I am now officially, completely and utterly done with being sick, that being said I am still sick. I have had a stuffed up head since before I left to come home, around December 28th. It’s bee too long to feel this crappy and there’s no end in sight, actually it’s getting worse as the cough started last night at bedtime.
The part I’m most looking forward to is the flight that I’m talking on Wednesday to Birmingham. Considering that my ears have yet to pop from my flight from Paris to Dublin I’m not too thrilled about the idea of getting back on a plane.
But I’m a true trooper and have dragged my ass into work every day regardless of the weather (see previous post) and how slow I feel in the morning! I can be proud of myself, but that being said I realized this morning that I have felt this way for the entirety of this year. 2010 isn’t going so good so far.
And on that note I would like to wish a fond farewell to old friend that passed away last week. Sweet darling Haplo, the snowpants queen of the fat cats, you will be missed. I know my sister is having a hard time loosing her beloved pet but I hope she has found her brother Hobbes that passed away 2 years ago and they can enjoy their time spending sunny days under that Hosta plants like they loved to do in my parent's back yard. Haplo, rest in Peace.
Monday, 11 January 2010
Friday, 8 January 2010
Winter Ireland
It doesn’t matter how many years you have lived though a Canadian Winter… -40 below, digging out your car after a snowstorm, bundling up in all of the winter layers to go to the shop… you still never get used to the cold and you certainly don’t miss it.
Ireland is not supposed to have a harsh winter, sure the temperature gets low and there’s some frost warnings. At the very worst you get slushy snow that falls from the shy and hardly sticks to the roads but this year, I’m not sure what Ireland did wrong but we’re paying for something.
Some people have been stuck in their homes since Christmas due to the cold weather. We had a couple of wet snowfalls where the temperature was much colder than normal and the snow, and by snow I really mean ice pellets and slush, stuck and overnight it froze so that people are stranded. Commuters abandoned their cars on the side of the motorways and found alternative ways to get home, or simply walked up the steep hill that the car was unable to climb. Dublin Bus left around 100,000 people stranded in the city center when, right at the beginning of rush hour they called the buses off the roads because it was too dangerous.
For us it’s been different, tricky and especially cold. The very best thing I did was on Tuesday I went out and bought an electric mattress cover for the bed. It’s not that we have no heaters in the apartment but the thought of leaving them on for hours running up the electricity bill kinda deters me from heating the place. We have storage heaters and they make the apartment lovely and warm during the day but the heat doesn’t last into the evening and the cat in his fur coat – as much as we love him – doesn’t need a heater! So now, 30 minutes before I head off to bed we switch on the blanket to high and climb into what I can only describe as heaven!
Sleep has now become long, lovely and comfortable and makes getting up in the mornings even more unbearable! I’m looking forward to tomorrow morning when there’s no alarm and the apartment heaters will be on and I can stay in my PJs surrounded by lovely warmth all weekend! Hopefully that will kill the sickness that I’ve been fighting since I left Montreal… the sickness is a whole other blog vent.
Later!
Ireland is not supposed to have a harsh winter, sure the temperature gets low and there’s some frost warnings. At the very worst you get slushy snow that falls from the shy and hardly sticks to the roads but this year, I’m not sure what Ireland did wrong but we’re paying for something.
Some people have been stuck in their homes since Christmas due to the cold weather. We had a couple of wet snowfalls where the temperature was much colder than normal and the snow, and by snow I really mean ice pellets and slush, stuck and overnight it froze so that people are stranded. Commuters abandoned their cars on the side of the motorways and found alternative ways to get home, or simply walked up the steep hill that the car was unable to climb. Dublin Bus left around 100,000 people stranded in the city center when, right at the beginning of rush hour they called the buses off the roads because it was too dangerous.
For us it’s been different, tricky and especially cold. The very best thing I did was on Tuesday I went out and bought an electric mattress cover for the bed. It’s not that we have no heaters in the apartment but the thought of leaving them on for hours running up the electricity bill kinda deters me from heating the place. We have storage heaters and they make the apartment lovely and warm during the day but the heat doesn’t last into the evening and the cat in his fur coat – as much as we love him – doesn’t need a heater! So now, 30 minutes before I head off to bed we switch on the blanket to high and climb into what I can only describe as heaven!
Sleep has now become long, lovely and comfortable and makes getting up in the mornings even more unbearable! I’m looking forward to tomorrow morning when there’s no alarm and the apartment heaters will be on and I can stay in my PJs surrounded by lovely warmth all weekend! Hopefully that will kill the sickness that I’ve been fighting since I left Montreal… the sickness is a whole other blog vent.
Later!
Thursday, 7 January 2010
New Year, New Decade, Another try
Well last year was crap, it was bad and then got worse.
