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Sunday, December 28, 2008

Cinderella

Every year almost since Emily was born we have got tickets for the Panto, last year at Jack & the Beanstalk was really the first time that Emily actually interacted with the play, so this year she was all quite prepared for the interaction. The panto is such a brilliant day out both for kids and adults as a lot of the humour is really for Adults and they use everyday situations.

The whole day was full of Excitement, Emily got to wear her favourite Christmas dress again, thank goodness she is getting loads of wear out of it, and off we set to the LUAS station in Milltown to get the LUAS into St. Stephens green.

Mom remembered to pack the old bread this time and we first went to feed the ducks and the swans in the park. Emily is so cute, she tries to ensure that each bird gets their fair share of food and starts shouting at them if they try and steal each others food.Derrick just fed all the pigeons.

We then went off to change some gifts that we had received duplicates of and then to Emily's favourite place for lunch Eddie Rockets, it even has the same initials as her. Once lunch was over we walked up to the Gaiety to see the show.

The theatre was absolutely packed, we all enjoyed ourselves and then headed back to the LUAS and home after a long day, now till next year, I wonder what the Panto is next year?

Friday, December 26, 2008

Boxing Day Pancakes & Fun

Well I'd say the best thing about Emily getting a bike for Christmas is the fact that we will get out of the house more and get more exercise, although she could probably cycle round the neighbour hood, the roads here are quite busy and until she becomes a bit more street wise I would rather take her off to the park.

Marlay park is fast becoming my favourite park, it is probably only about a mile or two from our house, and the park is huge. They have an organic fruit and veg market every Saturday morning, the grounds are huge which incorporates a hockey field, cricket field other fields where they host rock concerts and it is also the start of the Mountain walk, "The wicklow way", which someday I may attempt.

Emily soon found out that having a bike is a cool way to meet other kids especially boys and they can compare bikes and race. D & I will have to get fit to keep up with her or else just have her electronically tagged.

The weather was beautiful and crisp and we had a lovely walk, then Em went to play in the children's playground for a while, and all too soon it was time to go home as we were expecting the Pillays and the Rules for pancakes.

Derrick had promised to do pancakes or should I say I volunteered his services, well we were home literally five minutes when Joe & Carla arrived. D started the pancakes, Malcolm, Natalie and Kirsten had gone to the airport to fetch Don and before they even arrived a whole batch of pancakes had been eaten.

After they arrived another 2 batches were made, it was a really nice afternoon where everyone just congregated in the kitchen.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Christmas Day 2008

So Christmas day finally arrived, Emily only went to bed just before midnight on Christmas Eve, she fell asleep in the car on the way home from Joe & Carla, but woke up when we got home and insisted on a bed time story before going to sleep. Needless to say I was actually awake before her, but she was up by 9, daddy came down and we all opened presents.

Well Em's face was just to sad when she opened the first present and it wasn't a bike or something equally as exciting, just learnt don't give kids clothes for Christmas. Derrick then told her to look at the big thing under the blanket, well when we saw the bike we did not stop smiling the whole day.

So we put the roast on, went for a shower and no sooner did Lisa arrive with her new partner "laughing Elmo", he was so funny. Lisa spoilt us with lots of pressies, I got Jamie Oliver's cook book and a book about Rathfarnham, Dundrum and Stillorgan which is so interesting.

We ate and drank and by 4 o'clock were so stuffed that we decided it was time to go for a walk and Em could take her bike. The picture here is of the road at the back of our house that leads up to the forest and the mountain. Emily part took of a Christmas day spaghetti bolognaise meal! I don't know where the day went but no sooner was it 8 pm and time for Em to go bath, another Christmas over!!

Christmas Eve 2008

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the Pillay house
The pots were a cooking, with much of a rouse
The stockings were hung by the Chimney with Care
In hope that the Rowes and the Rules would be there

Then in not time at all the doorbell did ring
And who should be there the Rowes in their bling
When out in the driveway there arose such a clatter
we sprang from our chairs to see what was the matter


There opening the car door was the rules
with all of their tools


And then in a twinkling we heard with a boast
Come and get it said Carla, here is the roast


We sat at the table all hungry as mice,
Not a murmur was heard just the tinkling of ice
With all of us fed on Butternut Soup
With thought that Joe was going to jump through a hoop
The veggies & roast were just the best
And then we were told you have to wait for the rest


All Emily wanted to do was open some gifts
That Kris Kindle had brought and left with some sifts (?)
We all opened our presents with much glee
And oh wait a pity they weren't all for me
Next to the pudding we all did suppose
The Chocolate mousse was made all by Rose
But little did we know that Carla had made
A ginger pudding which was just the best -wade
We spoke not a word and went straight to our work
Our bellies were filled with o such a jerk
And Natalie, Malcolm, Jessica and Kirsten were all filled with glee
and said who is first to go upstairs and pee!
Then Derrick, Emily and Rose said oh my Jeeves
It is so unfortunate but we must leave

Joe & Carla did exclaim as we drove out of sight

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Goodnight!

