Back in Ireland

Moving On

2008-12-11T06:28:00.000-08:00

This is my last post on this blog. As it is almost 18 months since we moved back I feel I have made the transition and am now integrated to my new life..

With that in mind I have started a new blog http://recessionwoman.wordpress.com/
I feel this is where I am now and want to write on this theme. I switched to wordpress just because I am evolving and had fun working with it on greenme.ie

I am going to develop the new blog properly using my new skills and will probably start a business website in the new year as I get my small business up and running. I would like to be more interactive and want to maintain contact with my old friends and neighbours in Kensington Maryland.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Thanksgiving in ireland

2008-11-27T07:24:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!
I have just finished my last blog for greenme.ie. They don't have the funding to give me a job which is a shame. I have loved every minute of it. These are hard times to be trying to get funding and I wish them every success.

The turkey should be in the oven as I write. There is no Thanksgiving in Ireland and so it's a working day. Like St Pats in America. I prepared the food last night and Cesar was due to put the turkey in the oven at 2.00. I wouldn't dare ring to ask or I might get eaten along with Mr Turk.

Rian is sick and that is an extra stresser. He got a virus and his asthma kicked in. I was so worried about him last night. Cesar was bringing him to the doctor but was not relishing the packed waiting room.

It's just ourselves for Thanksgiving. Irish people don't understand a turkey so near Christmas. Speaking of the turkey, it is hard for a vegetarian like myself to clean a turkey but I got on with it and pointed out to Cesar that I really must love him if I was willing to save him that job.

He was thankful.

Wild Wild Night

2008-11-24T07:24:00.000-08:00

It was a wild wild night last night and I don't mean in bed.

I realise I have talked about the wind before. I know, sometimes I've talked about nothing else but last night took the biscuit. It must have been blowing at 80 mph. I tried to get out of the car at the fish and chip shop and was afraid the car door would slam and break my leg. The fish and chips were great though.

All night long it howled so loudly. It really had something to say for itself. Surprisingly nothing was damaged or blown away. Cesar's contraption for storing the surf boards and the coal etc was back on it's hind legs but going nowhere. I am amazed that everything remains intact over here regardless of the weather. The only casualty so far was Rian's IKEA tent which blew away in the spring and is probably in Boston by now. Luckily he wasn't in it.

Rian and I went to a clothes swop in Strandhill on Saturday. Everybody donated 10 euro and brought a bag of clothes they don't wear. The idea was to refill the bag with other clothes. Unfortunately there was nothing to fit me and I do not see any point in cluttering my life. The charity was street children in Mongolia which I am familiar with from Charlie Boorman's moterbike movie.

I am in my last week here blogging at the environmental web site with no talk of a permanent job. I have loved every minute of it and have learned so much. Blogging is an area I want to stay in and the environmental field is just great. We'll see.

There's a lot of doom and gloom everywhere but we have to soldier on. We made our hard choices when we packed up and left America. It hasnn't been easy but whoever said life was meant to be easy?

Beautiful Day

2008-11-12T07:23:00.000-08:00

It's a gorgeous day today. Tomorrow is predicted to be wet as have the last 4 been. There is no doubt that these good days are sweeter by their rarity. One really does feel like smelling the roses.

I am doing my work experience in the Institute of Technology Sligo which is a college campus with a Business Innovation Centre. I have whats called a hot desk which is for the use of Greenme. It's entrepreneurs heaven. There are lots of incubation businesses here and entrepreneurs in training and research labs for businesses and a host of things geared towards developing business in Ireland. There are government programmes to help businesses get off the ground and up and running. I love being here.

Every day at lunch time I go for a walk on the running track on the athletic field. It's a great feeling to look at all the familiar landmarks from when I was a child. Sligo General hospital on my left and the Mental Home ( now The Clarion Hotel )on my right. So far I haven't got rained on, almost but not quite. I eat at my desk which suits my pace as I'm usually engrossed on a subject for the website.

I am learning a lot about the environmental industry and feel it is the way of the future. I am learning to write as discipline as well as just for fun.

Ultan did very well on his spech therapy test and is getting a break for a few months. He is managing well at school even though he is in the mainstream. He is learning to solve his problems if he can, but can still get advice from Cesar or me if he needs it.

Rian went on his first sleepover to the respite house last weekend. There was a little conflict with another boy but nothing major. He seemed very content and wanted to go back the next night. He is on a diet. We were back with the dietition again and are taking a new run at it. Smaller portions are the key but poor Rian loves his food. I have to say he is very agreeable about it and seems to want his tummy to get smaller even if he would still like to keep eating.

Cesar is finally pulling out of his chest infection. He complains of the cold a lot in the house at night. He has a lot more asthma and doesn't seem to sleep much. I remember him being the same in the States just not so bad for so long. I use interventions such as hot water bottles and a big log fire but he doesn't get to sit at the fire until everybody's gone to bed as there is fierce competition for the TV. If Cesar wants to watch his programs he has to go to the igloo aka our bedroom.

If I want to go look at the beach on my way home I can but I really don't have the time. The domestic load here is as heavy as anywhere. I may not be wrecked from cleaning houses and battling traffic like I used to be but time is still a scarce commodity.

Happy Days

2008-11-05T02:10:00.000-08:00

"The Times They are a Changing" Very true today, Bob.

America finally stood up and was counted. We can go back to being optimistic. America's reputation can be restored. What a statement to the whole world. America has elected a good man who can work hard and is very capable. Barack Obama would not have been allowed to vote in the year of his birth. Who would have thought?

Cheers to all my good friends in Kensington, Maryland. This time 4 years ago some of us were crying at the school bus stop.

Not today!

Election Day

2008-11-04T01:26:00.000-08:00

I am in such a state of jitters about the election today. I am glad I am not there as my nerves couldn't take it. Oh! How I miss NPR. I miss it a fair bit. Our own RTE is covering the election until 3.00 AM and then they are going to broadcast NPR but I will not be awake. There is nothing that can keep this 52 year old out of bed at that hour.

I heard Bruce Springfield addressing a Barack Obama rally in Ohio and it brough tears to my eyes. To hear him speak so poetically about the American dream and how it is so distant from many people's lives was very moving. He spoke so simply and to the point I wondered could he run for president himself someday. He talked abut people's right to a job, a house, an education. He talked about fair play for all.

Can Barack Obama achieve that? I really doubt it but I believe he understands it and will try hard to make things better for people.

I remember when I was growing up in Ireland in the 60's America had an image of decency to it. Sure, there were political problems but it was a place somebody could emigrate to and get a job and raise a family and educate them and give them their start. Maybe this was just an illusion and not true at all.

There isn't even an illusion anymore.

And the blog goes on

2008-11-03T07:34:00.000-08:00

I lost part of my last blog so I will try and remember it. Actually, Cesar lost it but he was trying to help and so it was in a good cause.

As you probably figured the weather got better and the clothes are drying. Cesar brought the bedding to the launderette in Bundoran and got three bagfuls washed and sorta dried for 28 euro.
It was a relief and a great birthday present.

My birthday was Thursday the 30 and very enjoyable even if I didn't think of it before midday. Ah! 52 and so forgetful. Mum was in town for a doctor's apointment and joined us for fish'n chips and cake. The cake was made by one of my former FAS classmates, Sean and was a great success.

This was a good birthday because I feel good about work. The blogging job is going well and I am learning a lot. The learning curve was steep but is getting better and I am very contented. The website is Greenme.ie and I write blogs and news but not in my own name as yet. I am learning lots about environmental sustainability and find it very interesting. I am also learning not to write so folksy.

Of course, life is continually busy but happy. Cesar has a second chest infection and is on another course of antibiotics. We can only turn on the heat for 2 hours a day. We light a lovely fire every evening but Cesar doesn't spend any time in the living room as there is a line up for the various playstations. I just read and am impervious to what's on screen. I am worried about him. He said walking in the cold made his asthma much worse but he always told me when we were in the housecleaning business that he was allergic to cats. I am encouraging him to start swimming again. When we get our own house I swear it will not be heated by oil. Liquid gold.

Rian won a big Hallow'een basket at school and is doing great. He loves school and goes off in his taxi every morning as happy as Larry. He is having his first sleepover at the respite house next Saturday and is delighted.

Ultan is not so fond of school and is having some socialization problems. The joys of mainstreaming. Still, it's a part of development for all humans and all we can do as parents is be watchful.

