Donegal - Galway - Dublin

Ok, so before this gets boring I'll tell the long story short (yes, yes, I can hear the sigh of relief already!).

We decided to go on a little road trip of Ireland, and see as much as we could in four days. Now, if we would have had an extra couple of days, we would have been able to go down to Clare, Kerry & Cork area and see that beautiful part of the world, but we had four days, so had to make the best of it!

We hit the road early in the morning heading West... I had a little detour I wanted to make over in Derrylaconnell, and after that, and while enjoying the beautiful scenery of West Donegal we headed south towards Galway!

Some people have commented that doing a quick road trip like this isn't good, because you don't get to spend enough time anywhere... but I would have to say that it's a good way to see a lot of the country, and to take a broad view of Ireland. I would agree that you don't get to see much in detail, but that's the sacrifice to be made!

We did make a little stop at the ruins of Claregalway Abbey, which I thought were just amazing! It was a beautiful clear blue sky, and we just stumbled upon this abbey!

We reached Galway mid afternoon and had gorgeous weather, so took a walk around the Spanish Arch and the bay, and up into the shopping streets! I really liked Galway, there was something magnetic about it!

That evening we visited the little town of Claddagh, where I had expected to see some mention of Richard Joyce, and the origins of the Claddagh ring and legend. However, there was nothing. The little fishing of Claddagh had been completely torn down, and all that now remains is the name and the legend... I still really enjoyed walking through it, and as we got to the bay at Claddagh we were greeted with a beautiful night sky.We had dinner in a lovely local pub and met my cousin and her fiance for a few drinks. We were hoping to catch some live Trad music, but we had arrived in between sessions, and with all the driving planned the next day, thought it was best to not stay out partying into the wee hours.

The next morning we took a walk again, and saw some sights we had wanted to look at again from the afternoon before, then late morning jumped into the car and headed for Dublin!

By now Cory was a pro at driving on the left, so after driving about half way while he slept it was my turn to chill in the passenger seat & catch 40 winks... thing I know we're at the Dublin toll road!!!

Dublin was great! We were again surprised by the weather! The sky was blue and the air was warm... it was perfect! So, we grabbed lunch and hit Temple Bar!

We saw the Guinness Storehouse the next morning and the Old Jamesons Distillery in the afternoon... we hadn't really planned to make our road trip a hop-on-hop-off brewery trip, but we were both interested, and thought 'feck it'! We got some tour bus passes and saw the city that way... It was nice to just be able to stroll the streets of Dublin, taking in the history and culture... the buildings were amazing too! Oh, and we managed to pop in and see my brother too for a few minutes. He was working at St. Pats Cathedral one of the days, so we stopped by and annoyed him for a bit... it was good to see him!

We were also in Dublin for the US Presidential Election results... so we chilled out watching the news channel, and the next day everyone was asking Cory what he thought of the news etc etc! Everyone seemed impressed to meet a 'real live American' person on the day of the results!

The next day we did a little more sightseeing, and then mid-afternoon hit the road again for Donegal :)(But we did have to make a stop in Derry for dinner, neither of us could wait any longer, and we were both craving fajitas!)

Ireland...

So, after Amsterdam we came back to Ireland and were spending the whole week here before toodling off to London... we had a list as long as my arm of things to do, so there was no time for being idle...

After spending Halloween in Culdaff and waking up a little later than planned, off we head on the Causeway coastal route! Bushmills were offering tours til 2.30pm, and we really wanted to do that, so we had lunch and hit the road! Bushmills was great, I loved the whole experience, and am SO glad we got to do the tour and the tasting. The Old Bushmills Distillery is the oldest distillery in Ireland, and was officially licensed in 1608, although it is believed that troops of King Henry II drank Bushmills some 400 years before.
I liked that we got to tour the fully functional distillery and see (and smell that sweeeeet smell) the product in the making!

As we left Bushmills the daylight was fading, and we had really wanted to see the Giants Causeway, so we hot-footed it over there to make the most of the light left in the day!

I was amazed at the Causeway!
It was completely awe inspiring to be standing at the tip of the causeway, contemplating life and thinking about all those who have stood in that same spot before you...

It was also a beautiful evening, the sky was clear and becoming pink, and the ocean stretched as far as the eye could see... I kept thinking about the legend of Finn McCool... and while I know it's not true, I love the legend that says he built the causeway as a walkway to bring his one true love safely to him from across the sea!

Amsterdam

Cory came over for a visit, and we decided that we'd try and cram as much into the two weeks as possible... so, we start with a couple days in Amsterdam!

It was fantastic!

I am so glad we went... we had perfect weather and I just loved the city! I would highly recommend it to anyone, and will jump at the chance to go back again in the future - maybe when it's a little warmer would be nice!

There were a lot of hi-lights of Amsterdam, but one of the things that tugs at the heart strings was our visit to Anne Frank's house. To see where and how they lived during that terrible time, and to just listen to the story of the Frank family is a real eye opener. To just think that this was not all that long ago, and it's not the kind of thing that could never happen again... it makes you realise that we have to be very careful in this world to not fall into the same situation again...

Here are some pics from Amsterdam :)

Back in town... back to rennovations...

