Hanging Around the House

The next two days after our trip up north we just hung around the house and enjoyed having Joe home. Its nice to have a man around the house who can do some of the dirty work. Thanks Joe! I had a skip (what the Irish refer to as a dumpster) delivered to the house. Since we have been going through my mothers stuff and trying to organize we had lots of piles - trash, donate, etc. The black bags had been starting to accumulate in the back garden (yard) over the winter. 

Joe and T first cleared out the back that had pieces of an old gate and branches that were cut down from a tree last year. Then they started loading up the black bags. The day before Joe left I had him pretty much empty the rest of the attic that I was not able to bring down. He brought it down to the kitchen so we could start working on it. Almost done...hopefully!!

K and I started making tie-dye cupcakes for her birthday. She was going to take them on the boat over to Manchester for her birthday. I think Joe asked me at least ten times...how are we going to bring over these cupcakes?,what if they get flattened?, we have to bring these with us? Yes Joe! Its your daughters birthday and she is turning 11 in Manchester! 

We went to Tallaght one night for dinner at my cousins house. His children (my 2nd cousins) made a big dinner for everyone and all the kids. Joe disappeared very shortly after dinner and walked down to the pub for some pints. 

These boys are a riot together! 

That evening K came down with some virus where the side effect just seemed to be a high fever. L had it 4 days before K. Luckily it seemed to just be a 24 hour virus. The next day we just hung around the house, took a walk up to the local cemetery, and made dinner. I had to go up to K's soccer club to buy her "traveling" uniform. They wanted all the girls in the team logo long sleeve pullover and navy pants. They had to look like a team when they traveled together. I thought it was a little crazy at first but I get it and it does look nice. 

We had a crazy 10 minute hail storm that came through. Everything looked white for about 5 full minutes. Of course typical Ireland it was sunny 30 minutes later. 

I forgot to post pictures of the Valentines that K and T made for us. They were very creative! 

from T

from T

Here is an envelope I received from one of the mothers at T's school. I had to laugh because no one really calls their mother - Mom! They say Mam or Ma. 

That evening we celebrated K's birthday even though she literally spent the whole day on the couch. She is still in her pajamas and managed to smile for the picture. Joe, K, and T were leaving very early the next morning to catch the boat over to Manchester. I made dinner and bought a little ice cream cake. She got to open her cards and gifts. 

In Ireland birthday cards are always put on the mantle or a table to display them. When visitors come over to your house it is common for them to read the verses on all the cards and see who they are from. Once when I returned home after running errands I could tell someone had come to the house because the cards were all messed up on the mantle. So... if anyone is mailing any birthday cards to us please don't write any mushy stuff or its not going on the mantle to be displayed. ;-) 

Birthday cards on the mantle