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Clocks, Chip-and-Putt, Pitted Olives, No Issues

Leave a comment Posted by on November 1, 2010

Sunday 31 October 2010.

Got up at 8.20 and put all the clocks in the house back an hour (7.20). Ate weetabix and milk. Cleaned out and lit the fire. Made my bed. Exercised. Washed. Dressed; fresh boxers, vest, yellow/cream shirt, green light woollen pullover, black “legal” slacks, grey sports socks, black patent Clarks, grey braces. Wore my black woollen Greenore helmet on the golf course and my Cutter and Buck jacket. Cold at the start but I was sweating by the finish. Tee’d off at 12.20 with Len Hennebry in the 2-man 14 hole scramble. Robert said at first we could not take part in the competition because we had no “opposition.” I made the case that it was a scramble so we could mark our own card. “If it were a 3 or 4 man scramble there would only be one card,” I reasoned. He relented and I put my €6 down. I had Lisa’s trolley and battery with me in the car so this saved me the price of a club trolley. I bought a pot of white coffee at the end. €2. Len and I carried on after the 14th to complete the course. The golf was not spectacular but I won 3 of the final four holes and halved the 17th with a 6. Made 4 on the last against a stiff breeze with a chip and a putt. 4-iron approach landed right of the bunker level with the flag. It was lying nicely on good grass. Not a difficult chip. Dr. Malone, Noel Guinane, John and Seán Murphy in the match ahead of us. Paschal (14) and Noel (11) came 3rd with 46.75. Len (12) and I (15) scored 51.25. Took no shower in the club. Silence reigned in the house. Rosanna sitting stiffly at the fire in The White Elephant Lounge reading a magazine. I took some lukewarm Tagliatelle out of the pot and sliced a piece of red cheddar onto it. My mouth was dry so I ate a few pitted olives and drank a glass of dilute “orange.” Washed my teeth, took a shower and put on clean pyjamas and I am typing now on The Dell in my pyjamas, black robe, white Reef flip-flops. 21.50. A few bangers over around Wehrly’s. Majella called earlier with Liam in Ninja costume and mask. Trick or treat. I took out my purse and deposited a €2 coin in his bag. Majella in good form and Liam happy. I ate four slices of “buttered” Tiger bread before I went to golf. Rosanna went to bed early without breaking her silence except to say to me the battery of the trolley should be put “on charge.” Wrote to Gabriela re the conference. The university wants opinions. Sat up late until after midnight until a scan finished on the Acer. “No issues found!”

Uncategorized

Thessaloniki

Leave a comment Posted by on October 2, 2010

Tuesday 28 September 2010.

Up 02.00. Dressed. R got up too. Ate weetabix and milk. Did not exercise but I made my bed. Drove starting at 03.00 to the Carlton Hotel car-park. Piddled at Lusk service stn. in the car park on the way (doors closed). Hotel bus to the airport. Drank coffee and ate a bacon roll and some potato cake. McDonalds. More food on board the Malev plane to Budapest. Ham and cheese large croissant. Coffee and orange juice. Tough time in Budapest airport. I barely made the connection for Thessaloniki. A Magyar inspector even put my boots through the x-ray machine. I took my small St. Francis rosary out of my left trousers pocket after he had body searched me. That gave him pause. But he certainly did his job thoroughly! My Rugby bag was the second piece on the carousel. I was relieved to see a sign for ENUSP at the exit. An attractive student called Anastasia and her boyfriend (?) drove us in her Lancia to Hotel Capsis. Caught the bus with Michal Caletsky to Aristotle University at 17.00. Cross-eyed with sleep. Sat through a session dominated by Mary Nettle. Congratulated Peter Lehmann on receiving his PhD earlier in the day. Not impressed by either Mary or Peter. Dinner at 20.00 under the vine leaves in a restaurant near the university. Several courses. Salad, cheese, fish, pork, wine, chips. Nice dinner. Michal and I left early because he wanted another beer and could not get one at the restaurant. Caught the bus back to Hotel Capsis. I went straight to bed. Although my room-mate, a stocky Jew who snored explosively, wakened me I slept through until 08.00 tomorrow. The air-conditioning fan was situated above my bed. It seemed on the cold side but presented no problem. I sweated a lot today. Dressed in underpants, vest, black Ping long-sleeved golf gansy, black 44” “legal” slacks, grey sports socks, brown patterned braces, tan John Evan boots. My logic was that I needed pockets for travelling? But the gear including my black and white check Kennedy McSharry jacket added to the heat amplified my rate of exhaustion. Was given a chocolate wafer bar, orange juice, tea; on the flight to Thessaloniki. Very attractive hostesses (3) on the plane to Budapest. The plane was full. The plane to Thessaloniki was half empty. Also a Malev flight. The flight from Dublin took off ½ an hour late. Put pressure on me because I had very little time to make my connection in Budapest.