So, when I got back from hols I decided that I really needed to get motivated with the house again, but the weather was so crappy and the garden needed to be left to settle for a while, so I started on the inside...

I didn't realise, and maybe I should of, that everything in old houses takes much longer than anticipated... even little jobs take longer than they should.

I started with stripping the paper in the living room... a simple task really, and it shouldn't have taken long... BUT... there was 30 years of wallpaper on the walls that needed to come off... and it turned out that the wallpaper and adhesive were holding the chimney breast together... at one point I pulled a tiny piece of paper and a HUGE chunk of wall came away with it.... holy crap!

So, I stopped and panicked for a little while... then made a few calls and got a friend and neighbour to come up and have a look at it... he confirmed that it would need to be replastered... but said in order to do that I would need to take the whole top layer off the wall.... ok, no problem (I think) and I start with a hammer and chisel...

It was tiring work and made slow progress... I had to go carefully so I didn't damage the wall underneath... and even with being super careful still a piece of sand/cement came away revealing the brick work underneath! Panic again!

So, with the drama of the living room still going on, I decided to get a tiler in to work on the bathroom... just a little job, no major hassles or anything... take off the old tiles and retile the rest of the room, floor to ceiling...

Well, I should have guessed that nothing in the Friel house could go to plan, and it turned out that some "bleeping bleep" (who I won't name right now) had put the tiles up with cement... YES! Cement! grrrrr, even I know that they shouldn't be cemented to the walls!!! So, with the tiles, off came a huge part of the wall... NOT GOOD!

But, the tilers carried on, and after only a couple more little hitches the bathroom was done and dusted... unfortunately, I couldn't say the same for the living room!

With the wall still being a problem, I decided that I had to get cracking on the rest of the room, or I'd be waiting forever to even start... So, a good friend volunteered to come over and help...

We pulled up the carpet, getting ready for painting... and the floor came away with it... it turns out that the floor had been skimmed... (yes, under supervision of the same bleeping bleep) and that the dampness had come up and just caused it to crumble and bubble!













Thankfully we notice this, but unfortunately it was a Bank Holiday... no shops open!

So, again, I made a few calls, and a family friend said they would open the shop so we could get some materials... After spending all day putting the self levelling stuff on the floor, we started to paint the walls and ceiling!

The next day the floor was almost dry, so another coat of paint was slapped on the walls, and we hot footed it over to the North to get some laminate flooring and underlay...

After a sneaky lunch on the run we got to laying the floor... thankfully the floor was dry enough to put the weight on, and although the flooring itself was a pain in the neck to lay, it was all done and we could move furniture back in and think about getting some dinner!

My new tattoo - 26th August 2008

The Claddagh symbol has a lot of meaning to me, and I have always worn a claddagh ring since I was a child. I had wanted to get this tattoo for years and years, and the timing seemed perfect! The placement was extremely painful though!

The hands are there for friendship.
The heart is there for love.
For loyalty, forevermore the crown is raised above.

More summer hols pics!

Cory and I on the sling shot ride at the state fair
Cory, Bekah and I on the Ferris Wheel
Bekah and the two Mary's
Sabrina, Bekah, Mary and IErm....

Summer holiday!

Well, the last post I was getting ready to go on my summer hols, and it was fab! The weather was a little on the 'hot' side for little Friel, but apart from that it was a great opportunity to catch up with old friends, and to make some new ones at the same time.

This summer seems like so long ago, it feels like so much has happened since then... but here are a few pics, better late than never... right?!?! :)

These 2 pics were taken at Kells Irish Pub, Portland.

Cory came and got us girlies the morning after I arrived and took us to Portland for the day... it was 109 F that day, but it was really good fun!


These other pics are from our camping trip up at Detroit Lake. Bekah, Sabrina and I went up there for the weekend... it was just beautiful and the weather was perfect! Sabrina loved her first camping trip!

Starting the Reovations

Well, with the summer pretending to be here, without the nice weather, I decided that it was now or never to get the back garden started....

So, I got a guy in with a digger for the day to dig out all the plants and bushes, and to cart it all down to the back of the garden (or should I say field).

I thought this was the first step, so I could then see what I was starting with, but instead it just made me realise that there is WAY too much land there for me to start with myself, so I need some help :p

I walked down to the back of the garden and realised that there is SO much more land there than I could imagine with all the bushes and shrubs there. I also realised that the soil was pretty poor, so would need to haul in tons and tons of topsoil.

I did find these large rocks which I think are just fantastic. I asked mum about them and she said that they used to have them into a bit of a rockery and they would have little picnics out there when she was little. I thought that was just fab, so I am hoping that I'll be able to use them in my garden.

So, I've had the landscapers out to have a look at it and am waiting for them to come back to me with an idea on designs so I can have a look through and get a better feel for it... Fingers crossed!

Besides that, there isn't much else I've started on the house... I really need to start painting, but it's just hard getting started... I need some kind of kick up the ass!!!

I'm in holiday mode now, so I doubt anything will be done til after I'm back... Ah well, where's the hurry eh! ;)

Beach pics

Here are some of the pics I've taken the past couple of weeks at the beach....

