minutes of Aqua aerobics, the new trainer on a Monday is not so clued up and needs to find his feet.

Then Wednesday night I did 21 laps and 30 minutes of Bootcamp Aqua aerobics, wow I loved it, loved being pushed to the limits and trying to keep up with the ultra fit instructor, who sometimes goes on like those rabbits in the ever ready battery ad.

So I decided that tomorrow night I would try the Zumba class, it's on for an hour, from 7:30 tomorrow night and then afterwards go for a swim, Jacuzzi, sauna and the steam room. What a way to spend a Friday!

I think I am getting fitter and I can definitely feel that I am more toned, however still long way to go. So want to come along and join me?

Summer in Ireland

2011-06-28T22:32:00.004+01:00

INSTALLING SUMMER IN IRELAND.....

 ███████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 44% DONE.

 Install delayed....please wait.

 Installation failed. Please try again.

404 error: Season not found. Season "Summer" cannot be located.

The season you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later.

Google Earth

2011-06-26T20:45:00.001+01:00

I was amazed at the new Google Earth, that actually shows you the house quite clearly almost like a photograph but in 360 degrees because you can move the camera around and see everything. I first googled our address, and the satellite image was obviously taken when we weren't home, which is weird because when you do the aerial view, you can clearly see washing hanging on the line and both our cars in the drive, yet when you do the street level view there are no cars in the drive, so they must have been taken at different stages.

Our number has the cars in the drive and the front door open. I Google Earthed some place in Australia and you can actually see the people walking in the street and almost identify them. When I started putting in addresses in South Africa, the aerial view is quite good, but if you try go to street level is just blurs it out, the same with America, is this to stop burglars using Google Earth to see how they can access a house, then surely they should blur it out anywhere in the world, I mean after all their are burglars in Ireland and Australia too, not just South Africa and America.

It's mind blowing though, try putting in your address and then once you get the aerial view click on the plus button until it gives you the street level, you never know you might even see yourself there.

Sunny Sundays

2011-06-26T20:27:00.001+01:00

Today was one of those days where you weren't quite sure what the weather was going to do, but we took the chance and packed a picnic basket and went off to Marlay park. It turned out to be a beautiful hot day, and my car temp read 27 degrees.

After having our picnic and Em playing in the park for almost 2 hours and meeting a new friend Sophia, D arrived and he took Em off to a party and I went and spent a relaxing 2 hours in the pool at the gym, well sort of relaxing, I must be getting fitter as I managed to do 35 laps and exercises in an hour. Then went off to Wild and Greene for a quick take away smoothie before fetching Em from the party.

10 Years Later...

2011-06-26T18:31:00.001+01:00

I suddenly realised on Wednesday the 21st of June (Longest Day of the year) that I had been in Ireland for 10 years. I remember the day so clearly, I was laden down with so much luggage on a Swiss air flight from Johannesburg via. Zurich to Dublin. I arranged with Eva a girl I met in Australia in 1998 to meet her at the airport in Zurich as I had a 2 to 3 hour stop over.

She met me laden with all nice Swiss goodies it was so lovely to see her. Then onward to Dublin, and D was waiting for me at the airport, he had hired a Ford Ka, which must have been the smallest car I had ever seen because he had already collected the unaccompanied luggage and had to rush home to take it as there was no room for anything else.

Anyway it was so nice seeing him after almost a month, D had left on the 18th of May as he was starting work on the 21st of May. Well I was quite surprised by the apartment he had rented, I expected it to be really old and dark and dingy, but in fact it was Bright and lovely. And yes he never lets me forget how long it took him to clean it and how filthy it was. It's amazing the things we experienced in the last 10 years.

For the first year we never had a car and would go shopping walking to Rathmines from Milltown with a backpack, actually walking everywhere.
My mom came over for a few weeks and sadly she passed away that same year, we have had loads of visitors.
We've met some wonderful friends and some not so wonderful. We have met other South Africans, some who have arrived and left either to go home or proceeded on somewhere else.
I have revived old friendships with friends I lost touch with 12 years ago and are living just across the sea - Thanks Google. Actually thanks to Facebook, SA reunited and Google I have got in touch with people I haven't seen or heard from in almost 30 years, some who I hope I will stay in contact with for the rest of my life.
We have seen some awesome concerts, and we have traveled to places we never have even thought of going to had we still been living in SA.
We had the most wonderful addition to the family "Emily" who also may not have come along had we still been in SA.
I have learnt a lot about the Irish nation, mostly how they are ruthless in business and will smile and shake your hand while stabbing you in the back, even on your mother's funeral.
However I have also learnt that Irish people are just as friendly as South Africans and once you make a true friend they will bend over backwards for you.

Most of all in the 10 years gone by, I can finally say that I think I am now content with our choice, we made some good decisions and we have made some bad decisions, but the decisions we have made have been made and there is not too much we can do about them.

But I often wonder where will I be in 10 years time, I know where I would like to be but I guess sometimes we just can't have everything we want!

By the way the photo at the top is of my friend Bob who I started working with in 2001 so his probably one of my oldest Irish friends!

Today's Quotes

2011-06-24T08:16:00.002+01:00

“Love me when I least deserve it, because that's when I really need it.”

“This life is yours. Take the power to choose what you want to do and do it well. Take the power to love what you want in life and love it honestly. Take the power to walk in the forest and be a part of nature. Take the power to control your own life. No one else can do it for you. Take the power to make your life happy.”

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

“Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was a choice, but falling in love with you I had no control over.”

“If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.”

“Find a guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot, who calls you back when you hang up on him, who will lie under the stars and listen to your heartbeat, or will stay awake just to watch you sleep... wait for the boy who kisses your forehead, who wants to show you off to the world when you are in sweats, who holds your hand in front of his friends, who thinks you're just as pretty without makeup on. One who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares and how lucky his is to have you.... The one who turns to his friends and says, 'that's her.'”

My Daily Quote

2011-06-22T22:17:00.003+01:00

“This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, Love to complete your life.”

