The Lions lose but only just..........

Bring on Sydney next weekend and hopefully an historic win for the B&I Lions.
Wouldnt it be wonderful for them to win a series again at last and especially for BOD and the rest of the Irish lads............... as well as the rest of the Lions team.

A good day today as up early to watch match and got lots of chores done as well.  Go me !!
Went for a cycle after lunch and ended up visiting one of my college buddies for a cuppa so only just back home at 6pm.  Put the lasagne I prepped earlier in the oven so can now relax and browse on inet for a while guilt free.  OH asleep at the moment on the couch after a busy days work and DS2 out in city at a Gay Pride festival so hopefully she is safe and sound, well she is thank goodness as I've just spoken to her.

Will be taking it easy tonight as getting up early in am to go up North for a spot of across the border shopping.

Namaste
Marie.

Thursday wet and windy :(

Big change in the weather today, wet windy and cold.  Yesterday was such a warm beautiful day its such a difference today though.  Well at least I wont have to water the hanging baskets today!!  I shall spend the day cosy at home and do some tidying (much needed) and decluttering and make some progress that way.

Yesterday I was at a friends father's funeral but it was not a sad day, very much a celebration of his life and the sun shone on his funeral as if to say what a lovely man he had been.  The burial was in the Quaker cemetery in Blackrock which I had never been in and it was such a haven of tranquility in suburbia.  It was leafy and full of simple headstones, no mad flowers or memorials just a simple stone and name and date.  All are equal in death there.  The sun was shining, the birds were singing and it was just SO peaceful I could have stayed there a lot longer, in fact I may well go back there for a visit just to take in the peace and tranquility of the place.  I also want to do some research on the Quakers and how they came to Ireland.

Namaste
Marie.

Lunch date with some work colleagues

Today I am meeting up with some colleagues from my workplace where I worked before I started in UCD.  Going to a local hotel for 2pm to catch up on the chat and have a bite to eat and a coffee.  Should be a fun couple of hours as they are all lovely ladies.

Last night I had an unscheduled night out with a couple of college buddies so a late one last night and feeling a little tired today but will get the glad rags on and enjoy myself.

Tonight will be an early one though.

Namaste
Marie.

Thursday 20th June

Gosh June is sprinting to an end so quickly.  Today its a quick one.  Have mum with me today so dont want to be spending time on the PC in her company.

Sun is shining and we have just come back from a walk around our local beauty spot Milltown Park and it was lovely.  Met another dog owner with a rescue dog called Pip a cute little terrier who had been mistreated as a puppy and was a real little scared doggie poor thing but so cute.

Back home now and having a cuppa.

Namaste
Marie.

Feedback Tuesday :(

Popping up to college this am to get some feedback on one of my history exams which I was a little disappointed with results wise.  Wish me luck.

Namaste
Marie.

Fathers Day June 16th.

Today is Fathers Day and the 2nd time that I have had to get through it without my dear Dada Edward.  Was at the grave a few times this week though so that helped a lot.  Poor mum is distraught without him and its getting worse so we as a family are going to have to get something set up for her care.  We knew it was coming but its come a lot quicker than even we anticipated.

Today was also my OH's turn to be spoiled as its fathers day and only one of our three children are around, as one is in France and one is in Australia.  However the ones away both were very good and called him to wish him a happy day and he was delighted with that.  The youngest DD2 made him lunch and a home made card which he especially loves.  So all in all a good day and to finish it off for him we paid a visit to his parents grave which he hadnt been to in a while and tidied it up and planted a few plants.  A little morbid today perhaps with talk of graves but as death is part of life its good to mention it sometimes.

Namaste
Marie.

wet and windy friday

Once again I have been absent and not been blogging regularly.  Mea Culpa.  I am sorry but in my defence I have been somewhat involved in looking after Mum and also visiting my brother and staying in touch with family.  However I have also been staying in touch with friends and catching up.  As a result today I decided to stay home and put some order on my home, mop, sweep and generally get the house ship shape.  So thats what I did :)

I also spent some time checking the college courses that I am interested in registering for in September.  A little previous I know but I want to be sure that I really want to do these courses as this is my final year of the BA degree and so far the history (and archaeology) has been very much what is designated by the college, this year coming it is supposed to be more in tune with the topics that the student is interested in but on checking out the modules it dosnt appear to be quite like that.  I am very keen to do a module on Tudor England but with the new set up there are only 15 places in the module so the chances of me getting on the module are quite slim however I am going to believe that I get onto it.  The other course I really wanted to do has been removed so now I am in a quandry !! However it is not just me, there are a lot of history students in UCD and I'm sure they are all feeling the same.  Nevertheless one must be positive and look at all avenues before deciding.  Namaste, the universe will provide, thats my motto.

