New Year Countdown ... 2010

May your dreams bring you all the happiness you could hope for, may your heart be filled with gratitude, may every sunrise hold the happiest surprises, may you have peace of mind, may you feel good about yourself and may your heart overflow with more smiles, joy and laughter than it can hold.

May the year that waits to unfold be filled with more wonderful adventures and exciting experiences than you can ever imagine, you deserve all this and more ... (Jason Blume)

Happy 2010 to all my wonderful friends!!!!

Planet51

I took Em to see this yesterday along with Mandy and the kids and I think we all enjoyed it thoroughly defenitely worth going to see.

Watch the trailer here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqsANwvBYpA

Is there a recesion or isn't there?

Last year by the beginning of December, Ireland was preaching doom and gloom and nobody was spending money. The sales already started way before Christmas and the shops were empty, even Grafton Street seemed dead compared to other years. Then during the year, the whole Bank saga was uncovered, companies were closing, more doom and gloom we were in a recession.

However I am not sure what happened but I know our circumstances haven't changed but suddenly there seems to be an overwhelming amount of cash out there, people are queuing and fighting to get into the shops and it started weeks ago. Today I took Em to the movies at Dundrum and thank goodness I got there early, i.e. I was there for 10 a.m. by the time we left at 03:30 p.m. you couldn't see a parking space. Cars were queued up outside all the way back to the M50 it was like the shops were going to shut and never open again, and apparently it has been like that since boxing, sorry St. Stephens day.

Anyway I must tell you about the movie we saw which I thoroughly enjoyed and wish D had been there to see it, definitely one I will get on DVD when it comes out.

Our Christmas Day 2009

Christmas is so nice when you have children in the house. Although D told Em that the rule was breakfast first and then open presents. It never happened; Em was awake at 7:00 a.m. which was quite a decent hour considering it was Christmas.

She came through to wake us and we all went down stairs. Santa had been good and dropped off lots of little presents and some big ones too. He even delivered presents from Granny and Grandpa in South Africa and from Emily's Fairy Godmother also in SA. And there were presents from Auntie Wendy sent from Australia who never forgets a Birthday or Christmas present.

The excitement was just too much, Em got a "Baby Born" from Santa and the Bath set to go with her from Granny and Grandpa and a Horse riding outfit from her Auntie Gwenie. A scooter from Mom & Dad, clothes from auntie Wendy and sweets, then books, bubble bath, stickers and more stickers, a pink spatula, a pen with a fan and just load and loads of stuff.

Dad got a voucher for photography lessons with a freelance photographer, a calendar, a DIY book a calendar from Em and Moi, and a bottle of Captain Morgan spiced gold from Lisa.

Mom got loads of perfume and my negative scanner as well as Robbie Williams new CD, and from Lisa I got 2 lovely books and a beautiful calendar.

So we were all thoroughly spoilt. Luckily we had prepared all the food for Christmas the night before, so it was really a matter of sticking everything in the oven and then just waiting around till it was all ready. I had made the chocolate mousse the previous evening. So everything was in the oven and we all went and got dressed.

This year as none of us eat Turkey we decided to try a goose, a little extravagant, but we decided that we did not get a real tree this year so we could spend the money on a goose. I also ordered a free range goose from the butcher, I looked on the net how to cook one and they are supposed to be very fatty birds, but in this case the bird was not as fatty as what I had expected, most of the fat was under the skin on the back and the skin is as hard as leather once you have cooked it so you discard that and also pour off the fat every hour or so.

I think we may have cooked it too long and too high a temperature, because it was rather tough and a little dry, so I guess I really should have just cooked the chicken, oh well we live and learn. Lisa loved it and raved about my veggies which I must admit I love too. I did honey roasted carrots and parsnips and roasted vegetables with a blue cheese dressing, cauliflower with cheese sauce and we attempted to roast potatoes as well, but weren't very successful with that either.

Desert was Chocolate Mousse followed by Kaluha coffees.