We walked the Walk

2011-06-20T21:15:00.000+01:00

How I managed to get D out of bed by 8 on Sunday, God only knows but we managed and we left the house by 9:10 a.m. to meet Lisa in Bray by 9:30, we started the walk slowly from outside the Porterhouse and managed to get to Greystones in just over 2 hours, with a lot of stops on the way - we had to watch the Dolphins frolicking in the bay, listen to Em complain.

It was a stunning walk and one I will do again, and I am so proud of Em as she was the only kid on the walk and managed it.

Walk the Walk is a video showcasing the fantastic Bray to Greystones Cli...

2011-06-18T09:51:00.000+01:00

The Parlotones - Stars Fall Down

2011-06-17T19:01:00.001+01:00

What a life ...

2011-06-12T18:20:00.001+01:00

I was just thinking what an amazing life my child has, she has been around the world, she has traveled extensively, and she really does have a wonderful life. Last week was her birthday party and we did Movies "Kung Fu Panda 2" with her friends, and then went off to Eddie Rockets for a kiddies Meal.

Then on Sunday we had the adopted Grandparents over, Joe, Carla and Lisa and some kids from the neighborhood for snacks and cake.

Monday we did something but for the life of me I can't remember now, oh yes we took the LUAS into town to go and explore the new Disney store on Grafton street (what a disappointment, but I will leave that for another post). Then on the way home, I took her to the gym for a swim.

Wednesday was sports day at school, I took the afternoon off and that night she had a sleep over at a friend (mid-week) only because D and I were off to the Def Leppard Concert, and then Friday she had a Birthday party after school a "pajama party".

Friday night I got a call from Granny Yvonne, who's daughter is here from SA, and her granddaughter Sarah wanted to spend time with Emily, so Saturday I went and picked her and her daughter up, who is a year younger than Em, took them Marlay park, then to Dundrum for some retail therapy, ice-cream for the kids, Coffee for the moms and a walk around Hamley's (so way over priced)!

Then back to our place for lunch and playing and finally dropped them at home on the way to our concert, and as it turned out D went and got Em a ticket for the Journey Foreigner Concert so she came with us. We stopped at Milano's on the Quays for dinner first. Then walked over to the O2, well I should do a post about that separately because my child was head banging standing clapping waving her arms just like a really Rock child (mum a wee but embarrassed) - lol but I got over that :).

Today has been a home day because we got home so late and it hasn't stopped raining the whole day!

Journey to a Foreign land competition

2011-06-09T23:16:00.000+01:00

This morning I was in the kitchen listen to Radio Nova as usual except this time we were childless, Em had a sleep over at a friend while D and I went to the concert at the O2, anyway in the mornings they have all kinds of competitions and this morning they had "Journey to a foreign land" and they played a recording in a different language and you had to phone and tell them what country the language came from, so the recording was: "Ons kantoor is nou toe, skakel asseblief .... blah blah blah", like hello why wouldn't I know where that was from. So D said phone and I did, but I never expected it to ring or for "Pat" from Radio Nova to answer, and I said "Hi, Pat it's Rose here" and he said "aaaah, I know you are going to know this" he recognised my accent. So I got it right and got into the draw. Well I the winner was going to be chosen at 9:50 and they would get tickets to see "Journey & Foreigner" at the O2 on Saturday night. I left my phone on my desk sort of hoping I would win, but never expected to, but lone behold at 9:50 my phone rang and it was Pat to tell me I had won. So I was on the radio twice in one morning! He kept me on the phone for a while and also told me what a beautiful voice I had and he bets I get told that all the time ... a bit of flirting going on there you think?

Anyway D is going round to pick up the tickets from them tomorrow and I have to get a baby sitter. Looking forward to it.

Def Leppard, Thin Lizzy and Alice Cooper

2011-06-09T23:06:00.000+01:00

Well the main aim of the concert was to go see Def Leppard, but after seeing them in Belfast in 2008 I thought last nights gig was not that great! However, I have a new appreciation for Thin Lizzy and Alice Cooper - wow what a show. It started at 7 with Thin Lizzy coming out and belting out some of them well known hits, The boys are back in town, Black Rose and Whiskey in the Jar along with some other really good hits. They played for over and hour, then after a half hour break while they changed the set, Alice Cooper came on and although I know some of his songs I did not expect him to be the performer he was, the sets were amazing and the python wrapped around him was like a female Glenda Kemp except he kept his clothes on.

The last act was Def Leppard and they definitely did not keep the best for last, because although the songs from their new album are good and they belted out some oldies they just did not perform up to the standard we had seen in 2008. I also think coming out and telling the audience that they were not as great as the audience they had in Belfast really pissed some people off.

Between D and myself we took some amazing pictures.

Alice Cooper ~ Poison (with lyrics) AWESOME VIDEO

2011-06-08T08:11:00.000+01:00

Looking forward to an awesome Concert at the O2 tonight, Def Leppard, Alice Cooper and Thin Lizzy!!!

Lost Continent: Cinema of South Africa - Movie List on mubi.com

2011-06-05T23:21:00.000+01:00

Lost Continent: Cinema of South Africa - Movie List on mubi.com

Happy Birthday Em

2011-06-04T17:06:00.001+01:00

The final product that took 4 nights to make!

Suicide

2011-06-01T08:09:00.001+01:00

Why?

A dear friend of mine came to work yesterday and was really upset, a friend of hers in her neighborhood had committed suicide by hanging himself.

Of course when she told me so many memories came flooding back of people dear to me who had committed suicide, and although she was really upset I had to tell her that it is so selfish, because they don't realise what they do to the people they leave behind. She was beating herself up about it, just as I had done when Norman committed suicide.

I know that when you are in that moment of depression you are only ever thinking about yourself, and you think the world would be a better place without you but that is never the case. 90% of the time suicides are related to Alcohol. That was the fact in every suicide that I know of, which makes me think that alcohol like cigarettes should be banned.

Most suicide victims are just shouting out for attention, wanting someone to show them that everything is going to be alright, why also are majority of suicide victims "male"?

If I could have 5 minutes with each of the people I know that committed suicide, would I be able to change their minds?