We had a grand Hallow'een. Trick or treating was a slow process as we had to drive and were invited in for tea at every house. Ultan likes the tradition of money instead of sweets. I like not pigging out on candy until Christmas.

Tomorrow is America's big day. Please don't let it get screwed up again. Cesar and I sent our votes to the US Embassy last week. We shall see!

Rain and Blogging

2008-10-29T09:08:00.000-07:00

I know I never stop talking about the rain. It is quite amazing how one little place can get so much rain and yet still be nice. The laundry went to the dogs last week as I couldn't dry anything on the line. I used the dryer though sparingly but couldn't use the washing machine at the same time. I have some drying racks in the bathroom which help. I am still playing catchup with the bedding from the kitten'

A professional blogger

2008-10-20T08:03:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day working as a blogger. I will put in the link as soon as I know how to do it. I should have something published real soon. I spent the whole day reading and writing. How totally cool is that. Reading about green living is interesting and I am already getting my brain steered in that direction but sifting through general information is lots of fun too. My brain hasn't felt so active in I don't know when. In fact I cannot remember when. It feels so good to be using all my energy.
We went bowling Saturday afternoon. Drummer Dave came in the morning and gave Ultan his lesson. Ultan must be getting into adolescence as he was extremely irritable all weekend. He had even less patience than usual with Rian. I know the weather gets on his nerves and he didn't get enough sleep. He said that everything was okay at school. I will have to keep an eye on the situation.
Rian is fine apart from the congestion that won't go away. I will have to get him in to see the doctor. They have their mid-term break next week from school.
Cesar is up and down as always. His chest infection has not cleared up even though he has taken steroids and an anti biotic. His asthma is not going away either.
Maeve is doing great and is pooping in the litter box most of the time. She peed on our bed twice on Saturday night and I moved into the guestroom. I am now back in the marriage bed and Maeve is sleeping downstairs.
However my laundry backlog is gone through the roof and is never coming back down!

Light at the end of the tunnel

2008-10-14T10:50:00.000-07:00

I didn't know I was in a tunnel but I got a big breakthrough last week. I had been job hunting and also looking for 4 weeks work experience. I wasn’t very hopeful and figured I would be setting up a freelance bookkeeping service. This is a good plan at any time and I have no problem with it.
However employers were calling our instructor here at FAS and requesting cvs for work experience. One potential job caught my fancy. It’s a green website directory. They needed somebody to update the directory and maybe do a bit of blogging. I mentioned my blog on my cv and lo and behold they offered me the chance to do a daily blog on their website. They want me to take care of the content of the site. I will have to do research and get a bit of training but it is mainly writing. How amazing is that? They also hired another woman from my class and she will do the data entry. Watch my poor old accounts go out the window. I am very excited about this. I love writing and have enjoyed doing my blog but I never thought I would get a chance to work as a blogger.. The fact that I am not an expert on all things green is fine as this is not a tree hugger site but an everyman site or that is the idea. I really did not see this coming around the corner so my humble blog has served me well. There may be a full time job out of it and that would be brilliant but even if not I am going to learn a lot and it will be a very valuable experience. I cannot remember when I felt this psyched especially in terms of my career. What career? I was reading back through my blog and saw that in January I was reviewing my career path and that writing was screaming at me not office administration. Well guess what, I had absolutely no chance of being hired as an office administrator.
I have 3 more days on my course and I am very happy to be coming to the end. I brought in my jobs folder and tidied it up. It gave me a feeling of control and it showed a lot of effort which made me feel better about myself. Then I did my interview with the two women entrepreneurs who own the green website and it was as different from all the other interviews as day from night.
Hurray!

Peace and Quiet

2008-10-14T10:45:00.000-07:00

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I go through periods of forgetting all about my blog and can’t pin this down to too much activity or not enough. Sometimes I cannot remember what happened in the last week. We had a lovely week of sunshine before the wind and rain returned. Still it was a nice respite.
The days are getting shorter and the heat is being turned on. One half hour in the morning and another half hour at night. Our friend Billy told me their heat comes on 6 times a day for a half an hour each time and one tank full lasts all winter. It’s so funny when I think of our heat on all the time in the US. Cesar used to complain of the cold there too and was always talking about getting the house insulated. In fact it does not get quite as cold here but with the damp it can feel pretty grotty. Thank God we have our fire for this year. I have been lighting it every day since Cesar put it in. It is very comforting and will make such a difference on a cold winter’s day.
My sister is coming home from Colorado Springs for a week on the 11th October. We will be celebrating Mum’s 78th birthday. She is doing quite well though feeble. Siobhan is bringing us Starbucks Arabica and goldfish crackers for the kids.
Lots of drama on the world stage! Last Friday I was listening to the news on my car radio on my way to the grocery store. I pulled in beside the ocean and looked at the waves for a while as I listened to the commentary. It felt great! “Far from the madding crowd”!

Moving On

2008-09-22T14:26:00.000-07:00

I will be starting the final 4 weeks of my course next Monday. It will be spent on computerised accounts and then I will be finished with FAS. This is the last time. I will not be coming back for more retraining. Maybe an odd night class in Accounts but the full time study is over. I really need to get working and bringing home the bacon. It has been great to get this retraining and I feel like a new person. I will miss the place and the routine and especially my fried egg and potato cake at 10 o clock every day.
I applied to a local business in our village of Grange for 4 weeks work experience and am waiting to hear back. My next door neighbours suggested I go there and mention their names as they are friends with the owner. It’s a beautiful tiling showroom with branches all over the country. They manufacture and export to all parts of Europe. It’s a very successful business. I remember when the owner Martin Gilroy started it many years ago. I am always fascinated when I see phenomenally successful businesses being created from scratch. What abilities do these people have that they can go to such heights. It must be the vision thing as George Bush Senior used to say. Vision and dreams seem to be similar but eons apart. Anyway I would be very glad to get the opportunity to work in such a nice place for a few weeks.
I did the bookkeeping for my sister-in -law’s playschool and mailed it off to the accountant yesterday. It was quite draining to be working on books again but the beauty of the computer is it cuts that work down so much. I just need to learn the software package and I will be marketing myself to the small businesses in the area. This is such familiar territory for me. Frankly it would have been nice to get a job and a pay check and not be chasing the buck again but I see no jobs.
Ultan is getting over his cold and is back at school. Rian is going to the respite house today. It is called “Suamhneas” which means serenity or pleasantness in IrishI . It is a cute brown bungalow on the old Dublin Rd and Rian has been asking to go there for months now. He can eventually go on sleepovers but for today we will just try a few hours. It is time to let him have some independence. He is almost 11 and we have to be cognisant of his future. Unfortunately it has a long waiting list of children and parents who need respite much more than me. I really do not feel the need of a break from Rian but I want him to get out of the family a little bit for his own good
Cesar is moving along with his business ideas and is applying for a mentor from Sligo Enterprise. I am very glad of this. I am not knowledgeable and get tired of cheering him up and on.
Autumn is almost here and we have had a few beautiful dry days. No chance of a blog without a comment on the weather. The temp is going down in the mornings and at night. We put the heat on last night for half an hour. We are very frugal with the oil. Cesar installed a beautiful stove in the living room and I light it every night. Coal and firelighters are my fuels. Same as 30 years ago! The kids and I never go to bed without our hot water bottles and so are quite snug.
All is well

Back to school

2008-09-09T12:16:00.000-07:00

The kids are back in school for a week now and all is well. Rian is thrilled to be back and has already had his first horse riding lesson of the term. He brought home potatoes from their little garden and very good they were too. Another one of my dreams to keep in mind! My father was a terrific gardener and kept the house supplied with vegetables all year around. Ultan is not so enthusiastic but really is a lot better off than if he was sitting at home all day. Of course Cesar is getting his equilibrium back now that his time is his own again and as a result the pressure is off me also. It’s hard enough to keep kids entertained in a dry climate but try it in a place where it seems to rain every day.
We just had a perfect weekend. It was 60 degrees, dry and sunny. I went to see Mum on Saturday and we went for lunch in the Landmark Hotel in Carrick-on-Shannon. This place really lives up to its name. It was built on the Sligo to Dublin road looking onto the River Shannon with all its boats and cruisers. Carrick is a booming town also because the Bank of America has its operations headquarters there employing 1000 people. I am not one of them because I was turned down for a job there when I moved back here first. In retrospect it was a blessing as I feel I can do a lot better on my current path without having to commute for two hours a day. Anyway, Mum and I had a lovely lunch. I had a delicious potato and leek soup and Mum had a prawn sandwich in these most perfect surroundings. We got her groceries and I drove back to Grange through the beautiful countryside.
Of course on Sunday after Mass the kids and I went to Water World in Bundoran and Go Karting afterwards. They ate chips in the Adventure Park looking out on the Atlantic sparkling in the sun. We came home and ate the jambalaya that was cooking in the slow cooker all day. A perfect day!
Here is my question. If sunny days are so wonderful because they are so rare is it sweeter to have a shit climate as opposed to a great one where they are a dime a dozen?

