SFO to Atlanta, Georgia

Wednesday 09/05

So I was up at 3:00 a.m. showered and out the door by 3:50 waiting for the bus to the airport, the flight was uneventful but cramped, I had some guy sitting next to me wanting to take over my seat too.  The view from the plane was awesome, we flew over the Rocky Mountains, over Denver and then over Memphis, where you could see the Mississippi Delta and river.

Been here at Atlanta airport for ages waiting for the next leg of the flight to Dublin, we should be boarding soon - thank goodness for WIFI, it cost me $6.75 for 24 hour WIFI and I got to talk to D and Em for ages on Skype, just finished talking to a colleague and going to pack up the computer now so that we can start boarding.

Chat tomorrow from Ireland, unless they have WIFI on the plane over like they did coming here :)

Last day in SFO

Tuesday 09/04

Pretty much uneventful day today, the girls took me for lunch to a Japanese restaurant, then K gave me a lift through to Millbrae at 4 o'clock, but not before all the good byes and hugs from my team and from Sri.  I miss them already, but I want to get home to see my family, miss them so much!

Driving to Millbrae, we had to take the San Jose / San Mateo bridge, the fog had come down behind the sky scrapers in San Francisco and the view was awesome, like a fog blanket over the city - it was also weird driving on a motorway that crosses the ocean.

What I could not get over was the amount of traffic, even though each morning I had watched the traffic report on TV which starts at 4:30 a.m. at 5:30 a.m. this morning there was already a huge traffic jam on the Interstate 680 which was due to a CHP being shot by a motorist today - lots of shootings in SFO.

So K dropped me at my hotel and I basically just lazed about and then decided to go and get some dinner from the Mexican place across the road, I didn't realise it was a fast food - The Chipotle Grill and of course having no experience at ordering mexican, I really mad a twat of myself, but managed to get something to eat at the end of it.

And now I am back here thinking that I had better get some sleep because I need to be up before 3 a.m. so good night everyone and goodbye SFO ... I will be back to this wonderful city! 

Labor Day

Monday 09/03

Well I haven't done much today, took a walk to the Apple store at Stoneridge Mall to get an iPod touch and then went to the Cheesecake Factory for the best Milkshake I have ever had!  I have spent the rest of the day here at the desk in my hotel room, chatting on skype and blogging ... it's just too hot outside and I need to pack!

Tomorrow after work I am off to a hotel in Millbrae which is close to the SFO airport so I don't miss my 6 a.m. flight on Wednesday morning.

Will chat again soon, but I best start packing!

Downtown San Francisco - Labor Day week-end

Sunday 09/02

So ... my trip the previous day had been pretty successful, didn't get lost except maybe for waiting for the Marriott shuttle on the Dublin side of the Bart station instead of the Pleasanton side, but that's another story.  I left the Residence Inn at about 10:00 and headed over to the Marriott and got the shuttle over to the Bart. 

I got off at Montgomery Street Bart station and then walked over to Union Square, I am not sure what I was expecting to see but I though it would be a big shopping Mall, there was one but that was in Market Street.  There are loads of expensive shops round the area, so I did a bit of browsing and then decided to head down Powell street to Market as the Internet had said to go there to get tickets for the Cable Car (which is like Cable bus), well the queue was round the block, about 300 people in the queue, so I just went shopping!

When I was all shopped out I jumped on the Bart at Powell Street and headed back to Pleasanton, walked from the Bart to Stoneridge and did more shopping and then back to the hotel, let's hope my suitcase is not going to be over weight!

I was so hot when I got back that I decided to go for a swim, the water was awesome and I ended up chatting to a girl called Lisa from Florida, then went over to the Marriott for the best burger I have ever had! and a Heineken of course.

Then off to bed for me.

My week-end in San Francisco

Saturday 09/01

I met Mustafa down in Reception and we got the guy from the Marriott to take us to the BART station, I was so glad M was with me as I was a bit nervous about my first trip into SF.   But by the time he showed me the ropes and gave me his BART map it was really a piece of cake.