Often I have been in the situation where I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel and things just keep going wrong, but I realise there are people worse off than me! D also always makes me think, what is the worst thing that can happen in your situation? I could get fired? then what? I look for another job? What happens if I can't find one? I go on the dole? then what? 99% of the time there is an answer and there is always someone out there willing to help - the problem is a Suicide victim would never go up to someone and say "I am thinking of committing suicide", because majority of the time these things are done in haste and if they could have woken up the next morning, I am sure they would have regretted what they had done the night before!

The worst funerals I have ever been to have been because of Suicide and I think it is something we need to tell our children about.

Summer is arriving on the week-end

2011-05-31T07:57:00.001+01:00

Lookout Dublin, Summer is arriving on the week-end and I think it's supposed to last an entire week :), well in general for the last few years summer has arrived on Em's birthday which is the 4th of June. Last year we had her party on the 5th of June which turned out to be the hottest day of the year! Hopefully this year will be no different, but as we plan not to do anything at the house it won't matter.

I just don't have the time this year and can't be bothered with annoying mothers, so have decided just to do it outside of home. Sunday I will have the adopted Grandparents over and some friends and that is it over for another year!

Princess Castle Cake

2011-05-26T23:02:00.002+01:00

http://www.bettycrocker.com/videos/videolibrary/birthday-cakes/pink-castle-cake#ooid=dveXQ5MTrBOSZVaktAiVwfprAdadqVCv

Slainte! Barack Obama toasts Irish ancestors with a Guinness

2011-05-26T22:30:00.001+01:00

Imelda May - Johnny Got A Boom Boom

2011-05-23T23:20:00.001+01:00

A historical day in Irish history and my new found love for GOOD Irish music! Imelda May I love your style.

Winnie the Pooh quotes

2011-05-21T14:23:00.002+01:00

http://www.quotesdaddy.com/quote/280036/winnie-the-pooh/if-you-live-to-be-100-i-hope-i-live-to-be-100-minus

Happy Birthday my BFF

2011-05-18T23:20:00.002+01:00

I must say that I am so lucky to have one of the Best "Best Friends" in the whole wide world, today is my BFF's birthday and we have been friends for 29 years, but it seems that it was only yesterday that I met her. She is the most genuine, kind hearted generous persons that I know and I have never ever met anyone like her in my life. We have been through death defying experiences together, experienced laughter, tears, pain together and through our ups and downs have remained friends all this time.

Gwen I love you like a sister, I am truly blessed to have met you and as long as we both shall leave you will be a true friend. Happy Birthday!!!

When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares. ~Henri Nouwen

Remember

2011-05-18T22:33:00.002+01:00

Back on Line

2011-05-18T20:00:00.000+01:00

I felt like my communication links had been severed ... the damn eircom modem gave up on us but luckily after a week all is well, new modem installed and back on line, so hello world I will be back with my thoughts about the Queens visit to Ireland, which I hastily scribbled down at work during my break but never got to post them! Be prepared.

Moving on

2011-05-11T18:06:00.001+01:00

I never quite got to blog about my holiday, I might just post random pictures now and again and tell you about them, but to cut a loooooooooooong story short, we had a fabuloses holiday in South Africa, we saw most of our friends and family, it was very rushed, ate far too much, drank far too much, but none the less it was good for the Soul to connect with those special to us, gives us strength to carry on for another little while.

We are lucky to have two homes, one where we have chosen to live and one where all our amazing friends and family are!

What we did:

Braaied
Braaied some more
Went to Sun city for the day
Went to Kwandabele to see the dear old lady who looked after me all my life
Went to Lusito land
Met friends that I had not seen in 30 years
Met family I had never met in my life
Saw my new Great nephew
Had the cousins sleep over with Em
Did all the things we never get to do in Ireland

Harties - Water Problem

2011-05-10T08:17:00.000+01:00

Funky Chair

2011-05-10T08:01:00.000+01:00

I took this photo at McDonald's at Dublin airport the day Em & Derrick left for South Africa, I just loved the chairs, they came in a variety of colours and I thought that I would take a picture so that maybe one day I when I have a funky house I may get one, let me know what you think.

Happy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T16:16:00.001+01:00

Happy Mother's Day to all woman out there, just because you haven't given birthday to a child doesn't mean you are not a mother, we all take on Motherly duties sometime in our lives.

Our Accommodation

2011-05-07T18:05:00.001+01:00

We decided to stay outside Jo'burg just so that we felt like we were having a holiday as well, luckily my BFF's sisters boyfriend has a place at Haarties that we could rent from him, it was absolutely stunning to wake up and see the beautiful Magaliesberg mountains every morning, and every morning it looked different.

The one thing I love was when it was pitch black at night looking up and seeing zillions of stars, something we don't see in Ireland.

Before I arrived

2011-05-06T21:20:00.001+01:00

Well my darling hubby and daughter left for SA a week before me as you know, and it turned out that not long after they arrived, my child abandoned her only parent and went to stay with her cousins for a week. Leaving hubby to enjoy a childless week of nothing but rest, relaxation and an abundance of animals that he could go and look at every day.

How lucky was he to see such amazing animals and this are just a touch of all the photos he took, I will try and put a link to the photos up.

Back to Life, Back to Reality ...

2011-05-05T21:40:00.001+01:00

Well my world wind trip home to SA has come and gone, but I feel so inspired - when I left Ireland everything was doom and gloom a bit like SA becomes when people start talking about the crime. But having spent so many wonderful days with my friends and family and especially my BFF I feel like I can go on again and I know that for all the grief some people give me, they can never take that away from me, never ever. Spending time with my BFF was better than anything I could ever have done, and I realised that I don't need a million acquaintances because the friends that I make, are my true friends - it's funny how my mother always said to me that I knew how to choose my friends and I really do, because they are all still in my life and very dear and special to me.

The pain, hurt and backstabbing can all be put to bed now because I realise that those who caused it were never my friends and never important in my life - so farewell, off with their heads they are finally gone and forgotten!

Even though I was dreading going back to work on Tuesday, especially as I had only arrived home on Monday evening, it was actually wonderful - it was amazing the reaction I got from everyone in the office including my directors, wow I feel so lucky to be so well liked, but I guess you always get what you give out - you would have sworn I had been gone for months with the reception I got!