Tuesday

2008-08-26T11:16:00.000-07:00

My computer course finishes in 8 weeks and then I will spend 4 weeks doing work experience. I was supposed to be done in 4 weeks but they have extended it because we were not able to get everything finished in time. This was not because my group are slow performers but was a scheduling problem. A lot of the instructors are on temporary contracts and there can be scheduling problems. We will be doing 6 weeks of accounts which I like.. For anyone who remembers my blog from last year I did my work experience at the Fire Service. Subsequently I did an interview to get on a panel of temporary workers for the county council which is our local governing body. I was placed fourth on the panel and almost a year later I have heard not a word. My classmate who was second on the panel has been working continually since January. I find it hard to believe that out of 2000 employees nobody has had to take maternity leave or sick leave in almost a year. I was told that the County manager said that no temporary slots were to be filled at all and there is a hiring freeze. As they say here “if it’s for you it won’t go by you”. Still I am content and believe I am following my path.
Cesar is doing the second part of his motorbike instructor’s test tomorrow. I really hope he passes it. He will then be able to teach and can prepare for his final test which will be on his teaching methods. He already has his first two pupils lined up.
Rian’s seizures are under control thanks to his medication. He is ready to go back to school and get back to his routine. Poor Ultan does not feel the same. His cousins in Colorado80 Springs started back yesterday and their day is from 7:30 to 3:00. Ultan’s 9:20 to 3;00 is a walk in the park in comparison to that. He is getting drumming lessons from a man in my class who was a drummer in a band in London in the 80’s. He’s delighted.

Monday

2008-08-25T11:53:00.001-07:00

The clock went off at 6:45 this morning and it was barely light. The wind was howling in the trees and I really wanted to turn over and curl up. Monday morning and looking like Winter already! We never even had a Summer except in name. Last week I took two days off FAS (my computer course) because my family and their kids were in town for a few days. It actually didn’t rain and I really felt like I had a vacation. The first day it was about 55 degrees but the second day was a nice 60 until nightfall. We had 18 people for dinner and I cooked my grand special –Chile Nachos. Copious amounts of drink were consumed and the craic was good.
The children and I went to Bundoran on Sunday and did some bowling. We also took a train ride through the town on the pretend train. I am really beginning to love Bundoran. It’s a beach town about 5 miles from our house and is as tacky as it can be. However it is very pretty and full of character in a seedy Las Vegas kind of way. It’s full of holidaymakers at the moment-------- lots of family groups, old couples and old singles. There’s a buzz to the place that will fade as soon as Sept 1 comes and the schools are open. There will be week-end business throughout the Autumn and then all will be quiet until next year. I love the ebb and flow of it somehow and wonder about having a business in such a place.
The kids have done no dirt biking since they came back from America and it really is a shame. I had the summer mapped out with them riding their dirt bikes at the borough and me sitting in my beach chair reading. I went down there a few weeks back and there were signs every where saying it was an area of conservation and no motorised vehicles were allowed. The farmers got their way and the land will be preserved. Cesar is bitter and is looking around for a piece of land where they can ride in peace. It’s hard to figure things out being from another place. I heard him saying that he is giving this place another year and then he’s going to rethink things. This move is not a happy one for him. I am very content even with the shit weather and the kids are mucking along well. They loved having their cousins in town and loved their vacation in America which they would never have had if we were still living there as I could barely get a few days off per year.
Mum was admitted to the hospital on Friday and is doing a little better. She had broken her shoulder and the pain was getting worse as time was moving on. She can barely walk and is liable to fall at any minute. The geriatrician mentioned Parkinson’s symptoms and everything will be evaluated. It is a relief at least to know that she will get the care she needs.
I am spending today sending out job applications. It is very competitive and I have done badly at interviews. I find these employers very picky and wonder just what they are looking for in a candidate. They are not launching rockets even if they think they are very important. My cv with all my years of self employment is not thrilling them. I feel I will have to create my own job which is nothing new. Still I will keep applying.
Did I mention the weather is shit, really really shit.

Monday

2008-08-25T11:53:00.000-07:00

Summer moving on regardless

2008-08-24T11:57:00.000-07:00

This is a new blog to be posted when I get to it. It is two weeks since I wrote the last one and it has been raining consistently since then. It is very wearisome for everybody and a source of constant conversation. Cesar is at the pin of his collar to keep the kids amused but that is always the way towards the end of summer vacation. For me it is a respite from prepping school lunches and getting out uniforms etc. Still there is only two more weeks to go and the poor guys will be back in school.

Jobs, jobs and the lack thereof

2008-08-24T11:50:00.000-07:00

I type this blog when I get a breather during class and then paste it onto my blog account at night from my memory stick. The fact that I can do this is nothing short of miraculous when I think a year ago I could barely type. We have 6 more weeks of learning here and then onto work experience again. The amount of negativity about the economy is enormous. The media are talking it up a storm and people are nervous. Others are complaining about the self perpetuating prophecy. I filter it out and sort of in at the same time. I am learning computerised accounts this week and am enjoying it. Any jobs that are out there are in this field. I find accounts easy to do and all businesses need this service. Lots and lots of these businesses are too small to hire a full time person and cannot do these accounts themselves. Freelance work would be an option for me and I could build up a client list like I did in the cleaning business. Of course if I get one of these elusive jobs, better again. The construction boom is over and may never return and this has a huge spill over effect onto the rest of the economy but it is still only part of the picture. There is more to Ireland than the construction industry and an adjustment will be needed.
Cesar and the kids are back from America and are in great form. Rian has had 3 seizures this month and is on medication for now. He will be getting checked out to see what’s going on. Ultan is enjoying his PS3 that Cesar got in the States. He has Euro converters all over the house and things work well.
We had 5 days of good weather and managed to get to the beach on a few occasions. Streedagh was lovely as was Mullaghmore except for the big lump of cow poop on the sand that Rian stuck his hand in. I can see why poor Mullagh lost its blue flag rating. One of those in the tide would definitely fail a water test. Of course it’s a beautiful place and it was probably just one rogue cow.
Life is moving along nicely. Cesar enjoyed his time in America and would like to go more often and for longer. Not a bad idea if he can pull it off.
There is not much dirt biking until they find a new place. There are other people in the same boat so there is a niche. Maybe Cesar can fill it. Who knows?

The Weather

2008-07-18T13:16:00.000-07:00

The weather! The weather! The fucking weather! I was warned. I grew up here. I was reared into this weather but it is unbelievable. I am living in a tunnel in a beautiful tunnel called Ireland. Somebody put a grey bathing cap over our side of the globe and nothing is getting through. Nothing is visible except this very grey sky. I have seen about 10 hours of blue sky in about 4 weeks. Now we did get beautiful weather in May and part of June and we cannot expect the sun moon and stars. But in a country of inconsistent and unpredictible weather how can it be so predictibly and consistently bad. The sunsets in the two nights we have seen them are so white. I thought sunsets were always red or orange. I know I grew up here and so am used to it but it really seems to be very bad weather even by Irish standards. So there you are. This is why people over here talk about the weather so much. It is quite remarkable in it'smisbehaviour.
Thank God Cesar and the boys are in Myrtle Beach and having a ball of a time. I would hate if they were here climbing the walls.

