Letting go, Running on. Part. 2

I have to say if you are ever buying a property, there are many things to consider but the most important is to get a survey. My solicitor says that many clients do not want to bother with this additional expense. I can understand this notion, for sure our Old Lady is still standing despite the ravages of the years and the climate. It is tempting to ignore all the cracks and let your imagination furnish and indeed burnish a dull reality. A survey will certainly bring you down to earth from your giddy joy with it's impersonal conclusions. The survey is catastrophic. Rising damp, damp ingress, wonky chimneys, wet-rot, dry-rot, undefinable boundaries on conflicting maps, a septic tank on third-party land, possibly polluting and only just registered. Family members suck in their breath and subtly warn caution, of great difficulties ahead. Mr S and I initially feel sadly relieved.

I read the surveyors report over and over, I understand the extent of the undertaking. A builder friend warms of hundreds of thousands of euro. Our solicitor firmly advises us to walk away. We both agree, that survey was the best few hundred quid I ever spent.  But she irritates me when she asks, what do you even see in that house, sure you could just build a nice new house. This is absolutely not the point and my contrary side rears up. The Irish country-side is littered from Malin Head to Mizen Head with one off homes of dubious architectural value at best and an affront to logical demographic planning at worst.

Due to the deep fissures of history and the impact of poverty and emigration we retain so very little of our vernacular architecture. In rural areas such as Donegal, the majority of people would have lived in two or three roomed cottages. Houses and homes that are now barely recognisable as suitable for modern requirements. As a sop to tourism, we have kept a couple though -zoned them off into 'folk parks'. Little quaint remnants of how our Great-Grandparents lived, to visit with the kids on a rainy day and fondly remember from the serenity of our open plan bungalows, from the warmth of our wifi -ed modernist kitchens, while in damp fields other such houses fall softly back into the ground. I trawl the internet looking for a comparable house, trying to establish a value of the Old Lady once restored. I can't find one because there isn't one. Unique. I engage a damp-proof expert to estimate the cost of remedial repair.  I know I am irrational, but there is room to breathe in this house, for the children to play outside unsupervised. My running takes on a new urgency, pounding the pavements gives me an achievable goal to dwell on. To my astonishment, I easily complete the psychological barriers that was Week 5, Run 3 of Couch to 5k: I run for a continuous 20min along the river and then run all the way home.

The estate agent did say it would have been one of the finest houses in the area, a family of school teachers lived here. In response to my solicitors due diligence request for proof of planning permission, the vendors solicitors writes that his Granny built the house in the early 1920's and his mother would sign an affidavit to that effect. The garage used to hold his fathers buses. Of-course I want it more now. The professional expects that I have employed to help us in this enormous financial decision are worth every single euro, their advice is measured and sound. And yet.

The condition of the roof un-quantifiable until close of sale. The potential infestation of wood-devouring beetles.  I look again at all those optimistic photographs we took at the viewing, the house still doesn't look that bad. The two realities don't marry up, is the plaster a paper- thin veneer barely supporting an un-salvageable house, a frustration of vastly expensive conundrums? In my minds eye, I revisit the still empty rooms, my footfall firm on the floor, sketching their lines and re-drawing their beauty. I haven't yet made the fateful phone call to the agent to withdraw from the purchase, she is still mine for the moment. The sign still proudly announces 'sale agreed'. I could have her if I so choose but at what cost?

Rise

Well now, that was a longer than expected blog break. I have to admit to spending the end of February and much of March in a kind of fug. I think I managed to catch about three consecutive and different viruses which left me devoid of any energy, so zero running for all of those weeks! Even walking my beloved dogs became a slow short trudge and my eyes would slowly close every time I sat down at my desk to do any study. Grumble.

As well as being smothered by the cold, overwhelmed by the amount of work I still have to do in the diminishing time before my degree finishes, I have also had the weight of the expectations of other people placed upon me. Why is it that those who demand such unreasonable expectations of acquiescence from you barely manage to reciprocate those very same standards? Quite depressing and infuriating.