Okay so I guess you want to hear about the holiday, well it may have to wait till the week-end.

the punjabi Royal Wedding

2011-05-05T08:17:00.001+01:00

Off to Africa ...

2011-04-13T21:04:00.001+01:00

Well after months of planning, D and Em left on Saturday for South Africa, they arrived up at Bakubung and surprised D's folks, they were supposed to surprise the whole family but only his youngest brother and family were there. No sooner had they arrived and Em decided she wanted to go back to Jo'burg with her cousins, so has been living with them for a week.

I have had loads to do, but have been missing them terribly and finally I only have one day left at work and I will be on the plane to join them. Can't wait, so if my posts are missing for a few weeks you know why, I will update you with our visit when I get back.

Rio ...

2011-04-09T22:46:00.001+01:00

We went to see the most amazing kids movie today ... Rio and I have added this to my list of places to see before I die especially at Carnival time.

Ghetto Lovin' -- Summer Nights Grease Parody | Black Version

2011-04-05T21:44:00.001+01:00

Awesome Birthday

2011-04-02T09:16:00.019+01:00

Wow, I can't believe how many people sent me messages for my birthday, I guess Facebook is a great reminder, but even so it was so overwhelming getting so many messages from all my friends and family. I had an awesome day too, which actually started on Thursday, I went for lunch with my "Girl" friends from work to Avoca, my favourite place, then Friday My bestest buddy send me a beautiful bouquet of flowers to the office, along with a happy Birthday Balloon, a bottle of Bubbly and a real card!

From Emily & D I got vouchers for my hair and a CD!

Saturday morning I took Emily to a "Brownies" meeting up the road and then went with a friend for breakfast, and after that my friend Carla laid on an awesome Birthday brunch for me at their house. The weather was perfect, Blue Skies and sunshine.

Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through The Grapevine

2011-04-01T23:55:00.001+01:00

Marvin Gaye, one of the greatest musicians born 2nd April 1939, would have been 72 today!

101 Life Quotes

2011-03-31T08:01:00.005+01:00

1) And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years. ~ Abraham Lincoln

2) Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile. ~Albert Einstein

3) Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans. ~John Lennon

4) Life is just a chance to grow a soul. ~Powell Davies

5) Expect nothing, live frugally on surprise. ~Alice Walker

6) Each person must live their life as a model for others. ~Rosa Parks

7) The most decisive actions of our life … are most often unconsidered actions. ~André Gide
8) I hope life isn’t a big joke, because I don’t get it. ~Jack Handey

9) Life is a mixed blessing, which we vainly try to unmix. ~Mignon McLaughlin

10) Life is rather like a tin of sardines – we’re all of us looking for the key. ~Alan Bennett

11) For if there is a sin against life, it consists perhaps not so much in despairing of life as in hoping for another life and in eluding the implacable grandeur of this life. ~Albert Camus

12) Life is just a series of trying to make up your mind. ~Timothy Fuller

13) There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle. ~ Albert Einstein

14) Attack life, it’s going to kill you anyway. ~ Steven Coallier

15) Any idiot can face a crisis – it’s day to day living that wears you out. ~Anton Chekhov

16) Life is a series of collisions with the future. ~José Ortega y Gasset

17) The only way to have a life is to commit to it like crazy. ~Angelina Jolie

18) Live as if your were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever. ~ Gandhiji

19) Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can. ~Danny Kaye

20) Life is just a mirror, and what you see out there, you must first see inside of you. ~Wally ‘Famous’ Amos

21)Life isn’t fair. It’s just fairer than death, that’s all. ~William Goldman

22) Life has taught us that love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

23)A life without cause is a life without effect. ~Barbarella

24) Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished. If you’re alive, it isn’t. ~Richard Bach

25) Life’s not always fair. Sometimes you can get a splinter even sliding down a rainbow. ~Cherralea Morgen

26) We are born wet, naked, and hungry. Then things get worse. ~Author Unknown

27) The fear of life is the favorite disease of the 20th century. ~William Lyon Phelps

28) In the book of life, the answers aren’t in the back. ~Charlie Brown

29) The world is a grindstone and life is your nose. ~Fred Allen

30) Life is like a beautiful melody, only the lyrics are messed up. ~Author Unknown

30) Life is a great big canvas, and you should throw all the paint on it you can. ~Danny Kaye

31) As we struggle to make sense of things, life looks on in repose. ~Author Unknown

32) I think I’ve discovered the secret of life – you just hang around until you get used to it. ~Charles Schulz

33) Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets. ~Arthur Miller

34) He who has a why to live can bear almost any how. ~Friedrich Nietzsche

35) Where there is love there is life. ~Indira Gandhi

36) Life is simple, its just not easy. ~Author Unknown

37)My life has a superb cast but I can’t figure out the plot. ~Ashleigh Brilliant

38) I say, if your knees aren’t green by the end of the day, you ought to seriously re-examine your life. ~Bill Watterson, Calvin & Hobbes

39) You fall out of your mother’s womb, you crawl across open country under fire, and drop into your grave. ~Quentin Crisp

40) God pours life into death and death into life without a drop being spilled. ~Author Unknown

41) Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be. ~Grandma Moses

42) We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools. ~Martin Luthor King, Jr.