Wednesday 29 September 2010.

Impressed by the Greek speaker at the conference. Ham roll for lunch. Workshop on ENUSP. German chair anti. Dinner at the restaurant near the university. Stewed beef. Wine (2g). Drank a wine in the hotel (€7) and bought 2 beers for Michal. €2 x 3.50. Took a shower. To bed c 23.00. Did not sleep for some time. Had a long dream about Eamonn’s death. “Die vogel singt im baum,” Katarina Vogel gave my day a lift. A lovely animated young Berliner. Dressed in underpants, black 44” “legal” slacks, navy Le Coq Sportif T-shirt, navy FootJoy golf socks, tan John Evan boots. Took my boots off and relaxed in the back seat in the assembly hall of Aristotle University in the morning. Cool at the restaurant and a little rain. I got a good sleep last night. Had no difficulty with the bus. 2 tickets + a bottle of water cost €1.70 at the kiosk across the road from the hotel. Felt together and enjoyed the day. Took a shower before bed. Had a conversation with Daniel in bed. Dispelled my paranoia.

Thursday 30 September 2010.

Breakfast of cereal and milk, egg, rashers, and 6 small sausages. Coffee. Bought a bottle of water and two tickets. €1.70 at the kiosk. Left Daniel and AN Other in my wake and travelled alone on the bus to Aristotle University. Forgot the name of the stop, KAMARA, but the bus driver restored the name in my memory. Reports on workshops. V. Boring. Regional meeting of ENUSP. V. Good. I offered to serve as a board member or as a deputy. Dutchman with crutches elected. A tall voluble Quaker from England selected as deputy. Mary Nettle chaired. The woman from Liverpool took minutes. Good structure. Satisfactory meeting. Iris Holling facilitated the general assembly and election. Gabriela Tanasan elected chair. The psychologist/interpreter/soccer player had a hand in it. A Belgian who did not seem to have the capacity was the only one who offered initially. A disaster averted? Exeunt Peter Lehmann and Mary Nettle. The big Greek spoke extempore, used the translator efficiently and made a good impression on me. Someone called him “a big bully” to me the other evening. Assertive rather? Sat beside Roslein (SME) at dinner in the same restaurant and beside the Liverpudlian woman on my right. Salad, cheese, garlic paste, beef, wine, broccoli and cauliflower. Walked via the sea-front to Aristotle Square. Concert. Dancing. P’d in a restaurant. Wall demolished. Victory? What next? Chaos or worse. Drank 3g wine in a small bar with Michal, Vogel, Iris, Mats, Rosso (the dark devil woman). The dark woman confessed to me her fear that she is experiencing the onset of Alzheimer’s. Danced for over an hour in Aristotle Square. Gave Iris a spin for “Blowin’ in the Wind.” Wonderful atmosphere although it was cool and breezy. I sat into the shelter in the cafe where we drank. A lovely bar-tender accepted from me a peck on both cheeks as we departed. Sang some of The Leaving of Liverpool as we walked back to the Capsis Hotel. Stefan, The Liverpudlian, and me. Michal walked home with Katrina Vogel whom I praised to the sky. An old woman took my hand and tried to rip me off with a bunch of flowers. €20? €10? “Too dear,” I insisted, “Kathrin is a lovely girl but I am not going to waste money.” I was serious but the woman did not bargain further and after a little repetition withdrew. I took a shower before I slid into bed. Did not get off to sleep right away. Stomach a little acid in the night. “Blanc de Blancs?” Regurgitated in the night but luckily it did not catch my breath as has often happened in the past. Still a full charge on my mobile. Chat with Daniel in bed about ENUSP before I slept.