The recession hit Ireland, and Derek and I were dragged in it head first. Derek lost his job in January and then struggled to find a new one only to be let down again and again. Our luxurious lifestyle took a hit when her went on claiming welfare and I took a 6 percent pay cut and got the regular ‘head down, work hard, be glad you have a job’ routine from the company.
To say the least blogging last year would have been one cry fest and I honestly didn’t want to put how bad things were going down in writing for all to see and for me to have to face.
Perhaps what I should have done was use this space to find three good things that happened each day and taken pleasure in the little things, the happy things, the positive things that I clearly needed. But hindsight is 20/20 and so now I can look back and say coulda shoulda, but more importantly woulda… going forward, start again, and try harder.
This year we have a lot to look forward to and what I need to do is think of these positive things and how we can only go up from 2009.
That being said, 2009 did have some good bits.
First, we have a much happier cat these days, after rather radical surgery in May. The poor devil’s ear infections were finally found to be caused by a tumor in his ear canal – not such good news – but I swear I saw the vet (whom we and the cat love) jump a little with joy when she saw the polyp, it was finally the solution to the problem that we had been dealing with since we brought him home.
I have become a huge advocate for Pet Insurance, something we continued paying the monthly cost when the three months free ran out, and for the first time I didn’t have to worry about costs of treatment or how I was going to afford to keep my little kitten. The deductible had already been paid so the surgery which was ugly wasn’t a worry except for the safely of the munchkin.
We collected him 2 days later and he looked like he got hit by a bus, face shaved, huge incision down the side of the face and paralysis of his eye and mouth. We were all worried about his recovery, Derek and me and the vet – and how was he going to manage with the cone but he bounced back after a few weeks and is now as good as new, no more pulling at his ears, drops or weekly visits to the vet – although I think he misses his Friday visits to see her!!
Another bit of good news last year is that Derek went back to school, and the government paid the fees for him to attend and continued paying his allowance while he continued to look for a job.
We went home in September and when we returned things were starting to look up, Derek started school and was hired at PC World in their customer care desk – somewhere I think compliments his school work in IT.
While we were in Montreal in September we took 1 week and planned a wedding, you name it is got done while we were there, dress bought, suits selected, cake tasted, reception approved and church taken care of! We were to most productive vacationers ever and returned with excitement for the big event taking place in June this year.
So what better excuse than a wedding to nominate 2010 as the year for change for the good. Derek and I – from the couch full of flu – said goodbye to 2009 and we weren’t going to miss it!
Hello 2010 and welcome! We home you’re as good as we hope!
The recession hit Ireland, and Derek and I were dragged in it head first. Derek lost his job in January and then struggled to find a new one only to be let down again and again. Our luxurious lifestyle took a hit when her went on claiming welfare and I took a 6 percent pay cut and got the regular ‘head down, work hard, be glad you have a job’ routine from the company.
To say the least blogging last year would have been one cry fest and I honestly didn’t want to put how bad things were going down in writing for all to see and for me to have to face.
Perhaps what I should have done was use this space to find three good things that happened each day and taken pleasure in the little things, the happy things, the positive things that I clearly needed. But hindsight is 20/20 and so now I can look back and say coulda shoulda, but more importantly woulda… going forward, start again, and try harder.
This year we have a lot to look forward to and what I need to do is think of these positive things and how we can only go up from 2009.
That being said, 2009 did have some good bits.
First, we have a much happier cat these days, after rather radical surgery in May. The poor devil’s ear infections were finally found to be caused by a tumor in his ear canal – not such good news – but I swear I saw the vet (whom we and the cat love) jump a little with joy when she saw the polyp, it was finally the solution to the problem that we had been dealing with since we brought him home.
I have become a huge advocate for Pet Insurance, something we continued paying the monthly cost when the three months free ran out, and for the first time I didn’t have to worry about costs of treatment or how I was going to afford to keep my little kitten. The deductible had already been paid so the surgery which was ugly wasn’t a worry except for the safely of the munchkin.
We collected him 2 days later and he looked like he got hit by a bus, face shaved, huge incision down the side of the face and paralysis of his eye and mouth. We were all worried about his recovery, Derek and me and the vet – and how was he going to manage with the cone but he bounced back after a few weeks and is now as good as new, no more pulling at his ears, drops or weekly visits to the vet – although I think he misses his Friday visits to see her!!
Another bit of good news last year is that Derek went back to school, and the government paid the fees for him to attend and continued paying his allowance while he continued to look for a job.
We went home in September and when we returned things were starting to look up, Derek started school and was hired at PC World in their customer care desk – somewhere I think compliments his school work in IT.