June & July

My mum had to return again at the begining of June for a family funeral, it was so sad, but in the same way it was nice to have her and the boys here for a while. I managed to take some extra time of work at short notice, and spent a few days with them. My brother and his wife came up for the funeral too, it was good to see them, even under sad circumstances.

The boys had a great time here, they were wanting to go to the beach, but the weather wasn't all that good, so instead I got them a football and football net for the back garden which kept them amused, they thought it was great!

June flew through... all was quiet in the Friel house. I popped down to Laois for a weekend, which was great fun. I bumped into friends I hadn't seen in years, some of them more than 14 years ago! After that I nipped to Dublin to catch up with a friend from the UK, we spent a couple nights there which was great fun... then I hit the roads again, heading home.

I managed to get to London for a weekend as well... I had to go for a meeting for work in Aldershot on the Thursday evening, so I asked if they could book my flight home for the Sunday and I took the train to Olympia and surprised the family! Alfie and Morgan didn't quite know what to do, their little faces when they saw me were all confused... but quickly changed to smiles, and it was as if I'd never been away!

July itself was pretty quiet, I started spending quite a lot of time at the beach, taking photos and going for walks at least every other night... it's gorgeous there, so quiet and so few people... it's great to just unwind and think... even if there's nohing on your mind (pics in following post)!

Oh, and I also started a new job! I'm still pretty excited about the new job. I started at the end of July as Account Manager for the Inish Times, the local leading newspaper!!!! The team are great, they're a fab bunch and it works really well... Been there a couple weeks now already, and am looking forward to being there for some time!!!

Getting Settled, visits & goodbye Mr Tom

Before I started the job up in the call centre, I was starting to get very homesick, my day had no routine, no real drive... so one day, I just thought "I either get a job and settle down, or I go home right now"... So, I got up of my butt and got a job.

It was the best thing I could have done. Ok, the job wasn't exactly the greatest, but it was a regular time every day, and I got out to mingle with people - the thing I love to do!

I also joined a Martial Arts club here, it's great! The class I go to is run by a family friend and the people there are great! It's not a big crowd, which is even better.... we have a laugh and learn Jiu Jitsu, you can't beat it!

My mum, brother and the boys came to visit back in April, it was great fun... The boys loved it, we had some good weather too, so spent some time at the beach! I was able to take the time off work and just spend with them... mum was here for her birthday too!!!!

My first birthday here was a little strange... usually I would go round to my mums and just chill out, and then maybe go out with friends in the evening or the weekend following... This year it was just me, and little Tom.

I didn't really have anyone to celebrate it with, so I went to work and just tried to forget about it... that was easier said than done, with all my UK friends and family texting and calling to wish me a happy one, I ended up more homesick than I had been, and just wanted to go home.... The tears filled my eyes, and I just wished I was anywhere than here...

That evening I went to watch the kids play football in Rasheeney, it was good to stay outta the house, so I didn't get all down in the dumps, it was even better that the boys won!!!!

Some friends of mine from the UK paid a visit at the end of May, the 4 of them came on their motor bikes and did a littl tour of Ireland before ending up at my house...

Thankfully while they were here we had some great weather and were able to go out and see the sights, play at the beach for a bit, and enjoy chillin in the pub....


We found ourselves taking part in the pub quiz one night, we named ourselves "Smelly cheeses in the corner"!!!! :)

Sadly, on their last night, we were in the taxi coming home... as I got to the house I could see something in the road ahead, and my gut lurched... I knew it was Tom.

My buddy was amazing, he jumped outta the car and went to see Tom, there was nothing we could do, he'd died instantly... so he wrapped him in a towel and carried him back to the house. It was 3am, and that sobered us up instantly!!!

I was really taken heartbroken about poor little Tom, he and I had been through some tough times, and he was always there for me. He'd listen to me rambling on, and would just comfort me when I needed it. He was a good little friend, I would (and still do) miss him dearly.

Sometimes I think he came for a purpose, to get me through a tough patch and he did that... then it was time to leave? Sometimes I wonder if he had a happy little life with me, I sure hope so... we weren't friends for long, but it was a great friendship when I needed it most!

My biker buddies did Tom proud, they burried him in the garden for me, a nice quiet spot under the tree... I was glad that we found him, and were able to put him to rest... my buddies will never really know how much that meant to me.

Back up & running again

Hey!

Well, I have finally managed to reactivate the account to go with this blog, I'm not quite sure what the problem was, but hey, it's fixed now, that's what counts!

It's been quite some time since my last post, so I'll try and update this in as short a post as possible.

Have been here in the Emerald Isle since February - I had a great holiday in the USA over Christmas and New Year, and that left me refreshed for my new start!

At 4am on the 17th Feb, after quite a lot of fighting to get Tom into his box, Mr Tom and I packed ourselves into the car and headed for our new lives, not knowing what was ahead of us, but knowing that behind we had left a very loving and slightly heart broken family.

About 15 minutes into the drive I finally managed to stop the flow of tears and concentrate on the road ahead, my heart was aching having to leave my family behind, but I knew I had to give this a go, so I swallowed the lump in my throat, turned the music up and started to sing along.