Friday 1 October 2010.

Well I think I got up out of bed before 09.00 and dressed. Mixed cereal and milk; two fried eggs; lots of thin small fried rashers of bacon; coffee. The stout Greek with the angelic smile sat at my table and we discussed with some enthusiasm the concert in Aristotle Square last night. Had to get my card “treated” in order to open the door of 210 which is the room I have been using. Sorted out my receipts, papers, and packed everything. Met Michal in the foyer at around 11.00. We walked down on a sunny warm morning towards the port. We were refused entry but a girl official in a wheelchair was very personable towards us and directed us towards the sea front around the corner. A girl served us Greek coffee at a street table with high chairs and Michal and I talked about marriage, cameras and enjoyed the view of the sea and the misty mountains beyond westward. I took off my boots before I sat down so I was comfortable and relaxed. We circled on, at Michal’s suggestion, to Aristotle Square and walked back up to the main thoroughfare where we caught the bus back to Hotel Capsis. I had a single ticket in my wallet because we walked home from the university yesterday. I opened the window of 210 for the first time and raised the curtain and the blind about half way. Having completed my journal for yesterday in my reporter’s notebook I sat and chilled out in the chair by the window for about half an hour. The bus pulled up in time at 14.00 as promised. Reached the airport about 5 minutes before 15.00. Checked in and experienced no problems getting boarding passes. Flight 3.55. We had time to sit down and relax at the gate before we boarded. Parted with Michal at Budapest. “We’ll correspond and see what is possible?” I suggested. Met Hugh McReynolds and had a chat at gate 20 in Ferrighey. Football, dogs, Fr. McEnteggart, Denis Faul, etc. I bought a small red heart shaped box of marzipan chocolates for Rosanna and a small bottle of a Hungarian herb liqueur. Paid with my MBNA card. Chocolate crisp flat bar for food on the way from Thessaloniki; cheese roll on the way from Ferrighey. Drank apple juice, orange juice, water. All free of charge. No charge either when I checked out of the hotel. Long walk in Dublin airport. Took a trolley out to the coach park. Chat with a couple from Bailieboro. Missed calls from Rosanna. She told me when I rang that she thought I had missed my flight. Coach from the Carlton Hotel rolled up dead on time. Reassured. Piddled in the Carlton before I drove home like the hammers of hell in my small white 2010 Toyota iQ. Reached home about five or ten minutes before midnight. Rosanna had a fire of briquettes on. I ate rashers and sausages and then cereal and milk. We talked in friendly mode for nearly and hour before I unpacked and retired to bed. Dressed this morning in gusset-less trunks, vest, white long-sleeved shirt, brown patterned braces, black FootJoy golf socks, tan John Evan boots, 44” “legal” slacks. Emptied the pockets of my black and white check Kennedy McSharry jacket which I carried and put on only when I reached Budapest. Lowered my trousers to piddle at every opportunity. Took off my boots for most of the flight from Budapest to Dublin. Chat with Berthold C. Kosel in the foyer before the bus left Capsis. About lapis lazuli silver rectangular ENUSP brooch he is going to make. Washed my teeth before bed with Colgate toothpaste.

Travel

Birdie; Poor; Valencia Orange; Warrenpoint

Leave a comment Posted by on September 6, 2010

Hot smile

Thursday 2 September 2010.