THANK YOU JOE & CARLA FOR A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS DINNER!

Tracking Santa

Lisa sent us the web site to see where Santa has been, so we thought we would share it with everyone: www.noradsanta.org

Merry Christmas 2008

To all our friends and family, we would like to wish you a very merry Christmas and all the best for 2009.

It's amazing how another year has crept past so quickly, yet so much has happened, this has been both a trying year and indeed a very successful year for us, we have lost dear friends but have made some new ones.

The year did not get off to a very bright one, and in February my new boss who never really liked me offered me a voluntary redundancy, anyway to cut a very long story short I was absolutely devastated, although I should have seen it coming as every other person who had worked with me before he arrived, had left either by him convincing them that there was no position in the company for them or by just not renewing their contract.

It was absolutely amazing how my friends rallied around me offering me sound advice, and just being there for me. People who have been around for the past 7 years, I got really ill as well and got the worst bout of bronchitis since I gave up smoking 3 years ago. Anyway after loads of discussions with the Director I left the company at the end of June.

In March we went over to the UK on the ferry, decided to spend a week and see old friends, we saw Eric and Margaret who I had met in Australia in 1998 and had not seen them for 10 years, I had been promising them I would visit, Eric who was 82 had been diagnosed with Emphysema and actually passed away a few months later, so it was all part of the big plan for us to see him before he passed on. We also stayed with Guy & Wendy and had snow, since then they have parted company after 10 years but are still good friends. We saw the city of Bath which was amazing, and saw my half sister who is now 88 and her family in Manchester.

In April we went to the Isle of Man, which was very different.

Then in May by sister Irene came over for a holiday, it was a bit of a stressful time for me as I was on Garden leave, trying to pack up house and just in general unsure of what was going to happen to us. However I managed to spend some time with her and we got to see a few places, she also flew over to Manchester and Edinburgh.

Before Irene arrived we had to find a house to buy as there was no way that the bank would give us a mortgage for what we wanted if I was not working, we looked at loads of places and some I was keen on and Derrick wasn't and vice verso. Eventually some time in April we came across the house we are in now, I can't say we fell madly in love with it, but we decided it was the most practical and nicest house we had seen, and best of all it had lovely views of the Dublin / wicklow mountains from the back and was not over looked. So the process began and we got the keys for the house on the beginning of July. Emily was at summer camp for 2 weeks so I could get all the cleaning done and we could move over slowly.

My adoptive mother Irene S. came over in July and gave us a helping hand with the move, we had the worst summer in Ireland as it rained practically every day, and trying to move with the rain is just a bit of a nightmare. Irene was such a help as we had furniture delivered and when I could not be in two places at one time she was there to help out. We finally had the place looking like home and moved in. Irene went off to do some more travelling and a week later D's folks arrived from SA.

We had booked to go to Croatia in January that year, not knowing what was going to be ahead of us, and the tickets & accommodation were paid for so there was no way we were not going to have the holiday, besides by the time the holiday came around I really deserved it and was looking forward to 2 solid weeks of Sunshine, away from the miserable Irish weather, which we got!

We were in Croatia for 2 weeks from the beginning of August and we all loved it, the accommodation was perfect we were across the road from the beach and could go down anytime and swim. We did loads of sight seeing and decided it is on the list of places to go back to.

We were barely back in Ireland when D's folks left to go back to SA, and 2 weeks later Emily started her first day of school. D's folks were a huge help to us and his mom sewed on practically every label on Emily's school uniform.

While we were away on holiday in Croatia, I got a call from a company who wanted me to come and work for them on a contract basis, however they wanted me to have my own company as that way they would not have to get the approval of a headcount from their global head office. So I looked into starting my own company and got all the paper work together and got that off, so that is how Rowe Consultants was born, I decided on the name, so that if D decided at a later stage he wanted to consult he would not have to open his own company but could just work for me ;-) !!!

I put together my first business proposal ever and sent it into the company and it was accepted, so I started working there the middle of September, the great thing is I get to set my own hours (most of the time), so I work from 8 - 1 or 1:30 and then pick up Emily from school and take her home, it all works out well, at the moment anyhow.