We arrived here that evening and it was absolutely freezing, there was no heating on in the house for us when we arrived, so I made a start with a fire and snuggled up with Tom on the chair... It was -7 that night and similar temps the whole week... what on earth had I let myself in for?

Mr Tom wouldn't even go outside the door for weeks, it was just too cold... he spent most of his time as close to the fire as possible, or snuggled up with me if I sat for a moment.

We started unpacking our things and getting settled, and soon enough this old cottage began to feel like home.

We had quite bad weather for quite some time, lots of hail and snow, the wind at night was fierce, it's a good job I wasn't the kind to get scared easily at new noises.

I bought whatever furniture we needed, and got myself a little job out in the call centre, things were starting to form a routine, things were starting to look up!

Mr Tom finally decided that he was brave enough to go out.... so, off he went.... the first walk didn't last all that long, he had a quick ramble through the bushes out back, a quick scout round inside the garage and was back inside snuggled up infront of the fire again!

10th Dec 07

10th December 2007

Today was the first day I really felt like a stranger at my old flat. I’d not been out there since the day my stuff was collected, and I’ve been away setting everything up at my new home all of last week… so it was a bit of a shock when I felt such a stranger when I was driving out there this afternoon…

I came to town, and everything was familiar and the same as I remember, but also very different… I didn’t have the usual feeling of ‘being home’ when I got to town and turned into my road…

I pottered around and did the things I needed to, then locked up and headed back to my parents place…

I suppose it’s a bit like being on holiday, except there’s no pool, no beach, and no water sports…. There’s also no room service or mini-bar but hey-ho, it’s my ‘in between’ stage, and I’m content with that…

Oh, but I’d be happy if at least there was decent internet access… the internet here is dial up, which I could cope with, but the pc is not very happy at the moment, so most of the pages won’t open up… so it’s better to not even try – or else I end up getting very frustrated with it!

I hope you’re all getting your Christmas shopping done… and looking forward to seeing friends and family over the holiday period…

I’m looking forward to my holidays… only 7 more sleeps…

4th December

It seems that I arrived ages ago, but it’s actually only been a few days… I spent today down at the cottage trying to get things sorted… it’s now clean and ready inside for the removal men to arrive. Hopefully that’ll be tonight, but it’s late already so I’m thinking tomorrow is probably more likely.

I still haven’t been able to get the phone and internet lines connected… I should have known everything couldn’t possibly go smoothly…

Not much else really to report… I’m kind of at some stage in between my new home and the old one… but not quite homeless, and not quite on holiday… It’s a little unsettling, a bit like waiting at the platform for the train to arrive… but I know I’ll soon be settled… and I’ll no longer call it ‘the Cottage’ instead it’ll be plain and simply ‘home’!

As I knelt today lighting a fire, I felt very welcome there, like it would soon be my home… I would soon have my photos and stuff all over the place, and Mr Tom would soon be snuggled up in on a rug in front of the roaring fire… I liked that feeling… I have a strong connection to the cottage; I guess I always have… And now I feel like my life gone past has been leading me to this point… it feels so right, and that gives me comfort.

I always have very strong ‘gut feelings’ about things, and I tend to trust those instincts… I’d like to think that if I’d made the biggest mistake of my life, I’d know it… and today, deep down in my gut I felt content and confident… so I’m thinking that’s a pretty good sign!

With my internet not yet set up, I’m only able to get online at my brothers house… it’s great that I can still get online, but his wireless has gone haywire, so I’m only on once a day (he and 4 kids share the PC)…

I hope you’re all keeping well, and will catch up with you all soon… x

The bad weather has put a slight delay on delivery of my stuff... but I'm not really all that surprised considering how rough the weather has been here this weekend.

The weekend has flown past, and all my good intentions have also flown by.... (oops!). I was planning to have done some cleaning and painting already, but have instead been taking it easy.... (slapped wrists, I know). I did BUY the paint though, so have everything I need to get started... I just need the motivation now.

I went and had a good look round the cottage... it looks OK, needs a bit more work than I'd imagined (and more than I'd been told), but even so, it's still OK to move in, and nothing is urgent.... it can all be done in time...

Today we went to the Bazaar in town, and it was strange to walk round thinking that this is my home now... I felt completely unconnected from the whole thing... I knew nobody outside my family, and felt completely overwhelmed that I'm here for good... Maybe the problem is that I'm going away on holidays now soon, so I'm not here permanently, and I'm not even living down in the cottage yet... I'm sure it'll sink in after spending a week there, just myself and Mr Tom...

Home...

Just a quick post to say I have arrived safe and well... Traffic was a nightmare getting to the airport (I wish I'd taken the express train instead), and the flight was very rough, and it would seem that we're to expect up to 45 ft waves tomorrow... It's a good job we have a great view from here in the warm, as I think it'll be pretty rough at the beach... am glad I've got my camera charged up and ready to go...

Mr Tom is staying with my parents, and has settled in OK... I hope he'll be OK... he's not used to a house with so much going on, and so many people around... at first it was too much for him to handle, but he seems to be getting used to the boys, and it having snuggles with them too... which they love as much as he does... I know I shouldn't worry, but I can't help it... :)

I'm staying with my brother and his family this week while I unpack, get services installed and get some cleaning & painting done...