Now that I have all that off my chest, I am glad to say I am back on top form, yay! I have two runs under my belt this week. Unfortunately, I have gone backwards a few weeks in the couch to 5k plan but reassuringly I don't think it will be too long before I can catch-up and improve. I would love to be able to do a 5k Park Run at the start of summer. In crafty news I have been finding the sockalong hosted by Christine Perry on Facebook very inspiring -just search for Winwick Mum Sockalong and feast your eyes on the amazing selection of gorgeous home-made socks that all these ladies are producing. I have made a start of sorts -after four attempts and two changes of needles  this is how far I have come.

Knitting is tricky, I can't watch TV or read like I do when I crochet but hey there is always a little bit of time to spare for a new craft! I have also just recently found the knitting podcasts on youtube -such fun. Lovin' Little Bobbins Knits and The Grocery Girls.

In other news we have had some lovely family time together over Easter, back to London for a short break too. I found some great thrify treasure which I must try and show you later -the light is very poor here today. Lots of fun and plenty of time for the kids to pose dilemma's for Mum and Dad. E who is now 9 has been asking for a phone and unfortunately I suppose she wants a smart phone. Apparently Every Single One of her classmates has a phone and she feels left out. I don't know what to do, I don't want her to have access to such powerful technology at her age, technology that will also give others access to her. I don't want to spend the money on another phone but the guilt! Imagine being the only kid without one!

I wandered past this painting in the National Gallery:

I don't know what the title is or the artist but it is a Renaissance  painting of The Virgin and Child. Just look at the expression of annoyance on her face! I think it sums up parenting very well. I love you to the ends of the earth but why won't you do as I ask? She also knows that he is going to grow up to be a handful.

Right my dears, that is all for now. Are you all enjoying these first tentative signs of spring? Maybe where you are it is Autumn? It is still quite chilly here in Ireland, damp and wet but I can feel the stirring of life. I will leave you with some beautiful Hawthorne blossom from our walk this morning. Bye. xxx

Mad Dog Lady.

 

So despite firmly insisting to my family, that we were NOT, under any circumstances fostering/adopting or buying another dog until the summer or a fairly large lottery win, when DAR (Drogheda Animal Rescue) called me up and asked if I could be a short-term fosterer to this wee guy...well how could I resist? His name is Bosco and he was found as a stray but also he was terribly bitten by what we assume was a very big dog. Look at his poor poor neck -now this is well on the way to be properly healed so I don't want to imagine what he looked like when he was first found. Now he is with a lovely foster family and is holding his own with four other dogs but his current foster family are going away for a little break so we have him for B&B.

 

You know, he is a delight to look after, placid and playful, much less demanding than our previous guest. He loves to trot around the house with me as I go about my chores and is pathetically pleased when somebody tells him what a good dog he is. He was overcome with ecstasy when Mr S let him sit on his knee for a minute. Mr S loves our dog - to the extent that Rosie gets more attention when he gets in from work that I do but he is not really a small dog person and is slow to see the lovely characteristics of Bosco, despite this of-course Bosco loves him the best! We had our first long walk over the fields today and we noticed that B is terribly frightened of high sided vehicles and he deliberately puts our big Rosie in-between himself and the scary traffic. What is his story? In one way, I am glad that I don't know.

 

Shamefully, Ireland is the worst country in Europe for the sheer number of unwanted and stay dogs every year. We destroy over 84% of our strays and last year 38 000 animals were needlessly destroyed. We have numerous animal welfare charities all courageously doing their bit but mostly these are operating with extremely tight budgets and are at full capacity. Dublin Husky Rescue is just one organisation concentrating on one breed and they are dealing with a surrender rate of 2/3 huskies per day.  Many of our unwanted and discarded pets end up being rehomed in England, Germany or Sweden because in a county of only 3 million there are simply not enough prospective responsible dog owners to adopt. Some of our unwanted greyhounds are re-homed in Italy. Strong and enforced legislation is needed but tragically given Ireland's economic woes over the past few years and our continuing housing, heath and pensions crises, I am sure the plight of these animals will continue. 