I decided to get off at the Civic Centre Bart station as I wanted to get to the Spirit shop on Van Ness street to get Emily a halloween costume, I wasn't sure where about it was, so thought I would just start at the beginning.  It was probably a good place to start as I got to see the Opera house, civic centre and some other cool buildings.

After getting off the Bart and walking down to the start of Van Ness by Market street, I couldn't believe how many homeless people there were and they came in all shapes, wow really sad.  I walked for ages and eventually thought well either I missed the Spirit store but will just carry on walking as it doesn't look that far on the map, I eventually come across the store and spend ages there.  After the store I plan to head down to Pier 45, so check with the store girl who says to me to get the bus as it's too far to walk, I reckon it can't be that far and carry on walking.  Well it took me ages and yes it was far but I eventually got there.  Miraculously I end up in front of the Ghirardelli Chocolate shop, I should have gone in but I didn't.

The weatherman had predicted that it was going to be a cold and cloudy day in SF, but to the contrary it was absolutely beautiful.  I first went to the Maritime museum and then did a boat trip around the Golden Gate bridge and Alcatraz, never got to Sausilito where T had told me to go.

I did a bit of touristy shopping and then decided after getting a bite to eat it was time to head home, I found the trolley bus in front of Walgreen's so went in to get a few things, found Peanut Butter M&M's on special!  Got the bus to Embarcadero Bart station and then the Bart back to the hotel.

View Larger Map

Work ... work ... and play ...

Okay so let me start at the begining, I had just got back from SA and on my 6 month anniversary with the company, my boss who I have never met in person said to me that everone including our new QA person from Toronto was going to be in Pleasanton the following week.  So I went on line and found a good air deal, so I told her and she told me to book - within 5 days of booking I was on the plane.

Sunday 09/26

We had a braai the night before with good friends, who left round 9pm, so I had to madly rush and finish packing - I was then up at 3:30 a.m. so D could take me to the airport for my flight to Paris, then an hour wait and the flight to SFO.  Wow, it was long - luckily I sat upstairs where there weren't that many people and I had two empty seats next to me for most of the flight.  Well with an additional 8 hours daylight by the time I arrived in SFO, I had been awake for like 20 hours.

Monday 09/27 (HOT)

My dear collegue T who came over to Ireland for 3 months to mentor me came to fetch me in the morning, it was so cool to see her again so soon and I met my boss for the first time and the new guy from Toronto - Monday was a short day as we left the office at midday for a team outing at Wente Vineyards in Livermore, it was loads of fun and great way to meet all the people from my team.  Ended up playing pictionary with the guys what a laugh. 

After T dropped me back at the hotel, I was chatting to the rest of the guys who were here from Dubln, so we ended up going out for dinner to the Cheese Cake Factory at Stoneridge Mall - it was great to have other people from the Dublin office here else I would have been all on my own.

Tuesday 09/28

A busy day at work and uneventful, then ended up going out with the gang again, this time we went downtown pleasanton and had dinner at a mexican restaurant called Blue Algarve Club I can't find a website but there is a link to facebook, we then had a night cap back at the Marriott.

Wednesday 09/29

Well today was another busy day and a last minute invitation to a team dinner at the Cheese Cake Factory at 5:30 - at 3:15 the alarm goes off in the building and we have to evacuate, well it took them at least 20 minutes to evacuate the building, by which time we could have all been burnt to death - I still had time to go back and get my sun glasses and a visit to the rest room and I was still in the same queue. 

Dinner at the cheescake factory was nice and it was nice to be out with all the team, reminded me of my days in SA when we used to go out for lunch / dinner.

Thursday 09/30 (HOT)

Well Thursday was another short day at the office, it was the company meeting out at the Marriot in San Ramon seems like a good place to stay to explore the Napa valley wine region.  Anyway the meeting was good, I couldn't believe how much people in America drink and drive though, reminded me of days back in SA.  

After the meeting and getting our T-shirts we all headed over to The Firehouse No. 37 in San Ramon which was a great night, but I wasn't in the mood to drink, so couldn't wait to get back to the hotel.