It was already late when I got in, so I haven't been down to the cottage yet, I'm expecting my things early in the week so will go down there tomorrow and have a look round to see what needs doing...

It feels kinda weird now... it's been years since I've been in there, and even longer since anyone I knew or cared about lived there... and now I will make it my home... it already holds so many memories for me, from childhood, and of my grandparents... and I am looking forward to making many more happy memories there in the months and years to come...

It all feels a bit surreal, like I'm just here visiting... I'm still waiting for it to hit me!

I will say goodnight for now and sign off, as I'm still exhausted from the past few weeks, and I have a busy week ahead to look forward to...

Good night and God bless xxx

29th November 2007

Well, yesterday came and went without much fuss… I was finished on time but the Removal men turned up a little later than expected, so I was able to have a little bit of peace and quiet and put my feet up before they arrived. I am genuinely impressed with them so far. They came in, figured out what was and wasn’t going, asked if they could bring their van closer to the front door, asked if I had any requests or questions then they just got on with it… They were a little gutted there was no trolley in the back of their van (apparently it should NEVER be taken out), but they didn’t complain… Instead they lugged the boxes and furniture manually and 40 minutes later they were done, and getting ready to go.

Mr Tom clearly wasn’t as impressed as I was with the removal men, so as soon as they started moving boxes around off he went for a little walk until the coast was clear again…

Little did he know that things for him, were going to get worse ;)

Mum came out to collect Tom and I, and she arrived to find us in an empty flat having pizza leftovers for breakfast. He was already pretty stressed about the situation, so I figured getting him into the front loading cat carrier was going to be hard… I didn’t think it would be near to impossible.

I only got Mr Tom last Christmas, and until the day I collected him, he’d never been in a pet carrier… and has never really liked them… So, after an hour of trying to get him in the carrier, and considering I was WAY overtired and very emotional I started crying… How could I have gone through everything else and been OK, but to have started crying about a cat not wanting to get in his carrier – boy, this was getting crazy…

So, in sheer desperation I decided that I didn’t want to fight with him over it, and so off we went to the Vet to try and buy a top loading carrier (which I always wished I’d bought in the first place). Surprise, surprise… they didn’t have one big enough, so we found ourselves at the pet supermarket shopping instead…. We bought the biggest one available, and although it looked a little smaller than my other one I thought it would be alright (how wrong was I?)…

After getting a cheeseburger each, mum and I headed back to see if we’d be any more successful this time… Mr Tom was a little curious about the new carrier, so came over to see what this was all about…. I just lifted him and put him in, he was NOT impressed… it was a little too small for him… the pet store said they would take it back if it was too small, so I decided that he was in, so we’d go… and I could change it another time…

We loaded Tom in the car, packed everything else in, and headed back to my parents place… I’d already almost nodded off in the car a couple of times (which isn’t great as I was the one giving driving directions – tut, tut) and as soon as we got in, I let Tom out of the carrier, sat on the bed, and was asleep in what seemed like seconds.. I only slept for about 90 minutes off and on, but it felt like the past couple of weeks had taken their toll, and I could have slept for a hundred years (OK, slight exaggeration, but that’s what it felt like).

Originally I’d planned on returning to the flat to clean and spend the night, but the boys were so happy to see me and Tom was pretty unsettled and nervous, so I decided it was best to stay the night with them. He hadn’t left the bedroom at all since we’d arrived, but at about 4.30am he decided he wanted to explore, so kept walking on me til I finally got up and did a walk round with him… Then he was content and let me get back to bed and curled up too…

I treated myself today, and had a lay in, til about 9.30am… Although I still don’t feel caught up on sleep, it felt really good to sleep for more than 3 consecutive hours…

Calm before the storm.....?

Hey, Just to let you know that I got everything packed!!!!!

With a total of less than 2 hours sleep last night, and a mad panic at the end, it's done, and I even have a few moments of peace and quiet before the removal guys show up... They should have been here about 10 minutes ago, so any second now I should hear the truck pull up...

Yesterday mum came over to help, and I'm so glad she did.... Firstly, I wouldn't have gotten finished if she didn't, and secondly, we had such a laugh! We were like two teenagers giggling and taking the pi$$ out of each other... a memory I know I will cherish.

I will deeply miss my family here, my mum is one of my closest friends... one I can tell anything to, and know she won't judge me - she just accepts and loves me as I am.... I hope my efforts to get them to move out soon will work... they deserve a change and a better life too...

I have two days here to rest before I fly over to unpack all the stuff I'm thrown into boxes... and I'm guessing I'll look at all the same photo albums, and try on the same clothes while unpacking too... but there you go... us girlies, we're crazy creatures...

Poor little Tom is not a happy bunny (in every sense of the word)... he's been pretty stressed out the last two days, because of all the fuss and moving around, and he can't even find a quiet corner to curl up in...

I hope he settles at my parents quickly, as he'll be staying there til I come back from holidays in the New Year (It was going to be too much effort to find someone there who would do it after such a short space of time, plus he kinda knows my mum and the boys already)!

PS - They're still not here, I could have had another half hour sleep... although, I probably wouldn't feel any better for it ;)

PPS - another hour later and they're still not here... could have now doubled my qantity of sleep if I'd have known!