 

Happily, little Bosco's troubles have come to an end, it is very cold and damp here today so we are all curled up on the sofa, dogs snoring, coffee brewing and candles lighted.

 

Guys, is there any chance of some room for the crochet please? No?

 

 

After an enjoyable but very busy week we are taking it very easy. I am day dreaming of a future with some more dogged company, an excentric country house perhaps with a few fields and a few rescue critters romping around. A Life in Wellies? The only downside to dog fostering is that one day, some day they will leave. When Rolo went off to his forever home, E was quite upset, she started compiling a list of parental crimes against children as perpetrated by her parents! Thankfully she has been reconciled to the idea of helping out a little dog on part of his journey. Both kids are looking forward to being outside, playing and walking with both dogs over half-term, which to my mind can only be a good thing! Thanks so much for reading Have a wonderful weekend. xxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

Winter's Light

Sometimes, it is just a perfect day. I think Winter is my favourite season largely and contrarily because those days of brilliant crisp sunlight are so rare and fleeting.

"One of the secrets of a happy life, is continuous small treats"

Iris Murdoch. The Sea, The Sea

Hump de Bump

 

 

 

Thanks to Mr S and his common sense, I no longer have to listen to the ersatz music accompanying the Couch 25K app and can get my funk on to the Chilli Peppers. Yay! So, the update is that I am still somewhat stuck on Week5, Run 1 which is 5 running x 3 walking, three times. I had another running week off as I was doing 7k walks with the dogs, and was completely shattered with the constant vigilance that a new introduction to the household demands. But, I went out on Monday for my first run in the dark with just my Rosie and it was totally amazing! Running for 5 minutes now seems nearly natural. I had my  high vis on, Chili Peppers on loud and my little dog happily jogging along, this run was as close to perfect as I have had. I decided to push myself and speed up a little, nearly running FAST!

 

Imagine my chagrin as I looked at my phone to turn off the tunes and the app and noticed a little message from the C25k app...it said:

 

Todays run was a little shorter than usual. Never mind, better luck next time.

 

Erm, Pardon me, Better luck next time?? What cheek, it was shorter because it was FASTER! Stupid app. Mr S of course found this hilarious, that I had 'been dissed' by my very own phone. I'm still looking forward to tonight's run though.

 

Tuesday found me at quilting class at The Crafty Fox, we are learning to make a flying geese quilt. So exciting! (Doesn't take much you say....) I have of-course set myself a mind puzzler of a quilt because I have a bundle of very cute but very limited size-wise vintage fabric so have not yet had the courage to cut up my stash. To further complicate matters, I want to sew geese of varying sizes so will have lots of measurements to calculate for homework. In just one lesson, I have an even greater respect for Quilters, it is such an amazing skill.

 

This is the quilt I want to make:

 

 

(www.craftyfox.ie)

 

This is my fabric:

 

 

 

I might have to chose an alternative though:

 

 

(www.missmake.com)

 

Today (Wednesday) found me wrestling a large stinky recalcitrant Labrador down our road. On Tuesday, I came back to find a very smiley dog with it's head poking out of my very crooked wooden blinds. Rolo had managed to escape from the kitchen. He cries piteously when he is separated from the family but I can't trust him with the full run of the house alone and unsupervised, so today I made sure to pull the door completely closed and locked the stair gate in front. 