While we were in Montreal in September we took 1 week and planned a wedding, you name it is got done while we were there, dress bought, suits selected, cake tasted, reception approved and church taken care of! We were to most productive vacationers ever and returned with excitement for the big event taking place in June this year.
So what better excuse than a wedding to nominate 2010 as the year for change for the good. Derek and I – from the couch full of flu – said goodbye to 2009 and we weren’t going to miss it!
Hello 2010 and welcome! We home you’re as good as we hope!
Friday, 16 January 2009
Another Friday...
Another week bites the dust and I have to admit there’s not really anything to report!
This week has been really uneventful except for the fact that we bought a new divan base for the bed and it’s finally the way a bed should be and nothing that the last base was: hard, sturdy and reliable. All things your bed should be!
We have no plans for the weekend but to sit back and relax, I thought about going away and looking to book somewhere cheap and cheerful for 2 night b and b plus one dinner but found that there weren’t really and deals and it wasn’t worth the trouble!
So nothing big, just hoping for not too much rain!
This week has been really uneventful except for the fact that we bought a new divan base for the bed and it’s finally the way a bed should be and nothing that the last base was: hard, sturdy and reliable. All things your bed should be!
We have no plans for the weekend but to sit back and relax, I thought about going away and looking to book somewhere cheap and cheerful for 2 night b and b plus one dinner but found that there weren’t really and deals and it wasn’t worth the trouble!
So nothing big, just hoping for not too much rain!
Thursday, 8 January 2009
Twitter Widget
In the hopes of keeping this blog more up-to-date with my thoughts and movements and little ideas I've added twitter to this blog and will add the application to my iphone.
My twitter updates/entries/posts can be found on the right hand side on this blog, at the top of the toolbar.
Ta Da! Look how current I'm getting!
My twitter updates/entries/posts can be found on the right hand side on this blog, at the top of the toolbar.
Ta Da! Look how current I'm getting!
The Holidays
Ok, so as not to leave this any monger and be forced to go over weeks and weeks of what happened and catch-ups it’s time to nail this on the head and post an update about my holidays.
In one word they were lovely, bit of ups and downs but overall a good time I believe was had by all. The weather did no one any favors, except by not being too cold when Derek was visiting but it snowed (sometimes a lot) and rained and froze and it was a true feeling of a real winter, not like here were it’s -1 today and I’m not sure I can bring myself to go outside again!
My travel over to Montreal was rather uneventful and typical, sore bum and bored out of my mind. The trip for my bags was a little different as I only found one in Montreal instead of the two I’d hoped for. Alas orange bag was left behind in Paris. Now as you may know I am used to not getting my bags when I arrive in Montreal, this is the third time I’ve gone home and been delayed exiting the airport because I have to get in line to describe what colour and size my bag is.
I have to say this time, compared to previous times with British Airways, Air France surprised me by doing the one thing that BA lacked, and they uttered the word Sorry. It amazes me that sometimes politeness can do a lot to help a situation. The fact that Air France also delivered my bag the next evening at 11pm after a snowstorm also helps their case but it was the sorry that mattered the most. I have on my list of things to do to write a letter to Air France, not because they told me I could spend up to €100 on essentials and claim back my undies, pjs, socks and a top, but I think it’s important that their efficiency and politeness be recognized. That being said I don’t want my bag not arriving to happen ever again. Funny I only ever loose my bag on the way to Montreal and ever on the way home from!
I had a few days with my family before Derek arrived to I took care of a couple of must dos (renew drivers license… check) and spent some time with my parents and had an ol’ slumber party with my sister. It was good to have this time before Christmas to unwind and relax.
Derek arrived on Christmas Eve and I believe has nothing, not one single even forced, good thing to say about his trip. The flight was delayed leaving, he missed his connection and then the flight almost didn’t land in Montreal and was diverted to Toronto before they cleared the runway of ice and they were allowed to land. Frankly, I don’t think I could find much good to say about that either! Thankfully, after my suitcase’s absence on arrival he decided to travel with just hand luggage and that bit was speedy… that’s about it.
But he did arrive and I think he had a good time but to travel all the way from Ireland to Montreal for just 4 days was exhausting, although he insists this had nothing to do with the 4 nights pre-trip that he spent out drinking and working the next day had anything to do with the fact that he felt so rotten when we arrived back.
Yes, we both go hit with a case of the Sick in the New Year. Derek’s started a little earlier on the way home from Canada, lucky him right on the flight with a case of the barfs and the cough and cold. And for New Year’s he passed on the cough and cold for me to have on my last few days of vacation and this first week back at work.
Like a typical guy he’s not giving much feedback as to whether he liked the Christmas in Canada other to say it was different and good, he’s so diplomatic and doesn’t want to offend Ireland!