Maybe a little doom

2008-06-30T14:22:00.000-07:00

People have alluded to my elevated mood since coming back to Ireland as a temporary high which would dissipate in time. I figured this was not true as I made it through the winter and stayed buoyant. The beautiful weather last September/October and 70 to 80 degrees through May and part of June were great respites. I hadn’t realized that the price of this might be a non existent summer. It’s been dark, cloudy and raining every single day for two weeks now. I would have preferred this in May if we could just pretend it is summer now. I had gotten very spoiled in Maryland. All those long relaxing days at Rockville pool are a very distant memory. Nonetheless I feel contented enough and optimistic in general. Life is what we make of it and we are masters of our own destinies. I have been turned down for every job I’ve applied for but have no intention of giving up. I have two applications out as I write and am plugging away. I also have an interview for a scheme which would start in December which would help me start my own business. Now I know I said that I was done with self employment but if there are no jobs I may have to create my own. Meanwhile my skills are improving by the day and I am enjoying that process.
Cesar and the boys are heading to the States for three weeks on Thursday. I made the choice not to go as I am committed to my course and it would cost a small fortune for all of us. I may be feeling a bit lonesome in advance. Cesar is very frustrated with life here and the weather is bugging all of them. Cesar is actually angry about this move and things are not getting any better. If I got a job and could plan on us buying a house it would help. Sometimes we have to stand still before we can advance. Enough of my philosophising.
Property prices are not coming down where we are. Well some are but land is completely off the charts. Cesar asked a man about 5 acres on the Bundoran road and he was quoted 250,000 Euro. Say no more!
Still I am not stressed in any way. That must count for something.

Microsoft and jobhunting

2008-06-20T12:21:00.000-07:00

I’ve just passed Excel at the Core level for Microsoft Specialist. It feels great to be able to retrain at the age of 51 but in a highly skilled workforce I am probably just a pee-on. However after cleaning houses and apartments for 20 years I think I am doing great. My job hunting continues with no luck. A lot of doom and gloom is circulating in the media but our particular little lives are moving along just fine. Meanwhile I am learning every day. I am doing manual accounts as a prequisite to computerised accounts. At least this is familiar territory and I quite enjoy it and could see myself doing a/cs for a living. This is ironic as I trained in this field when I left school all those years ago.
Cesar and the kids ran into trouble with some local farmers on their dirt bike activities. The farmers claimed they were compromising their grazing rights. They called a few friends who looked a bit rough and Cesar thought blood might get spilled i.e. his. They had to come home with their bikes and we are now again looking for a place for them to go. They were quite broken-hearted and I feel bad for them.
Meanwhile we will be here a year this weekend. It flew but it has been great. I feel it is a big success and can only get better. Cesar and the boys are going to DC to stay with his mum for three weeks in July but I will stay here. The weather is cold about 60 and there is some rain but the days are long and the air is crisp and fresh

Sunset in the West of Ireland

2008-05-31T13:52:00.000-07:00

The sun is ridiculously orange and has no notion of setting until at least 10.30. It has rained once in the month of May. I walk on the beach about 4 times aweek. I even do my grocery shopping in the beach town of Bundoran. Had I lived at a beach in America I might have stayed. Winter seems a long way away. It is almost a year since we moved back and it has gotten better by the day.

mayday

2008-05-14T13:57:00.000-07:00

Mayday weekend is a holiday here and the sun has been shining since May 1. The temp has averaged 70-75 and not a drop if rain has been had. This is the warmest it has been since we came here last June. It's almost a year. As usual everybody is very happy with the weather and still remarking what a great country it is when the weather behaves itself. I am moved to note that other than the weather we have nothing to complain about. No cyclones, earthquakes and a high functioning democracy. I have been going to Streedagh every day since this weather changed. This is the beauty of being here and the thing I missed most when I lived abroad. The sun could be scorching the stones and the nearest beach was 5 hours drive away in traffic. Not now. I take 5 extra minutes on my way home from computer school and I am walking on a deserted beach. I also have mountains on both sides for good measure. It hasn't got old yet.

The days are getting longer and longer. Tonight as I was getting Rian ready for bed at 9.30 I was reminded of my own growing up days here where I was going to bed at 10.30 at the grand age of 12 and it was daylight. Hard to take for a grown up 12 year old.

The sunsets are are beautiful and the mountain turns orange and red in symmetry.

Still and all I miss Nine West, The Gap and DSW. I am used to the variety and the good prices for consumer goods in America. A decent pair of shoes here are at least 80 Euro. My sandals from Hecht's are going to have to cut it for a while longer.

Cesar and the boys have booked to go to Washington in July to see his mother. I cannot go as my computer course goes on 'til October and I could not miss three weeks. No matter. There's always next year.
Time for bed.

Menopause

2008-04-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

I have to say menopause is great. At night in bed I wake up with a hot flush and all I have to do is stick my leg outside the bed clothes and I cool off. The other evening I was hanging clothes on the line and I felt a hot hot flush. It was a nice cold day and I said to Cesar who was nearby how great it felt to be in such a cool place mid flush. Cesar who was cold and out working interminably on this damned new motorbike was not impressed and drily said that maybe menopause women should just go to Alaska until it is all over.
Well anyway, today it was definitely nearly 70 degrees. Rian and I went down town this morning and I had to whip off my sweatshirt and just go around in a t shirt and jeans. It seems like a long time since I did that. I also seemed to be the only person in a t shirt which seemed odd as Irish peel off at the drop of a hat. It must be more menopause. I finished off my afternoon with a long walk on Streedagh strand. I saw about 10 people in all and three of them were on horses. They came through a gap in the dunes right where I was sitting on a log and took off at a gallop. Lovely to see. The beach was so warm. I don't remember it being so warm all last Summer.
I'm moving along with Microsoft learning lots of ways of doing things I will never need to do but it's fun. I did an interview last week for a temporary librarian position which I feel I fluffed. I talked glowingly about the library in Kensington which I really loved and I think I overdid it. I probably should have said our local library was comparable which it isn't. There is a plan in the offing to build a new super duper one which will happen but meanwhile there is nothing to compare with any of the Montgomery County libraries I saw.
Hopefully tomorrow the weather will hold and we will hit the beach with the dirtbikes and my walking shoes.

Busy Busy

2008-04-19T09:22:00.000-07:00

This blog is getting more and more off my radar which is a shame because I enjoy it. Since I started my Microsoft class I feel very drained and am very busy when I get home in the evenings. Now I know why people want to go for a jog after work. Eight hours on the computer makes me feel like I want to walk to China. I am used to being physically tired which is why I wanted to change my career but this office work makes me feel like I don't want to even talk to anyone. But am I complaining. No bloody way. It still pales in comparison with cleaning houses week after week. I have no idea where this italic came from but I do not have time to screw with it as I am cooking dinner.
Ultan is on a playdate and had a birthday party also today. Rian is back horseriding again as of next week and we went to Rosses Point today for lunch. We went to the hotel where we used to stay on our vacations from America which was nostalgic. It was nice to know that my vacation is not ending any time soon.
Cesar is getting ready to book a trip back to Washington to see his mother. He is bringing the boys but unfortunately I cannot goof off from this course for a couple of weeks. It is a shame. I would love to get back for a few weeks. There are plenty if things I miss and especially my friends. Maybe next year. In my dream life I would get 6 months in each place. Nothing wrong with dreaming.

Spring

2008-04-03T11:45:00.000-07:00

Spring has been dragging it's ass though it is only April3. Spring theoretically starts here Feb 1 which is a joke and a half. Even after 21 years abroad I remember how ludicrous that always seemed. However in typical Spring fashion we got a lovely mild day today. Probably 60 degrees though I would never really know as everything here is celsius and I haven't got the conversion figired out but a nice day is a nice day and today was it. Now the lambs have been around for about a month but our neighbour Cormac's cows have started calving with the newest one born yesterday. When I got in from FAS today Cesar showed me the newest calf which is literally over the back wall. As we looked at all of the new calves with their mothers relaxing in the green field against the backdrop of the purple grey mountain all those wet days were annihilated. Cesar was smiling from ear to ear.
This Microsoft course is tough though stimulating. There are about 20 people in the class all being retrained from really tough jobs and all loking for a nice career in admin/computers. All like me. I am going to keep applying for jobs meanwhile I am being paid to learn some really interesting stuff. Meanwhile our medical expenses such as they are are all free. Of course I have to figure out a future but it sure is a good breather.

