Another Richard Scarry Busytown-worthy crash

Today we visited our first model show. Something I might never have experienced if I hadn't been blessed with three little boys... well, actually four. Now I find myself craving a Massey Ferguson 35X. That's a little red tractor to you and me.

Quick fotie post

Well, it was back to reality today for us all as Lee headed off to work after a week looking after us. We got through it ok actually, thank God! I even got some washing dry ☼ It was a beautiful sunny day, so we had to get out and about: baby in the sling and the two busters in the buggy.

Here are some pictures from our lovely week with Lee:

Eddie Rocket's Knickerbocker Glory.... yummmee. At least I think he liked it...

Holy fish, Batman! Look closely.

A different kind of milking machine. At the milk market, of course. You bring your own bottle and fill it with creamy milk here.

Swordfish outside Rene Cusack's.

Digging the praties.

Sweetie. Lee said he was a great help. Brought back memories of his big budda 2 years ago.

The lovely park in Pery Square. Best playground around too.

12 weeks yesterday

We went to Mass this morning for St Blaise's feast. Roo was a bit dubious about having his throat blessed, but he eventually joined Poonch and me at the altar, when I told him it would help stop him getting sick.

Afterwards we went to the market at the Crescent Shopping centre. Caroline from the happy pig farm was there, so we bought some rashers. She is holding a Beekeeping course at her house on the 27th (re-scheduled from January 9th) which I would love to go to, if Lee can manage to be off duty.

An update on the Babycake: I had a scan last week with my new consultant (very hopeful about him). He estimates my due date to be in August. The 15th, Feast of the Assumption. So that means I was 12 weeks yesterday. It's great to have some idea of when Babs is due!

Pizza, Little Piggies and Paul O'Connell

Today we had a brush with stardom. After a sunny visit to the playground, we went to La Cucina for some yummy pizza (the only way we could persuade Roo to leave). 'Look who it is...' said Lee to me as we went in. And there, sitting alone with a bowl of soup was the great Paul O'Connell, the Munster rugby captain*. We were shown a table, but then Paul left and they put us at his table! You could say Roo took his place, because he sat in the very same seat that Paul had just vacated (it was still a little warm). Roo himself was oblivious of course as he devoured two slices of Margherita pizza. He was disappointed earlier in Little Piggies when he was told he didn't need new shoes yet. I told him he'd have to eat lots so that his feet would get bigger.

*(People say Superman goes to bed in Paul O'Connell pyjamas. To tell you the truth, we think Paul made himself scarce when he saw Poonch coming in;))

Tootling about on my ownio...

Back to quilting yesterday for the first time since Christmas. A little reluctantly... but after five minutes I was hooked again and couldn't wait to get stuck in. I really value the couple of hours I have to myself while Mum takes care of the lads. I can run about doing errands afterwards too. (Literally run- something I can't do when I'm with Roo and Poonch, 'slow down Mummy,' Roo says when I'm walking with him. I love running/skipping about. It's funny the things you have to stop doing when you have children!)

Anyway, I was just thinking yesterday, how God really does answer your prayers sometimes, even if you haven't actually outright asked him. The day before was a really horrible day. I felt really down for no real reason, was getting much too frustrated with the boys over trivial things, Louis cut his mouth twice, Lee was anxious about a talk he was giving that evening and I hardly noticed him I was feeling so cross... lots of little things, one after the other.

And then yesterday, things just turned around. It was a lovely dry day, Mum was here to help, the lads were in good form, I zoomed around town on my own, then came home and we all took off for a walk down the lane. And I got to confession at last. With a lovely priest, Fr Brendan, in the Augustinians on O'Connell Street (that's the spot in the picture). I had wanted to (and not wanted to, if you know what I mean) go for a while, but I can't bring the lads in obviously! I know a good few Irish Augustinians, but I'd never met this guy before. He must have moved to Limerick after the last Chapter meeting. We had a little chat and he was telling me he was in Australia (every state by the sound of it) for 40 years. I think there's something about Augustinian priests. I just really like the vast majority of the ones that I've ever met.