Marie.

Tuesday June 11th

Today saw an end to the lovely sunny weather we have enjoyed for the last week but hopefully it will return shortly and we will once again be basking in the glorious sunshine :)  I got my examination results on Friday last and am happy to say I was very happy overall with my grades.  I am on course to get my 2:1 and go on to do a Masters in September 2014 (once I get through 3rd year and stay on my GPA or increase it !!)

Today I was meeting up with one of my college friends, a lovely lady who is great fun and very wise and full of knowledge.  Lunch was 3 hours long and not a drop of alcohol passed our lips yet we still had great fun.

Tonight we are going out for dinner with my brother and sister in law to celebrate the 100 birthday of my OH's father (well he would have been if he was still alive).  Some alcohol will definitely be passing our lips tonight in contrast to today :)

Namaste
Marie.

9th June............... 1st anniversary

Today was the first anniversary of my Dada Edward who passed away this day last year at the age of 84 years.  The family got together and after mass and a visit to the cemetery to lay some flowers on his grave we  had a lovely lunch in our local golf club where we rememebered Dada and told stories and reminisced about happier times.

Miss you Dada.  Picture was taken in January when my son was tending to the grave. It now has a lovely gravestone and some beautiful posies adorning it.

Namaste
Marie.

Thursday 6th June

Decided to leave Kerry a day earlier than planned so travelled home yesterday instead of today.  Was a pleasant drive home, not a lot of traffic and the sun was shining so all in all a pleasant trip home.  Got home about 5.30 so instead of cooking ordered a chinese takeway to finish off the weekend.

Today will be spent washing, ironing, and putting away the stuff from the weekend as well as tidying around the house so not very exciting but necessary nonetheless.  Got up early and after doing some quick tidying around went out for an hour long walk to make the most of the lovely sunshine.  It is so nice to have a spell of good weather, we have been waiting quite a long time for it :)  and its meant to last to Tuesday of next week.  Hope thats not our summer then !!

Tomorrow is the BIG day - the exam results are out so a little nervous about that as I so want to do well.  Anyhow there's no point in worrying, its in the lap of the gods now.

Little pic of evening in Kerry night before we left (Tues)

Namaste
Marie.

Kerry Sunday

After a restful nights sleep and tea in bed got up and went for a walk.  Then myself and OH went to Cahirciveen for a look around.  Got the papers and then drove to Ballycarbery Castle which is a Tower House and was built in the 16th century.  Got some photos on Iphone but unfortnately no wifi here in Kerry so cannot send them to my email and post on here.  Suffice to say its amazing :)  Then we were driving around and I spied what looked like an old style walled kitchen garden and we went to investigate.  We found a beautiful but dilapidated old mansion with walled gardens and outhouses.  It also had its own chapel with beautiful Gothic shaped windows but unfortunately the windows and the lintels were long since removed.  There was a beautiful HUGE standing stone to the right hand side of the house and later on when looking on the OSI (Ordnance Survey) maps I saw that the Standing stone was originally (well in the 19th century) some distance away from the house so it must have been moved :(

Further investigations on returning home revealed who the house belonged to and a little of its history.  I am intrigued and as a student of both history and archaeology this house is beginning to fascinate me.

Wish I could post some pics but perhaps another time...........

Namaste
Marie.

June 1st 2013

Today was an early start and down to Kerry for a few days over the bank holiday weekend.  We have not been down here since last Summer so its well overdue.  The garden was all tidy and grass cut courtesy of our neighbour Ted and the house although quite cold was clean and tidy (as I had left it :) )
The fire was set as we always do when we leave so we lit the turf and wood and papers and it blazed away straight away.  After a bit of a relax headed out for a bit of a walk with Bobby then when I got back OH was asleep.  Made some tea and had some apple tart and relaxed.

Tonight we will head into the village and have something to eat and a glass or two of Sauv Blanc.  Bliss!

Namaste
Marie.