Well I stuttered on the golf course and never really got started until I birdied the 18th hole.  However it turned out that I scored 20 points on the back 9 and won the best back 9 on a count back in the roll-up.  Freddie Barker won; Anthony Eaton came second; Eric Hynes had the best front 9.  I played with Noel Guinane in a fourball match against Don Brassil and Eugene Berrells.  “We’ll have a €5 apiece on the match,” Noel declared on the first tee.  “I am a poor man!” I declared, “All I can afford is €2.”  By way of explanation I said to Eugene, “I want to live to fight another day.”  Anyway Don proposed a compromise of €1, €1, and €1 which I accepted.  Noel Guinane had two 2’s (6 and 10); Eugene had a 2 on 10 where Don and I both had 3’s; Don had a 2 on 14: i.e. 4 x 2’s altogether.  I paid Don €3 at the end; €3 for a trolley; €5 entry fee for the roll up; €1.75 for coffee.  So allowing for €12 prize money I was €0.75 out of pocket altogether.  Freddie Barter, Eric Hynes, Anthony Eaton did not really include me in their company in the bar; Noel went out for a smoke and did not come back; Don did not stay.  I had a good conversation with Pat McDonnell from Annagassan.  As I got up to leave Michael Murphy told me I had won a small prize and I stayed on more or less at his table for the presentation.  Pat came downstairs with me and I showed him the inside of the iQ in which he had declared an interest.  Ate two brown pan sandwiches one with ham and the other with salami and cheddar for dinner with a mug of tea.  Followed up with a Valencia orange.  Spent the rest of the evening on the Dell surfing and journaling.  Rosanna came home at 21.10 from Warrenpoint where she scored a 2 on10 playing with Pat Cluskey and Josie Malone.  They did not wait for the presentation.  Back 9; 3, 7, 5, 5, 3, 5, 4, 6, 3.  Handicap 15.  Par 36.  Nett score 34.  20 points.  The course is gong to be played in a new order from 5 September 2010.  On 18 I struck a towering drive over the trees to the middle of the fairway.  SW to the green.  10’ putt.  My partner Noel lost his ball with his second shot on 18.  Washed my teeth and got in to bed around 23.40.

Games

Bride, Archways, Mangetout, Inis Mór

Leave a comment Posted by on August 23, 2010

Red heart

Saturday 21 August 2010.

Well I wrote a €198 cheque made payable to Michael Breslin.  I discovered from the MBNA site last night that my deposit of €33 had been paid long ago.  €32 for “extras.”  I also gave Michael after breakfast a €20 note to give to his wife Sian.  A tip.  We left Donegal Manor around 09.30 and reached The Milford Inn at around 11.15.  We drank coffee and Rosanna dressed in the toilet in her white “German” trouser suit, cream shoes, brown patterned T-shirt with inlaid glass.  She drank a whiskey and red which she said would “give her energy.”  I had dressed this morning in vest, white shirt with silver Fiona Thornton cuff-links, black tie with rectangular gold pattern, stainless steel watch, black 44” “legal” slacks, black Calvin Klein socks, black patent Clarks, black and white check Kennedy McSharry jacket.  We booked in to Archway B&B across the road below the hotel.  Walked in Milford to pass the time before the wedding.  I bought and masticated a Snickers bar.  I joined in here and there with the singing in the church.  Fr. Sweeney celebrant.  Nora Sweeney, a nurse who cried all night, became Mrs. Declan Friel.  A full church.  St. Peter’s.  I complimented the Sweeney nun on her singing as she descended the steps of the gallery.  The wedding started at around 13.20 and the meal in the hotel was not served until after 17.00.  I drank a little champagne while I waited from a champagne fountain.  Nodding off now and again.  I ate chicken and mushroom vol-au-vent; cream of vegetable soup; beef with horseradish sauce, mash, Yorkshire pudding, roast potato, vegetables including mangetout, gravy, and a second helping – more beef, a roast potato, small Yorkshire pudding; apple pie with cream and custard; coffee.  I drank two glasses of white and a glass of red with no ill effects.  Conversed at table with Moira Boyce and her husband (a school principal) and Bridie McFadden (should she be called McFaggen because she spent most of her time outside smoking?).  Rosanna conversed with John Boyce, his wife Tess, his sister Nora and we sat with them in the foyer until 23.30 when we said our goodbyes to Ann Marie (bridesmaid), Sadie and Ronan Sweeney.  I had a good conversation earlier with Sadie about Greenore.  She asked to be remembered to Mick Ferguson (“Keep your head down, keep your arse up, and hit it!”); she remarked that Kevin Hynes was nice; she asked, “Was he the thin fellow?” when I told her I was friendly with Dessie Hynes.  She said she would love to visit Greenore.  She lived there from 1964 until 1967 when her mother died.  John Boyce NT was a class-mate of Eamonn McBride.  He is over 70 and recently lost a son to a massive heart attack.  Rosanna screamed abuse at me as we walked down the road to the Archways B&B.  “We should have parked the car at the hotel!  Keep in from the traffic!  This is completely dangerous!  I’ll never attend another wedding!”  I washed my teeth, put on my pajamas, got in to bed before 00.00.  Ronan Sweeney was genuinely grateful that we had showed our support by attending the wedding.  I thought that myself and Rosanna independently reached the same conclusion and remarked the same thing.  “We were delighted to get the invitation,” I had assured him.  Bright day today, rather warm betimes, cloud patterned sky.  There were 11 siblings in Ronan Sweeney’s family all of them born in Donegal although many of them were conceived in Inis Mór where Sweeney père was a Guard who served along with Rosanna’s father Dinny Searlaí.  Guard Sweeney was Rosanna’s god-father.  He died at 52.