43) To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone and a funnybone. ~Reba McEntire

44) The tragedy of life is not so much what men suffer, but rather what they miss. ~Thomas Carlyle

45) Life has meaning only if one barters it day by day for something other than itself. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

46) All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on. ~Havelock Ellis

47)Sunday clears away the rust of the whole week. ~Joseph Addison

48) Life is not so bad if you have plenty of luck, a good physique, and not too much imagination. ~Christopher Isherwood

49) What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other? ~ George Eliot

50) The universe is transformation; our life is what our thoughts make it. ~Marcus Aurelius

51) Live dangerously and you live right. ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

52) Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are traveling the dark journey with us. Oh be swift to love, make haste to be kind. ~Henri Frederick Amiel

53) Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told: “I am with you kid. Let’s go.” ~Maya Angelou

54) However mean your life is, meet it and live it: do not shun it and call it hard names. Cultivate poverty like a garden herb, like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends. Things do not change, we change. Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts. ~Henry David Thoreau

55) To live remains an art which everyone must learn, and which no one can teach. ~Havelock Ellis

56) My grandfather always said that living is like licking honey off a thorn. ~Louis Adamic

57) People do not live nowadays – they get about ten percent out of life. ~Isadora Duncan

58) Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem to be more afraid of life than death
~James F. Bymes

59) Everything has been figured out, except how to live. Jean-Paul Sartre

60) If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you. ~A. A. Milne

61) Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life. ~Immanuel Kant

62) Living involves tearing up one rough draft after another. ~Author Unknown

63) If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn’t brood. I’d type a little faster.~ Isaac Asimov

64) The first half of our lives is ruined by our parents and the second half by our children. ~Clarence S. Darrow

65) The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. ~Henry David Thoreau

66) I hope life isn’t a big joke, because I don’t get it. ~Jack Handey

67) Reason and justice tell me there’s more love for humanity in electricity and steam than in chastity and vegetarianism. ~Anton Chekhov

68) Life is a long lesson in humility. ~James M. Barrie

69) In life, as in restaurants, we swallow a lot of indigestible stuff just because it comes with the dinner. ~Mignon McLaughlin

70) The greatest happiness of life it the conviction that we are loved, loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves. ~Victor Hugo

71) Life seems nothing more than a quick succession of busy nothings.” ~From the movie Mansfield Park

72) To live is like to love – all reason is against it, and all healthy instinct for it. ~Samuel Butler

73) Life is easier than you’d think; all that is necessary is to accept the impossible, do without the indispensable, and bear the intolerable. ~Kathleen Norris

74) When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained. ~Mark Twain

75) The purpose of life is a life of purpose. ~Robert Byrne

76) What is the meaning of life? To be happy and useful. Dalai Lama

77) Life resembles a novel more often than novels resemble life. ~George Sand

78) A useless life is an early death. ~Goethe

79) Life is not a spectacle or a feast; it is a predicament. ~George Santayana

80) Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live. ~Dorothy Thompson

81) Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but you only spend it once. ~Lillian Dickson

82) Life is a quest and love a quarrel ~Edna St. Vincent Millay:

83) There is no wealth but life. ~John Ruskin

84) Without discipline, there’s no life at all. ~Katharine Hepburn:

85) Life is a ticket to the greatest show on earth. ~Martin H. Fischer

86) Few of us write great novels; all of us live them. ~Mignon McLaughlin

87)Life’s like a novel with the end ripped out. ~Danny Orton and Blair Daly, “Stand”

88) If you stop struggling, then you stop life. ~Huey Newton

89) There are people who so arrange their lives that they feed themselves only on side dishes. ~José Ortega y Gasset

90) Life is the sum of all your choices. ~Albert Camus

91) For everything that lives is holy, life delights in life. ~William Blake

92) Life is the game that must be played. ~Edwin Arlington Robinson

93) The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it. ~Henry David Thoreau

94) To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else. ~Emily Dickinson

95) I have measured out my life with coffee spoons. ~T.S. Eliot

96) Life isn’t worth living unless you’re willing to take some big chances and go for broke.~ Eliot Wiggington

97) The purpose of life is a life of purpose. ~Robert Byrne

98) The truth is always exciting. Speak it, then. Life is dull without it. ~Pearl S. Buck:

99) We are always getting ready to live but never living. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

100) Life is like music; it must be composed by ear, feeling, and instinct, not by rule. ~Samuel Butler

101) Everything has been figured out, except how to live. ~Jean-Paul Sartre

Enough is Enough

2011-03-28T23:45:00.000+01:00

When is enough, enough and when do u just put up your hands and say no more..

FASCINATING AIDA - Cheap Flights

2011-03-26T13:30:00.001Z

This is Brilliant and so True!

No Comment

2011-03-25T20:40:00.000Z

I have been wondering why nobody has left any comments on my blog, because I really do like getting comments about my posts whether they are good or bad, and I just realised that for some reason I now have to go into the Post options and then tick the button "Allow Comments" which I never had to do before, I hope you all wanted to leave me a comment and if you did, I have put it back on the past posts so please feel free to go and leave as many comments as you like!

An Amazing Person

2011-03-24T21:06:00.001Z

My friend Lisa introduced me to her neighbor a while ago, Emma - Emma gives Yoga lessons and she is such a lovely person, her daughter is similar in age to Emily and they hit it off, they had a few play dates and sleep overs. I love listening to Emma's stories because she knows some famous Dublin people, so I was so saddened to hear that Emma had Breast Cancer, but she is one amazing lady and is so positive about it - here is video taken at her last Yoga class before she went into hospital for her op.

I will keep Emma in my thoughts and prayers as I hope you will after you watch this clip. Thanks Lisa for sharing such a wonderful person with me. The amount of courage she has is just phenomenal, and whenever I am complaining about something please remind me of this.

Elizabeth Taylor

2011-03-23T14:48:00.001Z

I was so saddened to hear about the Death of Elizabeth Taylor, I can't say she was my favorite actress but I think she epitomized woman's beauty. Most woman from her era wanted to be like her, she was probably the Angelina Jolie of the early 1950's. She seems to be the last of the era of the "Victorian type actress" who I would put in the same category as Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Ingrid Bergman and Grace Kelly, the actresses that my mother would follow in her days, which I think makes me realise that time has moved on and all those wonderfully talented Actors and Actresses from the 1950's and 60's will all soon be gone. But their memory will live on forever.

Goodbye Elizabeth!

The Dublin Wheel

2011-03-20T20:44:00.001Z

For some Reason when I post my photos it turns them back to their original position have no idea how to fix this. Anyway if you tilt your head to the left you can see the wheel.

A view of the Aviva Stadium, which used to be Landsdown Road - Regular home of Irish Rugby!

View onto The Liffey - Main River from Dublin harbor.

Facebook have some really good deals, I had bought a family ticket for the Dublin Wheel in December and it was about to expire, luckily we had perfect weather and could use the ticket to it's full advantage. It's not as impressive as the London Eye, but then Dublin is small but we could see as far out as Howth and Dun Loaghaire and up to the Dublin Mountains, so well worth the trip.