Last year we went for a walk after lunch, however this year it has been so cold that even on Christmas day the temperature did not get much above 1 degree. Quite honestly it is the coldest winter D and I have experienced in the 9 we have had here.

And all too soon it was over, but Em is thoroughly enjoying her presents and don't know what came over dad, but she even has permission to ride her scooter in the house.

Oh I almost forgot, we have had our computer set up with a camera for Skype for the last month, so D's dad went out and got a camera and got his Skype working, so Christmas day we got to say hello to the whole family in SA, which was absolutely wonderful - isn't technology fantastic.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas Everyone, hope Santa was as good to you as he was to us!

Christmas Get Together

Let me start at the begining, almost 8 and a half years ago I started working in Dublin, the team I worked with were all of various ages but mostly we all got on very well.  Over the years most of us have left that company and gone on to other things but have managed to stay in touch.  About 4 years ago we started out with Trish's housewarming BBQ which then turned into an annual event, however it was passed over in 2009 because the Rowes were not there to co ordinate.

We also try and get together every couple of months for a dinner out, and the most we have been able to get together at one time is about 6 people.  Then in 2007, I organised a Christmas get together at the Italin restaurant in the Latin Quarter and since then we did one in 2008 at Cafe Leon and this year at The Farm Restuarant in Dawson Street, this year there were 10 of us and some of the people we would only see once a year at these events. 

It is so nice because it is really like a reunion of family members.  This year we saw Miriam who I probably haven't seen for about 18 months as she wasn't at last years get together. 

D dropped me off at the LUAS in Milltown last night at about 6:00 ish and of course from there it takes no time to get in.  Once in I wondered round the streets of mad panic Christmas shoppers, I think I went down an inch of Grafton street and then took a side road to get away form the madness.  It was too cold to just stand around waiting and I did try and go into HMV just to browse round the books and CD's but after taking one look at the thousands of people inside I gave that a miss.

I ended up at the food court in St. Stephens green shopping centre having a coffee and watching over the crowds in Grafton street.  I send Bob, Damo and Trish a text and within a few minutes Damo & Trish had met me there.  We left and went down to the Duke pub, somehow walking into a crowded pub is much nicer than walking into a crowded shop.  We managed to grab a beer, then got a text from Bob to say him and Gabo were at Cafe-en-Seine, but they soon joined us at the Duke, before we knew it, it was time to leave for the restaurant.

The Farm was booked for 07:30 pm and when we arrived some of our crowd were already there, before we knew it everyone had arrived and it was so nice.  The food was out of this world and the company matched by it, before we knew it, we were the last ones in the restaurant and time to move on.  Almost everyone went their merry ways except for Juno, Bob, Damo and myself we ended up at "The Bar with No Name" which is opposite the Market bar, we wanted to go to the Market bar but they had closed at 11:30 and it was now just after midnight. 

But the bar with no name had such a nice atmosphere and we even managed to get seating albeit int he smoking area, we chatted and at about 2:00 a.m. we all decided it was probably time to head home, my 3rd really late night out this year, it seems to becoming a habit.

I can't wait for our next get together now, roll on summer let the BBQ's begin!

Santa Claus is coming to town ...

My current favourite Song & Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyg3RtALnwg

Only you know me, from his Album reality killed the Video star!

Santa Baby ... Hurry down the chimney tonight!

So I think I have all my Christmas shopping done and dusted, luckily I did not have too many people to buy for, however I probably would have forgotten someone I am sure.

So what does Rosieroo want for Christmas?  Well the fact is I don't really need anything although it would be nice to get some speakers for my New PC which incidentally did not come with speakers, so you have to use a head set to listen to anything.

Snow on Christmas day would be nice, just like the Vodafone Ad on TV. 

Could do with a new pair of slippers!

Oh yes, a negative scanner so I can scan all those old negatives in but it has to be one that works with Windows 7 - talking of which I still need to install that, must make a list - Things to be done over the Christmas break.

I managed to clean out a few cupboards tonight which is a start, it was a toss up between Clean or go drinking with the new work mates at the Hairy Lemon, I am so sad ... the cleaning took priority. 

