Porridge and pumpkin seeds

The weather has turned colder here in Ireland.  It's time to start eating porridge to warm me up in the morning.

This morning, after a walk with the dog, I'm having porridge with pumpkin seeds. Yum!

Funday Sunday

Ciaran and I stopped off for a quick Starbucks on the way to Dublin Airport.  He went off to Manchester to watch the Squash British Open Final.  It is a flying visit - he will be back home tomorrow.

I then met my sister and had a browse around the Swan Centre.  I bought some Christmas napkins with matching plate chargers.  I also bought some really traditional looking tin Christmas ornaments for my tree.  I plan to put my tree up in early December this year!

Pirates Bounty

I am doing a Pirate themed scavenger hunt in work for Library Ireland week.  This morning I went and bought a load of chocolate coins.  This is what the children will win when they get to the end of the hunt!

Marks & Spencer's are currently offering 3 for 2 on Christmas chocolate including chocolate coins.

Trick or Treat!

Its Halloween!

We won't be home this evening so I left out a bowl of chocolate bars for any children who call.

There are only about 10 children on our street and I don't know if any will call - some are quite young.

Traditionally when you call looking for sweets at neighbors doors in Ireland you would chant "Help the Halloween Party". However over time (and probably seeing it in movies) children have gradually started saying the American "Trick or Treat".  I grew up saying "Help the Halloween Party" - I miss the kids saying it! 

What did you say as a child when you called to houses at Halloween?

Wreath making - on the cheap

Normally I buy polystyrene rings for the base of my wreaths.  However, the more wreaths I made the costs were beginning to add up.

I decided to consider more cost effective options for the base of the wreath.

I had read on blogs about people using pool noodles from the dollar store for their wreaths.  

You can't really find pool noodles here in Ireland so I considered the alternatives.

I went to Woodies DIY and bought insulation tubing for pipes.  It was only 1.49 euro for a strip!! I cut it in half and taped it in a circle.

A wreath base for 75 cents in comparison to 3.50 euro.

Every year there is a sale of crafts in my workplace for charity so I am currently working on wreaths for this.

Do you have any alternatives to polystyrene rungs?

House - Leeson Street

To start the Bank Holiday we went for a cocktail on Friday evening in the newly opened "House" on Leeson Street. 

Upon entering we were greeted in a friendly manner and assisted with being seated.  Many tables were reserved so we sat at the bar in the main area.  We then decided to move further in to the venue and sat at the bar in the marquee/greenhouse area out back.

We ordered cocktails that were not in menu. I had a Grey Goose Caipirosca and Ciaran had an Old Fashioned. The cocktail menu was not that appealing to me - too many of the cocktails were Gin based - but you can't beat the setting.

We hope to return for dinner sometime!

My cocktail was made with sugar syrup (barman's cheat, in my opinion) and ice cubes that were not crushed.  It was a passable version of a Caipirosca.  

Wreath making factory

I've quite the production line going of wreaths.

These are all for my mother.  She wants to give them to her friends.

Currently she is visiting my younger sister who lives in Oman.  My sister works as cabin crew for an airline.

On my mothers return from Oman in a week I will give her the wreaths.

The kitchen table is covered in Christmas baubles and Ciaran has nicknamed me "Elf"!