Recycling

2011-03-19T20:15:00.010Z

The motorbike that Gwen bought for Emily, finally found a very welcome home, On Saturday Xavier become the new proud owner of Emily's pride possession and he was so chuffed, he looked just like James Dean!

The St. Patrick's day parade

2011-03-18T07:59:00.001Z

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T23:18:00.002Z

Commuters set Gauteng train alight

2011-03-06T13:07:00.000Z

Commuters set Gauteng train alight: "A Metrorail train, travelling between Johannesburg and Pretoria, has been set alight, allegedly by commuters caught without tickets."

M's Secret Pasta Sauce Recipe

2011-03-05T23:23:00.005Z

1 onion, chopped

Pancetta or good quality smoked bacon chopped (amount depends on how much you like it)

2 cloves REAL garlic, crushed

1 tin good quality tomatoes

Tomato paste

beef stock

white wine (not essential)

Fresh Basil

Gently saute the onions without browning them. This is important, do not tempted to rush this or you end up with crunchy white bits that taste like pineapple.

When onions are nice and soft, turn up the heat and chuck in the bacon and garlic. Stir around until the bacon is nicely cooked through.

Add a splash of white wine (if you are using it) and allow it to cook to burn off the alcohol taste

Add the tomatoes and give it a good stir

Add a good splodge of tomato paste

Crumble half a beef stock cube in (or a whole one if you prefer more intense flavour)

Stir in a bit of the basil but save most for the end

Allow it to come to a quick bubble before turning right down to low.

Leave it bubbling away for an hour or a bit longer, depending on your stove, stir occasionally.

You will know it's cooked when it starts to thicken.

Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in some freshly chopped basil.

Serve on pasta and spinkle with parmesan and fresh basil

Life

2011-02-16T08:12:00.002Z

Wow, I think this year has already taught me many lessons:

1. When you are low and you think things can't get any worse ... they can.
2. Life is short
3. Appreciate and cherish your friends and family as you never know how much time you will have with them
4. Don't take anything for granted, it never turns out that way
5. Life often throws lemons at us, just get out the bottle of tequila
6. Don't put off today what you think you can do and say tomorrow, you may never get the opportunity
7. Never say I love you or I am sorry unless you really mean it
8. Treasure the special moments with friends and family
9. Always remember where you came from
10. People may be better off than you in life, but in Death we are all the same.

To all my friends and family I love you very much and especially to my D and Em, I will always love you!

And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. ~Abraham Lincoln

Be happy while you're living, for you're a long time dead. ~Scottish Proverb

Many people die with their music still in them. Why is this so? Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out. ~Oliver Wendell Holmes

Matt Cardle - When We Collide on MUZU.

Seal - Kiss from a Rose

2011-02-13T12:30:00.000Z

Off to a good start ...

2011-02-09T22:31:00.002Z

Well the last two weeks have just been to arduous to even contemplate blogging about, so I won't but I must tell you the week has been off to a good start, I managed to stay off the dairy products - have cut down my intake of coffee to zero! So not bad going, 6 liters of water and 9 cups of herbal tea in the last 3 days. I would normally have 3 cappuccinos a day at work and have thus far had none, although I did almost crack on Monday afternoon and went to make myself a cappuccino but the machine was broken - so it wasn't meant to be.

Today I was moaning at one of my colleagues in the kitchen and the first thing she said was Rose, have a cup of coffee - I just laughed at her. I can already feel the difference it is remarkable, and tomorrow I get my car back after a long 3 weeks, yippee which means I can go back to Gym on Monday, can't wait!

To get back to last week the week just seemed to go on forever and when you have seen your colleagues for 11 days in a row it feels like you never had a week-end, so Friday when Em woke up with a headache, tummy ache, nauseousness and a temperature, I decided to keep her home. It was great to get the washing down and all the household chores, Lisa turned up for coffee and to show us her new car, very snazzy. (Oh that must have been the last cup of coffee I had).

Saturday we were invited to our friends Joe & Carla for Dinner and Carla made the most wonderful Chicken Curry as always, (dit was so smaaklik) just wanted to lick your plate afterwards. Sunday the weather was miserable so we all just hibernated.

This week-end I have booked to go and see Tangled with the kids (Em & Friend), having the old folks round for Yvonne's birthday on Sunday, so between kids and old folks it's a busy week-end.

New Years Resolutions

2011-02-03T08:03:00.001Z

I am going to be more positive
I will be less fickle
My body is a temple and I will thus worship it
The aim of the game is to be healthy
I will be more tolerant toward Em and try and spend more time with her
I will acquire more knowledge
I am going to read more
I am going to enjoy life
I will try not to bitch and moan at all
I will remember there is no such word as "can't"

A New Year, a new dawn

2011-02-02T23:05:00.000Z

Tomorrow sees the dawn of the Chinese New Year and considering my year has started off totally cr@p, I am starting my new year tomorrow as well. I am making new years resolutions that I am going to stick by, as from tomorrow my body is a temple and nothing untoward shall pass through these lips.

Only good news is allowed to present itself to me, bad news must use the back door - don't even attempt to come anywhere near my front door.

2011 is the year of the Rabbit, and let's see what the Rabbit has in store for the Dragon this year:

How brilliant and asserting will be the triumph of the Dragon in 2011 year of the White Metal Rabbit! Happiness of this representative of zodiacal circle will consist of victories in professional activities, in business as well as the best possible relationships between him and his loved one. Lonely Dragon has all the chances to meet their fate and very soon seal a union with marriage vows - if of course he wants to get rid of his loneliness. The family of a Dragon will receive comfort and harmony of relationships, he will simply revel the love and passion. The only danger laying in wait for Dragon in the year of the White Metal Rabbit (Cat) is dizziness from success: Dragon may suffer from laudatory speeches and fanfare, and make many stupid things in a temper, that it will take the entire next year to mop such things out. In particular, this warning is especially concerns the young Dragon, and so that his head always returned to his seat, he needs someone more senior and experienced, who will oversee its actions. The Dragon is too hot, and this quality can bring him honor and glory if it is aimed in the right direction, or subverted into the deep it doesn't yield sound logic.