Friday 09/31 (COOL very COOL)

Another busy day in the office, T came back to the hotel with me to unload the Computer and stuff, we then walked over to the Marriott to wait for Stu and then got our favourite driver from the hotel to take us to downtown Pleasanton, once there we got some wine from the wine shop and went to Strizzi's for dinner which was good, then we had to wait for our driver, but it was great we had a good view of the "Blue Moon".  Once back at the hotel, I said my goodbye's to Stu who was heading off the next morning to the Yosemite (which looks absolutely awesome)  and T who was going off to Oregon, I was still going to see Mustafa in the morning before he headed off to Vegas - I was being left in Pleasanton all on my own.
 

San Francisco

What a whirl wind month, I got back from South Africa on the 5th of August and the 21st I was booked to go to San Francisco ... it's been an awesome, but busy week.  Today I went into the city and did some sight seeing awesome, awesome, awesome!!!  Will tell you all about it.

 

South Africa ... dear land!

Barry Hilton at The Laughter Lounge in Dublin

You're never too old to learn ...

I learnt a lot about myself this week ... I learnt that I tend to take care of others and neglect myself.

I learnt that one thing that humans know how to do well and that is to hurt each other.

I learnt that instead of standing up and fighting for what is right, I let other people win.

I learnt that as much as someone can promise you that they will always be there for you, humans tend to forget what always means ... always and forever doesn't last

I learnt that when people hurt me, I walk away and build a wall to shut them out.

I learnt that if people want to be your friend they will tell you your faults and still be your friend and not shut the door.

I learnt that God sends us people to show us the way ... Thank you for sending me Trinity she restored my faith in friendship, I know I will only have her for a short time but she has helped me so much.  Thank you for sending me Athena, my faith in South African friends has been restored although she too is only here for a short while.

I learnt that I need to now start looking after myself too!  

Arthur-In My Africa

9 Weeks

9 Weeks today and I will be in SA ... count down and hopefully a trip to London before that for my dear friend Tracy's 40th!!!! Life is good ... 

Cat stevens-How can i tell you + lyrics

Facebook CIA Project: The Onion News Network

Americans viewpoint on SA

Americans Viewpoints on South Africa from Harold Schenk on Vimeo.

Pule Mofokeng Photography

Pule Mofokeng Photography: 

Stunning photos of a "Traditional wedding" in South Africa! I stumbled upon this blog and had to share!!  Click on the link above to see the rest of these amazing photographs. 

Dublin 8

I park my car in the back streets of D8 just South of the Liberties, this morning I was a bit earlier than normal and managed to get a parking on Mill street, the streets were really quite, it was cold and the sun was streaming down, I parked my car and looked up and noticed and old building which I had obviously not noticed before.

 Like quite a few buildings in the area it was all boarded up, but this one looked like it was probably a couple of hundred years old, and must have been quite a grand place in it's time could possibly have been a school. The building half broken down had all kinds of things growing out of every crevice and all that was occupying it were the birds flying in and out feeding their young in their nests. Next to the old building is an abandoned excavation site.

It was so peaceful.  Just down from this building is an old pub that has also been boarded up. I was upset because I hadn't brought my camera in and would have loved to have capture the moment, as I walked down and turned the corner by the pub, a heard the clip clop, clip, clop of a horse - and there before me was a young lad riding a horse drawn carriage, the carriage not in too bad shape was small and black and looked almost like a hearse, it felt like I had suddenly been drawn back 100 years or more with the beautiful silence and only the sound of the horse on a cobble stoned road.



View Larger Map I did a "Google Search" and found some history on the area:

http://www.excavations.ie/Pages/Details.php?Year=&County=Dublin&id=13043

Dublin
2003:556
10 Mill Street, DublinUrban post-medieval

Test excavation on a large site at Mill Street, Dublin 8, was undertaken in October and November 2003. The site includes a standing historic structure (10 Mill Street), which was the subject of a separate report.
The development site has frontage to Mill Street, Sweeney’s Lane, and flanks Warrenmount Lane and convent grounds. The development of this area is heavily influenced by the River Poddle, which powered many mills and serviced other industries in the south inner city from the medieval period onwards. The site of the medieval “Double Mill” of St Thomas’s Abbey, with its water channel and millpond, is located on the development site. The millpond (SMR 18:20(398)) was located to the west of the mill and the mill (18:20(92)) was sited towards the eastern end of the site. One channel of the Poddle led north-east around the boundary of the lands of St Thomas, and a mill, known as the Double Mill, was located on this branch. This is located on the site under study.

