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Journal for Saturday 16 June 2018

Leave a comment Posted by on June 19, 2018

Champagne; Scouted; Photos; Uneasy; Gobbledegook

Saturday 16 June 2018

21:32

  • 5 grilled sausages, fried cold microwaved small potatoes left over from the other day, a fried egg, brown sauce, a champagne glass of orange/barley drink
  • Wheat biscuits, sliced banana, raspberries, milk
  • Hovis, butter, easi-slices, tea
  • Banana loaf, coffee (after mass)

Well I felt fat and stiff today even though I exercised this morning before I dressed. Drove over to the meeting room of the church for the Annual General Meeting of IMPERO. Door of the meeting room locked. Rose McEneaney apologised to me before 19:30 mass. But I had already scouted around yesterday and found the door of the room locked so I brought a key with me today. Dessie turned up in plenty of time; Leonard Hatrick turned up 15 minutes late. I think he had trouble with his “bag” this morning. Anyway the meeting went well and lasted nearly an hour and a half. It was well prepared. I read my article Outcaste and I thought when reading it that it would not be out of place at a more academic gathering. I really could write in 2005 and 2006. Took a few photos, too, but I have not looked at them yet. Arranged to meet Dessie on Tuesday at 12:00 at McCrystals to withdraw the money I am owed from the IMPERO account. 370 euro in there now. There will be < 100 euro left. Rosanna went down to play golf in the special competition first round at 13:45. I had to come back from the church for my reading glasses and saw her pull out when I was going in the front door. I watched the match between France and Australia this morning. Assisted by VRA France ran out 2 – 1 winners. Felt very uncomfortable this evening before mass and uneasy. A bit better now? 21:46. Fr. Stansfield assisted by Fr. Pádraig Murphy who was still speaking gobbledegook when he read some of the prayers after communion. “The men add something to the choir,” Fr. Stansfield said when he was passing by going home after mass. “Keep saying that!” I joked. Anyway Catherine was absent so the singing was more together and, I think, better than usual.

  • Sweet Heart of Jesus
  • There Is a River
  • There Is a Place
  • Sweep Over My Soul
  • Our God Reigns

We also sang My Lord, My God and an Amen as well as Alleluia x 2. I gave 5 euro in the yellow envelope “for the priest” and 10 euro in the buff-coloured envelope for priests’ dues. No collection at the door. Earlier in the evening I paid 7.45 euro in the shop for 1lb of Kerrygold and a banana loaf. Used the opportunity to get change of a 50 note which was all the currency I had. So I was able to “fill” the envelopes reasonably correctly. I also watered the flower pots and the hanging basket this afternoon before mass. Most of the banana loaf is already eaten. I prepared a fry this morning because there was no butter in the house. I cooked 8 or 9 Denny’s sausages this morning leaving 3 over for Rosanna. Dustin Johnston in the lead in Shinnecock Hills this morning but he had not begun to play yet today. Conditions are difficult, I think. I did not hear from Paul Smyth today? Rosanna has just now put her key in the front door. 22:02. I woke this morning to the strains of the alarm on my mobile phone at 09:00 and got out of bed immediately. 00:18. I trimmed my neck and upper lip this morning. Christine looking well and fitter than usual in summer gear, a pink T-shirt and matching fingernails.

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Leave a comment Posted by on June 13, 2016