 

I had a quick dash round the shops and was horrified to open my front door to be greeted by a Golden Blur dashed past into the street almost knocking me off my feet and in hot pursuit of a Little Old Lady walking a Westie. Luckily, said Lady was sensible and stopped calmly to let me catch the great hooligan who was giddy with excitement at his own ingenuity. I hadn't stopped to get the lead so ended up dragging a very twisty Rolo by the collar who was digging his heels cartoon-like, just like Scooby Doo being forced to follow the 'ghost'! He does make me laugh so, he is such a cheerful, playful dog, it is like he wants to live life to the full after coming so close to the chop. He is off on a day-trip at the weekend to visit a prospective family and while I will be very sad to see him go, tears will be shed but deep down I hope he does get on well there. He deserves a permanent home and we are becoming very attached.

 

Why is it, that I always manage to be in these sorts of situations when some of the most immaculately groomed residents of our street are out and watching the capers? Then, I had a quick coffee and decided to speed round the garden with the mower and then fixed myself what I thought was a very long cool glass of homemade Elderflower cordial and enjoyed a large glug when I was horrified to find that it was in fact, last Autumn's rocket fuel, my Rosehip Vodka. I was quite Pink when collecting the kids from the school bus. Oh dear. Drinking in the Afternoon...Alone! Ho Hum, I kinda wish it was Friday already. Thank-you for reading. xxxxxxxxxxxxx

 



 

 



 



 

 

 

 

 



 

 

Meet Rolo.

I am not the most prolific of bloggers, sometimes I have nothing to say, sometimes I have lots of inspiration but life gets in the way. This week, we have been dealing with an unexpected Guest, quite a lovable, eager to please guest but one that hasn't been taught very many manners and thus is quite demanding.

Rolo is a five year old, neutered male Labrador, that was taken to the vets in order to be euthanized or in our friendly 21st century euphemistic terminology, to be Put-To-Sleep. Luckily for Rolo, the vet recognizing his gentle trusting nature, refused to kill this beautiful healthy dog and called in our local animal rescue organization to take him into their care. Drogheda Animal Rescue, eventually put out an appeal, via social media for a foster home. So, there was I, feet up and cup of tea in hand, idly scrolling through sodding Facebook and there he was - again. This was the second shout-out for a foster home, original offers had fallen through and despite really not wanting the bother of another big dog, I just couldn't resist him.

Myself and Mr S have a 'thing' about Labs, we both grew up with them and appreciate the characteristics, good and bad of the breed. It was probably one of the reasons that our relationship has stood the test of time, love me...love my Lab. I doubt very much sharing my life with a Rottie or a Poodle for example, fine dogs for some folks, just not a fit for me. Sometimes I think that favoured dog-breed are a bit like personal politics, religion or football teams, once chosen then hard-wired into preference. Other times, I tell myself to cop-on and that a dog is a dog and that there are far too many shallow assumptions about the characteristics of each breed. Indeed, our relatively modern obsession with only the appearance of a dog has had many unfortunate consequences for the health and well-being of many dogs.

So, here is the UK Kennel Club's fairly measured opinion of the Labrador Retriever and a valid  opinion that many will seek out when it comes to researching a potential family pet.

The Labrador is one of the best all-round dogs in the world. Not only used for retrieving game, he has also made his mark in the world of assistance dogs and as a ‘sniffer’ dog for drug and arms detection...A real gentleman, the Labrador adores children and has a kind and loving nature and a confident air. The big city is not really his scene; a bit of a country squire at heart, he comes into his own in rural surroundings. - See more at: http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/breed/display.aspx?id=2048#sthash.UfnxlLNJ.dpuf - See more at: http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/breed/display.aspx?id=2048#sthash.UfnxlLNJ.dpuf

But, I think that this description of the breed (and any breed) must contain the caveat of, 'only with early socialization, adequate exercise and consistent reward-based training'. So far Rolo has managed to escape from our supposedly dog-secure garden, jumped into the bath, chewed our skirting boards, chewed shoes, scraped all the paint from our kitchen door, cried when left alone, jumped up on all fours on the kitchen table, stolen food from plates, jumped up onto the wheelie bins and when he spots another dog on his walk wants to immediately play.

