Short and Sometimes Sweet

So it is that time of the year again, when all talk turns to going back to school. All over the world students of all ages have started back or are about to start back to school/college/uni. Indeed my twitter time line has been full of angst from students about how awful it is to be going back. I remember it well. Money was non-existant in our house when I was younger, so my mam always bought VALUE FOR MONEY uniforms. This meant ill fitting new uniforms that were two sizes too big, or hand me downs. Not good when you are an only girl with three brothers.I remember everything being scratchy, and my shoes cutting my feet! I survived however. Then time passed as is it's wont until I had children of my own going to school: And yes, I fell into the value for money trap. I did try to make sure they got what they wanted, as opposed to what they needed but old habits die hard. I used to dread all the fuss made about books, copies, pencils and the like. During this time I decided to go...

I haven't done one of these for ages. Time gets away from me and before I know it another week is over. I have decided to write this blog about time: or rather a time Lord. The last of the time Lords. The Doctor If you were to ask me about my childhood memories I would of course have the usual ones about playing outside, the nursery rhymes etc. But many of you, of a certain age, will also have the' hiding behind the sofa on a saturday night memories'. It was the ritual in our house that one by one on a Saturday evening off we would go to have our bath. While we were in the bath, my mam would be downstairs cooking a fry up. Until one by one all four of us were sitting ensconced in fornt of the tv, fry up on our laps and the opening credits would roll. The sharp intake of breath as the music started. The silence (pun intended) fell upon the room. It was Dr Who time.                               ...

I haven't done one of these in a while..... life gets busy, time gets short etc etc. Today I'm feeling quite reflective, and I'm on my holidays from work so time is not so short. So what to write about? Well I was going to write about something different, but recent events dictate otherwise.                          Yesterday my father came to see me as he always does on Sundays. He brought some old photos. It seems as we grow older, and memories fade, photos become ever more important. Anyway, among the pictures of my children when they were younger, there were two of me. I usually like these photos but not yesterdays. You see, in the two photos I saw a stranger. Someone that I used to know. A tiny terrified face. Pale and gaunt and very ill. Apart from the fact that I looked about 12 years old, A sister to my two boys rather than their mum, it made me realise how ill I actually was. And also how I have never, until now,...

I'm Not Short, I'm Fun Sized Some of the trending topics on twitter make me shake my head. Like yesterday, tweet my height was trending. I mean, why? Why does the twitterverse need to know that I'm only 4'11''. Yes people, I am under 5ft tall. Then I thought well why not? I used to have a thing about being short. Not any more though.                                                                    In my house, everyone is taller than me. It's not fun. I am constantly being reminded of the fact that I am over a foot shorter than most of the residents. Even my 15 yr old daughter, who I used to call mini me (for obvious reasons) is taller than me. Now I like to think I hide it well. Heels are a life saver. But when you get caught jumping because it's the only way to get the item you need from a high shelf you leave yo...

This week has been a sad week for me. My sister-in-law passed away suddenly last Friday morning. She was 48 years old. It was a very big shock to our family.  Anne When I was 15 or so my brother came home from work and said he was being let go. I have three brothers, two older and one younger. I don't have the eldest in my life at the moment but I am very close to the other two. Derek is the youngest, me next, then Tony. (who's name is actually Peter, yea IDK either!). So Tony left Ireland and moved to Greenwich. He got a job in a pub called "Hardys", owned by a couple from Sligo called Peter and Angela. Sometimes Angela's sister worked there too. Her name was Anne.We would go there on holidays every few months to visit. Anne was always the lovely bubbly blonde girl who had a sunshine smile for everyone. Anne and Tony became good friends. Anne met and married Vince and later on she had a little boy and called him Ryan.Peter and Angela were very very good to my...

I am usually an easy going kind of person, and there's not a whole lot that gets on my nerves to be honest. As I have said before I love football and rugby and it was a weekend for both this weekend. And as a result a couple of my pet peeves came to the fore.                            Like for example on Saturday evening when my favourite rugby club Leinster were playing. I decided to go to the pub for the second half. Now I generally don't go the pub to watch either football or rugby. I prefer to stay at home and shout at the tv, but I was invited out and sure it would have been rude not to. Why does everyone turn into an expert? Leinster have been doing very well this season, and suddenly everyone is wearing Leinster jerseys. Those that wore Munster tops last season seem to have morphed into those that wear Leinster tops this season. The game wasn't the best for a number of reasons, the Heineken Cup Final next wee...

I have always thought of myself as a bit of a contradiction. Growing up, I thought I was a tom boy. I was definitely into football and rugby and all kinds of so called "male" dominated sports: But then, I liked make up, and looking pretty. Not pinky pretty, you understand. I hated pink. My mother was so delighted at having me after two boys that everything was girly pinky crap. Dolls and prams and other such girl toys were bought. I gave them all away. When I was just 4 years old my baby brother was born. My mum had miscarried twins, so the excitement was huge. I immediately took over and became surrogate mum. Why play with dolls and prams when you could have the real thing, eh?                                                        So time passed and my brother grew. I had a passing interest in football at this point. We used to go to Manchester e...