Easter

2008-03-20T07:58:00.000-07:00

My first St Patrick's in Ireland in 21 years. We went into Grange village to see the parade. My mother was with us having stayed the night before. It was a beautiful sunny day which is rare even in Washington on March 17. There weren't too many people and there was plenty of space to view the parade without anybody jumping in front to pick up candy of which there was none anyway. Throwing candy off a moving truck is not a practice here. The parade itself was very low key and started 30 minutes late. The big parade is in Sligo. It definitely would be worth a look but my 77 year old mother could not handle the hurly burly. Her balance is appalling and she is liable to fall any minute. There was a great atmosphere but no element of over the top as in America. I had gotten quite used to the American style celebrations and noted their absence. We came home and had a fajita dinner with Baked Alaska for dessert and loads of booze. Rian and I even went for a 5 mile cycle round the mountain.
I am loking forward to Easter. Everybody is off from Good Friday through Easter Monday. It is the kick off of Spring and all that goes with it. Golf championships, music festivals and feiseanna. We will spend Sunday and Monday in Mohill and then hit Bundoran and the amusements on Tuesday. Wednesday I go back to FAS. I'm taking Microsoft Office Specialist which is 9 months in duration. I'm pretty happy about it and hopeful that my skills will be sufficient to get a job when I am finished. It will be good to get out and about again and be learning something new.
I am sure that lovely Spring weather has started again in Washington. We all miss it even the people who were never there.
Happy Easter !

getting Antsy

2008-03-10T05:07:00.000-07:00

Last week I got three job rejections on the same day and they were the ones who were nice enough to acknowledge my application. I remember when I was single and a fellow would let me down by not turning up or not phoning I used to feel so frustrated. Why oh why couldn't he have the decency to tell me straight out that" he wasn't that in to me" to coin a phrase. How I cursed and wailed about the cowardice of men etc. One could say the same about job applications. Oh well! at least they are professional enough to let me know that I didn't cut the muster blah blah blah. But what difference does it really make to me if I still don't have the job. Ditto for the man. Maybe that cowardice is well placed. I probably would have killed the poor bollox who was honest enough to tell me that he didn't want to go out with me just because he shouldn't have been around in the first place. Anyway the job situation is getting frustrating as we need to get our long term plan working namely get an income, a loan and a property. With that in mind we are starting to look at our original plan of a food van while I am doing an interview with FAS on Thursday to see about getting on the Microsoft Office Specialist course. It will run for 30 weeks but I will be paid and then I will be more hirable in an ever more competitive job market.

Rian

2008-03-04T09:32:00.000-08:00

Ultan and Rian were home from school today with colds. Ultan was home yesterday too and we went to our local doctor Niall Hever who I went to school with. Ultan's asthma had kicked in and Niall prescribed steroids and Nebulizer. We were home in less than an hour complete with medications and groceries. Rian was very congested and I didn't want him to get out of hand so I kept him home proactively. No worries no hassle. Anyway it was a beautiful crisp sunny day and I really wanted to get out for a bike ride. We had terrible storms all weekend and yes our electricity went out for a few hours. The wind howled and howled and it rained almost nonstop.
Yesterday it snowed for most of the day but it was my kind of snow. It came and it went. No lingering like an unwanted visitor who just won't go home. Still by the time I saw the sun today I had itchy feet. Rian wanted to come along and he picked the route up towards the mountain. We cycled and walked for about 5 miles. We had views of the distant sea most of the time and the snow tipped mountain to our left made me think of Austria . We had to walk a lot of the time and as I looked at Rian's face all lit up drinking it all in I thought how far we had come since those early days if his autism. All I know is I got the place right. I will find a way to make a living here.

Rip off Ireland

2008-02-21T03:38:00.000-08:00

I use that title because I hear it a lot. Is it true? Maybe. Ireland has a very generous social welfare system and it has to be paid for somehow. Income tax is fairly high, I think though this is an area I know nothing about as yet. A lot of consumer goods are taxed as is petrol and oil etc. Our expenses are high. We have diesel cars which are fairly economical. I buy between 25 and 50 euros of diesel a week depending on whether I go to Mohill or not to see my mother. I spend 170 or so in Lidl weekly which includes wine and beer. I also spend at least another 10 euros a day on milk bread etc. Our electricity is 250 euros bimonthly. Our land line is down to 25 per month. Sky TV is 73 and we have Skype and Vonage. I can't even remember who supplies our broadband. The kids and I spend 80 euros per week on outings ,treats etc. We have cell phones which are a minimum of 10 euros per week each. The oil for our radiators has cost us 1200 euros since last July. We only turn it in for 2 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the evening. We have no heat during the day and no heat at night. It has been cold for a few months now. We also buy a label for 10.50 to be put on our trash can or it won't be picked up. I need a job and Cesar needs to get an income. I'll talk about that another time.
This is what I want to say. I talkd to a local builder yesterday. I was out for a bike ride on my way down to the sea. I stopped to chat to a neighbour, an old man called Matt MC Sharry. He told me that the house being built beside his was for sale. He said that the builder was there and why not ask how much he looking for. Quite franlkly I don't even like the house. It's nice enough but there's very little ground around it and he plans to squeeze in another beside it. I asked anyway and was absolutely flabbergasted to be told that he wanted approx 475,000 euros for it. To my mind it is completely exhorbitant. A huge rip off. The famous downturn hasn't hit home here yet if ever. I got back on my bike and went home. I had lost my taste for a ride to the sea and the mountain didn't look quite so nice anymore. It will be a long time before I speak to a builder again.

spring

2008-02-18T07:31:00.000-08:00

Long time no blog. I spent days tweaking my CV just to apply for one job which I probably don't have a chance of anyway. I shouldn't say that but at least my CV is as good as I can make it and that's the best I can do. It would be nice to be called for an interview but at least I feel I'm in the game thanks to the job's club. My typing skills have improved also so that's a plus.
Mother was in town for four days last week for some doctor's appointments plus the kids got midterm break and then Mother got very sick with her chest and lungs infected and so on and on and on. I cannot believe how busy I am and I don't even have a job.
The kids found a field in which to ride their dirtbikes down in Cliffoney. They met a local boy who has a dirtbike and whose father owns a field and so they had a wonderful time down there last Friday. This is important as I had told Ultan that Ireland is full of fields which is true but they aren't accessible. He was feeling fed up and a little let down but now he is a lot happier. We also saw a bunch of youngsters behind Lidle in Sligo riding dirtbikes in an empty field. They were very nice and said anybody could use the field but none of them were wearing helmets which concerned me.
Ultan had a psychological evaluation at school and the psychologist was shocked hat he had been in Special Ed in the States. His scores were average for mainstreaming. This certainly made Cesar and I happy as he would not have been mainstreamed had we stayed in America. Now I am not knocking special ed. Maybe he is as good as he is because of all those early years of special teaching which was geared towards him but he was ostracised in the playground by the regular kids. That is no longer the case and she pronounced his self esteem to be fhigh.
I went for a bicycle ride today. It was 35 degrees but dry and sunny. We have had a week of crisp dry weather which has been a delight. Exquisite was the word I heard the school principle use. Spring started officially on Feb 1 St Brigid's Day and looks like it is here. Thank you God.

Mountain Views

2008-02-01T08:40:00.000-08:00

Here are some mountain views from today. Very enjoyable from inside and out.