1 day left....

I will keep this post short, as I need to try and get another bit done tonight, and get to bed, so I can sleep and be fresh for an early start in the morning...

With just one day left til the removal men arrive, things round here are getting pretty crazy... there are boxes lined up against pretty much every wall, and even though I have kept Mr Tom his fav box empty, I have found him trying to snuggle up in a box that was WAY to small for him... I think he's feeling the stress... and perhaps he's not getting enough cuddles either :(

Goodness knows how on Earth I have managed to gather all this stuff over time.... I just hope the next move I do won't be for a while, and will just be a local one...

I've made a pledge to be less of a hoarder... I don't want to be stumbling on stuff in days to come, wondering why I kept things... and I've also promised myself that I won't buy stuff just because I 'like' it, or it's 'cool'.... unless I actually need it.... I have found so many things tucked away that have never been used and a lot of them still in their original packaging!

So, tomorrow the last bits will be thrown frantically into boxes, the bed and dining table will need to be dismantled.... Oh, and I also need to try and take my bike down the high street to get the chain guide readjusted....

Thanks to all those who have supported me through this.... you really don't know how much it has helped me get through the past while... I promise to buy you all a beer someday soon ;)

Goodnight my loves... xxx

2 days left til the move....

Well, this weekend flew past, and being the last weekend before the move, I should have really been home getting ready.... but typical me, I didn't... Instead, I was out pretty much from Friday afternoon til early evening Sunday ;)

On Friday afternoon we went into London City to see Santa, and while it was fun for the kids, it was pretty stressful for the adults... it was super busy, and I could feel already my high pulse, was thinking about hitting the roof...

Driving home I was like a woman on the edge... it took me the best apart of 2 hours to drive the whole 14 miles... when traffic get like that, people forget how to drive, and the roads turn to one huge battle ground!

On Saturday I was still showing signs of stress, but I had a lay in, and decided that I wasn't going to let it ruin my night out... so I got ready for the day, and hit the roads again... thankfully the traffic had returned to normal overnight, and I was able to make mental lists while driving that same 14 mile journey in only 40 minutes...

The evening of ice-skating was a great laugh, and I would strongly recommend to anyone that is moving to have a laugh with friends now and again, and to throw in a beer or two... it makes you feel 'normal' again...

I did take a nice wipe out tho (my own fault for trying to go backwards) and as a trophy, found I had a lovely swollen and purple knee this morning... :(

Today at my parents place I was going through some old things of mine, that I wanted to take with me, and I was just walking from box to box, not really able to do anything... it had finally hit me that this is it... the time has come, and I am really moving out of the country... I felt completely overwhelmed, and unable to understand the roller coaster of emotions that started soaring through my body...

So I taped up the boxes, decided I would ship them now and sort them on the other side (a bad idea, I know, but I just couldn't go through all those letters and photos, and drawings without looking at everything, and that could have taken a quite a few hours...)

So, mum put the kettle on for a cuppa, and we got dad to load everything into my car...

On the way home, one minute I was fine, but then the next a switch flicked and the water works started... it was like the great floods had started again... Once I stopped I felt refreshed... I realised that I still had 2 days... it was like the tears had cleared away some of the stress, and lifted some of the weight off my shoulders.

So, with my red and very puffy eyes, I stopped off at tesco to get some cat food for Mr Tom, and a LARGE bar of chocolate for me ;) (the staff there must think I'm a complete fruit loop!)

So, now I have 2 days left til the removal men knock at my door, and start carting all my worldly possessions to the van... I still seem to have quite a bit to pack, but I'm a 'woman on a mission' now, and it'll get done...

Come rain or hail I'll be ready by the time they arrive on Wednesday....

Starting to say goodbyes.... :'(

Well, with the moving day looming, I've found that today I had to say my first real goodbye... I've said bye to others before now, but that was ages ago and before it really hit me that I was leaving the country... and I know they'll visit... so it was ok....

Tonight I said goodbye to a friend I've known for what seems like a lifetime... he knows me better than most, has seen me in the good times and the bad...

In my heart I have a feeling that our paths will cross again... somewhere, at sometime, for some reason... so even though I shed a couple of tears, I should remind myself it's not goodbye forever... more like a "see you soon"...

Moving is supposed to be a happy and exciting time, so why then, do I feel sad, and why am I wondering if it's the right decision??? Maybe it's going from the known to the unknown...?

Whatever it is, I can feel the sadness of saying goodbye settling in the pit of my stomach...

If I put my thinking head on, it's probably to do with the fact that the UK has been my home since I was born...
I've got so many memories tied up in London, I can't go anywhere without something from the past springing to mind...

If I put my emotional head on, I think I'm just like everyone else... I'm scared... It's a big thing digging up my roots and trying to lay them down somewhere else... There's always the risk that it doesn't work...

I hope to be able to keep in touch with my friends, and have all the best of intentions, but will it really happen??? There are some people I know, will be friends for my entire lifetime... I know that no matter how often I see or speak to them, there will always be a link...

I wonder how many of my other friendships will stand this test of time and distance...

Only time will tell...