Travel

Skarpnord, Strawberries, Stubble, Rain

Leave a comment Posted by on August 7, 2010

Auto

Friday 6 August 2010

Well I got up bright and early around 06.00.  I put €25 of petrol in my 2010 Toyota iQ at 08.30 and withdrew €100 from the service till in Bellurgan Service Station.  Rosanna and I left at 09.00 and via Ardee, Collon, Slane, reached Dunshaughlin before 11.00 where we had coffee and a bar.  Gave €2 to a youngster from Drumconrath whose father used a mobile phone to get us directions to Killeen Castle GC.  We followed Kristy McPherson, Angela Stanford, Marianne Skarpnord, from the 18th green around the front 9 which they played to finish.  69, 71, 70, the best 3-ball of the day.  They are all shortlisted for the Curtis Cup, the first two for the American team; Marianne from Norway for the European.  We met David Rafferty and Gussie Goss twice.  I sympathized with David on the recent death of his father.  I ate apple tart (heated) and cream; €4.50: followed by fresh strawberries (and some raspberries) with cream; €5.00.  I finished off some of Rosanna’s steak sandwich.  She bought it following David’s recommendation but it was tough, leathery and cold by the time I got some of it.  The car-park cost €5 and it was a stubble field.  There is very little clearance under the iQ so I was worried about getting my car in and out.  In the event in spite of the rain there was no bother.  Rosanna had a chat with Deirdre Smith standing in front of the giant scoreboard.  I sat beside them but rose as Deirdre departed for a cup of tea.  She remarked favorably on my manners when I did this.  Long trip home via Trim, Navan, Castletown, Ardee, Dundalk.  Rosanna shopped in Tesco LWSC.  A young man recovered the token for me by giving my trolley a blow of his naked fist a maneuver I felt was doomed to failure.  My dentures and gums sore and uncomfortable on account of tangling with the remnants of Rosanna’s steak sandwich.  Postponed my journal writing until the morning.  Nodded off in the Parker Knoll a few times and wakened up to find Rosanna gazing at me with a lost expression of wonder in her countenance.  She went to bed early; I dragged myself off to bed later a little before 23.00.  Did not wash my teeth.  Exercised this morning and performed my usual routines, making bed, washing, applying moisturizer and deodorant, dressing; blue barred Kartel T-shirt, vest, black slacks, grey sports socks, Hush Puppie black brogues, Oakmont brown golf jacket, grey braces.  Basically the same clothes I wore yesterday.  Bumped into Roisín Daly in Hallmark, LWSC.  Seán Óg rang his mother a few times.  He called to Joe Carolan who is home from NZ while we were in Tesco and he carried on afterwards to Greenore without calling to our house in Jenkinstown although we were at home by the time he left Carolans’.    

Entertainment

Composure, Journal, Waterloo, Cod, Balloon

Leave a comment Posted by on July 21, 2010
Sun
 

Friday 16 July 2010.