More Frippery

2008-01-28T08:48:00.000-08:00

I feel that I am developing a very nonchalant attitude in this blog. The laundry is in from the line all crisp and smelling divine and load number three is out there at the minute. The air is crisp and the winds are blowing and it hasn't rained in three whole days. Yippee! This nonchalance I have to attribute to my feeling of being as happy as a clam. Footloose and fancyfree. I didn't feel this good at 21, 31 or 41. Maybe I did and I've just forgotten. I emailed the personnel officer at the Co Council about my job prospects and while he really couldn't give me any leads I felt proactive. Michael is right. Once you do something to actively try and get a job it feels good. Real good. I'm supposed to make three phonecalls a day to prospective employers. I would like to give my chances at the Co Council a little more time however. There will be another computer course coming up in March which my name is down for so let's see.
The only other thing I have to mention is this blood on the egg. I am a non meat eater(which is good as I live among cows,sheep and lambs) but I like the odd egg on a weekend in pancakes or scrambled. I keep seeing this tiny particle of red in the egg and it drives me nuts. I try to scoop, push,scrape and generally drag the damn thing out of the bowl and yesterday I had to just bury it under the flour. The blood really bothers me which is why I don't eat meat. I feel very sorry for our friends the cows stuck in the shed all Winter eating their straw. Some of them seem to have gone over the weekend. They look at us when we pass and sometimes they moo and yell. They mood real loud at the weekend.
Maybe this bolg isn't so flip after all.

the clothes line

2008-01-24T04:00:00.000-08:00

I'm pulling my socks up on blogging as Daniel Doherty, my thirteen year old nephew in Colorado, pointed out that I have been recalcitrant in updating my blog. I have to keep my extensive fan base happy as John and Fidelma, my brother and sister told me they "hate f blogs". Very effing nice! I also have the day off from the job club today. Michael said that we are all so efficient that we can have the day off if we like and that we can look for jobs at home and that he doesn't need to be looking over our shoulders anyway. Very true indeed. I hope he hasn't decided we are an unmotivated group since he started talking about the job in the betting shop. Alfords the bookies need some employees and they told Michael that they had only recieved five applications. When he came in and enthusiastically told us this he was met by silence from the group which I decided to break by giving him my views on betting shops and the effect they can have on people, excluding him of course. Poor Michael threw his hands in the air and ran out of the room. As he had mentioned earlier that he had won 450 euro I can understand his enthusiasm. Any way I'm off today and I've cleaned half the house, wrote a small chapter of my novel and am heading into Mc Hughs in Sligo for a power lunch on job hunting with the Fas femmes.
With regard to the clothes line. The rain has stopped today and there's a cold wind blowing through. The clothes on the line are still not dry and I have decided they are not gettong back into the house until they are at least ready to go on the radiators. A practice Cesar disapproves of greatly!

Drying Clothes and Job Hunting

2008-01-23T07:51:00.000-08:00

I have been missing in action for a while now because of the job club. It goes from 10.00 to 1.00 which is nothing but I've been revamping my CV which is a huge amount of work. Michael (the teacher) said that one should have a master CV on the computer which can be many pages long and that when you apply for a job you tailor the CV from the master. I had a very skeletal CV because I was shooting for brevity and now I'm doing the opposite and trying to flesh it out. I am fond of brevity so it's hard enough for me. Also, at 51 there is so much stuff I've done over the years that I can't remember the details. One of the myriad of classes I took at night in Montgomery College was technical writing. Can I remember the name of that qualification? It's two college credits but years away from a degree. I never got the chance to use it but I did learn something. It's just damn hard to flesh it out. The other thing that's happening is that I am seeing my CV differently now. Muchael had us do a five year plan which also upset my applecart. There I was, aiming for an office job and leave it at that. Get a steady job, get a mortgage, buy a house and raise our kids. This is how people lead their lives yet my CV has writing and writer flashing all over it. One more time I feel my ship is losing it's direction and can't figure out which shore to head towards, if any. Still it is a terrific course and Michael is an inspiring teacher. Today we covered job searching proactively as opposed to reactively. We have to make a list of where we would like to work and phone and talk to the decision maker. I just can't figure where I would like to work. If I could I would phone them up this minute.
The clothes are on the line for nine days now. We bought a dryer when we moved in here but I try not to use it too often because I have a notion it is hard on electricity. Because the cost of living is so high here one is always trying to conserve energy. Well I have had to bite the bullet on that one. Our last electric bill was 250 euro for two months but the one before was 394 euro. We have oil fired central heating which has cost us 1200 euro since July 1. Now that Winter is here we turn it on for about two hours in the morning and four at night. That's it. It's hot water bottles when we go to bed. Cesar bought a plug in radiator for him for the cold nights. He gets very cold but no more than the rest of us he's getting used to it. He walks 4 to 5 miles a day regardless of the weather and loves it. All is well.

Writing

2008-01-16T08:03:00.000-08:00

Monday and Tuesday were very wet indeed and I was surprised to wake up yesterday feeling depressed. Ha !Ha! one could say. I've finally come down to earth and the grass is not greener etc but no, I can rationalize my way out of this feeling of blah. 1. I haven't felt like this since we moved here six months ago. 2. I felt like this a lot more often in the States. 3.Even if I woke up in a soso mood I do not have to go out and clean at least three houses before the day is done. So I'm over it. I had an appointment with a job counsellor to discuss my job hunting. Very helpful. She reckoned I was shortchanging myself on my resume and at interviews. No surprise there. I am of that age group of Irish women who were taught to be modest and never act pushy. Anyway I have an appointment tomorrow with Michael of the jobs club with a view to some mentoring. Sounds good. I would like to get working and get the ball rolling.

However with my newfound leisure I have started writing a novel. It is so much easier being computer literate and being able to type somewhat. Besides I have so much old crap around the place because I have been scribbling for years. Notebooks, boxes, computer files all full with my flashes of brilliance.I can definitely do some cannibalizing. For the longest time I could not read any of my own stuff as I was sick of myself and my pain but now I can read it all. Adios depression!

Snow

2008-01-09T04:22:00.000-08:00

There we are packing for our trip to Dublin when it starts to snow. Not a lot but enough to make the drive nervewracking. We couldn't cancel because I had won it in the Sunday Independant and it was all set up. Two nights b&b in the old Jury's Hotel and one hour of iceskating at the RDS. But the temp went up and the drive got easier. We spent some time with friends and my brother John and his family. Lots of fun and we walked around a lot. We took the double decker bus in and out of town and went to good old Starbucks. Siobhan my sister in Colorado had sent us their breakfast blend for Christmas and we had forgotten how good it was. This Starbucks was not sedate and was rocking with people coming and going as is Dublin in general. Anyway we bought a few packs. I think they were about 6 euro a piece which seems so much when converted into dollars. I try not to do that anymore. I remind myself that health care is cheaper here except for dental. My crown fell out and got lost. I procrastinated about finding a dentist and ultimately left it too late. My tooth was extracted the other day for 70 euro and now I have to figure my next option. I was quoted 3000 euro to put in a bridge for my two missing teeth. This man is a German who works out of the old Rectory near Lissadell House and is 20% cheaper than downtown Sligo price. However Leitrim prices are cheaper again and across the border in Enniskillen may be cheaper too. There is a lot of talk about trips to Eastern Europe but I find it scary to get treatment so far away from home.
The winds were howling on Monday night up to 150 kmhour. Cesar and I were comfy in bed watching CNN and the New Hampshire exit polls. They got it wrong again. Lots of interesting times ahead in America. Too bad the media will hack it to death with their repetitive droning on and on. Of course they drone on and on here too it's just about different stuff.
So let me drone on myself about my beloved mountain and how beautiful it's looking these days with it's cap of snow. I have to get a picture and post it. It occured to me the other day that the reason I am so happy here is I have a sense of place. When I lived elsewhere I did not have that. This is my place. Of course not busting ass to try and pay the bills helps too. I suppose the lack of traffic and a nearby beach doesn't go astray either. So whats a bit of wind and rain dare I sound too smug.

New Year's Day

2008-01-01T08:46:00.000-08:00

The weather has been dry and cool with some wind. Benbulben is as clear as a piece of fabric complete with checks and a stripe of trees. When I look out the window I am drawn into a meditative trance. This is how this mountain and the scenery in general makes me feel. Rian and I drove down the road to Bundoran yesterday to get some groceries in Lidl and I was hypnotised by the Atlantic on one side and the Dartry mountains on th other. It was impossible for me to be content anywhere but here. To grow up in such beauty doomed me from ever enjoying city or suburban life. The proof of the pudding is in the peace of mind I have found since moving here. But here is the question. How do I reconcile my newfound contentment with my spouse's deep discontment at being here?