The last couple of months have been pretty hectic, with work, school, etc.

Emily is doing very well at school and her teacher is surprised at her ability to learn Irish as neither D nor I speak Irish, she is apparently very good. I think or should I say I hope that she has a flare for languages as she has already learned a bit of Spanish from "Dora the explorer" and can count to 8 in Spanish. I do hope she decides to either to Spanish or French at school.

Her swimming is also coming along really well and the teacher said she may be able to take off the arm bands after Christmas. She participated in her class concert that we went to see, and yesterday at the Christmas Church service at St. Bartholomew's Church in Ballsbridge, she came in holding a candle. Hopefully next year she will be part of the choir as she has such a wonderful voice.
We went to quite a few concerts this year, Def Leppard in Belfast which was amazing! Derrick saw a few of his and then we saw, Swan Lake at the Gaiety and the South African production of the Magic Flute which too was absolutely brilliant. We saw Bruce Springsteen at the RDS what a man!
The best was however Amy's Angel at the Olympia in which Emily took part both as a ballerina and singing. Emily is really talented and loves the Drama, singing and also enjoys painting and drawing.
On Sunday we are going to see the pantomime Cinderella and that will be the concerts for this year, however we already have a few tickets lined up for next year as well as a trip to London on the 14th of February, to meet up with Gwen on the 17th who is coming over for a few days. So folks I have probably left out a whole lot of stuff that we did this year but I am sure that this is the just of it.
Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and looking forward to catching up with you all. May 2009 be happy, healthy and prosperous for us all!

Lots of Love
RED
xoxoxox

Friday, December 19, 2008

Emilia Rocasso


Our budding artist come home with another beautiful picture today! By the way she actually signed her name backwards and it is not the scan.
And the explanation of the picture is: The one with the long curly hair is Em because she wants long curly hair and then there is a BIG flower and then the boy she met today.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Santa Baby ...

Well there was great excitement today, Eugenie phoned me up and said lets take the kids to see Santa at Dundrum after school, so we met up at the school and it was decided that we would not say anything to the kids until they were safely in our cars, otherwise they would get too excited.

So only when we turned left down churchtown road instead of right, did Em actually say to me, Mommy are we going to Dundrum and I said Maybe! Then we turned right into the road to Dundrum and into the parking and Emily said, Mommy is that Maya in the car in front of us, so then I just told her, yes it's Maya and we're taking you to see Santa.

Well the screaming and excitement, I nearly had an accident.

The queue was long getting to see Santa, but we finally did, then went for coffee & Ice creams.


Monday, December 8, 2008

Amy's Angel

I found some clips on YouTube from the performance that Emily took part in, unfortunately non of them are of her, but they are good in any event.



If you go onto Youtube and type in Amy's Angel there are a load of videos, however be warned some of them are not very well recorded.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

Sunday ...

Well we managed to have at least an extra hour lie in this morning, I had volunteered to man a stall at the JS Christmas Fair, so I got up early to start the washing and get myself ready. I also had to give Em a bath and wash her hair as she had about a can of hairspray and glitter in her hair from the Matinee at the Olympia.

Em was quite prepared to stay home instead of coming with, but D decided he wanted to come with, so Em had to as well. It was freezing cold, not quite as freezing as the previous day but practically just as bad. When we arrived at the school they were selling Gluvine, so that was the first thing I did, have a gluvine - this is what Christmas is all about, Breakfast of Bran and then Gluvine, if they had an Irish coffee it would have been even better.
So in we went to look at all the stalls, like most Christmas fairs they have some great stuff and then some really cr*p stuff, I did not end up buying anything except Em's school photos. Carla, Lisa and Natalie came along to lend their support and Natalie ended up going home with the Evil, rugrat and a bottle of wine.
I must say that the hour that I manned the stall was not too busy at all, but after I left and Eugenie took over they were absolutely mobbed, oh yes we had the teddy tombola and tattoo stand.
When we eventually managed to leave, after Em and Maya had gone to story telling time, Em just loves story telling time and if we want to punish her we just have to tell her that there is no story tonight and she gets very upset. She also has a wonderful imagination and can tell great stories herself. Anyway to get back to the leaving part, we stopped in Milltown to by our Christmas tree.
When we got home, I started decorating the tree while D got Em ready for her next performance at the theatre. I did not go with and ended up falling asleep on the couch while D took her. They only got home at 9:30 pm and we had to be up at 6:00 the next morning ready for school.

I was very thankful that the whole performance was now over and no more Song, dance and drama again till next year.