Another long committee day over

I arrived home at 10pm yesterday, having set out before 8am. That's a long day when most of it was attending committee meetings.

I was due to Waterford at 10.30am but got tempted by a new set of shops outside Carrick-on-Suir (Meadows & Byrne and Avoce Handweavers). I have passed them at least 20 times when they haven't been open, so I decided to explore. One cup of coffee and scone later (5 euro!) I headed on, refreshed, for Waterford, arriving at 11am. That meant I was half an hour late to meet up with someone who I had thought wouldn't be there, but was. So, the long day started.

I had a pleasant meal with Ian after committees ended. He is just finishing his History essay for Leaving Cert and is happy with his Music practical exam he did on Thursday. The chamber choir is due to premiere a new piece next Thursday at the Cork Choral festival. It was specially written for them in memory of Eric deCourcy, who died a couple of months ago but was the highly regarded music teacher when I was at school. We hope to hear the piece when the Waterford premiere happens on the evening of the Leavers' lunch, 27th May.

Today is supposed to be sunny but it currently looks as if it might rain. I've been doing a bit of gardening, trying to break down the chunks of soil so that they will accept the seedlings I have grown. b bought me some broad bean seedlings yesterday to replace the ones I lost a few days ago, and also some tomato plants that I will try to grow if Leavy doesn't get them.

Hedges and growth

Normally you can tell it is 1st May because the first leaves appear on our beech hedge. This year they have appeared already, 5 days early. This is unheard of and changes the world as we know it! I love the green of early leaves and think this is the most beautiful time of the year.

Disaster hit my plans to grow enough food to sustain us (well, sustain us for 1 or 2 meals perhaps). My mini-greenhouse fell over in a gust of wind and knocked over all the seedlings inside it. I thought I had rescued them but today find that the broad bean seedlings, which had been doing so well and were ready to plant out, have gone black and died. The sweet corn may be OK, but isn't very happy. However, the peas and spinach I sowed a couple of weeks ago are now peering above the soil in the main vegetable plot. The potato greenery is also above ground so we might even get a spud.

I decided that Monday was the day that it was to happen. I was going to cycle to work. But, it rained so it didn't happen. Rain stopped by Thursday, but then I had to go to Waterford in the evening so needed my car. Today I was just too tired to get there. Maybe next week will be better.

It is the school committee "season" at the moment. I have spent most of this week and last either on the phone or at committee meetings related to the school. Hassle level is running high and the usual methods of doing business in Quaker committees aren't working as they should. I tried to bring people together for a meeting tomorrow for a Patron meeting to discuss our issues as a committee, but this hasn't been successful. The good news is that the Dept of Education and Science has approved the setting up of the first Quaker national school in the country so we will be able to move our current private school to becoming a state-funded school this September. Hallelujah!

I've now been 6 months in my job and I've realised that I'm enjoying it as I settle in. It's a lovely feeling to enjoy work and feel comfortable in it. Long may it last. Next week we have a visit of big-wigs from the US on Friday so everywhere is being painted and polished ready for the visit. The place is gleaming. The flower-beds have been emptied, though, so I'm wondering what they are intending to plant that will be flowering beautifully for Friday. It's all good fun!

Last week's sailing

I forgot to tell you all about our sailing last Sunday. We borrowed a Tirion sailing boat from Shannon Sailing and set out in low winds and blazing sunshine. I was wearing shorts - and it was still April!

The Tirion is very easy to sail, but has all sorts of possibilities for adjustments for the advanced sailor. It is a day boat, with a small cabin that doesn't really get in the way. The main emphasis is on deck space for seating. Ian and I sailed it on our own while b took photos of us. It was great fun, and just the antidote to jet lag.

The boat work starts

The weather here has been great all week but today rain was forecast for the afternoon. I wanted to do some painting on the boat so headed off to it mid-morning, having walked the dogs first.

I started cleaning the decks with the pressure hose and spent about an hour and a half doing this, completing about one-third of the boat. Then the electrics for the marina gave up. After some investigation it appears that the pressure hose caused this, so I couldn't continue. I then moved on to painting the gates that weren't finished last year. I had put anti-rust paint on them last week so they were ready for the main coat. I completed this and then gave up, exhausted by it all. The sun was still blazing out of the heavens. B had arrived to drill some holes in metal, but I decided to leave him to continue his activities and I returned home, via Nenagh.

Half way home it started to rain. It isn't very wet, but short showers are continuing every now and again. I've arranged to borrow the pressure hose belonging to the marina tomorrow so hope the rain doesn't settle in.