Christmas is coming

2007-12-19T08:34:00.000-08:00

This is my first Christmas back in Ireland in a long time. I stopped coming after one or two trips with a toddler and a baby. It was traumatic crossing the Atlantic when the kids were so young. The last time I can remember a man on the plane advising me on the benefits of Ritalin and how it had changed their family life from a living hell to what did appear to be normal from where I was sitting. Did we consider it? I suppose we must have but I cannot remember. I remember very little from those ealy years when our boys came 19 months apart and Autism stuck it's head round our door.
I have postponed my jobhunting until after Christmas. Hows that for good old fashioned Irish procrastination. There is plenty of Christmas atmosphere about but no crowds in the shops. I think they all went to the States to shop and who could blame them. With the Euro being so strong and Irish prices so off the charts it wouldn't take a lot of disposable income to go to New York for a weekend and come out ahead. I think Irish people also shop early and like to get it out of the way if they can. I've taken my usual piecemeal approach and enjoyed it. Not being a big shopper Christmas is low stress for me plus I get to enjoy St Stephen's Day. Okay it's no big deal but lets acknowledge it's existence.
We went to Lissadell House a while back to see Santa. Lissadell House is the former house of the Gore Boothe family and was a visiting place for Yeats in his day. It was bought by a man with a large family and turned into a family home cum teashop\sightseeing place etc. Very nicely done but it must be a hole for money to be thrown into. The tearoom was lovely but the chimney was giving a little trouble and as we were eating our lunch the room started to fill with smoke. Cesar of course walked out in disgust while we all sat politely and wondered when does smoke become too much exactly. Finally I asked if it would be okay to move out to the other room and was informed that of course we could move to the salon. At this stage Cesar refused to eat anything and said that the sight of the poor stuffed bear cub and alligator was more than he could take. The lady told me that the chimney gives lots of trouble but only on certain days depending onthe weather. Anyway drama apart it was a nice outing and Santa and everybody was very nice indeed.
This is my first Christmas without my big bag of loneliness. I hope I don't miss it. Ho! Ho!

Wild Wet and Windy

2007-12-11T11:57:00.000-08:00

I remember Billy Mulvaney telling me last Christmas how the weather was so wild that one could barely find the strength to get out of bed. He said slates were blown off roofs and the mornings were unbelievably dark. Billy is one of the most optimistic easygoing characters I know. I was amazed at the time because I was finding it hard to get out of bed in Maryland a place where the sun was always shining even if it was below freezing outside. We had our heat running non stop in the Winter and yet it was always cold when I got up in the morning. In the last year before we left America I could barely walk every morning so depressed did I feel. Only the determination to keep going because the bills had to be paid kept me rolling along. So when I thought about what Billy said I couldn't comprehend it. Now when I get up in the morning and it's pitch black and the wind is howling and the rain is lashing on the roof and the house is freezing because the heat was turned off from 10.30 the night before I know what he was talking about .But you know what, I don't give a fuck. I could almost skip down the stairs but lets not get too carried away here. This place is beautiful and there is no goddam traffic and my life is not so hard to live. Besides I can turn on the heat for a couple of hours though it has to be conserved as it is oil. I am happy. I am living. Poor Cesar does not feel so enchanted and the weather is really really wild.

Windy Days

2007-12-06T06:21:00.000-08:00

While the wind has been blowing consistently since we got here, it excelled itself this last weekend. Wind does not bother me at all in fact I really missed it when I lived in the States but this was beyond amazing. We went out to Rosses Point on Saturday and did'nt dare get out of the car to walk on the beach. The tide was high and there was very little beach anyway. However wind aside, when electricity goes life changes. Our electricity went for th first time on Sunday morning and for the seventh and last time on Wednesday. Hindsight is so nice. This was tough. Lack of electricity always puts me over the edge. When it used to go in Kensington it used to drive me insane and my sister Fidelma in Leitrim said it rarely if ever went out there. I was extremely put out after the third or fourth time especially after listening to bullshit from the E S B. Blah Blah the storm, a bird etc. Our area was blacked out but we could see lights on the Bundoran Rd and Grange the local village was never hit at all. No matter, after Wednesday all was well or so it seems. The only thing is, it has been raining ever since along with hail and sleet and the rain is beating off the windows like you would never believe. Okay I had forgotten how bad it gets. I would still gladly f0rget but I have my husband's disbelieving face staring at me. Still Christmas is coming, the shopping has started and the lights are up in the town. The sun is not shining it is true but it is Winter and it is as graceful as it can get. The electricity is back apparently, the house is warm and cosy and we are blessed.

Job hunting

2007-12-03T06:01:00.000-08:00

My work experience finished on Friday last. I was sorry to say goodbye to the staff at the fire station but am ready for a little catch up time. Life has been very busy with the 9-5 haul and the kids and their routines. We have been travelling uo to Mohill every weekend for a good while now. Mum has been in bad health for about 2 months and needs help with the house and with groceries. She is glad of the company and God knows after been away for 21 years I am very glad of the time we have together.
I learnt a lot at the fire station. I set up a database for some of the files and renumbered them, humble but not boring. It's a lively place with firemen in and out all the time. Bernadette procured an interview for Phil and I with the Co Council. If successful we would be on a panel of temporary people who fill in when staff go on leave. The Co Council is our local government and employs about 2,000 people. Lots to do so hopefully I'll pick up some work. I had no internet access however and no broadband at home so my blog hit the dust there for a while.
The weather has been very wild with plenty of rain and gale force winds. Our electricity went out two days in a row but only for a couple of hours thankfully. No matter, I am still very happy. If this is just a high from having moved home as has been suggested it's certainly lasting a while.
It doesn't feel like a high to me. It feels like a lost soul that found it's way and I feel thankful every single day.

Thanksgiving Eve

2007-12-03T05:52:00.000-08:00

It’s Wednesday Nov 21 and tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Just a pleasant memory really though a very pleasant one. Thanksgiving really is one of the nicest things about America. Too bad it’s just a day and the day before the biggest shopping day of the year.
I was standing in the kitchen of the fire Station today at about 4 00.p.m as the shadows of a winter’s evening were beginning to descend. I happened to look out the window at the terrace houses of Riverside and there it was. Smoke puffing out of a chimney as jolly as you please. The fire was already lit and it felt so right to me and so rooted in my psyche. I felt truly thankful one more time.

The Fire Station

2007-12-03T05:46:00.000-08:00

As I write this it’s Friday night and I have just finished my first week of work experience at the Fire Station. It’s only for four weeks. Working nine to five has been a little bit of an adjustment for me. While the work is anything but taxing sitting in the one place for chunks of time is a change and not leaving before or after but at five is downright strange. I have always worked harder but when I was done I was done and I went home and vice versa. Sitting at a desk reorganizing a bunch of files is a walk in the park for me though. Also boredom is not an issue. Cleaning the same places week after week sets a high threshold for boredom. The people I work with are just great. I am blessed with a very enlightened supervisor called Bernadette. She is informed, broadminded, intelligent and seems to have a very balanced disposition. How lucky am I? She is very enraging and helpful as I try to find my path in this New Ireland. If she is typical Ireland has come a long way indeed. She believes it to be the case and feels that everyone has the right to gainful employment within their community and a fruitful and fulfilling taxpaying life which in turn contributes to the social and economic health of the said community. Now how cool does she sound as bosses go. Of course she has been promoted out of the fire service and will be leaving in a few weeks but my stint will be up by then anyway. Did I mention the firemen? Doesn’t everyone love firemen and now I know why.
One of the women from my computer course is also on this work experience with me. In fact it was she who got the placement and got the second place for me. Her name is Phil and again I could not ask for a nicer work companion.
Rian has to go bed. Good Night.

windswept island

2007-10-25T03:20:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I blogged because I have been blocked at my computer course. Some auditers came in a few weeks ago and now at marshal appears on the computer any time I try to blog. No nick games no blogs and no ebay. My course is coming to an end in another week and then I have work experience until early December after which it's back to jobhunting .I feel a lot more prepared now thanks to my European Computer Driver's Licence (ECDL). This course has been great ad I feel very fortunate to have been on it. I've made friends, found out a lot of useful info and had lots of fun. It has really eased my transition back into Irish life.
Last Sunday night was the first really stormy night since we got back. The wind was really howling down from the mountain and we woke up to a classic wet Monday. I have a very heightened awareness of where I am in this climate. It's not extreme but I feel very alive. Of course in the country we are close to nature and it's rhythms. It's amazing how in touch with the planet one feels when there's a mountain in front of you and you are surrounded by fields. Apart from Monday the weather has been dry and is gradually getting colder. The mornings are beautiful, the kids are happy and I am thrilled with the move back to this windswept island.

adjusting

2007-10-11T03:58:00.000-07:00

We are now in our fourth month here and the Autumn is as dry as the Summer was wet. It might be a mite colder( nice that),but it's very comfortable weather. We still go out for our walks after dinner accompanied by our neighbour's dog Pippa but we need to go to Connacht Gold and buy those reflective jackets. We have to get back at 7.15 now as the days are really getting short. The hedges have all been trimmed and there are no wildflowers left. I had a field day with my vase filled all Summer. The blackberries were teeming off the hedges too and Mum made a beautiful blackberry tart with a bit of apple through it. However, John Gilmartin (another neighbour)said no blackberries in October as the maggots are in. He makes wine from them. I'm looking forward to seeing the Christmas berries and what other surprises my vase will get in the Winter. It's amazing that I have no memories of enjoying these things in my young days in Ireland but I supposse I was busy with other things., or maybe my 50 year old memory fails me. However the seeds were planted by my nature loving father who grew beautiful flowers and loved to bring us to Culleenamore Strand to pick cockles and wild mushrooms in the fields. This past week has been a hard week on the computer course and yesterday evening when I was driving home I took a quick run to Streedagh Strand and walked beside the sea and cleared my brain. I thought of all the stressed out days in the States when I dreamed of taking a walk on a beach and I might as well have wished to go to Mars. I used to wish I could sit in my mother's kitchen and have a cup of tea but it was equally out of the question. All I needed was 10 minutes of either just now and again and now I have it. So, I am adjusting very well.