Well I got a sleep and my composure returned somewhat.  I got up at dawn and typed each of the last two days’ journal entries into Word on my Acer.  Made bed, exercised, washed, dressed; blue semi-polo Greenore T-shirt, black slacks, grey braces, Calvin Klein black socks, Hush Puppie black brogues, Calvin Klein green/grey top.  Managed to join Tony O’Connell, Eamonn Kissane, (both policemen), and Tom Brannigan their brother-in-law, at 10.00 on the first tee.  Struck a 3-iron shot out right over the trees and struck a tree with my chip to the green.  Put my third shot in the river to the right of the second green playing the second.  However I straightened up.  I scored 6 on 5 with 4 putts.  Received a warning/caution from Tony.  Birdied 6, a 2.  Also scored 2 on 14.  Scored 4 on 15 and 4 on 18.  Those two holes were my Waterloo on Tuesday!  Covered the last 6 holes in 26 shots.  Did not shower.  Entry €10, trolley €3, drink €13, cod dinner €14.  Niall Clarke put €40 on my GUI prepayment card and I hope that is enough to last me for the rest of Open Week.  Tom bought me a cappuccino.  Rosanna played starting at 13.00 with Pat Cluskey (Lady Captain), Rosemary Hanratty (Lady Vice Captain), Brian McManus.  We scored 75; they scored 78; 90+ won.  I went to bed too late for a siesta but late enough to stay between the sheets until the early morning.  Did not wash my teeth.  Rang Teddy in the afternoon.  Letter from DkIT for Eamonn.  Got a friendly wave from Michael Murphy as I stood on the 11th tee.  Did not get wet although it was iffy this morning.  Watered the hanging baskets and some of the pot and boxes this evening.  The baskets in spite of the rain were bone-dry.  McIlroy, in difficult windy conditions, ballooned to 80 in The Open at St. Andrews.

Games

Thessaloniki, Burgundy, Shiny, Demolished

Leave a comment Posted by on June 29, 2010

Broken heart

Monday 28 June 2010

“Why are you sending me texts like that?” Seán Óg complained over the mobile as I was dressing this morning.  Well I am not trying to annoy him – although I probably did so I was not aggressive or prescriptive towards him.  “I can’t turn!” he declared.  “It might be an injury?” I speculated.  God help him.  It looked as if I piddled on the floor in Ladywell as I waited for Monica Doyle.  It was water dripping off my Calvin Klein black and white golf umbrella.  The hungry looking one from Tallanstown noticed and put down absorbent paper on the little puddle.  Funny when she comes in to the waiting area at other times she averts her gaze and never seems to see me?  25 mg of Risperdal Consta in the right “side.”  Bought a blue barred T-shirt “Personal Gain” from John McShane, and a beige Farah collared T-shirt as well as a pair of underpants.  Called on O’Callaghan Travel in Boyd’s Shopping Centre and booked tickets to Thessaloniki.  Wrote to Peter Lehmann.  E-mail from Claire Woods.  Case closed.  Replied, “happy and relieved.”  Wrote to Ellen O’Hanlon thoughts on the showcase day in Muirhevnamor.  Thank-you note from her in reply.  “JJ is gorgeous,” Silvia wrote, “And he is a good photographer.”  Peace in the house because Rosanna was in town shopping and getting her hair done.  I gave her €60 cash to compensate her for paying Oliver Dullaghan for upholstering my Parker-Knoll, in burgundy with a spiral pattern.  I boiled half a packet of baby Scottish potatoes.  Ate tinned salmon from a plate in the fridge, the remnants of some tinned tuna, two vine tomatoes sliced, salad from the box in the fridge.  Then demolished all the potatoes with salt and lots of real butter.  For lunch.  In the evening Rosanna called me up from my siesta and gave me rashers and boiled cabbage which I followed up with a large microwaved Rooster ate with salt and real butter.  Pádraig Treanor rang postponing the “collection” until Tuesday evening.  I exercised a.m. and watered the flowers.  Not much sign of the Evening Scented Stock outside the front door yet?  Wore sky blue Greenore semi-polo T-shirt today, black shiny slacks, black Calvin Klein socks, chocolate Loake brogues, and carried brown Oakmont golf jacket for outer wear.  13.07 on Monica’s scales.  Spoke to Dr. Lyster passing and Martina McBennett in Ladywell both looking summery.  Called on Mary Mag this morning in St. Oliver’s.  Alert enough but tired looking even though it was early in the day.  Pushing her head back in the chair.  Reminds me of myself when I used to be unsuccessfully trying to sit, relax and pass the time when I was on Depixol.  Washed my teeth and retired to bed earlier than usual, soon after 23.00.  I ate weetabix and milk with sliced banana for breakfast, corn flakes sliced banana and milk for supper, and I consumed a big salmon sandwich made from two large heels of loaf bread for elevenses.  Drank mostly tea today and some coffee in the evening.