For those of you wondering, Mr Tom has been in his favourite box for most of today... yep, that's right he now has a favourite - so I'm thinking I'll leave that one just for him... I have plenty others for packing... and I'm thinking, at least if I know he's in that box, it means he can't get packed away into one of the others by mistake... ;)

Thanks to you all for your feedback, emails and kind words... you're all too sweet... I will reply, I promise :-)

Oh, and thanks for the idea to write down the reasons why I'm leaving etc - great idea, and I'm definitely going to do that...

panic = productivity (at least it does in the life of Friel)

OK, so, panic set in good and proper today when I realised that this weekend is pretty much dedicated to non-moving activities... But I must say, that being a creature that works best under pressure and in stressful situations, it was exactly what I needed....

I managed to get loads done, and am feeling pretty chuffed... Mr Tom was even being helpful.... he packed himself in a box, curled up and went sleep... I'm not sure if he just likes boxes or if it was because of the mess around here, or perhaps it was the thought of the 500+ mile car journey with me....

So while England lost at the footy, and while someone else claimed the '10,000 th post mark' I was still finding stuff I completely forgot I had... thankfully this time I didn't have to try it all on ;)

I had stumbled upon another box of goodies.... inside I found a photo frame that I bought way back in April 06... At the time, I totally HAD to buy it, but considering it's been in its box since then, clearly it wasn't a 'must have' item.... it was a lovely surprise tho, like a little crimbo pressie from the flat to me.... Ahhh, gee thanks Flat, hmmmm, how to return the favour.... hmmm, how does new owners sound? Good? OK, done! You can have new owners as a special Christmas pressie to you from me!

OK, I MUST be going insane... not only do I often talk to Mr Tom, but now I'm also talking to myself and the flat..... I really do need to get a job lined up for the new year methinks ;-)

So, to any of you out there who are moving house or will be in the near future... I know you will have probably read this a million times already, but these are a few things I've found helpful, and some I wish I'd done ;)

1. BEFORE you start packing, get a lidded plastic box... inside put all essential documents/items that you will need... - driving licence, passport, council tax bill, leasehold information, deeds for the house etc etc - everything you will need to lay your grubby hands upon....
1a. ALSO, if you take them out remember to put these VIP items BACK inside the box when you finish... or else you'll do like me, and loose something (has anyone seen my driving licence?).

2. When counting up how much packing material and how many boxes you need, add a bit for good measure.... it's very easy to underestimate how many you'll need - and again, like me, you'll end up scrambling round at the last minute trying to find more... (PS, freecycle is GREAT for things like these)..... When I'd gotten down to my last box, mum and I were like a pair of mad women.... if we saw a box we jumped out of our skin to get it!

3. When you've got the removal date planned... block out the weekend (or perhaps even 2) before the move.... don't do like me and plan a jam packed weekend of activities right before the move.... you will probably be behind schedule with the packing towards the end and those weekends will be precious!

OK, that's enough packing tips for now... it's getting late and I still need to go bake Snickerdoodles.... ;-)

Moving day approaches

It has just dawned on me that this time next week, the removal company will be just about to shut the door of their van and head off for my new home.... Oh My Goodness!!!!

Yes, panic has set in good and proper.... yesterday it felt like I still had quite a bit of time, but today it feels like I'll never be ready... why does it feel like that :(

I've offered to bake cookies for a friend who's coming round tomorrow evening, have planned to take the kids to see Santa on Friday, have booked a night out on Saturday and am taking the boys swimming on Sunday.... so now, all of a sudden 'MOVE DAY' is an awful lot closer than it seems.....

Oh, and I still need to bring my bike down to get the chain guard moved slightly....

OMG, OMG, OMG...... breathe.... you won't be able to pack if you're hyperventilating....

I really must dash, while trying to keep the fridge and freezer stocked as low as possible I've also managed to run out of eggs and milk , so have to nip to the grocery store!!!

Can I be your sweetheart?

I spoke to Alfie on the phone tonight (he should have been in bed)...

He asked if he "could be my sweetheart"... how sweet is that.... Of course I said yes, and with that he said "wuv you, goodnight" and hung up...

Aren't 4 year olds great!

Brain dead...

Well, being the kind of person that enjoys work (I know, I know, must be crazy) because of the mental stimulation and daily challenges it provides, it's been quite a challenge being off work for such a long time.

Knowing that I would be away for almost 4 weeks over Christmas and New Year was great, it meant I had 3 months left to pack and sort everything out...

Having time off was pretty good to start with... I enjoyed having time to do all the things I never had time to get round to doing, and I got to see friends, visit family, go away for a little break etc...

But very quickly my mind started to get bored, and I felt like I was going insane and it was getting harder to sleep at night because my mind was too active...

Legal paperwork for the flat sale, ringing round removal companies and packing occupied my time but did nothing to relieve the boredom... I was just going to have to do something about it ;)

So I've been reading loads of books again which is good... not only did it help me with food for my brain, but it also helped me get to sleep in the evenings....

I also stumbled across some old friends on facebook, so it's been good to catch up with them... and I found some new ones there too (hi guys, and yeah, I'm claiming the winnage from all the way over here :p) ...it's been great getting to know people over the last few weeks...


