I've spent the last 2 days being brought around Toronto and surrounding areas. I started to say that I had been exploring the area but that wouldn't be correct. Exploring would imply that I was in control and doing what I wanted to do, but this wasn't the case. However, it was good to see what I was shown.
On Sunday a colleague who lives in Toronto brought 2 of us to see around the city. It is a clean place, and there is an unusual mix of high buildings and ordinary-sized ones. Our hotel is located near the university. It has buildings that seem to be modelled on Oxford and Cambridge, which makes the area look very English. Opposite our hotel is a museum that has what Prince Charles would call a carbuncle sticking out of it. The building is old and this sticky-out metallic structure has been built onto it. It is actually quite nice, though it wouldn't have got planning permission in Ireland.
We also saw:
- the CNN tower, from below
- the Distillery area, which is an area that presumably used to be a distillery and is now occupied by craft type enterprises, but has retained cobbled streets around the red brick buildings
- an area called Beach, which is near the Lake Ontario waterfront and has nice lake walks. One woman was walking 6 well-behaved dogs there, and they weren't getting mixed up in their leads. She said that 3 were her dogs, and she was "dog-sitting" for the other three.
- the harbour-front in Toronto city, seeing some nice boats, though not as many as I would have expected to see. A short visit to the Tilley shop was nice, but my colleagues weren't too interested so I felt I couldn't explore it fully.
- China town. This is an amazing area of small shops and there were loads of hippy type people as well as Chinese buying from fruit and other stalls.
- and, we finished at a jazz session in a small pub, with a pleasant jazz group playing Django Reinhardt music.
On return to the hotel at about 6pm we were too tired to go out to eat a meal, so stayed in for one. I was asleep by about 8.30pm.
Yesterday I went with a UK colleague to Niagara Falls. We went on a tour bus. A lot of time was spent travelling, though it was the first time I had done the touristy type of things when visiting Niagara, so was quite interesting. The highlight was the trip on a boat right up to the base of the falls. We were kitted out in plastic macs as it was very wet! The power of the water is amazing, and it wasn't possible to see all of the top of the falls due to the amount of misty spray.
Today meetings start so I don't think I'll get to do the shopping in Tilley's that I would like to have done. However, you never know - maybe if I can escape this evening.....
Tuesday 6 May 2008
Friday 2 May 2008
Since then...
We've been to Wales and had a lovely weekend, C has been offered a job in the Civil Service fast stream, and now I'm off to Toronto tomorrow. I'm sad to be missing a nice long weekend at home but will make the most of it by using the free day before business starts to explore Toronto. We might even get to Niagara Falls on Monday as one of my HR colleagues is keen to go there.
I know it is hard to believe but this week I have been home every evening - no committees or other commitments, just a nice trip home to b and I. The weather hasn't been superb so I haven't made great use of the evenings, except for watching Heroes yesterday! I came home promptly today and did some gardening. The men of the house are under instruction to water plants and to pick up the dogs' unmentionables while I'm away. I must take photos of the greenhouse and post them here. I've managed to grow lots of seeds successfully and hope to have almost too many plants to set out. Today I planted out runner beans that had grown nicely in the warmth. Tomatoes are doing well, though I'll keep them in the greenhouse to ensure a good crop.
Other seeds that are growing in the greenhouse include leeks, broccoli (there is a great crop of purple sprouting broccoli to eat from last year's sowing at the moment), lettuce, peas, sweet corn, courgettes, herbs.
b is off exploring canals with various people who have travelled down in their barges to Limerick today. We'll probably go out for a meal when he gets home.
That's it for now.
I know it is hard to believe but this week I have been home every evening - no committees or other commitments, just a nice trip home to b and I. The weather hasn't been superb so I haven't made great use of the evenings, except for watching Heroes yesterday! I came home promptly today and did some gardening. The men of the house are under instruction to water plants and to pick up the dogs' unmentionables while I'm away. I must take photos of the greenhouse and post them here. I've managed to grow lots of seeds successfully and hope to have almost too many plants to set out. Today I planted out runner beans that had grown nicely in the warmth. Tomatoes are doing well, though I'll keep them in the greenhouse to ensure a good crop.
Other seeds that are growing in the greenhouse include leeks, broccoli (there is a great crop of purple sprouting broccoli to eat from last year's sowing at the moment), lettuce, peas, sweet corn, courgettes, herbs.
b is off exploring canals with various people who have travelled down in their barges to Limerick today. We'll probably go out for a meal when he gets home.
That's it for now.
Sunday 20 April 2008
First Limerick Monthly Meeting since 1957
Today approximately 30 people attended Limerick Meeting and we reinstated Limerick Monthly Meeting, which last met in 1957. Most of the people there today are closely involved with Limerick, though there was 1 person from Clifden, 1 from Dublin and 2 from Waterford. When we moved to Limerick nearly 21 years ago a small group used to meet once a month in someone's house. It's great to see the interest come back gradually since then. We are now in our new Meeting House for 11 years - doesn't time fly?