Travel

Oatmeal, Barrow, Ascended, Overloaded

Leave a comment Posted by on June 19, 2010

Sick smile

Friday 18 June 2010

Well I think I got up out of bed around 08.00 and without a siesta I did not retire until 23.30 having had a busy day.  I dressed this morning in blue Greenore semi-polo T-shirt and vest, grey 42” slacks, oatmeal cotton working socks, working boots (which I kept on until bedtime).  I used my Oakmont jacket for outer wear in the evening.  Called on Oliver Dullaghan.  His mother’s name was Matthews and his grandparents are buried in Ballapousta.  He showed me different fabrics and gave me two burgundy colored samples to take home.  I liked the one with a spiral motif and wonder of wonders Rosanna agreed with me.  Oliver called at 13.30 and took away my Parker Knoll.  He said it would be a few days.  “You’d never know; I might have it ready tomorrow night!”  I carried on from Bellurgan into Lidl.  The young manager brought me down to where the white trousers were on display.  He gave me a 46 pair to try on and took my 42 pair from me.  I fitted the 46 pair on.  Tight; but not too tight?  So I took them with me.  The assistant at the checkout gave me back my receipt.  Bring them back if you do not want them he said or something to that effect.  Very professional and very German.  I did a bit of digging around the twisted shrub opposite the front door.  Roots but the soil was loose enough.  Rosanna lifted the weeds into her barrow as I dug.  I sweated in the mid-day heat, paused now and then, drank water, got the job finished.  When I cooled down a bit I mowed the front lawn with the mower on a high setting.  Rosanna gave me a substantial meal of tinned herring in tomato sauce, salad, Tagliatelle with lots of pesto.  When I finished the plate I took a second helping of pasta emptying the pot.  Padraic Treanor called at 18.40 and we delivered 22 letters from Jenkinstown Cross as far as Fidelis’ house.  Met nice people including Myra Duffy, Mrs Tuohy, Teresa Quinn’s daughter and her husband, Tom Flynn’s sons and one of their wives, Maura Duffy.  Invitation to Fr. Padraig Murphy’s silver jubilee on 28 July 2010.  Rosanna and I sat in the bar in The Crowne Plaza from 20.30 until 21.00 when we ascended in the lift up to the diningroom on the 13th floor.  She drank a glass of red in the bar while I polished off a bottle of sparkling mineral water.  Warm inside.  I took off my Oakmont jacket.  We were given a table overlooking DkIT and the setting sun streamed in from a few degrees west of the direction of Slieve Gullion.  Rosanna ate chicken supreme; I ate sea-Bass with tomato salsa.  Roast small potatoes.  Chips.  I stuffed myself.  I mean I really overate and the food was delicious helped by a large chunk of a juicy lemon.  We shared a chocolate fondue between us.  Rosanna drank two more glasses of house red.  I drank an orange juice.  We both finished with coffee.  The drinks downstairs cost over 7 euro and the total bill in the dining room was 69 euro.  Short German waitress.  Intense and vivacious.  She talked a lot to Rosanna.  She got a 9 euro tip.  The young manager, a Pole, stood at our table a long time speaking fluently and eloquently about the differences between Poland and Ireland, workmanship and buildings in Ireland and Poland, his plan to return to his native land.  I meant to advise him to go into politics but he was no-where to be seen when we left the dining room around 23.00.  I did not stay up long.  My stomach was overloaded and my energy was gone.  Washed my 5 ½ remaining teeth, brushed my dentures, went to bed at 23.50.

Food and drink

Dangerous Omen, Sardines, Link, Bin

Leave a comment Posted by on June 2, 2010

Smile

Monday 31 May 2010.