Thank God for days like yesterday.

Last Day of the Old Milk Market

Well, someone up there must have been listening to me yesterday because today has been a great day. I even managed to get some heavy duty washing dry without having to resort to the tumble dryer.
This morning we headed into Limerick City to do our rounds of the Milk Market : a weekly open-air market that sells much more than just milk. I'm glad we made it in, because today was it's last day in it's current incarnation. It is due to be closed for 6 months while it is refurbished and covered with a roof. Speaking to some of the traders, Theresa and Olivier, there is a mixed reaction to these changes. It'll be interesting to see how it all turns out.
I am reading an anthology of short articles by Mother Teresa that sort of resolves the conflict I posted about yesterday. She writes, 'children [need someone] to receive them, to pay attention to them, to encourage them if they are sad, to share their joy if they are happy. They long for somebody to accept them, to love them, to praise them, to be proud of them.' It sounds fairly obvious and simple, of course, but if I concentrated on doing just those 'little things' as she calls them -'by kindness, by sharing joy, by sharing a smile', I would really be doing well I think. Back to Therese's Little Way. If I could just manage that, it could change our little part of the world.
On another note, if you can, pray for Fr Michael Sinnott, the 79 year old who is still being held by a gang in the Philippines.

Flying boats

Today we went on an aeroplane! Roo's favourite story at the moment is 'Going on a plane' much to Lee's annoyance , as he is bored with reading it at this stage. So on a whim, we decided to visit the Flying Boat Museum in nearby Foynes.

We had a great day learning about the exciting times when the first transatlantic flights took off and landed in this little town.

The famous Irish Coffee was apparently invented here when the airport chef wanted to warm and cheer up some miserable travellers who had started off to the U.S. but had to turn back as the plane ran out of fuel. This was a problem back then in the infant jet-setting days of the '30's and'40's. So naturally, as keen historians, we had to partake in one of the tipples. Here it is above and very nice it was too.

Part of the museum is a replica flying boat that you can look at and walk around. That was the best bit for all of us, not least Roo who finally got to go on an aeroplane. He doesn't remember his actual first time on an aeroplane a year and a half ago.

Before we went in, we had a picnic outside in the sunshine. The weather has been great here for the last week or so, which is all the more welcome after the rubbish Summer we've just had. Three wet years in a row. Then later on we went to the park in Adare and ate some cupcakes we brought with us as a newly married couple posed for photos in the near distance and Roo played a one-sided game of hide-and-seek with a little girl on the bandstand.

A lovely day.

rainy days and wednesdays

Today, I left behind my two little buachailli to attend my first quilting class. I never really had a burning desire to make quilts, but I would really like to learn how to sew properly, having owned a sewing machine since before we got married, so after meeting a nice quilting lady at the show in August, I decided I would sign up for classes at the Limerick Quilting Centre.
As I went in, I met some other 'quilters' carrying their equipment. Inside it was all very friendly and welcoming. The classes go on year-round, so there are people there who've been going for months and years and others like me who've only just begun, as Karen Carpenter would say. Well, I'm afraid to say, I think there's a distinct possibility of me getting hooked. Our lovely teacher, Maeve (an effective blend of encouraging but ever so slightly strict) showed me a photo of the quilt I'm 'going to make' and I nearly fell over. It is beautiful, but seems so intricate and will take ages... and lots of patience, because I am so ham-fisted. But I think I will love it. Today was basic enough- learning to cut straight (not my strong point) and sew straight (even less so), but all around me were tantalising shelves-full of exciting lovely fabrics. I'm looking forward to picking colours for my quilt, but I have a feeling there's a good bit of practising before I'm let loose on that. Not that I'm getting ahead of myself, but I've already decided to put it on the brown squishy sofa in the living room.