2011 horoscope for Dragon of wood element
In early 2011 year of the White Rabbit, Dragon will be successful, as ever flashing their dignity to overcome any obstacles encountered in their path. But success will not last forever. In the middle of spring 2011, fate will test the strength of your optimism. Fortunately, your horoscope for 2011 year of the Rabbit promises that in late spring, your success will come back to you. However, this will depend more on how Dragons will behave in difficult times.

January - The Last Post

2011-01-31T22:20:00.033Z

Okay so I am doing a cheat here, backdating this post to the 31st of January, I don't know what happened but time just ran away from me and I have not been able to blog. So my last post I told you about all my woes, well I still don't have my car back, but one of my colleagues at work has been fetching and dropping me ever since and he has been absolutely wonderful.

This morning I woke up over and hour late which meant that both D and Em were late and Em got to school an hour later than she should have. It was my fault though, I was reading a book that Lisa bought me ages ago "Wild Irish Women" and really enjoying it, so it's Lisa's fault I couldn't put it down and overslept. Then I had this really weird dream that I was in the Outback in Australia with my friend Colette and I was in a car trying to take photos out the window, while the car was driving really fast. Weird.

So onto the week-end in Galway, we had loads of fun however I was exhausted by the time I got there even though I got to drive down in style in the Merc SLK, I was the first person who retired. We only arrived down at about 8:45 as there was an accident on the M50 and basically got down checked in and then went off to dinner in the dining room. After dinner which ended at about 11:30 we all went off to the pub in the hotel, there was this little old man playing country music to a handful of people, well I say he welcomed us as we started dancing and singing to his music. And what is it with "Galway Girl" everybody has to either sing it or have it as their ring tone down there?

Saturday morning after a nice breakfast I took a walk with some of the girls along the promenade, then went back to the hotel for a cappuccino and get ready for my facial with Dianne. After facial I headed into town, had to go get Em a present and of course Dianne gave me a shopping list of booze to buy. Anyway got back to the hotel and Elaine came back (my room mate) we had a good old natter, then Dianne arrived and we laughed till we cried (can't remember if she was sober at all over the week-end), then we all got ready for dinner out on the town.

8 o'clock the taxi's arrived and we all went into town for dinner, after dinner off to a pub - the town area was very much like Temple bar in Dublin people spilling out onto the streets, it was just to busy for us so we headed back to the hotel and the residents lounge. After one Baileys I think I head off to bed at about 2:30 a.m.

Breakfast at 9 and in the car with Dianne @ 11 to head back to Dublin, so all too soon the week-end was over.

ADELE - 'Make You Feel My Love'

2011-01-30T14:37:00.000Z

Galway Girl - Mundy with Sharon Shannon (H.Q.)

2011-01-24T23:00:00.001Z

GALWAY COUNTDOWN 4 DAYS 2 GO ...

Things I must be thankful for ...

2011-01-24T19:26:00.003Z

I am Thankful ...

I had toothache and and abscess that was very painful, but I am thankful that I had the freedom to see a dentist and the money to pay for it.
Em broke her arm I am thankful that it was only her arm that broke and that she is still alive and well and brings joy to me every second of the day.
My car broke down and needs loads of repairs, I am thankful that I have a car that takes me to work everyday and makes life a lot easier for us.
I don't particularly like my job, but I am thankful that I have a job which helps provide the food we put on the table and the warmth we get from the house we live in and the clothes we buy.
I will always be seen as an immigrant in Ireland because I wasn't born here, but I am thankful that I was given the choice to live here, that I can walk freely down the road at midnight without having to watch my back and that I have made some fantastic friends in the last 10 years in Ireland and especially ones that have offered to fetch and drop me in my time of need.

A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all other virtues.
-- Cicero

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.
-- Albert Schweitzer

Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.
-- Oprah Winfrey

The Victim

2011-01-21T20:04:00.000Z

Blue Monday

2011-01-18T21:38:00.002Z

So yesterday the 17th of January 2011 was declared Blue Monday, I only heard that on the news this morning and truly it was for me anyway.

I headed to the dentist for my 9 a.m. appointment, luckily left home at 8 as I was stuck in traffic for 45 minutes, then when I got in they told me the suction machine was broken and if I wanted a proper check up and clean I could come back at 6 p.m. which I did, got there at 5:50 in fact only to be told that there are 2 emergencies and would have to wait, eventually got seen at 7:30 so by the time I got home, Emily was sleeping. To top it I need a Root Canal and about 4 fillings ... luffely !

Em had a fall at school yesterday and long story short she was in trouble with dad and when she complained about a saw arm he dismissed it, however this morning it was still swollen so off to the clinic and x-rays and doctor she came out with a plaster cast and a broken radius.

Plus I had an absolutely cr@p day at work .... so I do believe in that one blue Monday a year and next year I am staying at home on that day!

Weird World

2011-01-18T20:47:00.000Z

Okay, tell me is it only in Ireland or is the world just weird, I was listening to the news this morning and the ruling party in the FF government of Ireland are having a "secret" ballot tonight in a motion of confidence for the current Taoiseach (that's Irish for Prime Minister). However, the Minister of Finance has publicly declared that he will support the Taoiseach along with other members of the cabinet ... HELLO! That doesn't sound like a secret to me, so why the hell are you having a SECRET ballot then, or do you just LIE to the public about your support and then stab him in the back in the secret ballot??? Something doesn't make sense, but I am sure some Irish person will be kind enough to explain it to me.

Then there is something else that just p*sses me off totally, the fact that criminals get "FREE LEGAL AID" according to the media, I wish they would stop using the term free legal aid and change it to "Legail aid paid for with tax payers money" because that is exactly what it is, just like anything FREE in this country someone pays for it and it is normally the tax payer, not so ..... so please stop using the word FREE so FREELY!

Okay I was going to complain about old news, Radio Nova reported on a couple who updated their Relationship status on Facebook right after they took their vows, today but this story is months old, so get with the program and tell us the New NEWS, not old NEWS.