Well the comical aspects of some of the incidents and some of the crack in Greenore yesterday seemed to be amplified as I watered the flowers this morning and my spirit was exceptionally warm dressed as I was in black robe, pajamas, Lotus flip-flops.  A dangerous omen?  I remember feeling like that in 1975 when my father was alive around the time I got my first breakdown.  Anyway I think I ate bread for breakfast with a mug of tea.  And I stayed around the house all day while Rosanna went with Pat Cluskey to Navan to caddy for her in some golf match – against Rush, I think.  I made my bed as usual this morning, exercised, washed, dressed; blue barred Kartel T-shirt, no vest, underpants, navy elasticized slacks with narrow blue striped braces, steel-blue Rival sports socks, chocolate Loake brogues.  I wore my Oakmont jacket later on in the cool of the evening.  Ate three boiled eggs for lunch, with salt and pepper and “butter.”  Finished off with two slices of brown bread (the last of the loaf Anne bought in Connolly’s Deli on Saturday); “butter” and marmalade; a mug of tea.  Took a 3 hour siesta.  Drove to Bellurgan Service Station where for nearly 8 euro I bought a carton of “butter,” 2 x 2 liters of milk, a sliced brown cottage loaf.  Prepared a dinner of salad, cherry tomatoes, pickled onion, olives, a small tin of sardines.  Delicious.  “Buttered” and put marmalade on two slices of the cottage loaf and ate all with a mug of tea.  Lovely.  I wore my burgundy Barker brogues to the shop and had a good chat with Carole Markey.  “It’s your job to punish people,” I concluded on the role of women.  “Well I suppose it toughens one’s skin,” I reflected aloud.  Olivia Finegan told me she was buying petrol to cut the grass.  “Have you your grass cut?” Carole asked me when Olivia was gone and that’s what started the conversation.  No fire lit today.  Rang Eamonn and wished him a happy birthday.  Rosanna complaining of a pain in her chest?  Spent a few hours on the computer.  Alan Byrne nor no-one else reacted so far to the link I sent to them of the showcase pictures.  Paddy Mac short and churlish on the phone this morning when I rang looking for Alan Byrne’s e-mail address.  Felt in good fettle this morning without any aches or pains after the golf.  I put on après sun last night and my head was not too badly burnt this morning.  I did a thorough washing up before Rosanna came home including the sardine tin, the empty marmalade pot, the plastic lidded container which held the oiled salad in the fridge; and swept the floor of the kitchen.  Left out the bin before dark.

Food and drink

Lyric, iQ, Java, Marmalade

Leave a comment Posted by on May 4, 2010

Note

Monday 3 May 2010.

Well today I spent a lot of mild concentration listening to the listeners’ top 100 on Lyric FM.  The top 10 came on around 18.00 and were a bit of an anticlimax.  By that stage I was suffering a little from loneliness and isolation – Rosanna spent the day in Greenore minding Gavin while his parents played in the Open Fourball with John Ennis and Pat Magee.  May bank holiday.  Later on before dark I got into my white 2010 Toyota iQ Strata and drove in to No. 13 Oaklawns with a bag of clean washing for Eamonn.  The house seemed clean and tidy but Eamonn had not returned from Cootehall yet.  Pulled in to Lidl on the way home and bought a shopping bag, a dust-pan and brush set (blue), milk (2 x 2 liters).  It all cost me 5.36 euro which I paid with my UB MasterCard.  I got up at around 09.00 this morning and ate corn flakes and sliced banana with milk for breakfast.  Watered the flower containers – pots, boxes, hanging baskets.  Made my bed, exercised, washed, dressed.  Steel-blue Joe Frawley T-shirt, black shiny 44” slacks, grey sports socks, tan John Evan boots, grey/steel-blue Everlast top.  Wore, also, my navy Nike baseball cap to town.  This is the 11th birthday of Lyric FM.  Cleaned out and lit the fire although the wind was hovering in the N.  However throughout the day I got only a few wisps of smoke escaping from the fire.  So the wind must have stayed N of NW.  On my way in to Town I posted a registration form for free travel and also a completed form to Sinead Rock of Louth County Childcare Committee.  The latter was stamped the former was not.  Volcano dust again affecting air traffic in Ireland.  Aisling working today in RTE.  I washed my 5 ½ remaining teeth and got in to bed tired at 00.20.  I ate corn flakes, sliced banana, milk, for tea.  Two slices of buttered toast and marmalade with a mug of java for supper.  My lunch consisted of steamed rice and chicken curry reheated in the microwave and with some pineapple cubes.  I also peeled and ate a mature sweet apple afterwards.  Did not wash up.  Felt quite hungry from about 17.00 onwards.

Music

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