C is on her way to Londinium to visit the Cabinet Office. It's very exciting. Even if she doesn't get selected to a position she'll get a chance to see inside buildings she may never get a chance to see otherwise. I hope they realise that this is their one and only chance to get a superb employee, a chance they would be crazy to miss.
C is on her way to Londinium to visit the Cabinet Office. It's very exciting. Even if she doesn't get selected to a position she'll get a chance to see inside buildings she may never get a chance to see otherwise. I hope they realise that this is their one and only chance to get a superb employee, a chance they would be crazy to miss.
Saturday 19 April 2008
Wales here we come....
This time next week we'll be in Wales. We're going there to buy towels. Well, that is what Ian and I decided this morning when we couldn't get any decent ones in Limerick. Incidentally, while we are there, we'll visit C and friends.
Ian has decided that his soft skin doesn't like the hard towels his parents insist on having in the house. He apparently had some nice ones once, but someone living in Wales took them with her. Hmm, maybe that means there aren't nice ones to be bought in Wales.
Broad beans, scarlet runners, lettuce, spinach and beetroot are all planted out in the cold garden now. The cold weather may mean that some never get out of their seeds, and those planted as seedlings will have to struggle to survive. My back-up plan, though, is to continue to grow seedlings in the greenhouse. At the moment I'm struggling to find enough pots in which to grow my tomato plants. Just wait until the ones that are still too small to re-pot need something big. Then I'll have a trifid house. It's all very exciting.
Still no boating - but there is some progress on getting people to do the work that was due to be done over the winter period. It is possible that we will be able to use it by the end of May. We might even manage to get a holiday on it in June, if we are very lucky.
Ian has decided that his soft skin doesn't like the hard towels his parents insist on having in the house. He apparently had some nice ones once, but someone living in Wales took them with her. Hmm, maybe that means there aren't nice ones to be bought in Wales.
Broad beans, scarlet runners, lettuce, spinach and beetroot are all planted out in the cold garden now. The cold weather may mean that some never get out of their seeds, and those planted as seedlings will have to struggle to survive. My back-up plan, though, is to continue to grow seedlings in the greenhouse. At the moment I'm struggling to find enough pots in which to grow my tomato plants. Just wait until the ones that are still too small to re-pot need something big. Then I'll have a trifid house. It's all very exciting.
Still no boating - but there is some progress on getting people to do the work that was due to be done over the winter period. It is possible that we will be able to use it by the end of May. We might even manage to get a holiday on it in June, if we are very lucky.
Sunday 13 April 2008
A busy week over
It is a nice peaceful Sunday and so far I have bumbled about in the garden sowing seeds, cutting the neighbour's tree and doing my favourite weekly "dog" task. I also brought the dogs for a walk down to the river before it got too busy with Sunday walkers. It's sunny still, but every now and again a cloud looms up and I suspect that we will have rain later in the day.
Yesterday's School Committee went well, and was finished by 4.15pm. b drove down, and Ian came too, so it was an outing for all. I had been to Waterford twice already this week so it was nice to be driven. On the way home we stopped to eat in "The Thatch" at Grannagh. The owner chatted to us and it transpires that he is a Newtown parent. They're all over the place!
The next few weekends will be busy too. Next Sunday is the first meeting of Limerick Monthly Meeting for over 50 years so that will mean a shared lunch and such like. The following week we head to Wales (yippee, at last) and then the weekend after that I have to go to Toronto. On my return home there is the Special Olympics weekend hosted by Vistakon so I will help at that on the Sunday. Hopefully our boat will be ready in time for the following weekend so that we can relax and enjoy it.
Yesterday's School Committee went well, and was finished by 4.15pm. b drove down, and Ian came too, so it was an outing for all. I had been to Waterford twice already this week so it was nice to be driven. On the way home we stopped to eat in "The Thatch" at Grannagh. The owner chatted to us and it transpires that he is a Newtown parent. They're all over the place!
The next few weekends will be busy too. Next Sunday is the first meeting of Limerick Monthly Meeting for over 50 years so that will mean a shared lunch and such like. The following week we head to Wales (yippee, at last) and then the weekend after that I have to go to Toronto. On my return home there is the Special Olympics weekend hosted by Vistakon so I will help at that on the Sunday. Hopefully our boat will be ready in time for the following weekend so that we can relax and enjoy it.
Sunday 6 April 2008
Happy birthday to b
Well, it's really exciting to know that it is b's birthday. He hasn't received any presents from any of us (well, Ian has just come back with some jelly babies from the shop for him), but we all told him to have a happy day and then sent him off in the hailstones to walk the dogs. We're kind like that.