Ah sweet, you may think but today when off-leash out in the field he spotted a big husky about 500 yards away across a ploughed field and barrelled off, there was no amount of desperate calling, whistling and treat waving would bring him back. Thankfully, it was a friend of mine with the husky and he was easily brought back. Additionally, after his dinner he gets into particularly amorous mood and ignoring our own neutered bitch has taken a special liking to me. I never thought I would experience dog foreplay...shudder. It is like living with a hyper 40k horny puppy. Rolo is a lucky dog though, he has a gorgeous gentle nature, his eyes light up when he sees you and he is brilliant with the children so despite wanting to strangle him myself after 48 hours; he is staying until we can sort out a more permanent home for him.

He is so willing to please and listen, it makes me want to cry. For Rolo's only real crime was that his owner died and he was locked up in a shed for a year. I think he was an outside dog through for the majority of his life as the only commands he knows are OUT and NO! Slowly we are making progress, he is becoming calmer, learning to Sit and Stay. He has stopped crying at night and scraping the door, He is at least pausing before vaulting over the stair gate, in pursuit of food, company or shoes. I know he is happy to be here but if he catches a glimpse of a certain type of car when out on his walk, he watches it with thoughtful attention. My own dog Rosie is Most Annoyed about this new development but is indulging herself wrestling and sparring with the big guy.

So, I would say that for me the rewards of dog ownership/fostering are worth so much more than the effort required, the commitment required, the time that the hounds eat up but I would also say that if you think it is going to be easy, walk away. If you are thinking of buying a dog for your child, do not even think about it. If you are thinking of buying a puppy because it is cute or sick, walk away. Research your breed, yes. Pick the type of dog that suits your lifestyle, yes. But realise that your lifestyle is going to change, should change and that on average a dog will live for fifteen years.

It takes time and incredible patience to train and educate your dog, most people don't mind a puppy jumping up but if it is 40k of mud and slobber that is destroying your mate's new coat, it can get tricky. Exercise is critical, for the health of the dog, physically and mentally. No matter what size, I know a man who jogs with a Chihuahua.  My Dad recently adopted a 9month old Cavalier King Charles, her owners had lost interest in her, they wanted to go to the gym and not exercise the dog. I don't understand this. I would much rather be out in the fields with my Mutt, than stuck inside a gym with artificial lights and annoying music. Walking is good for me too, both physically and mentally. I can have that extra glass of Red tonight and the regularity of the exercise keeps the 'Black Dog' away.

However, if you have bought a dog and for whatever reasons you regret it, the animal welfare charities, just like our own Drogheda Animal Rescue are absolutely fantastic, they will organise a new home for your dog with no judgement. Recently, DAR rehomed a group of dogs in Sweden, isn't that just fantastic?
If you have stayed all the way to the end of this blog post, thank-you so much! I will leave you with some pics of the canines.

 

EDIT: Update - Rolo was adopted by a lovely family who have a dairy farm by the sea.

xxxxxx

Between the showers.

Hello! Welcome back to Oriel. How is your summer going? Ours has been a tad miserable to say the least. I guess we should have known, toying with The Weather Gods in such a cavalier fashion. So since our purchase of some garden furniture at the end of May in a joyous burst of enthusiasm for the hot promise of a Summer, any Summer, we have used the set approximately twice and the view to the garden looks mostly like this. Sodden. Abandoned.

Met Eireann, the Irish Meteorological service has been monotonously persistent with it's daily depressing forecast of 'thundery rain moving east'; this has been the worst summer since I moved to Co. Louth and that year it rained for a biblical forty days! Nevertheless, we have been trying to make the best of it, embracing the excuse to catch up on our favourite house pursuits, crafting, baking, reading, colouring and watching as many films as can be squeezed into a rainy afternoon. I am making steady progress with O's Autumn Sunburst blanket and Rosie likes it too.

She is a very crafty dog as you can see, these are a pair of PJ bottoms that I made for E from the fabric I bought up in Belfast and blogged about here. I followed this brilliant tutorial from the completely marvellous Countryside Tales blog and managed to run them up in about three hours!