Monday Morning

2007-10-03T04:29:00.000-07:00

Monday morning, up at 6.45 get Rian ready for his school taxi and head out to my computer class at 8.05. As I drive on the Bundoran Rd to Sligo at a nice clip I check out Benbulben on my left. The sun is peeping over the top, orange and stark the mist is lifting and I thank God for just being here. When I lived in Maryland I always thought it was the sea I was missing but I find that it's Benbulben that gives me my comfort now. I am enjoying all it's moods and colours from brown to green to blue and looking forward to it being snowcapped in Winter Even on misty days it's good to know it's there all the same. I suppose it makes one more tuned into nature and it's variations.

Unpacking

2007-09-27T07:20:00.000-07:00

The container truck finally rolled down the lane on a Saturday morning at 10 0' clock. It came a week later than the four weeks as promised but we didn't sweat it. Rian kept asking for his toys and Ultan for his dirtbike but we knew it would come. I had got used to living in a clutter free environment and was enjoying it thoroughly As I have mentioned before Cesar does not travel lightly. The trailer was 40feet in all and held 250 boxes, a 22 ft motorbike trailer and two dirtbikes. Of course Queen Harley didn't even come in the container. She had to be flown separately by Lufthansa() for fear she might be manhandled by the shipping company and in a specially built box that took 4 days to be built by Cesar. Cesar felt ripped off by the freight company but the old Italian in Maryland that set up the container gave him a good price.
The Saturday morning was sunny and dry and our neighbour Cormac had lined up another neighbour Gerard to help . We all went like the clappers and the truck was emptied in less than two hours with no help from the burnt out exhausted driver. The trailer was a problem but the resourceful Cormac arranged for it to be wheeled out onto the loading at Martin Gilroy's Tiling Centre. One more time I am blessed with my neighbours.
We burst our chops for the rest of the day and by dinner time every box was in the house and my uncluttered environment was gone.

2007-09-26T07:04:00.000-07:00

Trash

2007-09-20T07:27:00.000-07:00

I really would like to digress here to talk about the extraordinary trash situation here. Our trash is collected every second week and recyclables on the alternate one. This is definitely an area where I am used to American spoiling. To put out a trash can we must walk to the small intersection nearest our house but we must also buy a label in the local L:ondis shop for €9.50, write our name and address on it and stick it on the can handle. We must also keep one copy of the label for tax purposes at the end of the year. We have to buy separate plastic bags for the different categories of recyclables (plastic,cans etc and and paper products) for €3.50 each and glass has to be bought to a local bottle bank outside the same Londis shop. Our Londis got an award for the best run recycling bank and is in fact owned by a returned emigrant from New York. The bottle bank in Sligo town outside the German grocery chain Lidle has. a problem with illegal dumping however and seems to have a hard time coping with people who pull up in cars, dump their trash and drive off. Now that's what I call cut and run.

Shipping our Belongings

2007-09-19T04:29:00.000-07:00

This was big. We have a fair amount of stuff. Nothing fancy in the line of household goods in fact maybe a little bit shabby if anything. I had decided based on our camping days that I was not going out buying small irritating things ever again so I literally put all the kitchen things in supermarket bags tied them and piled them in boxes. This has served me well as I do not have to run out to the shop for a potato masher or some other fiddly item as I'm about to put dinner on the table. The real trouble was when Cesar applied this theory to his shed full of tools. Cesar is a one tool for one job man and there are a lot of them and he could not part with any of them. Now having said that he did clean the attic out of all the miscellaneous cables, broken strollers beta tapes etc. He also emptied the shed and packed everything himself.

Early Days

2007-09-14T04:32:00.000-07:00

Rian,s behaviour was way off those first few weeks. The most challenging part was the echoing of everything we said. This was at it,s worst in the car and we were in the car a lot that first month taking care of all the bureaucracy that moving continent entails. We had to get PPS numbers and produce original birth certs for everything. To claim Children's Allowance we had to fill out Habitual Residency Forms and on and on and on. Poor Rian was finding the transition hard and was enhancing everybody's stress level. He just couldn't figure out what was going on and everything was enhanced by jetlag. The car trips were also hard on Ultan whose stutter was set off by Rian's staccato echoings. Of course don't forget the relentless rain.

The First Weeks contd

2007-09-06T06:31:00.000-07:00

While I was in my enchanted haze at finally being back in Ireland, there were some negatives. Firstly our beautiful house does not have Broadband. This has been very hard for Cesar. Cesar is a techno junkie and therefore has no patience with older technology such as dial-up. He had wanted to hook us up with Vonage to be able to make Internet phonecalls and as a result our first phone bill was over €200. We were in sticker shock in general for our first month even after we stopped mentally converting to dollars. However, money apart, Internet would have helped him transition from one place to another. Eircom (the phone company) have told him that they will be bringing broadband to our area in September but I am not holding my breath. We did not find them to be reliable on setting up our landline. I think it took about a month to get it but of course in comparison to the days of yore when it took up to two years this is not great grounds for complaint. He had another company come to the house but do or die they could not get a signal. The price of our beautiful mountain!
We also made the unpleasant discovery that our US drivers licences aren' worth squid here. There is no reciprocity on that one and so at the age of 50 and driving for 30 years Cesar and I have been relegated to learner status which put our Insurance through the roof. Cesar was turned down completely for insurance on his Harley Davidson and would not be able to drive it at all (when it's not raining, of course)were it not for the fact that we have family members in the insurance business. At one stage his frustration level was so high that he went out and screamed at the mountain. He was rewarded the next day by it's complete disappearance into the misty rain.

The first weeks

2007-09-05T05:37:00.001-07:00

We arrived in Sligo from the States June 22.The house we had rented unseen based on the judgement of our good friend Mary Mulvaney turned out to be beautiful.A cut stone exterior with 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms with lots of light and painted yellow throughout I could not ask for more. Down a quiet lane about 12 miles from Sligo outside the village of Grange here was all the peace and quiet I was craving all those last few years in America. Surrounded by fields with wildflowers and munching cows and Benbulben and the Dartry mountains in the background I started to breathe again. As I put Rian (our autistic son) to bed those first few nights he was mesmerised by these cows and the mountain and I remembered that he had no window in his basement bedroom in Maryland.
The length of the days was a big surprise. I spent 21 years living in America but got home on vacation most years and thought that I remembered a lot about Irish life .God,I was exhilarated by these 11 o'clock twilights. I had also forgotten how wet a wet Summer in Ireland could be. Cesar (my Brazilian husband of 16 years) is claiming that there have been 112 continuous days of rain. As we have only been here for about 75 days I cannot say but the only let up in the rain seems to be since the kids went back to school this week. Some things are the same between here and Maryland even if there it was the heat that wouldn't let up.

I didn't mention the sea air. One of the biggest reasons for my craving to come home was that I missed being near the sea. Having grown up in Sligo in Finisklin with Deepwater dock across the street I felt very suffocated living in a Maryland suburb. Where was the point of the sun splitting the stones if there wasn't a bit of ocean in sight. While there were plenty of nice pools I needed seagulls and salty breezes. Well now I have them. Streedagh Strand is about 3 miles from our house and lots more beaches are in the vicinity and we are sleeping like logs.Oh happy me!