The first edition of the OS map shows the millpond, fed by the combined sources of the stream from the mill at Greenmount Terrace (annotated the ‘factory water’ on the estate map of the earl of Meath) and another branch down Sweeney’s Lane. The millpond at the site appears to have been visible as late as 1973, when Fitzgerald wrote: ‘it is of special interest to see today – still open and in the centre of Dublin – the Mill Pond belonging to the ‘double mill’ listed above. It is the last open portion of the Poddle still there, within hailing distance of Saint Patrick’s.’ She describes it as ‘about 3ft wide and 2ft deep with no sign of power or history at all, except where it finally cascades underground, under the former old mill at Warrenmount’.

The location of the trenches was determined by the perceived location of historic features, which included the mill building/s (Trench 1), early 18th-century buildings on Sweeney’s Lane (Trench 3) and the edge of the millpond (Trenches 2, 4 and 5). The locations were limited by the presence of live services, a culvert for the Poddle and the presence of standing buildings. All the trenches were excavated by a JCB fitted with a toothed bucket.

Trench 1 was located in the area of the two buildings indicated closest to the millrace on Rocque’s map of 1756. Two discrete groups of industrial features were uncovered in the trench, which measured 2m in width and almost 10m in length. Further investigative work is required in this area. The features uncovered relate to the industrial buildings last present on the site. They are likely to relate to the 19th-century mill on the site, which stood until the 1970s. This large mill building may have incorporated elements from the smaller mill depicted on Rocque’s map. These are likely to include the watercourses and wheel pits. None of these were exposed in the test-trench.

Trench 2, in the yard to the west of the millpond, uncovered a decayed timber pipe or drain. A shard of 19th-century pottery was retrieved from the silt which filled the central perforation of the pipe. The pipe lay on subsoil.

Trench 3 was dug along Sweeney’s Lane. It was expected that evidence for the substantial houses built here by 1718 would be uncovered. Concrete overlay hard-core to a depth of 0.4m. This directly overlay subsoil.
No deposits were uncovered in Trench 4, which was located in the south-western part of the site, close to the west wall of the large modern building. It was expected that the retaining wall/s for the millpond would be uncovered. The trench measured 20m in length. The sides collapsed continuously throughout excavation, due to the unstable nature of the deposits uncovered. The trench was dug to a maximum depth of 2.5m, and the profile was consistent throughout. Very loose stone and brick rubble and loam, which included plastic debris of recent date, was uncovered. No structural features were evident. The material uncovered represents deliberate and rapid infilling of the millpond.

Further archaeological work is planned for this site.
Reference
Fitzgerald, A.D. 1974 Down the old Poddle. In E. Gillespie (ed.), The Liberties of Dublin. Dublin.
Claire Walsh, 27 Coulson Avenue, Rathgar, Dublin 6.

I'm Back ...

New Blog Title for a revamped blog ... now just to get the time to blog!

Africa

Easter 2012

Material movie EPK part 1

New Blog ...

A friend asked me about my blog last night and we decided I was "All blogged out" but am I , every now and again I still feel like just ranting my feelings or diarising what I have been doing, but as I said this one won't let me add any more pictures, so I have created a new blog.  If you are keen on reading what I am thinking then you will find me here:

Installing Winter in Ireland

Just like summer never arrived, Winter is proving to be exactly the same, it's been between 12 and 17 degrees most of last week.

INSTALLING WINTER IN IRELAND.....

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44% DONE.                              

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404 error: Season not found. Season "Winter" cannot be located.    

The season you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is 

temporarily unavailable. Please try again later.      