I managed to buy some organic manure in Nenagh, aka poultry shit. The garden will like a bit of rain. There doesn't seem to be much growing in it yet, other than weeds, but I'm optimistic that some of the seeds I planted last week will show their heads some day soon. There are some signs of the potatoes growing up so we might be able to scrap a meal of spuds some day within the next 6 months. Rhubarb is also growing, so that's what we'll have for lunch tomorrow.

I got out!

I arrived at the boarding gate for the plane to Shannon just as they were about to board as my connecting flight was two hours late. My name was called just before I got to the gate so I reported dutifully to the desk. They had been calling for volunteers to accept $500 plus an extra night in New York as the flight was over-booked. I was feeling secure as I had booked in very early, when I checked in at Jacksonville, but the man took my boarding card and tore it up. Eek!!! The next stage was obviously an interrogation, and I began to wonder what misdemeanour or felony I could admit to.

Anyway, joy of joys, they had selected me for an upgrade so he just wanted to print me out a boarding card for my new, elevated, status. Business class is comfortable so it was a nice flight, even though I only got about 2 hours of sleep. Even better, when I collected my car I found the front left tyre had not deflated, as it had done the night before I left, so I was able to drive straight home to bed.

I think it is Saturday. I've just looked at the time and find it is late afternoon. The sun has disappeared but it is still warm out. Tomorrow we are going to go sailing, which should complete the relaxation and make me ready for the week ahead.

Sleepless in Jacksonville

Don't let anyone cod you into believing that Florida is warm and sunny. I know, because I've seen with my own eyes, that it rains and is as cool as in Ireland. In fact, it is probably cooler than it was at home last weekend. I am pleased to learn this, though, as I'm happier when it isn't too hot.

I woke a while ago, expecting it to be time to get up as I felt refreshed. However, I discovered that I had only slept for a couple of hours and there is a long way to go until morning. So, in desperation, I've decided to blog. This happened last night too (not the blogging) and I eventually managed to get back to sleep for another few hours.

Our hotel is in a completely newly built "town centre". A developer decided that he would build what looks like a European town centre with lots of relatively small shops, without the covered mall that is more common in the US. It is a pleasant place to stroll around, though I haven't yet explored the shops. I was walking around the night I arrived and heard the sound of what seemed like a jazz band. I couldn't work out where it was, but it was pleasant so I explored further. In fact the music was coming from outdoor loudspeakers embedded near the ground, located all around the car park I was crossing.

The team training I'm attending is OK. It is interesting to meet all my HR colleagues from around the world but I don't have much interaction with them, or need to, so it is difficult to participate in team building.

I think I'll try to get some sleep again.

It doesn't really seem like Easter

Working on Good Friday in a company that operates 24/7 means that Fridays don't seem like the pre-cursor to the weekend, and this Friday was no different. Most people were at work today, with no obvious gaps in the car park. Mind you, I was one of the last to leave at 5ish, so the good weather encouraged everyone who could go to leave as early as possible.

I did some digging when I got home. The veg plot is nearly all dug now, and the weeds are beginning to grow. My seeds that are planted in the mini-greenhouse show no sign of growing yet. I'm hoping the freezing nights haven't killed them off.

Tomorrow we have to get up at 5am to go to Dublin so that we can join some friends who are moving their narrow-boat out of the city. It will be an interesting journey so they are going to be saddled with us for the day.

Hi Ian

Hi Ian, how are you?

Ironing done, raring to go...

3 weeks worth of ironing done so I'm ready now for the rest of the day. A fresh cup of coffee is brewing and the sun is shining. It's going to be beautiful, though there is still a bit in the air.

I'm trying to teach the dogs that they don't need to defend us from the Martians in the graveyard. Goldie is beginning to understand but Leavy now seems to be taking over. Each time they bark the idea is to distract them, giving them the message that you aren't interested in what is happening outside our garden. I'm doing the distraction by feeding them tiny bits of sausage. It's hard to be consistent in their treatment, though, as I keep getting disturbed for yet another encounter with Martians.

I've been thinking about Pippa and her behaviour on walks. She definitely sees herself as leading them, starting with insisting on choosing her own stick to be thrown for her and refusing to chase any other stick throughout the whole walk. She doesn't come when she is called, unless it suits her, and last week b had got all the way home with the others and had to go back for her. She was still playing in the water at the river and he ended up having to wade in to grab her. She shows agressive behavious towards other dogs who come nearby. It all seems to be a mixture of protectiveness as she sees herself as leader of the pack, but also insisting that as leader she can choose what she wants to do. Definitely a case for a dog psychologist!

No, I'm being too optimistic. Goldie has found his favourite Martian, who digs graves and maintains the area, and got very excited barking at him. This is hard work! I think I'll get out the hoover instead.