Oh yes need to wrap presents, all Emily's ar wrapped now to do the others!

Buh-bum.. buh-bum...

Santa baby, just slip a sable under the tree, for me

Been an awful good girl

Santa baby so hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa baby, a '54 convertible too, light blue,

I'll wait up for you dear

Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Think of all the fun I've missed,

Think of all the fellows that I haven't kissed

Next year I could be just as good

If you check off my christmas list

Santa baby, I want a yacht and really thats not a lot

Been an angel all year

Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa honey, one little thing I really need, the deed

To a platinum mine,

Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa cutie, and fill my stocking with a duplex and cheques,

Sign your x on the line

Santa cutie, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Come and trim my chirstmas tree,

With some decorations bought at Tiffany's

I really do believe in you,

Let's see if you believe in me

Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing, a ring,

I don't mean on the phone,

Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight

Hurry down the chimney tonight

Hurry, tonight.

Our Weekly Weather Forecast

I feel cold for Friday already, although I see it has changed from -4 to -2 in the matter of 4 hours!  Feeling warmer already!

That Christmas feeling

In SA it was easy to have that non Christmas feeling, I remember when we were kids our parents always took us for a drive through town, down Commissioner street, up Market Street and down Eloff street to see all the decorations.  The streets would light up every night from round the 1st week of December, and then of course there was the Christmas bus, which was a bus that was decorated with all kinds of Christmas stuff and travelled to the various suburbs, you would look in the newspaper to see when it was going to be in your area and all the kids would go along to have a look, sometimes you even got to climb in the bus.

Then the highlight was Joubert park, which was done out with all kinds of Christmas stuff, and that would mean another trip into town to go and walk around the park and look at all the decorations and of course there would be Carol singers as well.  So loads of stuff was going on.   All the shops in town would decorate their windows, and we would go window shopping to look at all the decorations.  And there was Buks who would ride around on his red truck dressed as Santa and throw toys and sweets to all the kids.

But then as we got older a lot of the stuff was done away with, either because things were being stolen or they didn't have enough money to put the lights up or of course to be politically correct and if they had to go all out for a Christian holiday what would they do for all the other religions, so eventually majority of places just stopped.  I don't even think the shops decorate their windows anymore, but it is so long ago that I was there at Christmas I have forgotten, I seem to remember the malls having decorations.

So in Ireland it is so great to see the things I grew up with and let Emily experience them too, and the best thing about Christmas is that it is cold, so you can eat a hot dinner and drink mulled wine and enjoy it.

Emily has had quite an adventurous build up so far and it is still over a week to Christmas, besides doing the Santa train and seeing Santa at Daddy's work, we took her off to Phoenix park on Sunday, to Farmleigh where they were having a Christmas market, Carol singers, Santa, and FREE horse and carriage rides, which we did not get to go on, however we left and went to Milanos on the Quays for lunch and then went to the another Christmas market at the CHQ building.

We also got a geat view of the New Samuel Beckett bridge, which I actually got to drive over on Saturday after picking Em up form a birthday party, but Lisa will tell you it was an illegal left turn onto the bridge at that.

Em got her face painted at Milano's and then got to go on several rides at the market, the place was jam packed but wonderful.  It was a great build up to Christmas, however I am still running out of time, presents to buy, lunch to organise and not planned or done a thing yet.

Anyway here are some of the photos that D and I took on Sunday, I took a special one for Terri, the Dublin sunset with a Guinness tanker.  Oh yes and the 98 Thunder bus was there too.

Real or Fake

I was tossing between whether to have a real tree this year or a fake one, I eventually decided on fake and was all set to go and buy a new one, as the only one we have is a 4ft little tree we brought over from SA, which D & I bought the first year we got married, we paid a huge amount of  R209 for.  

So this week they were advertising 20% off at woodies on all Christmas trees and 50% of decorations, so after the grocery shop I swung past there only to discover that 20% of €250 still means we end up paying €200 for a tree, there were others for round €69 but they had hardly any branches.  