I've been cleaning the house today. Ian picked up all the stuff from the floor of his bedroom and I thus managed to hoover the floor. I also went around with a cloth to surfaces that didn't know what a cloth looks like until today. Poor cloth - it is a bit on the black side.
We didn't get the threatened bad weather, except for a couple of small hail showers, but it may be cold tonight and tomorrow. I'm hoping my greenhouse will look after my seeds, and have covered some of them with the green cloth thing that wrapped our
Easter eggs, for extra protection. I planted a blueberry bush yesterday but think it might be hardy enough to endure a cold spell.
The Polish painter came, as promised. He rang to say it would be 6pm before he came, and so it was. He will get back to me with a quotation later in the week. He has a day job, it seems, so this would be done in the evenings and at weekends.
I'll sign off now until next Sunday at the earliest. Committee meetings will dominate this week, but they'll be over by Saturday evening so I'll be able to relax.
I've been cleaning the house today. Ian picked up all the stuff from the floor of his bedroom and I thus managed to hoover the floor. I also went around with a cloth to surfaces that didn't know what a cloth looks like until today. Poor cloth - it is a bit on the black side.
We didn't get the threatened bad weather, except for a couple of small hail showers, but it may be cold tonight and tomorrow. I'm hoping my greenhouse will look after my seeds, and have covered some of them with the green cloth thing that wrapped our
Easter eggs, for extra protection. I planted a blueberry bush yesterday but think it might be hardy enough to endure a cold spell.
The Polish painter came, as promised. He rang to say it would be 6pm before he came, and so it was. He will get back to me with a quotation later in the week. He has a day job, it seems, so this would be done in the evenings and at weekends.
I'll sign off now until next Sunday at the earliest. Committee meetings will dominate this week, but they'll be over by Saturday evening so I'll be able to relax.
Saturday 5 April 2008
John is a window cleaner
I was obviously in optimistic mood last night. John doesn't cut grass or clean ovens, but he lives up the road in Letty's house and has a van that says he cleans windows. He is going to clean our windows on Wednesday.
Also, the man who made our gate is going to make another one, this time for the side entrance to replace the wooden one that Goldie has attempted to chew apart. He broke his foot 2 months ago, but is now better, so can do his nixers again.
I also got a recommendation on a Polish painter who I rang today to ask for a quotation for painting the outside of the house. He said he'd call at 4pm tomorrow. That makes a change from the normal guys, who promise to turn up if they get a chance 4 weeks later, and then have to be reminded and may never come. I have a feeling this guy will keep his promise.
Ian and I went up to Kilgarvan and cut lots of grass this morning. It was nice and sunny, though the grass was wet. The daffodils are lovely there at the moment. We didn't bring any home, though, as they are fully out so wouldn't last more than a day if we picked them. Ian used the new ride-on mower, and was a dab hand at it. He managed to get pretty close to trees and edges so that I didn't have too much to do with the push mower. We finished at about the same time and were home for a late lunch.
I also cleaned the oven this morning. That means the two tasks I had set myself for the weekend are complete. Now all I have to do are the routine ones, in theory. However, I've done a big chopping of the vegetation on the pergola and then planted lots of things in the greenhouse. I don't think these things are routine, but they do need doing. I suppose I'd better do things like washing and ironing and hoovering and yucky stuff tomorrow.
Of course, tomorrow is b's birthday. I suspect we'll celebrate it in the normal way that we celebrate....
Also, the man who made our gate is going to make another one, this time for the side entrance to replace the wooden one that Goldie has attempted to chew apart. He broke his foot 2 months ago, but is now better, so can do his nixers again.
I also got a recommendation on a Polish painter who I rang today to ask for a quotation for painting the outside of the house. He said he'd call at 4pm tomorrow. That makes a change from the normal guys, who promise to turn up if they get a chance 4 weeks later, and then have to be reminded and may never come. I have a feeling this guy will keep his promise.
Ian and I went up to Kilgarvan and cut lots of grass this morning. It was nice and sunny, though the grass was wet. The daffodils are lovely there at the moment. We didn't bring any home, though, as they are fully out so wouldn't last more than a day if we picked them. Ian used the new ride-on mower, and was a dab hand at it. He managed to get pretty close to trees and edges so that I didn't have too much to do with the push mower. We finished at about the same time and were home for a late lunch.
I also cleaned the oven this morning. That means the two tasks I had set myself for the weekend are complete. Now all I have to do are the routine ones, in theory. However, I've done a big chopping of the vegetation on the pergola and then planted lots of things in the greenhouse. I don't think these things are routine, but they do need doing. I suppose I'd better do things like washing and ironing and hoovering and yucky stuff tomorrow.
Of course, tomorrow is b's birthday. I suspect we'll celebrate it in the normal way that we celebrate....
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