Free Friday in Dublin City

It was my off day from work today so I met up with my mother for a nice breakfast facing out on to Stephens Green and then I pottered around the place.

As I unlocked my bike, I noticed that my garden has come in to bloom.  I took a quick pic before I set off.

I had to drop my bike to the bike shop for a service so I sauntered down Grafton Street and then on to Greenaer on McGennis Place.

Afterwards, I picked up Bones from ODKM's office and walked back home along the Grand Canal.

Here's a few pics that I took on my stroll.

I heard that DHL have started delivery using electric vehicles but I saw this more environmentally friendly delivery system outside their office!

These artworks were on the wall outside the bike shop. I like them a lot and they brighten the city.

A moment of humour in a not so funny situation

So today was not fun. Actually neither was yesterday. I was booked in for a colonoscopy today so yesterday I had to prep for it which basically means drinking litres of unpleasant tasting moviprep along with litres more water to flush EVERYTHING out.  Ugh.

So today I took more of the moviprep and stayed close to the bathroom all morning before I checked in for the procedure in the afternoon.

So what gave me a laugh, given the circumstances that I was in, was that I was lying back on the table while the medical staff were all setting up around me.  I was chilling out trying to not let the nerves get to me and suddenly I heard the music that was playing in the background. Well I was floored by what I heard, it was Jimmy Buffet's "Changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes". I don't think this is a song that is regularly played in Ireland so I guess they were playing some easy listening playlist.  Then next up was the theme song for The OC - "California" (love it!).

So there I was in a Dublin hospital being brought right to my favourite places in the world Key West and California. It certainly gave me a laugh given the indignity of the situation I was in. But sure hey, you have to look for the good in whatever is going on!!

Here's the words to "Changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes" by Jimmy Buffet to bring you to an island space of mind:

I took off for a weekend last month
Just to try and recall the whole year.
All of the faces and all of the places,
Wonderin' where they all disappeared.
I didn't ponder the question too long;
I was hungry and went out for a bite.
Ran into a chum with a bottle of rum,
And we wound up drinkin' all night.

It's those changes in latitudes,
Changes in attitudes nothing remains quite the same.
With all of our running and all of our cunning,
If we couldn't laugh, we would all go insane.

Reading departure signs in some big airport
Reminds me of the places I've been.
Visions of good times that brought so much pleasure
Makes me want to go back again.
If it suddenly ended tomorrow,
I could somehow adjust to the fall.
Good times and riches and son of a bitches,
I've seen more than I can recall

These changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes,
Nothing remains quite the same.
Through all of the islands and all of the highlands,
If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane

I think about Paris when I'm high on red wine,
I wish I could jump on a plane.
And so many nights I just dream of the ocean.
God, I wish I was sailin' again.
Oh, yesterdays are over my shoulder,
So I can't look back for too long.
There's just too much to see waiting in front of me,
And I know that I just can't go wrong
With these

Changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes,
Nothing remains quite the same.
Through all of the islands and all of the highlands,
If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane

Bikram Yoga - Take it as it comes....

I've been hard at the Bikram Yoga for the past few weeks.  It's funny how some days you can have a brilliant class and then other  days you can barely move.

Last Thursday was one of those days.  I had cycled to work on Wednesday (45 mins each way) and then gone to yoga afterwards. I then did the same on Thursday but when I attempted to practice I had zero energy. All I was fit to do was lie down and stay in the room.  

The next day on Friday, I got back on the bike and set off for work. I found that again I had no energy. It was a windy day and the cycling was hard. I got half way to work and pulled in to Booterstown Station, locked up my bike and hopped on the Dart. Happy days!

And so after a weekend of no yoga and a few small cycles, I was back in the hot room where I had a brilliant class. I was full of energy and best of all I felt strong.

Afterwards at savasana, the teacher mentioned something about "finding your body as it is" and that "every day you have a different body".  I practically wanted to shout out "Hear hear"!!

New Wedding Ring from Campbell Jewellers

Back in November, I took off my wedding ring because I wanted to leave off all of my jewellery for my Caribbean sailing trip. The bad news was when I got back home I couldn't get my ring back on (it was pretty difficult to get it off so this wasn't entirely unexpected!)

The wedding ring that I got back in 2001 was a double band dotted with little diamonds. It is cute but I decided that I wanted something plainer as a replacement.

A few weeks ago, I visited with Ronan Campbell of Campbell Jewellers and discussed my wishes with him after trying on tons of rings - including some amazing diamond sparklers (he has an incredible collection)!

On Saturday, I got my new ring and I am beyond happy with it.

Cute box!

 

Brushed gold, knife edge and a petite diamond makes the perfect ring for me!

Busy St Patrick's Day

Last year I cycled in the Dublin St Patrick's Day parade.  This year I decided to give it a miss as I thought the weather was bad (boy was I wrong) so instead I got up to loads of other fun stuff!