∞One Friend∞

LOOK AT YOURSELF AFTER WATCHING THIS.mp4

Where the f--k is Webb Ellis- for the 2011 Rugby World Cup from TV3 Sport

Nickelback - Far Away

Friendship

Friendship ~ None of that Sissy Stuff

Are you tired of those sissy 'friendship' poems that always sound good, but never actually come close to reality?

Well, here is a series of promises that actually speak of true friendship.

You will see no cute little smiley faces on this ~ Just the stone cold truth of our great friendship.

1.. When you are sad ~ I will help you get drunk and plot revenge against the sorry bastard who made you sad.
2. When you are blue ~ I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.
3 When you smile ~ I will know you are thinking of something that I would probably want to be involved in.
4. When you are scared ~ I will rag on you about it every chance I get until you're NOT.
5. When you are worried ~ I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be until you quit whining.
6. When you are confused ~ I will try to use only little words.
7.. When you are sick ~ Stay the hell away from me until you are well again. I don't want whatever you have.
8. When you fall ~ I will laugh at your clumsy ass, but I'll help you up.
9. This is my oath .... I pledge it to the end. 'Why?' you may ask ~ because you are my friend.

Friendship is like peeing your pants, everyone can see it, but only you
can feel the true warmth.

Unhinged: Surviving Joburg - Teaser to an Exciting New Film

Gallery: KwaZulu-Natal snow

Gallery: KwaZulu-Natal snow: "Widespread snowfalls interrupted morning routines but South Africans did not mind - they took to the internet to share their snow pictures."

Things to do before I die

One of the guys at work today was telling me he was going to the "Galway Races", as it is Galway festival time, and he recommended we go sometime, so I said I would put it on my list of things to do before I die, so he said "now it's not that important", so I said I would make sure it is underneath the "Rio Carnival", and it just got me thinking of the Top 100 things to see before I die.  Amy Winehouse used to be on my list as was Elvis but I guess they died before me, so scratch those out.  So what is on my list?  Okay I am going to list these in no particular order.  My top 10 first and I will keep adding to it.

1.    Sydney for New Year one year
2.    The Rio Carnival
3.    The Galway Races
4.    The Greek Islands
5.    The Taj Mahal
6.    Hawaii
7.    Jamaica
8.    Cuba
9.    Rocky Mountains
10.  Alaska Cruise

Amy Winehouse - You Know I'm No Good

One of my favorite singers of all time, I somehow new she was going to join the likes of Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and Brian Jones who all died when they were 27, mainly from drug overdoses.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/27_Club

I was reading this today and thought of you...xxxxxxxxxx

A very special friend sent me this today and the words are just so true ... 
Before you say “I can’t”
Make sure you’ve already tried.
Before you let doubts stop you,
Confront them with facts.
Before reasons convince you it’s impossible
Pursue the one reason that makes it possible.
Before failure enters your mind
Hide success in your heart.
Before fear holds you back,
Go forward with faith.
Before problems interfere with your plans,
Use them to accomplish your goals.
Before you hold back because others are better,
Show others what a winner you are.
Before you settle for less,
Hold onto what is most important.
Before you believe there is no way,
Keep going and you’ll make one.
Before you give up,
Be at peace inside.
Before you dismiss your dreams,
Wait until they’ve come true.
Before you go looking for happiness,
Make your own where you are…..

There is a God

I never blogged about the most important thing that happened to me this year.  Well I have to go back to when I was unemployed and looking for a job, which is not easy when you are a foreigner in a recession hit Ireland.  Anyway I got a job with the company  I was previously contracting to, but a much junior position but hey it was a job.

Anyway my new "boss" found it in her to use me as her protégé, I don't think she had much experience managing adults before because we immediately had a personality clash, I am not going to go into the whole story, just that I was unhappy for over a year - which caused a lot of stress in my life.  But at the end of June she was moved to a different section, and life became wonderful ... all I am hoping for is that it lasts, I mean after all you spend most of your awake life at work.

I think my friends also got tired of me wining on about her, but I think they must have all prayed very hard for me, because I realised there is a god out there after all.

150+ Hilarious Funny Facebook Status Updates Ideas!

