A whole month

...since I last posted, and I've discovered that b has removed me from his "always open" menu because he thinks I've given up blogging.

I was up in Dublin yesterday and today. On the way there yesterday I was in a queue to get past an accident in a small village this side of Roscrea. Cars were happily being waved past until an ambulance arrived. It promptly parked across the road, just as I was 2 cars away. Right, I said, have patience, as the injured lady didn't seem too bad and was walking to get into it. But no, a fire brigade then came rushing along and blocked the road even further. I gave up, turned around, and found a side road to avoid the whole thing. As I reached the main road again, along with loads of others who had done the same as me, there were ambulances and fire brigades coming along from the other direction. Too late - the rescue had happened!

This morning I didn't have to be at a meeting until 10.30am so I had a leisurely breakfast with my parents. My father has retired from his voluntary work on Gorta projects committee after over 40 years of service on it. He got a really nice letter of thanks from them, and it sounds like they have something planned to celebrate his 50 years of involvement on the Council of Gorta. He was at a retirement party last week for James Killen, who was the youngest of the lecturers in Trinity Geography department when I was a student. My, I must be getting old! It was a relief to discover that he is actually retiring early (well, 3 years early!).

My mother was excited because a multi-million euro building development has started at the Bloomfield Care Centre, the second phase of the development and one for which they have been granted something like 17 million euro from the Dept of Health.

Robert joined us for a while over breakfast. Rebecca is in her final year at school and is keeping her options open between a career in ballet and a university degree. She has been to London to audition for a ballet school.

b is happily reading a book of Irish poetry just published by John Wyse Jackson and friend, called "from Anonymous to Zozimus". What a fantastic title. b is very excited about going to a party in Norn Irl tomorrow.

Ian got a puncture today on his way home. Luckily I had just arrived back from Dublin when he rang with the news, so I hurried off to collect him. We now need to get a puncture repair kit. At least it's the weekend, so we have a couple of days to mend it.

Dinner is ready, so that's it for now.