In one word they were lovely, bit of ups and downs but overall a good time I believe was had by all. The weather did no one any favors, except by not being too cold when Derek was visiting but it snowed (sometimes a lot) and rained and froze and it was a true feeling of a real winter, not like here were it’s -1 today and I’m not sure I can bring myself to go outside again!
My travel over to Montreal was rather uneventful and typical, sore bum and bored out of my mind. The trip for my bags was a little different as I only found one in Montreal instead of the two I’d hoped for. Alas orange bag was left behind in Paris. Now as you may know I am used to not getting my bags when I arrive in Montreal, this is the third time I’ve gone home and been delayed exiting the airport because I have to get in line to describe what colour and size my bag is.
I have to say this time, compared to previous times with British Airways, Air France surprised me by doing the one thing that BA lacked, and they uttered the word Sorry. It amazes me that sometimes politeness can do a lot to help a situation. The fact that Air France also delivered my bag the next evening at 11pm after a snowstorm also helps their case but it was the sorry that mattered the most. I have on my list of things to do to write a letter to Air France, not because they told me I could spend up to €100 on essentials and claim back my undies, pjs, socks and a top, but I think it’s important that their efficiency and politeness be recognized. That being said I don’t want my bag not arriving to happen ever again. Funny I only ever loose my bag on the way to Montreal and ever on the way home from!
I had a few days with my family before Derek arrived to I took care of a couple of must dos (renew drivers license… check) and spent some time with my parents and had an ol’ slumber party with my sister. It was good to have this time before Christmas to unwind and relax.
Derek arrived on Christmas Eve and I believe has nothing, not one single even forced, good thing to say about his trip. The flight was delayed leaving, he missed his connection and then the flight almost didn’t land in Montreal and was diverted to Toronto before they cleared the runway of ice and they were allowed to land. Frankly, I don’t think I could find much good to say about that either! Thankfully, after my suitcase’s absence on arrival he decided to travel with just hand luggage and that bit was speedy… that’s about it.
But he did arrive and I think he had a good time but to travel all the way from Ireland to Montreal for just 4 days was exhausting, although he insists this had nothing to do with the 4 nights pre-trip that he spent out drinking and working the next day had anything to do with the fact that he felt so rotten when we arrived back.
Yes, we both go hit with a case of the Sick in the New Year. Derek’s started a little earlier on the way home from Canada, lucky him right on the flight with a case of the barfs and the cough and cold. And for New Year’s he passed on the cough and cold for me to have on my last few days of vacation and this first week back at work.
Like a typical guy he’s not giving much feedback as to whether he liked the Christmas in Canada other to say it was different and good, he’s so diplomatic and doesn’t want to offend Ireland!
Friday, 19 December 2008
Last day...
Today is my last day at work for this year, it's my last days in Ireland and the last day to get anything done that need to be done.
Thankfully I have nothing left to do. I'm all packed, weighted the bags, repacked and security ties them shut. Now all they have to do is to arrive when they're supposed to in Montreal! Please please god let them arrive!!
Today is a half day at work, we're all heading off early this afternoon for our Christmas lunch/party. It's a big recession if you haven't heard and therefore there's no more going out an big parties that last all night, it's just an afternoon off and lunch at the Purdy Kitchen in Dun Laoghaire.
This is fine with me as we're having 'Christmas' at Derek's parents tonight and have to be at the airport early tomorrow morning so I'm fine with a not too late night tonight and certainly not having a hangover for tomorrow's travels!!!
I will post again before the holidays, once I arrive in Canada and all that, till then! Enjoy!
I'm looking forward tomorrow to: arriving safe and sound with my ass not too numb and my bags with me, seeing snow and family for the first time in almost a year and having dinner at Katherine and Alwyn's new apartment... it really has been far too long!!
TTFN!
Thankfully I have nothing left to do. I'm all packed, weighted the bags, repacked and security ties them shut. Now all they have to do is to arrive when they're supposed to in Montreal! Please please god let them arrive!!
Today is a half day at work, we're all heading off early this afternoon for our Christmas lunch/party. It's a big recession if you haven't heard and therefore there's no more going out an big parties that last all night, it's just an afternoon off and lunch at the Purdy Kitchen in Dun Laoghaire.
This is fine with me as we're having 'Christmas' at Derek's parents tonight and have to be at the airport early tomorrow morning so I'm fine with a not too late night tonight and certainly not having a hangover for tomorrow's travels!!!
I will post again before the holidays, once I arrive in Canada and all that, till then! Enjoy!
I'm looking forward tomorrow to: arriving safe and sound with my ass not too numb and my bags with me, seeing snow and family for the first time in almost a year and having dinner at Katherine and Alwyn's new apartment... it really has been far too long!!
TTFN!
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