Save up the Good Times

It's not a song....but a thought that came into my head based on Dad's speech at my wedding. He was doing the whole 'Life is like a....' but used the analogy of silage. Apt, given my DH worked as a silage contractor for (too) many summers, but also there is a strong farming background in both families and he thought it was appropriate. I didn't know where he was going, and was mortified!
Anyway, the gist of it was that you should have an attitude towards life like silage....you save up the good times, like weddings and parties, etc and they get you through the hard times. At the time I didn't pay much heed (too nervous for him and DH), but a few people mentioned about how nice a sentiment it was. How right he was. I'm so glad that we had a wonderful wedding and that although we were young, we were able to celebrate as a full family. No regrets....isn't it great to say.

No song

There's no song in my head this morning. The general mood is bad, sad, disinterested in work, whatever. Yesterday got the sad news that Mairead had lost the war. I say war because she had fought and won awful battles with cancer for the last 5 years, but it won out in the end. What do you say to a family who have lost their only sister at the age of 25? I have a sister that age who also went through that battle but came out on top and has had the all clear for 10 years now. She now has the same chance as anyone else to get cancer....theoretically. I can't imagine how she is feeling.

I don't know whether I should give the background to all this or not, but it's a heartbreaking story. A wonderful family of 6 talented sons, the nicest people you could meet. They had one sister, a wonderful sportswoman also. We are friends through the years, from school (she was talented enough to be on the senior camogie team when she was in second year and I was in leaving cert) and her youngest brother has been going out with my sister for a good while now. Our families are linked. When Mairead was 19 she was diagnosed as having a tumour in her knee. It was a shock, as it always is, but she went through various treatment and it was cured. A couple of years later though, it came back in her lung and she has had various seemingly successful treatments in the past few years and had been given provisional 'all clears'. Tony's mother had said at the very start that secondary in the lung is very very difficult to cure. She's a smart lady and has seen a lot in her time as a nurse. Mairead finished her course in college and worked as a teacher. She had a wonderful boyfriend who helped her through. The first baby in the family was born before Christmas and Mairead was her godmother. They got on with life as best they could.

Anyway, for the last few months things haven't been good and for the last week or two, the family knew that it was only a matter of time. She was in good form at the weekend and some friends came home from Australia to see her. I'm glad for them. During the week things got worse and on Tuesday night my sister said that she was really labouring and it was difficult to be there. Thankfully she slipped away yesterday afternoon and is at peace now. I don't know why I'm writing all this, maybe I need to get it off my chest and carry on, because that's what we have to do. We all have to just carry on. Appreciate what we have. Live, laugh, love every day. Enjoy time with our friends and family. Don't worry about the little things .... or the big things. It's just a pity it needs little lessons like this to prompt us along the way.

PS I have been getting wonderful support for the Fundraising at Crafteire. Big shout out of Thank you sooo much to Claire and Di who have sent on fabby stash. Di sent a massive box...such fun to go through and I was so thankful this morning, when I needed a little lift.

I'll leave ye with my memories of Melly - as a cheeky talented camogie player and a beautiful young woman. RIP

My milkshake....

By Kellis was No. 1 this day 3 years ago....when my little Baby Eilis was born. Actually it was exactly at this time....9am....by C. Section...after a little bit of labour...!!

Unfortunately, today I have to go to Dublin to a v important work meeting, so I'm not going to be home in time but we had a little party at the weekend. She knew that the weekend was her 'party' and that today is her 'birthday' and we sent a cake to the creche and herself and her Dad will call next door for another little mini party with her fav. neighbours. Let me see if I have any suitable pics for the occasion.....

Here's the little mite, only a few hours old...thankfully her swelled oul mamma isn't in the pic - I looked dreadful! I never want to be the first mum of the new year...couldn't imagine having to have pics taken of you after the ordeal....or smiling for the newspaper/news. Good luck!

So my little chicken is 3 today....can't believe how quick the time flies. Some other things of note for the 31st of January are:

On Jan. 31, 1865, the House of Representatives passed a constitutional amendment to abolish slavery.

1797 - Composer Franz Schubert was born in Vienna, Austria

1958 - The United States entered the Space Age with its first successful launch of a satellite into orbit, Explorer I.

In 1983 a new law was introduced in the UK requiring that Drivers and front-seat passengers must wear seatbelts under a new law designed to reduce road deaths.