150+ Hilarious Funny Facebook Status Updates Ideas!

Remember...

Inspiration Line - Daily Inspirational Quotes - Friendship and Love

Inspiration Line - Daily Inspirational Quotes - Friendship and Love: "In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit."

Thought for the day

The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon...but that we wait so long to begin it

Gino's ... in da South

This morning I was thinking about what I really miss from home, and the first thing that popped up was decent Pizza.  There is no one in the world not even the Italians that can top the Pizza's made @ Gino's in the South.  Gino's started in the 80's and they were the start of people in the South being able to go out and eat at affordable prices, back then you could go out and have a starter, main course, desert and a bottle of wine for about R25.00. The waiters would score big time, because the meal was so cheap you would give them and extra tip.

When we were home in April, my brother-in-law suggested Gino's and I was worried that after 28 years the standard would have dropped and the food wouldn't be great.  But it did not disappoint it lived up to it's excellent standard.  Still run and owned by the same Italian family, it was wonderful and although the prices had increased, it was still a bargain, starters, main course, desert, drinks and Don Pedro for round R100.00 including a tip, that's €10.00, which would buy you a chicken wrap and coffee in Ireland, nothing more.

I also started reminiscing about all the times we had been to Gino's, how we had waited one evening for 4 hours for a table (they never took bookings, but you could wait in the bar), and how by the time we got to the table we had, had so much to drink that my friend actually passed out in her food!  Hopefully Gino's will be around for another 20 years so that we can enjoy the food every time we go back.

Just check out their menu

Zumba Fitness - Que Te Pica

I thought I would share one of the Dance songs we do at Zumba, awesome class again tonight!

I just don't get it...

Tonight I was at the Gym doing my 20 laps or more before our Boot camp aerobics class, when in waltzes the skinniest girl I ever saw, long blonde hair almost down to her waist, wearing only a "GOLD" string bikini.  She waltzes up to one of the gym instructors who was busy doing his yoga exercises.  Now I know I shouldn't stare but it was quite obvious from the body language that all she wanted was him, the meeting was very short and sweet and she ambled over to the Jacuzzi and half put her body in, so that the other half was sticking out for everyone to see, and then not 10 minutes later she was gone.

Did I miss something, were they looking for a new BOND girl at our local gym?  Not that I would have been chosen - lol :) , sometimes I just don't get woman!

Brilliant Status on Facebook tonight:  Destiny may decide who touches your Life ~ Your heart may decide who touches your Soul ~ But...Tequila decides who touches your body... :-D

Do we work to Live or Live to work?

Funny thing, being in Ireland for 10 years now makes me think that when we were living in the rat race, we were always working and life really revolved around work, whereas the Irish have it right, they work to live!  Nobody rushes in to get the work done, because whether you rush or get there when you have to the work will still be there, nobody worries if you are a few minutes late in the morning, because sometimes you just have to stay that few minutes extra in the evening.

And what happens when it is a sunny beautiful day, well most Irish people take the day off - who wants to be stuck in doors on a beautiful day.  Week-ends well if the sun is shining, forget about the housework, it can always be done another day, get out and enjoy the sunshine!

I think I could get used to this, although they say the Aussies are very similar and I think I would prefer the weather.

Chilean Volcano

Someone sent me these photos today, which I had to share with you because they are absolutely awesome, they were taken of the Volcano in Chile.

Zumba Class

So I went, and I had so many flashbacks, firstly I can't dance, secondly I have absolutely no co-ordination - but I did it.  The guy who took us is a South American guy, so the Latino dance music is in his blood.  It was fast and furious and required both arms and leg co-ordination which just didn't work with me, it reminded me of my first aerobics class that I went to with my friend Sheila in Edenvale, she spent the entire hour killing her self laughing watching me than doing the exercises.

After 10 minutes I really thought I was going to die, but I stuck it out and after 60 minutes I thought well blow me over it's time to go, but our instructor had other intentions and kept us there for another 10 minutes.

Will I go again ... Absolutely!

Fitness

Well after our walk along the cliffs to Greystones, I have become a bit more motivated with my exercise.