After a walk in the park we went for coffee in Butlers and then called on friends who have just completed their amazing house build (we brought green cupcakes from The Natural Bakery). We were taken on a tour of the house and I can honestly say I've never said "Oh my God" so many times in a short space of time. It is jaw droppingly brilliant and the level of detail was incredible. I don't know why I was surprised as it is my husband's business partner Barry of ODKM Architects who own the house and all ODKM designed houses are incredible!!

Click here to read more about Barry and Elsie's fab home.

As you can see from the above, Bones was decked out in his Green

After our visit, we went home and Ciaran went straight up to the studio and painted (click here for his website) and then later on we went for pizza in Manifesto Rathmines (so good) and then on to the Stella to see Green Book.  I loved the Stella as usual and thought Green Book was incredible - a really worthy Oscar winner.

After the film it was on to the Sugar Club to see Scary Eire and then after that back to O'Brien's on Leeson Street for 1 drink.  Phew! We finally made it home about 1am.  A busy St. Patricks Day for sure!

Elvis Pancakes

So the other day I blogged about pancakes - you can read here.

Someone who read my blog post on twitter commented that they thought they could see an Elvis face in the pancakes.

So what do you think?  
I reckon I can see two Elvis faces......what is that called - Elvi?!

Supervalu (where I bought the pancakes) even guaranteed that it was Elvis' face on the pancakes!  Lol

American Style Pancakes!

After my Pancake Tuesday debacle (see below pic!) I bought some pancakes tonight.

 Galberts American Style Pancakes.  OMG - so good!

 20 seconds in the microwave and you have perfectly moist fluffy pancakes. They are really nice and just great with strawberries and cream or even maple syrup which is probably my favourite.

I swear I'm never making pancakes again :-) 

Big news - we are a one car household!

For the past while, I've been considering whether we need to have two cars (albeit 2 teeny ones - namely a Smart Car and a Toyota IQ).

Well we took the leap.   The IQ is gone to a new home where it will be well looked after, appreciated and driven (I drove it 4 times in since the New Year).

Here's my blog post back when I got the car - about 5.5 years ago.

For the future, I plan to use either my bikes (regular Dutch and electric) or take the bus or train.  Or if I am really stuck for a car, I can borrow my husbands or alternatively I can use a Go Car. It will all work out.  I can even walk in to city if I want as I live approx 2km from the top of Grafton Street.....or I can get the Luas if I don't feel like walking!

Watch this space as I report how I am getting on without the car.

Happy International Women's Day!

I had a lovely International Women's Day starting with brunch in The Ivy Dublin with my mother. It was my first time in The Ivy and I was very impressed with it. The decor is stunning and I had a very tasty Eggs Benedict and a nice glass of prosecco.

And afterwards I went to TK Maxx and bought a new Bodum Coffee Press in a lovely cheery red colour.

I also got a little coffee "pour over" thingy that you put on top of a cup and let the coffee drip through a paper filter to quickly make a coffee.

I got a bag of nice coffee from a work colleague. I had given him some homemade soap and he gave me coffee which was really very thoughtful of him and made me very happy!  

Litter picking on the Grand Canal

I was thinking of going to Bikram on Saturday morning but then decided that if it wasn't raining I'd go to the canal clean up instead. It is only on once a month and sometimes I can't go because it clashes with work so because it didn't clash this month I felt I should go.

I only cleaned a small section of the canal but it was in a fairly bad state so my bag got full very quickly. Lots of beer bottles & cans as usual along with a bunch of hair bobbins(?!) and tons and tons of cigarette butts.

After the clean up I cycled on to Rathmines and look what I found in the window of the Vincents shop: a Paddington Bear!!

I couldn't resist and I bought him to add to my collection of PB's.

Later I made more soap. Peppermint flavour this time. 

It came out lovely and white and smells amazing! I look forward to using it in 4 weeks time.

Jameson 3 Things - Whiskey time!

JAMESON 3 Things  

When:

March 1 2019, 7pm

Where:

D-Light Studios

46 North Great Clarence Street

Dublin 1

Super night and I'm developing quite a taste for Jameson & Ginger!   

No work Thursday

Thursday was great. I took the day off work and made the most of it by getting up at 5.50am for an early morning Bikram yoga class. The class was brilliant (with Aileen, an excellent teacher) and I was so energised after it. When I left the studio I went to Rathmines for a coffee and a read of a trashy magazine (those of you who are close to me will know what magazine it was - trash of the highest order!!). 

Later that evening we went to see the new Felicity Jones film based on the life of Ruth Bader Ginsberg, "On the basis of sex". Really good film which had me gasping at times - incredible to think that it was only a short while ago in the seventies that women were being treated so unequally in comparison to men. It is thanks to people like RBG that we have seen positive change in this regard.

All in all, Thursday was a great day and I was glad that I took a days Annual Leave to have it off - I don't generally use my leave in this way as I prefer to take it off in blocks and go away on 2 week breaks from work but it worked to take the single day off.