Will I return to going to the cinema?

Cinema Habit

I used to be a regular cinema-goer, in fact I think Ciaran and I were probably two of the last people to go to the cinema in Ireland before Covid. We went to the cinema back in March 2020 on a Tuesday evening. We were among a "crowd" of 5 people at this screening and by Thursday all cinemas were closed as Ireland went in to the first months long lock down.

Since this time I have not visited the cinema and I really am not inclined to at this time. The thoughts of sitting in a movie theatre, sharing a space for about two hours with strangers. No, not for me, at this time.

The reason I am writing this particular blog, is that this evening at my Spanish class my Spanish teacher was asking us lots of different questions in order to get us conversing and practising the language. One of the questions she asked me was do I prefer to go to the cinema or watch films as home. It was an interesting question and it sure got me thinking. And so in my pigeon Spanish, I basically answered something like "Before Covid I really enjoyed going to the cinema but now I prefer to watch films at home, but maybe I will go to the cinema again when the pandemic is over".

When will I return....

However I just saw a trailer for a movie that actually made me feel a little urge to make a plan to go see it in the cinema!

Check this out. It's the new Lady Gaga movie "House of Gucci".......I can't wait!

The Stella Ranelagh

Hopefully it will be shown in The Stella Ranelagh which is a small boutique 40 seater movie theatre in The Devlin Hotel which is around the corner from where we live. They have prosecco on tap in this cinema so we will make a night of it! 

Fingers crossed it come to this cinema.

A sweet story!

Honey Honey!

On Sunday mornings, we go for a coffee in Ranelagh and on our way to the coffee shop we pick litter (Dublin City Council will supply you with litter pickers and bags, if you drop them a line on their customer service email). 

This morning was a lovely mild day and we walked up Chelmsford on opposite sides of the road as we picked. Ciaran had the dog on his side. 

Lots of people say "Thank you" as they pass by but this morning I had the loveliest encounter with a man who asked were we part of a group who does the litter picking. I explained how we do it on our way for coffee on a Sunday morning. He said thanks but then told me to hold on a minute that he was a bee-keeper and he was going to give me two jars of honey!!

Well I was so happy! What a lovely thing to do. He went in to his house not far from where we were talking and then came back with this gorgeous Dublin Mountain Honey.

Here's pics of the honey which is available in The Village Butcher in Ranelagh. 

Certainly a sweet ending to our Sunday litter pick!

Saturday Morning litter pickup

Litter pick up by the Canal

I joined with the Friends of the Grand Canal this morning to pick up litter. There is a meetup once a month on the first Saturday of the month from 10am to 12pm. All you need to do to join is to turn up at the bench near Leeson Street Bridge on the Canal.

I collected my litter picker and two bags and then set off in the direction of Leeson Street to pick litter. There was a large amount of people volunteering today and most stayed along the canal. I prefer to leave the canal area and pick litter on the streets close by - I figure that if it doesn't get picked it will blow in to the canal so better to get to it before it gets in to the water.

In total, I filled two bags in a little over an hour. Definitely a job worth doing on a Saturday morning!

Join up with the clean up

If you are interested in cleaning up the canal you can come along to the next meetup - or you can contact Dublin City Council by email to request a litter picker and bags and they will drop them to your house which means you can pick litter in your own area in your free time. 

Happy picking!

Blanchardstown Library - offering so much!

Blanchardstown Library - a fantastic space for the Dublin 15 Community in Fingal

Great to see Blanchardstown Library has reopened after being refurbished. I worked here when it first opened about 20 years ago and it was a fantastic place to work and I enjoyed every minute of it.

It was always a busy branch that was constantly evolving and innovating and offering new services and resources to borrowers.

Check out all that it offers these days in this informative video featuring current library staff (I recognize some of my former colleagues!)

Flu You!

Flu, who?!

Flu Season is upon us again. After not getting the flu jab last year as I was living in Spain, I got the vaccine this year through work. It was quick, painless and convenient (I got it just before I started work at midday on my late shift) and I feel great knowing that I am protected from getting flu this year.

Ciaran sorted himself out with his flu vaccine by calling in to a chemist in Ranelagh. He asked them did they have the vaccine available and the pharmacist came out to say that he could give it to him straightaway. He jumped at the opportunity and after filling out a short form he got jabbed in his left arm and was out of the pharmacy in minutes. 

Great piece of mind for both of us - particularly as I am hearing that this year the flu may be a particularly bad strain. 

Are you vaccinated against Flu?  Do you get it from the doctor or the pharmacist? Let me know in the comments below.

Happy Halloween!

 Halloween Spooky Cycle with Dublin Cycle Campaign

We had a fun morning, taking part in the Dublin Cycle Campaign's "Spooky Cycle" along Sandymount Strand. It was a glorious sunny October day and everyone was in great spirits as we cycled slowly along the road. Led by Gardai from Irishtown and Donnybrook Garda station there was a mix of people with families and children of all ages. There was a mix of cargo bikes and regular bikes and we spotted another couple on Brompton's with theirs being red and cream while my Brompton is black with Ciaran's being raw lacquer.

Here's a few pics before the cycle got underway.

Hola! Back at Spanish lessons again

Back working at the Spanish

We always planned to continue learning Spanish on our return from Malaga. Since we are back in Ireland, we have been doing Duolingo on a daily basis. But further to this we also planned on starting lessons.  

Well guess what!

We started back at it this evening. Our new Spanish teacher came to our house and we thought she was great. The lesson was a lot more structured than our previous lesson in Malaga (which was really more of a meet up for conversation with a teacher) - we even got homework too!

It was really great to speak Spanish again and I am looking forward to continuing with it here in Ireland.