On Sunday I went off to the pool at the gym and did 35 laps and some aqua aerobic exercises.  Then Monday I did 15 laps and 20 minutes of Aqua aerobics, the new trainer on a Monday is not so clued up and needs to find his feet.

Then Wednesday night I did 21 laps and 30 minutes of Bootcamp Aqua aerobics, wow I loved it, loved being pushed to the limits and trying to keep up with the ultra fit instructor, who sometimes goes on like those rabbits in the ever ready battery ad.

So I decided that tomorrow night I would try the Zumba class, it's on for an hour, from 7:30 tomorrow night and then afterwards go for a swim, Jacuzzi, sauna and the steam room.  What a way to spend a Friday!

I think I am getting fitter and I can definitely feel that I am more toned, however still long way to go.  So want to come along and join me?

Summer in Ireland

INSTALLING SUMMER IN IRELAND.....

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404 error: Season not found. Season "Summer" cannot be located.    

The season you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable. Please try again later.      

Google Earth

I was amazed at the new Google Earth, that actually shows you the house quite clearly almost like a photograph but in 360 degrees because you can move the camera around and see everything.  I first googled our address, and the satellite image was obviously taken when we weren't home, which is weird because when you do the aerial view, you can clearly see washing hanging on the line and both our cars in the drive, yet when you do the street level view there are no cars in the drive, so they must have been taken at different stages.

Our number has the cars in the drive and the front door open.  I Google Earthed some place in Australia and you can actually see the people walking in the street and almost identify them.  When I started putting in addresses in South Africa, the aerial view is quite good, but if you try go to street level is just blurs it out, the same with America, is this to stop burglars using Google Earth to see how they can access a house, then surely they should blur it out anywhere in the world, I mean after all their are burglars in Ireland and Australia too, not just South Africa and America.

It's mind blowing though, try putting in your address and then once you get the aerial view click on the plus button until it gives you the street level, you never know you might even see yourself there.

Sunny Sundays

Today was one of those days where you weren't quite sure what the weather was going to do, but we took the chance and packed a picnic basket and went off to Marlay park.  It turned out to be a beautiful hot day, and my car temp read 27 degrees.

After having our picnic and Em playing in the park for almost 2 hours and meeting a new friend Sophia, D arrived and he took Em off to a party and I went and spent a relaxing 2 hours in the pool at the gym, well sort of relaxing, I must be getting fitter as I managed to do 35 laps and exercises in an hour.  Then went off to Wild and Greene for a quick take away smoothie before fetching Em from the party.

10 Years Later...

I suddenly realised on Wednesday the 21st of June (Longest Day of the year) that I had been in Ireland for 10 years.  I remember the day so clearly, I was laden down with so much luggage on a Swiss air flight from Johannesburg via. Zurich to Dublin.  I arranged with Eva a girl I met in Australia in 1998 to meet her at the airport in Zurich as I had a 2 to 3 hour stop over.

She met me laden with all nice Swiss goodies it was so lovely to see her.  Then onward to Dublin, and D was waiting for me at the airport, he had hired a Ford Ka, which must have been the smallest car I had ever seen because he had already collected the unaccompanied luggage and had to rush home to take it as there was no room for anything else.

Anyway it was so nice seeing him after almost a month, D had left on the 18th of May as he was starting work on the 21st of May.  Well I was quite surprised by the apartment he had rented, I expected it to be really old and dark and dingy, but in fact it was Bright and lovely.  And yes he never lets me forget how long it took him to clean it and how filthy it was.  It's amazing the things we experienced in the last 10 years.