It's not that I am grumpy but just a few things that I don't fully understand.

Movies, Movies, Movies

2011-01-16T22:08:00.001Z

I don't often get to sit down and watch movies on TV but I must say that this week-end has been a great movie week-end, I still never did the filing or get round to the accounts but I did watch.

"The Talented Mr. Ripley" which I had never seen before and thought was absolutely brilliant.

"Gulliver's Travels" in the movie house as I mentioned previously

and today I watched the old classic

"Smokey & the Bandit" with Burt Reynolds - can't believe it's over 30 years since the movie was made.

Crazy Photographs

2011-01-16T21:55:00.001Z

Have just been going through all my thousands of photographs and found one of Emily that best describes my wonderful child, mischievous, funny, full of fun and personality and a heart of gold.

And here is a stunning pic that D took last year in Portugal

Johannesburg / Sandton Motorway 1970

2011-01-16T11:48:00.000Z

Someone sent me these photos a while ago and I had forgotten about them, as I kid I remember driving with my dad to some of his construction sites on this motorway and there was nothing now. It would be great to get some after photographs to follow the "Before" ones here:

Week 2, 2011

2011-01-16T10:32:00.001Z

The only good thing about the weeks going quickly is knowing that our big trip is only 12 & 13 weeks away, in the meantime I went to the dentist on Monday and turns out I will probably have to have a root canal on a top molar which will cost 825 Euro, so this is going to be put away for another time. I got plenty of anti biotics and pain killers which I only really needed for the first 2 days.

Oh yes, this week I had to do the late shift so was working 9 to 18:30 which I didn't mind because there were hardly any calls and on 2 occasions I was told to go home, which unlike when you are doing the 8 a.m. shift doesn't seem to happen. So getting to aerobics on time on Wednesday was brilliant, because I had sent a complaint to the Gym about the instructors always being 15 minutes late and uninterested in giving the class, so I worked extra hard and used muscles I never knew I had especially those in the tummy area but Thursday and Friday I suffered ... oh the pain ... but well worth it.

I am hoping to now go back to my normal schedule of Aerobics on Mondays and Wednesdays and Gym on Wednesdays as well. Also the great thing about the gym is since it was bought over by Energie Gyms it has had a face lift, so clean and they have got a finger print scanner to let you in, which has gotten rid of all the riff raff.

Friday was a horrific day, clients with all kinds of obscure problems, I could not wait for the bell at 17:30 and I was out of there, 13 weeks on Friday and I would have been at my destination already!

Oh yes my friend Lisa got her new fancy car this week as well, Red Peugeot 206 with Black leather seats, makes me feel like I need a new car. Hopefully she will be coming to show it off to us today, and I had better see if Joe & Carla are coming round for pancakes.

Later ... have an awesome next week all of you!!!!

Quote of the week: "Do not fear death so much, but rather the inadequate life."

- Bertolt Brecht

Gulliver's Travels

2011-01-16T10:21:00.000Z

I've never read the book, so had no idea what to expect and I sort of rail roaded Emily into going to see Gulliver's Travels (always make them think it is their idea), so the three of us were off to the movies. I didn't realise that Billy Connelly was going to be in it as well, which meant it could only be good. Thoroughly enjoyed and recommend to everyone who is looking for something light hearted to see.

Cricket World Cup 2011

2011-01-14T21:29:00.000Z

Found this really cool website: When you click on a country all the games pop up http://www.cricruns.com/

Toowoomba Flood 2011.01.10

2011-01-11T07:59:00.000Z

2011 - 1 Week Down ...

2011-01-09T21:49:00.001Z

Oh my Gosh, I meant to do so much this week-end, have to get the accounts in order and what did I do - Well Saturday I slept late, had to meet my friend Carla for Breakfast at 10:30 on Saturday and only crawled out of bed at 9:15 so a bit of a scramble to the shower and get dressed, and then I just spent the rest of the week-end feeling sorry for myself, I even missed getting the Tooth Fairy to answer Em's letter on Saturday night because I went to bed so early.

Thank Goodness D remembered to get the Tooth Fairy to take the tooth and leave some money, else we would have had one devastated child this morning.

Well lets hope I can get the tooth sorted tomorrow and take care of the rest of business next week-end after all there are only 2 week-ends to London and so much to do.

Ow the pain

2011-01-09T16:18:00.001Z

I seem to have an apses on my tooth and it is so sore, I mocked D about 2 months ago when he had one and now God is getting his revenge on me. I spent all morning trying to find a dentist that is open on a Sunday and left 3 messages at emergency numbers, but no one called me back. I guess I just have to endure the pain until the morning when I can eventually get to a dentist.

I swear I will never mock anyone again!

London Calling

2011-01-07T23:17:00.001Z

Woo Who, our Christmas party is finally being organised, yes we were supposed to go away the 2nd week-end in December but unfortunately the Support & Development departments had to work (which is half the company), so it was postponed to the last week-end in January.

January is our busiest month of the year and we are open from 8 to 6:30 each day for support as it is the start of the new tax year and all the budget changes have gone out. This was my first week back and doing 8 to 5:30 shift so I am totally whacked. Anyway good news is the company event away, we are leaving on the Friday evening, fly to London, party, party, party ... then Saturday "Dirty Dancing" the show at the West End, Saturday night dinner and party and then Sunday midday fly back to Dublin.

Should be pretty fun because all the fun people are going with, don't know how we are going to cope on the Monday but we will just take it as it comes.

Oh yes, I think the boss has organised our own capsule with Champagne on the London Eye, should go down a treat - hope we are getting some pounds to spend too. My dear friend "M" will be home from SA and hopefully I might get to see her!

Can't wait, so now have 2 trips to look forward to in the first half of the year!

Oh yes and have to organise post Christmas lunch with all my ex Building Society mates, so many Christmas arrangements cancelled because of the snow, but with all this happening, I guess January won't be a long month after all, but may still be cold only minus 5 at the moment, so I am off to my nice warm bed with my nice warm electric blanket waiting for me.

Nightie Night!

It's a New Year

2011-01-03T17:01:00.000Z

Happy New Year 2011

2011-01-01T10:56:00.003Z