 

The sun did make an appearance briefly and conveniently for a little photo-shoot. I miss you Sunshine.

 



E is delighted with them and I cannot wait to make some for myself as soon as a little bit of fabric cash manages to settle in my purse. When we were in London, I couldn't help noticing that those colouring book for adults were all over the place, despite being an avid colour-in-er in my youth, I didn't really 'get' the concept at the time but of course now that we are At Home, they seem like such a good idea and not just for the grown ups either. I love the intricate detail of the Secret Garden one but thank-fully for our diminishing summer budget, you can print out some free sheets from Red Ted Art and I just love how the kids approach the same picture in their own unique way. Sadly no pics of our art, it is just too feckin' grey for photography.

Play-doh is another 'old' toy that is also making quite a come back in our house, of-course we had to try the allegedly fabulous no-cook make-your-own recipe but oh my goodness letting two over-enthusiastic kids loose with bright red food colouring is not for the faint hearted. My lovely old farmhouse table is now covered in great globular red stains which no amount of elbow grease can shift AND the resulting 'playdoh' was deemed Far Too Yucky and promptly discarded and Mr S cajoled into buying some real stuff from the big supermarket.

Some days, it has been too wet for some people to even get dressed and Baking in Onesies and Licking Bowls in Pyjamas has become quite a weekly event. I don't think Mary Berry would approve.

Mr S has been getting all creative too.

 

Can you guess what it is yet?

 No?

Mr S is attempting some serious pallet reconstruction. Hopefully, I will be able to reveal the result of his endeavours before next summer...! Bye for now. xxxxx

London snapshots.

 

Old Spitalfields Market.

 

Kew

 

 

Hampton Court

 

We went to London and for the first time in a long time we became tourists in our former home city. All around the heat shimmered and we moved in a determined slow motion, there was a tube strike and we were disorientated and amateurish when trying to navigate our way around the cashless oyster card system. We glimpsed new tube stations, great soaring apartment buildings - too ubiquitous to become landmarks - new pathways and directions -my previously sharp London map slowly remembered and eventually restored. We checked off some places that we had never been and places half-remembered since childhood - the maze at Hampton Court has drastically shrunk!

I saw the ghosts of lost friends in many faces and felt 21 again as we danced, reunited with some old ones. We celebrated with our growing extended family, precious new-born babies and beautiful bumps. I marvelled at the shift in our parental journey, it seems like minutes since we were the distracted parents of small infants and focused on the mindful vigilance that accompanies the fast-moving toddler. In the face of the mighty force that is Grandma, myself and Mr S became slightly redundant, some unusual hours of child-free time opening. We had enormous fun but I got my cure , it was probably no accident that I bought this book. (The background is a 1970's shopping bag that had to be bought in no small degree because of the texture and the smell! It takes me back to a hot 1970's summer, my wee pram with a similar plastic cover.)

I went clothes shopping on a Saturday morning, all the shops packed with people, sales stock strewn into a bemusing mass, stale air-conditioning in the giant shopping centre. I wanted to give up almost immediately, forget about the new shoes and join the kids in the park. The old seduction of London  was still strong, the brisk efficient mass of commuters, the endless number of undiscovered streets; the potential for people watching, the stories writing themselves as the actors in each tube carriage  shifted, emptied and refilled. The teenagers kissing at Harrow-on-the-Hill, the old Punks with chiselled features at The Angel, the beautiful twins with immaculate hair and light graceful dresses at London Bridge, a vivid 1960's painting for a dream house in Old Street. A lovely exhausting time but an interlude, I missed my space. We went for a lazy pub lunch in the pretty village of Sarratt, strolled part of the Chiltern Way and it was here that I felt most still and content. I saw the sky and the distant fields, and breathed out.

 

A most fortunate rabbit.

 

Sarratt Bottom. Address envy. xxx