1990 - McDonald's Corp. opened its first fast-food restaurant in Moscow

Justin Timberlake turns 26 years old today. Minnie Driver is 37 today.

That's it, must run and get myself sorted for later.....and will post some birthday pics soon.

Doin that thing you do....

Saw this here and couldn't resist:

10 Favorites

Favorite Color: Red
Favorite Food: Chocolate
Favorite Month: May
Favorite Song: Still Crazy After all these Years - Paul Simon
Favorite Movie: High Fidelity
Favorite Sport: Basketball
Favorite Season: Autumn
Favorite Day of the week: Saturday
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Rasberry Ripple
Favorite Time of Day: Just before I go to Sleep

9 Currents

Current Mood: Impatient
Current Taste: Diet Coke
Current Clothes: Red top, black trousers....work atire
Current Desktop: Snowdrops
Current Toenail Color: Au Natural
Current Time: 17:26 pm
Current Surroundings: My office at Work
Current Thoughts: When can I go home/what will I buy my friend as a housewarming gift?

8 Firsts

First Best Friend: John F
First Kiss: Lar K
First Screen Name: CoCo
First Pet: Monty the dog
First Piercing: none
First Crush: Niall D
First CD: Hothouse Flowers - Songs from the Rain/Carry on up the Charts - Beautiful South

7 Lasts

Last Cigarette: Oct Bank Holiday
Last Drink: Friday night cans
Last Car Ride: to work this morning
Last Kiss: DD this morning
Last Movie Seen: War of the Worlds at weekend (what a crock!)
Last Phone Call: Susan - work call
Last CD Played: Bruce Springsteen -

6 HAVE YOU EVERS

Have You Ever Dated One Of Your Best Guy/Girl Friends: No
Have You Ever Broken the Law: Yes - there are many ways to break the law, some of them not so bad
Have You Ever Been Arrested: No
Have You Ever Skinny Dipped: No
Have You Ever Been on TV: Yes - in the audience of a show my sister was a guest on!
Have You Ever Kissed Someone You Didn't Know: Yes...not a good idea...but it was all the rage!

5 THINGS

Thing You're Wearing: Underwear, trousers, boots, top, popsocks!
Thing You've Done Today: Worked on my 'beliefs' and 'vision' at work
Thing You Can Hear Right Now: The server
Thing You Can't Live Without: My family
Thing You Do When You're Bored: Go online and check out blogs!

4 PLACES YOU'VE BEEN TODAY
Home, office, conference room, coffee shop

3 PEOPLE YOU CAN TELL ANYTHING TO
Tony, Brenda, Brian

2 CHOICES
1. Black or White: Black....to look skinny!
2. Hot or Cold: Hot - always better to be too hot than too cold

1 THING YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:
Visit Paris.....

To the Left, to the Left

I love Beyonce's new song and now Eilis (almost 3) is going around the house singing 'to the left, to the left'.....v. funny!

Curiouser and curiouser....I realise that I haven't posted since Friday night...mental busy and I try to avoid posting without pics, but I haven't taken them off the camera...ya ya excuses, but there will be more coming on Thursday pg....well that's the plan anyway. Back to curiouser....I came off the computer on Friday evening and who was on the Late Late chatting away to Pat, but Joe Dolan! There is a sign there, no doubt......

Also got roped into performing on stage with the darling hubby....they were one short, so I boldly stepped in and will now be appearing on stage as a 'silent character' in two weeks. Went to my first rehearsal with the group on Sunday evening. Took 2 hours to get through a 30 minute play....but I held my tongue....for now. The problem with rehearsing while missing a character (let alone a silent character) is that people are used to not having to wait for a reaction.....and so the lines come thick and fast. It'll be good to get back on stage though, and this time it's a competition...my first time in drama with a purpose other than just performing....interesting!

Heading to Dublin tomorrow...for a fun meeting (not!). We'll see how it goes I suppose. Also am meeting up with some of my girlie friends from college later tonight for a glass of wine, a chat and maybe the double bill of Desperate Housewives. It's funny....there will be 4 of us and I was just thinking to myself today...which of us is which housewife. Best not divulge my answers but I'm sure that after a glass or two of vino I might pose the question! I think I'm a bit of a ...

In fact...there's an online test here

It seems that the test thinks I'm Bree......I would have said a cross between Bree and watcha call the working one...with the kids? I just did another test there...on the Desperate Housewives homepage and it turns out they think I'm a Susan.....

What a joke!