For the first year we never had a car and would go shopping walking to Rathmines from Milltown with a backpack, actually walking everywhere.
My mom came over for a few weeks and sadly she passed away that same year, we have had loads of visitors.
We've met some wonderful friends and some not so wonderful.  We have met other South Africans, some who have arrived and left either to go home or proceeded on somewhere else.
I have revived old friendships with friends I lost touch with 12 years ago and are living just across the sea - Thanks Google.  Actually thanks to Facebook, SA reunited and Google I have got in touch with people I haven't seen or heard from in almost 30 years, some who I hope I will stay in contact with for the rest of my life.
We have seen some awesome concerts, and we have traveled to places we never have even thought of going to had we still been living in SA.
We had the most wonderful addition to the family "Emily" who also may not have come along had we still been in SA.
I have learnt a lot about the Irish nation, mostly how they are ruthless in business and will smile and shake your hand while stabbing you in the back, even on your mother's funeral.
However I have also learnt that Irish people are just as friendly as South Africans and once you make a true friend they will bend over backwards for you.

Most of all in the 10 years gone by, I can finally say that I think I am now content with our choice, we made some good decisions and we have made some bad decisions, but the decisions we have made have been made and there is not too much we can do about them.

But I often wonder where will I be in 10 years time, I know where I would like to be but I guess sometimes we just can't have everything we want!

By the way the photo at the top is of my friend Bob who I started working with in 2001 so his probably one of my oldest Irish friends!

Today's Quotes

“Love me when I least deserve it, because that's when I really need it.”


“This life is yours. Take the power to choose what you want to do and do it well. Take the power to love what you want in life and love it honestly. Take the power to walk in the forest and be a part of nature. Take the power to control your own life. No one else can do it for you. Take the power to make your life happy.”


“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”


“Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was a choice, but falling in love with you I had no control over.”


“If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.”


“Find a guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot, who calls you back when you hang up on him, who will lie under the stars and listen to your heartbeat, or will stay awake just to watch you sleep... wait for the boy who kisses your forehead, who wants to show you off to the world when you are in sweats, who holds your hand in front of his friends, who thinks you're just as pretty without makeup on. One who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares and how lucky his is to have you.... The one who turns to his friends and says, 'that's her.'”

My Daily Quote

“This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, Love to complete your life.”

We walked the Walk

How I managed to get D out of bed by 8 on Sunday, God only knows but we managed and we left the house by  9:10 a.m. to meet Lisa in Bray by 9:30, we started the walk slowly from outside the Porterhouse and managed to get to Greystones in just over 2 hours, with a lot of stops on the way - we had to watch the Dolphins frolicking in the bay, listen to Em complain.

It was a stunning walk and one I will do again, and I am so proud of Em as she was the only kid on the walk and managed it.

Walk the Walk is a video showcasing the fantastic Bray to Greystones Cli...

The Parlotones - Stars Fall Down

What a life ...

I was just thinking what an amazing life my child has, she has been around the world, she has traveled extensively, and she really does have a wonderful life.  Last week was her birthday party and we did Movies "Kung Fu Panda 2" with her friends, and then went off to Eddie Rockets for a kiddies Meal.

Then on Sunday we had the adopted Grandparents over, Joe, Carla and Lisa and some kids from the neighborhood for snacks and cake.

Monday we did something but for the life of me I can't remember now, oh yes we took the LUAS into town to go and explore the new Disney store on Grafton street (what a disappointment, but I will leave that for another post).  Then on the way home, I took her to the gym for a swim.

Wednesday was sports day at school, I took the afternoon off and that night she had a sleep over at a friend (mid-week) only because D and I were off to the Def Leppard Concert, and then Friday she had a Birthday party after school a "pajama party".

Friday night I got a call from Granny Yvonne, who's daughter is here from SA, and her granddaughter Sarah wanted to spend time with Emily, so Saturday I went and picked her and her daughter up, who is a year younger than Em, took them Marlay park, then to Dundrum for some retail therapy, ice-cream for the kids, Coffee for the moms and a walk around Hamley's (so way over priced)!


Then back to our place for lunch and playing and finally dropped them at home on the way to our concert, and as it turned out D went and got Em a ticket for the Journey Foreigner Concert so she came with us.  We stopped at Milano's on the Quays for dinner first.  Then walked over to the O2, well I should do a post about that separately because my child was head banging standing clapping waving her arms just like a really Rock child (mum a wee but embarrassed)  - lol but I got over that :).

Today has been a home day because we got home so late and it hasn't stopped raining the whole day!