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Sunday 12 June 2016

Not in the best of form.  Mood overhung by golf and iffy weather.  In the event although I played inadequate golf I managed until the 18th where I hit my second shot from behind the mounds near the 13th tee with a 7-iron out of the rough.  It bounced beyond the bunker to the right of the green and Paul Smyth called out that it was “alright.”  However when I got as far as the green the ball was nowhere to be seen.  It must have rolled on under the hedge.  So what was a poor score for me turned into a NR with the last stroke of the round.  I was pretty dejected on the golf course and the faux pas at the last did little to lift my mood.  Anyway keyed in my result and took a shower.  Forgot to pack my towel this morning so I improvised and dried myself off with a second vest I had in the bag and the shirt I wore on the golf course.  I drank a bottle of RiverRock in the bar.  Downed an Americano and a bar of Kit-Kat.  Ate some of Brian Farrell’s crisps and more that I bought myself and emptied out of the Tayto bag onto Brian’s plate.  Brian was eating egg sandwiches and drinking tea.  Paul Smyth tucked into a steak sandwich.  I left Paul home.  Brian Snr. waved several times through the window.  Sore muscle in my right buttock as usual.  Apart from that I did not feel any the worse for wear after the golf.  A little nervous because it was quite warm today.  I drank the contents of the TUI Credit Union water bottle on the course saving the bottle of RiverRock I purchased from Ian Brennan before I went out on the course for later on in the bar.  Louth lost by 7 points to Meath in Parnell Park while we were playing our round which began at 13:06.  Paul 93 – 16 = 77.  Brian 82 – 7 = 75.  Rosanna gave me 2 baked breaded fish cakes for tea as well of some of her own because she thought it was not thoroughly cooked.  Later I ate Corn Flakes and milk.  Wore my dentures all day from early morning until bedtime when I brushed my gums and three remaining teeth.  A first for a long time.  Up early, c 07:30, to pack my golf gear and get ready.  I think I ate Weetabix, sliced banana, milk; for breakfast.  Drank tea too.  Drove to Bellurgan Service Station where I withdrew 2x€50 notes from the service till.  Crossed the mountain to The Strand.  Dessie rang me at The Long Woman’s Grave to say Paul Smyth was not ready at the top of the road and he was not going over to collect him.  Paul rang me in The Strand.  I told him and said, “I was early this morning, I could have collected you.”  Anyway Paul consulted with his father who agreed to run him down to The Strand.  Paul turned up just as four of us; Pringle, Dessie, Mooney, me; sat down for breakfast soon after 10:00 at a round table for 5 towards the back of the new room on the way to the service area.  €35 for 5 full breakfasts including corn flakes for Dermot Mooney and mushrooms for all.  Willie Jones served the breakfasts leaving Dessie until last and gave me €15 change in two notes out of a €50 note.  Good meal.  An egg, a rasher, 2 large sausages, black pudding, white pudding, potato farl, soda pancake, mushrooms, tea, orange juice, red sauce, brown sauce, brown bread, butter, marmalade.  Maybe the repast stood me in good stead later in the day as I laboured round the golf course?  Lively meeting of Cooley Environmental and Health Group.  Theme for Winter Workshop 2017 decided: “Homelessness.”  I tried to get them to consider running with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals 2030 of the United Nations.  But I did not get much of an audience although I used most of my oratorical powers of persuasion.  But maybe my effort lacked conviction?  Pringle had a report of the meeting up on the CEHG website before nightfall.  A good report.  He also has included a link to maps on The National Cancer Registry site.  Paul left The Strand with me at around 12:00 and I took him to his home to collect his golf gear.  Julie and Ella sitting eating at the table in the kitchen in sunny humour.  I wished Julie well for her wedding on Saturday.  Paul and I reached the club in plenty of time and booked in for golf.  Entrance + 2’s + RiverRock = €8.50.  The European soccer championship has started.  Poland 1, Northern Ireland 0, today.  England drew with Russia last night 1 – 1.  Berger won the St. Jude Classic by 3 from Mickelson, Koepka, Stricker; with Dustin Johnston in 5th scoring the low round of the tournament, 63, on the last day including a chip-in eagle on a back 9 of 29, a record for the back 9.  I watched some of it on Sky Sports 4.  But there had been a delay, it was getting late, tiredness got the better of me.   

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Shower: Glass Doors: Equality: Curtsy

Leave a comment Posted by on December 22, 2015

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Monday 14 December 2015

Up c 07:10.  Shower but did not put on clean underclothes, socks, shirt.  John Kidney crinkled up his nose at me in disgust in the Greek Restaurant in the evening before dinner?  However I applied Paco Rabanne 1 Million a.m.  Ate a continental breakfast including tea, smoked salmon, pastries.  Good humoured African mademoiselle attended to me.  A very intense day in the incubator-like meeting room on the 7th floor.  René wanted the sliding glass doors to the balcony open; Eva wanted them shut because smoke is one of her many allergies.  Presentations about 1 hour each from Maria Nyman, director of Mental Health Europe; Camille Bullot, membership officer, European Patients’ Federation; Catherine Naughton, finance officer, European Disability Federation; Henri Nickels, head of sector, equality and citizens’ rights department, Fundamental Rights Agency.  Lunch 12:15 —> 13:45.  Sandwiches, a glass of wine, fruit cocktail, coffee.  Chat with Agnes from Belgium at lunch table.  Dinner in a Greek restaurant round the corner from the hotel.  “Bon soir, Mademoiselle,”  “Vin blanc, s’il vous plait.”  “A good choice, M’sieu.”  A little curtsy?  Sat beside John Kidney at the end of the table.  No-one opposite.  Lupe and Maths near.  Also Eva (The Goddess), distressed after the row with René today?  Wine, bread, salad, ice-cream/chocolate dessert, coffee.  Nice and not overpowering.  Took no shower, wrote no journal, straight to bed c 21:20.

