Monday Musings

Woke up to another rainy day in Scotland but I selected the Beatles on my Ipod and headed out the door to 'Love, Love me do!'
I couldn't start my week off on a bad note - that would set the tone for the whole week. I feel like I’ve got stuck back into my routine bad habits and general laziness since we returned from Paris. So I've decided to set myself some goals - the usual stuff I suppose - and focus my thoughts towards more positive waves.

And with that guess what is all over the 10 o'Clock news - SWINE FLU in SCOTLAND!! YAY!

It's not so late in the evening...

Ahhh! It's not even 8 o'clock in the evening and I'm in bed with my cup of tea. I think it is well earned seen as we don't seem to have been able to get to bed before 11 this week and I've been up at 5!Count the hours! Beauty sleep desperately needed! I feel haggard, ragged and worn out. Someone called me Dorothy today and Golden Girls reruns flashed like a horror movie through my head. Then I realised I had on my red shoes (I love my red shoes) and he fancied himself witty!

Lack of sleep does me no good. So before I let the night get away from me again I'm going to bid you goodnight, finish my tea and read a few pages of my Hemingway before I pass out!
I'll be back on the weekend.

Póg mo thóin

Saturday. And I'm at work. Only for a few hours so not so bad and pretty much just waiting around so I can test a few things and then be on my way. So thought while I wait I would sit here and type up a few of my thoughts. So clever I am!

Been a busy but mostly uneventful week except for last night. I surprised my folk music mad man with tickets to see Sharon Shannon Big Band with Camille O’Sullivan and Shane McGowan. Such a good night! We got jiggy to some seriously outstanding Irish Tunes.

I’m not sure you know who Shane McGowan is. Ever heard of The Pogues – responsible for such hits as Fairytale of New York, Dirty Ol’ Town and Irish Rover? He is the founding Lead Singer. And what a character he is!

I actually almost walked into him on the street outside the venue. I'd just been to the cash machine to- uh - draw cash for boozing and had begun the journey back to join Bruce in the queue. My first thought when I saw this dishevelled guy stumbling out of a pub and fumbling to put his sunglasses on (no, the sun was not shining in Scotland) was that he was going to ask me for a cig. Then as I was walking by, I noticed the expensive leather pants and something clicked my recognition button! When I looked up everyone in the queue was staring in my direction. I mean I know I’m hot but that kind of admiration would have been … a new thing.

By all accounts a night to remember. Sharon Shannon is indescribable. What a musician and so real. You’ll find her on You Tube if you care to see for yourself. While you are there look out for Gerry O’Connor – amazing banjo player and Jim Murray – brilliant guitarist. I could go on and on about last night but don’t want to risk doing a Celine Dion on my faithful readers and as your luck would have it the waiting game is over.

So póg mo thóin!

Paris, je t'aime

So let me tell you about Paris. I love Paris. I'll always love Paris. You should go to Paris. I can't do it justice. Everything about Paris makes me happy. The endless cafe's with people sitting facing the street so they can observe everything. The pastries. The wine. The cheese. The people. The walks along the Seine. The Lourve. The sights and sounds. The Notre Dame. The Gargoyles. The Shakespeare Company Bookstore. The Buddha Bar. Montmatre. The people. The history that surrounds you. It's just Paris. You should go.

Our Kitchen hates me!

I'm convinced! Seriously. Every time I venture in there and stay for longer than 5 minutes to cook or bake anything - I either almost chop off a finger, grate my knuckles, burn myself on the oven, stove, or anything that screams HOT! My darling man says it is because I'm not careful enough and rush in where fools fear to tread. I disagree! I simply think the Kitchen hates me and favours him. I've got the scars and the plaster wrapped around my thumb to prove it. He is bruise, burn, cut and scrap free. And he likes to drink and cook. Yup! He is a regular Floyd in the kitchen. I, mostly, restrict my drinking to when I'm actually partaking of the food I've cooked or watching my gorgeous Master Chef in the making cook a famous dish of his own creation.
I've tried to tell him I should for my own safety be barred from the kitchen and most definitely from participating in any kitchen related activities. I can make tea, coffee, pour him a whiskey, turn on the dishwasher... but I must be quick. His response- he chuckled and said 'Yes Dear'.
All fun and games till I lose a thumb. I'd be screwed if I ever needed to hitch a ride to nowhere or pop a cork off a bottle of champagne. What would ol' Chuckles do then? I mean a girls charm can only get her so far. She most certainly needs a good pair of opposable thumbs for when the going gets a little corky or she ever wants to play the piano again.

I bid you goodnight. Hope tomorrow brings you peace and happiness.

P.S I know I've been gone a few days but I was in Paris for 5 of them. I'll tell you all about that another time. I love Paris.