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BACK ON THE ROAD AGAIN
More than 20 years ago M and I decided it would be a good idea if we were to invest in a small house somewhere between Dublin (my home town) and Cork (M’s home town). Some of our kids were already grown and out on their own and the remaining kids would be too within a few years. We were…
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Memories…An Urban Myth
The prompt was – what was your earliest memory of being in danger? Well I can’t tell you that but I will tell you about the time I was nearly abducted by an urban myth instead. I lived for the first 3 years of my life in a local authority house on the northside of Dublin. The house was nothing…
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To Blog Or Not To Blog
The Intention When we started this blog we were fairly clear about what we intended to do with it. The purpose was to share our experience of post-retirement life; for it to act as a kind of journal for our children and grandchildren; somewhere to flesh out the details of what we get up to when we’re planning and pursuing…
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But Is It Art?
I’ve been making ‘art’ ever since I could hold a crayon in my pudgy hand, just like every other kid, but nobody ever thought of what I was making as art – not even my mother and face it mothers are the best promoters and general PR person a kid could possibly have. I can’t criticise them because I never…
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Recipe: Corned Beef Bubble & Squeak
Bubble and Squeak was always a favourite of ours when we’d have leftover potatoes and cabbage. By adding some chopped corned beef we made a great Monday lunch from some tasty Sunday leftovers. It hasn’t escaped our notice that the whole world must think the Irish live on corned beef and cabbage but trust me we don’t. For a start…
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The God of Small Things
All my life I’ve had a problem finding value in the day-to-day actions of everyday life. It’s not that I craved constant drama or anything of that sort, in fact I tend to shy away from drama even when it’s a genuine crisis. I just never learned to worship at the altar of the God of small things. Maybe…
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Review: Frying Plantain by Zalika Reid-Benta
Kara Davis is a girl caught in the middle — of her Canadian nationality and her desire to be a “true” Jamaican, of her mother and grandmother’s rages and life lessons, of having to avoid being thought of as too “faas” or too “quiet” or too “bold” or too “soft.” Set in “Little Jamaica,” Toronto’s Eglinton West neighbourhood, Kara moves…
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Armchair Traveler
“You can lead me all over Attica or anywhere else you like, simply waving in front of me the leaves of a book.” ~ Socrates When the Covid lockdowns had begun to take their toll on my everyday tolerance for staying at home – something I thought up to that point was limitless – I decided to travel in…
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Toxic Masculinity & The New World Order
I have to admit I’ve always had a fear of the pendulum effect when it comes to societal developments. Like every other person who welcomes improvement in equality and the practice of tolerance and respect, I celebrate every step forward with a sense of joy and a sigh of relief. These steps go a long way to help restore my…
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My Signature: A Moviestar Moment
When I was promoted to what was to become my final role before retirement I had a momentary realisation that would make a small, but legally important, change in my life from that point on. I needed to change my signature. The role I was taking on, area manager for the local education and training board, would require me…