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Connolly’s Shoes: Tax Claims: Skype: Hillerod

1 Comment Posted by on October 18, 2014

Thursday 16 October 2014

Wheat bisks, sliced banana, milk; for breakfast. Washed teeth. Cleaned face and body with Epsom Salts solution. The wash definitely had a freshening effect. Dressed in navy blue from top to toe including shirt and socks. Brown Connolly’s shoes. Played totally through my iTunes library. Pinch in my right hip. Chicken salad prepared by Rosanna and taken from the fridge; for my lunch. Later using a steak knife and a fork I ate an orange. Porridge, sliced banana, honey; cheddar: for tea. Coffee. In case there may be any misunderstanding let me point out that I prepared the porridge myself, 50% milk and 50% water, boiled on the left bottom ring of the electric cooker. Rosanna working in her arm-chair on tax claims (refunds). Eleanor Wehrly called at lunchtime. Listened to a recorded concert on Lyric FM at 20:00. Korngold, Weber, Mahler. Haydn later. Piano quartet type of thing. Interesting. Listened to The Late Debate. Collywobbles on the stock market in the USA. Rosanna went to town today. 22:45. Discovered (rediscovered) last night the photos of Joe Finegan’s 85th birthday party. I thought they were lost forever. Quality pleasing. I think I stayed up until nearly 01:00 drinking tea and reading my journal for September 2014 in hard copy.

Friday 17 October 2014

Breakfasted, made bed, washed, dressed; in time for an ENUSP Skype meeting at 12:00. Delayed entry for a shite. Long meeting. Piotr left before the end. To catch a train? My fare to Hillerod will be paid? Rosanna gave me 4 fried sausages while I was on Skype. I made porridge for myself afterwards. Right hip calmer today? Lit fire in The White Elephant Lounge, washed again at 19:30 and donned pyjamas. Listened to the first part of the concert from NCH. The Italian Symphony, Mozart Oboe Concerto. Watched TV news at 21:00. Then went down to the sitting room. Surfed. At 22:00 journalled on The Acer P3, 15th and 16th October 2014. Put a note about Hillerӧd on the ENUSP Facebook page. ENUSP site not functioning properly? Ate Rice Krispies and milk for supper. A mug of tea, 2 slices of bread, butter, blackcurrant jam before bed. 00:21. Rosanna went in early this morning before I got up and made some headway in the income tax office. “The woman that was there was prepared to be helpful.”

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Traffic Control: Eggs: Coughed: Kiosk

