Happy St. Patrick's Day!

We woke up to sunshine. The excitement! After giving Lisa a quick ring there was the familiar mad dash out the door to see the parade. So far we have not ventured in to the city with them. I just know the St. Patrick's Day 'Festival' is not what it was when we were kids, where all the little ones were ushered to the front by beaming, well-wishing grown-ups. It was a vaguely down at heel affair with not much more than marching bands and some clowns and funny bicycles, and after that, well, it was companies advertising themselves on floats with about as much imagination as a ham sangwich. But we loved it! I know the parade in Dublin will be great fun when they are older, but for now, Greystones has enough of what we need.



As usual, we missed the first few minutes, but it's the slightly hotch-potch (and I mean this in the best way), slightly innocent everyone doing their bit, everyone doing their best, kind of air about it that I just love. The little ones were enthralled to see a row of vintage tractors or the local Judo Club kids in their suits. They didn't care. And the older ones were delighted to be told they could go off up the main street and meet us later. The freedom!







We always have an icecream after, even if it's about to snow. Today was perfect. A cold wind but warmth in the sun.
Then it was back home for some lunch, which you may read about over on What We Eat!

Happy Pear Day.

Well. It wasn't a happy day. Jay got delayed and there was tears all around yesterday when they woke up to realise it would be another couple of days before we saw him.

So a promise of lunch in the Happy Pear made everyone a bit happier.



I'm holding my breath.

A Note From My Only Girl.

I've been going through the archives. Both at home and in my parents. Oh, the darlings I have found. Including a Note From My Only Girl, age about 7.



good night sloop tight don't let the bed bugs bite

One For Sabine.

Here's a little post for my friend Sabine, who I know is a regular reader.

Now that you are coming home, I won't feel bad about posting pictures like these that might make you very homesick!

A lane in the country that is dear to your heart.



And two little boys who may not remember each other but will no doubt make up for it!



We are all looking forward to seeing you all in the summer!

A Reason To Celebrate.

I think I can safely say I'll be back to daily posting again. With Jay away I find I'm flat out chasing my tail, (at least that's what it mostly feels like) and I lose focus of the fun bits. The inspiration is still there but it just feels like something at the end of my really, really long finger. Plus, without him here I think I kind of float off into insubstantial-land, where there's no ground.

He'll be back tomorrow morning.

And I'll be back too.

So. What to do on a grey, rainy Saturday? It's the first day of the Easter holidays. No school for two whole weeks! Bliss...

We put up our Easter tree.



It's kind of like Christmas when the box is taken out and all those dotey little things we've collected over the years see the light of day again. It didn't happen last year, for the first time ever. The Smallest was only a couple of weeks old and again, it got put on the long finger until it was too late.
So I was determined to get it up this year.



This little chap was very excited as he didn't remember it from before. Each little treasure was oohed and ahhed over. (The 'face' here is because he thought all this meant lots and lots of chocolate. Now.)






Yay! It got done. I have restored my faith in me...