I eventually gave up looking and after getting a few decorations came home, I decided our little 4ft tree from SA on top of the coffee table would look almost 7ft anyway, so we took it out of the cupboard dusted it off and put it up.

New decorations
I try and collect most of my Christmas tree decorations form different countries, I don't believe in having a perfect tree where all the decorations match, our have weird and wonderful ones.  This year not acquiring any from our travels, I did pick up some at woodies, a pair of matching Manchester United glass bauble type things, a post box, 2 letters, some new Santies, Cinderella for Emily and a few others.

Some of my old ones are the ones we bought in New York at Christmas in 2007, Santa climbing up the Empire state building, and up the statue of liberty and of course the yellow cab.  Oh and the Angel at the top of our tree we bought at the Christmas market in Brussells in December 2002, just some of my favourites.

D & Em's Week-End

So while I was having a week-end of Luxury down in Kilkenny, D & Em had loads of plans too.  On Saturday morning instead of Em going off to Drama as normal, she went with Isabel and Teresa on the Santa train to Manooth.  They caught the train at Pearse Street at 9:35 and were away for 2 hours, then when they got back, they went to D's work for a Christmas party as well, got loads of presents and were thoroughly spoilt.

At about 2:30 they all left Dublin and headed down to Thomastown to stay with T & P until I met them on Sunday at Mount Juliet.

A Christmas party to top all Christmas parties

I have not had the time to sit down and write about my wonderful week-end until now.  Wow, what a week-end is all I can say, the company I am currently working for do not do things in half measures.

The last week of November I was at the office and of course the talk was about the Christmas party, I had arranged with one of the ladies from work to get a lift down with her and then D & Em would be coming down to Thomastown on the Saturday night and I would get a lift back with them on Sunday.  So everything was organised until Thursday when my boss called me and said that I am needed at the client on the Friday, which really put a spanner in the works, anyway it turned out that D & Em would go down with our friends Paddy & Teresa and Isabel and I would drive myself down on Friday night and then we all come back together in my car on Sunday, all's fine except I have not driven myself anywhere off the beaten track in Ireland before.

So armed with my Sat Nav, I packed the car on Friday morning and headed off to the client with all intentions of leaving Dublin about 3 which meant that I would get to Thomastown at about 4:30.  As we all know nothing works to plan, I headed out of Dublin at 3 ish but got stuck in mad Friday afternoon traffice and by the time I hit the N7 it was already 4:30, I knew that part of the road as I had driven down to Kildaire Village twice and once pretty recently.  The only problem was 4:30 December it is dark, the road was fine until I had to turn off towards Kilkenny and to top it all it started raining and the road narrowed to a country lane and it was PITCH dark, I have never ever driven in blackness like it before in my life. 

To cut a long story short I ended up on the new motorway near Carlow which my sat nav didn't recognise and kept telling me to turn back which I eventually did, but in actually fact I wasted half an hour because I didn not need to turn back, and then by the time I got down to Thomastown the road and the River were flooded.

I finally reached my destination at about 6:30.  Got to the reception and checked in and the porter drove in front of me to the cottage I was staying in.  In the rain you couldn't see much, but we got to the cottage and he took my bags in, wow as you came in there were stairs going up and at the top was a huge passage and reception area, going off the reception area was two en-suite bedrooms and then a huge lounge with a fire place and two balconies, then a dining room off to the side and a kitchen - awesome.

The porter lit the fire for me, I was going to go and have a shower but decided just to relax after my hectic drive and have a glass of wine.  Slowly one by one everyone arrived, I was sharing a room with Elaine and the other room was reserved for Dermott who was only arriving on the Saturday night.  Eventually after everyone arrived we went down to the Club house for dinner, I had a bottle of wine to myself as no one else wanted white wine, oh yes not everyone came to dinner there were those that decided the pub in town sounded like a better bet, but most of us stayed behind - after Dinner we went through to the bar to finish our drink and then at about 1 a.m. decided it was probably time to retire.