Leave a comment Posted by on December 19, 2013

Saturday 7 December 2013

Got petrol and €150 cash In Bellurgan Service Station. Rosanna went to golf soon after 12.00 and returned 19.30. She won the prize for the first day, last week. Scare over flights from Dublin. Some air traffic control problem in Britain. Rang Lufthanasa twice. Flight at 06.00 tomorrow confirmed. Weetabix and milk for lunch. Packed. The big case on wheels. Went to bed at 16.00 but did not sleep. Dessie rang and got me up. A long phone-call. Boiled three 4-minute eggs. Delicious with salt, pepper, creamery butter. I had also eaten some cold porridge from the pot, left over by Rosanna. After the eggs I consumed Weetabix and milk. Peeled and ate with a knife and fork a nice Tesco orange. Gums sore. Skin cut. Left dentures out altogether today indefinitely. Went to bed at 20.00 and slept till 23.30. Put in dentures for one last time to eat toast and drink tea. Washed teeth including sore lower left gum. Left dentures out and packed them in the toiletries bag in my big case. Could not find my white jacket. Did I leave it in the golf club? Did I leave it in Tesco? I’m getting used to losing things. Feels like I am losing my marbles. Anyway I later concluded that I had packed it already in my big case. Wore black “legal” slacks with holes in both front pockets, cappuccino Ralph Lauren golf socks, black boxers, white long-sleeved semi-polo Ralph Lauren golf shirt, black and grey Mizuno thermal golf gansy, cappuccino Ralph Lauren sweat-shirt, Oakmont brown golf jacket: Nike blue and white barred 20XI golf “woollen” cap. Packed my navy thermal gloves in my small bag. Lost my confidence in the approach and had to double back a short distance towards the roundabout to find the Red Express long-term car-park. Had to insert my UB credit card to gain access although the machine read my number plate 10LH1517. Pissed beside my car on the heavy gravel near the bus. The driver, of Oriental origin, offered to take me immediately to the airport when I told him I wanted to go to the toilet. In the event he waited for me while I relieved myself on the stony ground. Nearly lost my confidence again on the Lufthansa machine for producing boarding passes. It would not read my passport. However I came back to the machine, re-oriented the passport and the machine coughed up the two boarding passes like clockwork. John Anthony Crudden. I felt proud. “You’ll get your luggage in Bucharest,” the thin active blonde assured me when I checked in my big case. The lady in security said, “Take them off!” when I showed her my braces. I was left holding up my trousers but the scanner did not bleep when I shuffled through. The German security man in Frankfurt let me keep my braces on but the scanner protested when I walked though. I was called aside for a mannerly but thorough body search. An apple croissant and tea on the flight from Dublin. A moist soft tasty sandwich and orange juice on the way from Frankfurt to Bucharest. The driver of the 780 bus from Henry Coanda airport let me on and took me in his own cabin standing at the front window beside him because I had no ticket. He dropped me at Gara de Nord station off the Calea Grivitei. I gave him 10 RON for himself because I felt valued. A confident interested man’s man who was not afraid of me and did not despise me. The people standing around at the station seemed unwilling to guide me and the one man who tried to help was given a tongue lashing by a small voluble sour old lady and he, too, turned away from me. Taxi drivers buttonholed me and offered to drive me for 50 RON, then 30 RON, then whatever I liked. I insisted, “I am going to walk.” A woman in a florist’s kiosk pointed readily to the Hotel Ibis when I called from outside through her door. I gave 1 RON to a small young girl/woman sitting with her back to the wall of a bank on the footpath. She rubbed her stomach expressively indicating hunger. She was not satisfied with what I gave her but, at the same time, offered thanks. Piotr, Jerzy, Jolijn; in the lobby. Very warm in the hotel. I took a shower. Dressed in flip flops, new white tight-fitting trunks, Calvin Klein T-shirt, black “legal” slacks. Carried my cappuccino Ralph Lauren golf sweat-shirt. I had washed the very same T-shirt and dried it, the other day. There was a round of introductions and some business before dinner at 19.00. I had text’d Rosanna in the afternoon. “Hi Rosanna. Took shower in Hotel Ibis. Found white jacket in suit case. Love. Seán.” Now I brushed my teeth and painful gum and went to bed soon after 20.00. I slept well and I needed it. But I sweated a lot in the night. Next blue/grey long sleeved-pyjamas. I unpacked in my room completely today and hung a lot of my things on hangers in the “wardrobe,” many of them which I did not subsequently use.

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Eva Hamill’s Retirement as Sacristan

Leave a comment Posted by on February 16, 2013

After decades of service as sacristan in St. Mary’s Church, Bellurgan and, subsequently, in Our Lady of The Wayside Church, Jenkinstown, Eva Hamill retired officially from her sacred duty on Saturday 16 February 2013.  Her retirement was marked with a presentation from Gemma McDermott, chairperson of the pastoral council, and another from Fr. Pádraig Murphy PP DD, parish priest of Lordship and Ravensdale.  The presentation followed a very moving mass including blessing and anointing with oil celebrated by Fr. Murphy starting at 11.00.  This mass was Eva’s final duty as sacristan.  It included the hymn “To Do Your Will” sung after communion at Eva’s request.

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EPF eHealth Seminar; Hotel Bloom, Brussels, 23 January 2013

1 Comment Posted by on January 29, 2013

The European Patients’ Forum seminar was subtitled “The way towards large-scale deployment of eHealth: where do patients stand?”  The final speaker at the forum who presented on the topic “Setting up a multi-stakeholder platform on eHealth” was Elena Bonfiglioli of Microsoft.  She is pictured below with Seán Crudden, secretary, Irish Mental Patients’ Educational and Representative Organisation (IMPERO).  The final session was chaired by Nicola Bedlington, Director, EPF.

Elena & Sean

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Winter Workshop 2013

Leave a comment Posted by on January 27, 2013
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Clinic; Creative Writing; Renew

Leave a comment Posted by on January 1, 2013

Wednesday 12 December 2012.

