9 December 2007
I have held the giant cat – he is heavy and totally fabulous. Actually, he is best described as a huge ginger Maine Coon. We heard he was dumped last year at the hotel and spent a terribly distressed 24 hours before he calmed down and moved in. To be honest, being dumped at Marlfield House in Gorey (where we have been sojourning) is a joy and, though it is WRONG to ever abandon a lovely creature like that, or any creature for that matter, he fell on his feet. If you could see him you’d be stumped to figure out how anyone could let him go.
By the by, I saw a robin on our rowan tree in the garden recently – it sang a bit (beautiful trills) and flew around and about. Here’s the question – where are robins for the rest of the year? – I never see them during the Summer or whatever – this is probably a totally ignorant question.
Lastly, it’s my fault if you cannot comment using the appropriate box here on the site – it’s a new system and I have to activate it and am getting my head around the instructions – in the meantime do email as always, it’s great to hear from you all.
9 December 2007
off on one of our trips and i have already met a fantastic ginger cat – bushy and a squirrel tail. apparently not allowed to stay / live in the hotel we’re in, though has been adopted by the establishment. also the lady i asked about the cat said the name is milly but she didn’t know if it was a male or female cat – am thinking male as usually gingers are…has a flash of white along his/her front so who knows. cat is wearing a lovely blue collar. will report more presently.
oh, tis the hubby’s birthday which is why the trip and NO CAPITALS – hra!
7 December 2007
Leaarned an interesting thing on the drive back to Dublin from Clifden – apparently Napolean’s horse and those of some of his army were bought at the world famous Ballinasloe horse fair. Who knew? Let it never be said that I don’t enlighten you all…
7 December 2007
In a bit of a bin today as was in Clifden* last night to host a fashion show with the proceeds going to World Vision Ireland of which I am a patron, along with the lovely Victoria Smurfit. Fab event, with the ladies (for it was women, women, women, hurrah) donating funds, having laugh and then doing some retail therapy. As I pointed out, sustained aid is what we want to give to Africa and is the only meaningful way forward – helping a community become self sufficient for example) so there’s no need for sackcloth and ashes, just regular generosity and guiltfree enjoyment along with it. But, as I say, there’s always a price to be paid and I am now feeling the many hours of great chat into the night that I had (and loved) and wondering WHY? Actually, nothing a nice snooze won’t cure, so I’ll sign off and make for the train and tuck in a wee siesta.
- Still in Clifden e’en as I write but cranking into action
5 December 2007
I am beginning to get very panicky about how little time there is before Christmas hits and how many of the days are already accounted for between events that have to be attended and attended to (hubby’s birthday, par example) and the gifts that must be got and the visits that must be made, then myself and Rich usually take off for a wee while around the New Year and then suddenly it’ll be time to start re-rehearsals for The Taming Of The Shrew which will then tour Ireland for 5 weeks and suddenly it will be the end of February and I am supposed to finish my novel in the midst of all of this. I know it’s wrong and counter productive to panic but I cannot help myself. In the meantime, though, it’s going quite well…swings, roundabouts, carrots, sticks, reward, punishment, etc, eh? Another verse of the human condition.
Oh, and the vacuum cleaner has decided to go on strike and the lights in the dining area are all blown as are most of those in the bathroom.
4 December 2007
The rain is LASHING down in the fierce wind outside so it’s nice to be inside in the warm with the roof repairs holding. When I was a kid I quite liked nights like this because I knew I was safe at home with my Mam and Dad. Slightly different now as am in my own gaff and to be honest with another year coming to a close I cannot help but feel priviliged to have all that I do (even if I am missing a father now and wish I wasn’t, and a small black cat) and feeling guilty about all who don’t have even the basics. I hate the unneccessary excess of Christmas and think I might start giving to all the good charities out there tomorrow to stave off the feeling that we are wasting so much. AND I am sticking to a modest budget for gifts over the season. Then I’ll feel a reason to be jolly.
3 December 2007
By the by, you may have noticed an invitation to comment on the side now – the lovely Lisa at Bite Design has set it up to beless formal than the original system of emailing in (some of you were feeling like stalkers, so I hope this assuages any of that). Let me know what you think of it.
3 December 2007
Big day today – got a lot of writing done, read some of a Daniel Silva novel I am enjoying (complete antidote to what I am doing, so much appreciated) and the watched The Third Man. What a wonderful movie. As you all know Richard is running a Classics series in the house. The thing that strikes me again and again is that a lot of the films we’re watching are much longer than those being made now. Don’t get me wrong, they don’t feel long, it’s just that afterwards you look at the clock and find you’ve been engrossed for at least two hours. I suppose it’s 90 minutes now because the modern attention span is different? I remember going to the cinema when I was a kid and there’d be supporting films also on the bill which was amazing value for money though I never realsied it at the time.
2 December 2007
I have been on a whirlwind mini tour of Ireland. Part of that included a great wedding. I danced about late into the night with the father of the bride, who is a really good mover, and he says the secret is one step to the left and two to the right and off you go, no matter what the dance. He seems to have been correct as we were like Fred and Ginger out there. It was very noticeable that the older generation there were good dancers and quite formal whereas the rest of us were just bouncing around. In fact, these days, to be able to jive is a formal enough routine. I’d like to be able to, though. I once did a show (YEARS ago now) that involved ballroom dancing and I loved learning the steps. Bloody good for the figure too as we were excercising muscles we didn’t know we had. The only drawback? Having to go around with ‘up’ hair for weeks looking like a rather poor bridesmaid who’d forgotten to put her make-up on – the up hairdo needs the full slap on the visog.
Simon has not been in touch. I’m beginning to think he doesn’t love me anymore…
30 November 2007
He is a wonderful kisser and that’s all I am willing to part with at this point. He invited me to his 30th birthday (yeah, I know) and when we arrived together I didn’t know if I was to sit at the big table with him or not (those awkward, early moments of a relationship) so I made my way elsewhere. I ended up admiring and carrying around Scary Spice’s baby girl then Simon arrived to talk to his guests on our end and asked me why I wasn’t sitting beside him. I returned to the main hub of the action with him, both of us a bit in love to be honest, at which point people realised we were together and a problem reared its head – I am married, I thought, and this will be in the papers…
I woke up. With Richard. Who thinks the whole thing so hilarious he insisted I write this immediately before I forgot it. And he says if I do get the chance to run off with Simon I should and he won’t hold it against me.
So when people ask how I hooked up with Simon Cowell I can tell them he was nice to me, and they’ll say ‘in your dreams’ and I can truthfully say ‘yes, literally, in my dreams’
Phew!
Make of the above what you will, but if it does reveal that I am a lunatic in deep psychological trouble I guess you’d best let me know. And if it means I am to be the new Mrs Cowell, all the better- Bring. It. On.