However, this was not to be as when we walked past Kieran's cottage it looked like they were having a party so we knocked on the window and were all invited in, needless to say by that stage everyone was well toasted, so that was the start of the rest of the evening which ended with people peeling off to bed slowly, I remember leaving with Dianne at about 4:30 and then getting to bed at about 4:45 only to be up at 9:00 to have a shower and go with some of the girls for breakfast. 

We had breakfast and then most of the girls left to go into town while I sat with Justyna while she ate breakfast and then slowly the late revellers from the previous night came into breakfast, it was quite funny seeing them look really awful, and I actually didn't have a hangover at all.  I think we eventually left the dining room at about 11:30 only to have to be back in the clubhouse for 12:00 to go Clay pigeon shooting and Archery.

The driver took us to the fields for the Shooting and Archery and we were split into two teams of 7 oh yes there were 19 of us, but one had to rush back to Dublin to catch a flight, 2 were playing golf and 2 were sleeping away their hangovers.  So in the fine misty rain we get to do the shooting first, it was fun but I had never really hed a gun in before let alone a shotgun, there were various different shots we had to do and I hit nothing.  We moved to a different place where the clay pigeons basically rolled on the ground and you had to shoot at them, I still got nothing.  We went back to the first place and had to do a double shot one straight ahead and one up in the air and guess what I got 2.  So out of 25 shots I hit 2 - whopee.

Once that was over we headed down to the archery, once the instructor showed us what to do we had some practice rounds, and guess what I got a bulls eye, not only that I managed to hit every circle on the board - so I guess it turns out I can hit stationary targets but not moving ones.  So give me a gun or a box and arrow and I am likely to kill you so long as you don't run from me ;).  We never got to do too much of the archery and just as I was getting into it, the rain just started coming down heavier and heavier, so off we went cold and wet back to the clubhouse.

It was so nice to be inside by a warm fireplace and a hot Mexican coffee, after the best Seafood chowder I had tasted I headed back to the cottage.  I put on some dry clothes and lit the fire and put on a movie, which happened to be a James Bond movie, the irony was that our Christmas Dinner that night was a James bond theme.  Elaine came back but then went off to the other girls to have champagne, I did not feel like going out in the cold again so I went and had a nice hot shower and got ready for the evening.

We all looked really smart heading over to the Main hotel for our Christmas Dinner and Casino night, we first all met in the lounge for pre dinner drinks and then went through to a privat dining room for a silver service dinner that was absolutely awesome.  After dinner we were taken through to the same loung which had now been done out as a casino.  We were all given chips and Martini's, and could play on the Black Jack or Roulette tables, I was now starting to feel really tired from the night before and once I had lost my chips, settled into a nice comfy chair chatting to the girls for the evening.  I eventually headed up to the cottage at about 1 leaving my room mates behind, it was actually nice because I basically had the cottage all to myself for most of the week-end, by the time I put out the light at 2 a.m. they were still not back, but I was warm and snug in my bed.

Sunday morning and down for Breakfast, I hung around waiting for D & Em to arrive and was quite anxious as I had missed them, not having seen them both since Friday morning.  They eventually arrived at Midday with Teresa, Paddy and Isabel, we then headed back to the clubhouse for some lunch and then over to P & T's new house in Thomastown. 

It's a really old house that they are renovating and doing up, Teresa being an architect has drawn up the plans how they want it.  There is loads of glass which does so much justice to the house because the views are absolutely incredible, can't wait to see it when it is finished, I said we would come down round April - have to do a week-end with D at Mount Juliet even if it is just to do the archery and maybe a facial.

Talking of the Shooting and archery I had the biggest bruise on my arm, which is still slightly there that I have ever seen from the kickback on the shotgun, and my arms are still aching, but it was so much fun and I hope I would do it again one day, I also hope that the company keep me on so I can experience some more Christmas parties, I had a look on their intranet and they have had one in Florence, France, Galway, Westport and some other places I don't remember so who knows where 2010 will be.