Up soon after 07.00. Dropped Eamonn outside the restaurant in DkIT c 08.50. Piddled in Saint Oliver’s and then got in to the clinic, my second attempt. Collette opened the locked door. A tall statuesque dark student nurse emerged from within after a while and told me that Pakie would not be in until 09.45 and apologised. So I went back to Saint Oliver Plunkett’s Hospital and gave Mary Mag a small box of Cadbury’s Roses. Less coherent than usual she was happy enough. Her bed was neat and the nurses were coming in with porridge when I left. Mickey Lane blew me when I was walking in to the Clinic. 25 mg of Risperdal Consta in the left “side.” Pakie told me the joke about the woman with a duck under her arm. “What do you think of my pig?” I told him my story of Billy Hulme and the wife. Good humour all round. Pakie had slept it! Drove home and rang Jo Malone and John Finnegan. Could not “get” Eva. Kevin McGeough bought me tea and toast in Glenda’s. We talked about singing and the usual things. His sister, Sheila, in the final stages of illness at home from hospital at her request. €1 for 3 apples. “Have you nothing smaller?” Glenda. “I am looking for change,” I said handing her a €20 note and showing her my empty purse. €10 note + 4x€2 coins + €1 coin. Used the €1 coin to park in DkIT straddling a line between 2 cars alongside a shed in the car-park beside Carroll’s building. Took a few snaps outside before and 1 of Ferdia Mac Anna after the creative writing class. Enquired at reception about the protocol for taking photos. I wrote a brief story about my handball match in 1961 with Pat Kiernan. A little precipitation. Fried cold small microwaved potatoes and a piece of Salmon Wellington on the Tefal pan in butter; reheated carrots parsnips peas by microwave in the “circus” bowl; heated the coagulated gravy in the roasting dish on a ring of the cooker; put a few slices of cold silverside on my plate; laid out the salt and tomato sauce. A tasty repast. Washed it all down with a nice glass of McGuigan red. Rosanna golfed 12 holes with Pat Cluskey. Alan Ratcliff rang on my mobile when I was sitting at the window in the meeting room of Our Lady of The Wayside Church c 19.35 when I was waiting for Renew to start at 20.00 and warming the room up. Briege who has had teeth pulled unwell due partly at least to Wafarin in her system. So no Alan and no kettle! When Dessie turned up I drove home in the rain and took the kettle out of an empty house. Rosanna gone in to DkIT to collect Eamonn? Fr. Paddy Larkin, John “Feather” Finnegan, Jo Malone; also turned up. John, Dessie and I stayed on afterwards for tea in disposable cups that I had supplied along with 0.5l of cow’s milk. Nice, I thought, with Dessie’s Ginger Nut biscuits. Feather showed an interested Fr. Larkin Michael O’Hanlon’s history of Cooley while I was boiling the kettle. But Fr. Larkin left before we drank tea. Jo had already departed. Ate some cold chicken curry at home and searched the archive on indymedia.ie and Sean’s Space on the subject of love, for my “homework.” After supper washed teeth and got to bed around 23.10. Rang Áine this morning outside the clinic. She returned my call in the evening and I waxed on about Mental Health: Peers in Progress.

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Trimmed: Snickers: Ash Bucket: Deadline

Leave a comment Posted by on November 30, 2012

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Wednesday 28 November 2012.

Exercised, showered, trimmed my neck and upper lip. Attended Ferdia MacAnna’s class at 12.30. Not the boardroom this time. His office a long narrow rectangular room. A guy beside me wrote nothing. He was “thinking.” Seán Wiseman. I made a big impression with my description of M I O’Flynn. “I never heard anything like that before,” Ferdia remarked. But I think it was my voice rather than my writing. Bought milk and apples in Lidl. Filled my white Toyota iQ with computer, camera, scissors, ash bucket, brush, shovel, poker, tongs, towel, handwash cream, a drinking glass, James Kilbane CD. Bought briquettes and a Snickers Duo in the shop. Decided not to light the fire. Put on the central heating in the old schoolhouse, lit all the lights, hung about for nearly 2 hours listening to the CD on the computer which displayed a photo of last Advent’s Renew Group in Patsy Treanor’s. Scoffed both parts of the Snickers Duo. My stomach a little acid, the effect of eating a lot of bread today. But the Snickers cured that. Eventually Dessie rolled up around 19.40, Alan Ratcliff around 19.45 and in quick succession near the deadline of 20.00 Fr. Paddy Larkin, Breege and Patsy Treanor, Brian Glynn . John Finnegan came in a little late and I vacated my chair to let him sit down and went and got another chair for myself from the store on the way in to the kitchen. I had set out 7 chairs around the brown bull on which I cast the envelope containing the booklets and the brown case containing my glasses. Anyway I am not going to give a blow by blow account but the session went well, I thought, including an alternative gospel from Dessie which he had downloaded from the Catholic Priests’ Association site. I finished up the session singing a verse and chorus of “O, Little Town of Bethlehem,” and then “Ubi Caritas” x 2. Rosanna home from golf in tolerant mood when I reached my own fireside. The radiators made little impression on the cold. 2 of them not functioning. Posted grant application in Jenkinstown on my way in to DkIT and also the reply card to Claire’s invitation.

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