I also feel very lucky that I've has this opportunity to spend more time with my twin nephews because they are just soooo funny....

They are like chalk and cheese, and being the delightful age of 4, I think they'd even manage to keep supernanny on her toes.... They've just started school, so are coming home with some new saying pretty much every day, but, I know I will miss the little monkeys, and I will probably now have an oversized carbon footprint from all the weekend visits I'm hoping to make thanks to Ryanair having such good deals at the moment... ;)

Well, with just a week to go before moving day, I'm off to spend this afternoon packing what I wont need between now and then.... Oh what fun, I'll put he radio on, and boogie the afternoon away at the same time ;)

Where to start....

Well, while moving home is fun and exciting (and also a little scary too)... I must also say that packing is just so mind numbingly boring...

I started the moving process by trying to find a removal company that didn't cost the earth... This was harder than it might seem. Before I decided I was moving back to Ireland, I had planned to move within the UK, and removal companies were relatively cheap, but I also planned that I would probably rent a van and do the move myself after bribing some friends and siblings in to help....

With the destination now considered International it became a little more hassle, so I searched around and eventually, after contacting 47 companies found one who would do it for a reasonable rate, would offer insurance for the goods in transit, and would be able to do the move when I needed it.... GREAT!

Once I'd got the removal company booked up, I started the packing with all the non-essential items... then I had to stop as I was using everything else all the time....

So, with packing on pause I started sorting everything out for the move and doing the paperwork for the flat sale....

But now as time ticks on the moving date has changed from 'soon' to NEXT WEEK and as panic begins to set in there still seems to be quite a bit to do.

So, I spent all last week sorting through stuff... I really don't want to pay to ship stuff that I will only throw away when I unpack, and I also kinda figure it's a good excuse to have a good clear out... after all, I'm starting a new life, so why bring all the old baggage with me.... ;)

I didn't count on it taking twice as long doing this, because you stumble upon that photo album you haven't seen in forever and spend an hour flicking through the pages.... and you have to try on all the items in your closet, just to make sure you want to throw them away....

hmmm, but I might wear it sometime...... (I don't think so)....

I've made a little rule for myself, that if it doesn't fit me (I've gone down 3 dress sizes in the past 18 mts) or if I haven't worn it in the past 12 months, then it's going in the charity shop.... being a hoarder it's painful to do, but it works...

Mr Tom (my cat) has been pretty unsettled since I started this whole thing... At first he thought it was fun, he could snuggle up and sleep most of the time.... but now he hates all the disruption, and all the boxes around the place... and when he does bring in a mouse and let it loose, the little thing has a million more places to hide and takes forever to catch....

It's funny how my tolerance levels for mice have changed since getting Tom... the first time he brought in a mouse I almost had heart failure... He brought it in and let it go in my bedroom while I was fast asleep, and then chased it round the room for an hour before I finally got out of bed to see what the noise was about.... I freaked out when I realised it was a mouse and it had hidden from him behind the radiator. Tom was sat there trying to get it out...

Well, I couldn't think of any other way to get it out, and I know it sounds mean, but it was 4am, I was tired and I had to be up for work at 6am!!! So, I turned the heating on..... yep, the little mouse was desperate to get out once it got a little hot in there!!!

Now a few months on, I've realised that Mr Tom doesn't kill the mice he catches... he brings them home and lets them go.... they play games, and it's weird... but I couldn't really expect anything less in the Friel house....

I've even gotten up in the morning to find Tom and a 'friend' snuggled up in the hallway..... I've become a pro at catching them without hurting or touching them, and I've learned to keep Tom's claws clipped, otherwise they get hurt and it's a mess to clean up in the morning...

I still don't like it when he brings mice in, but it doesn't freak me out anymore, and some of them are so tiny, and really, really cute.... ;)

So....

So... Why the blog?

Well, partly to get some of you (you know who you are) off my back, and partly to blog the story of moving home, moving country and starting my life again at the ripe old age of 27...

As I have already mentioned 2007 for me has been a year of great change... I've heard it said that the life cycle changes every 7 years, but have never really believed it... UNTIL NOW. At the beginning of this year I realised that it was going to be a tough one, and that there would be some big changes, but I never realised that my life would be bundled up into a ball, thrown into the washing machine and put on a full spin.... after the cycle finished my life would be better, fresher, and like new.... I'
d been given a second chance...
Not all the decisions I made this year came to me in a flash of inspiration... some of them felt like they were forced upon me, and some of them came so gradually I hardly realised they were happening til I looked back.... but I have learned that sometimes life has to shout to really get your attention... Life was shouting at me.... and now I could hear it loud and clear...

I really needed a holiday... I'd already gone through 12 months (+) of crap, so off I went, to the one place I felt completely at home, where I could be me... no pretending, no fronts, no nothing... just me...

I can remember this was the time I knew my life was about to do a complete backflip... it was back in June, and I was at the home of my very best friend... I remember the moment as if it had just happened... the three of us were playing cards, drinking beer & eating poppers (peppers filled with cream cheese, covered with breadcrumbs and deep fried... soooo good, and perfect with a beer).... the CD was playing in the background but this time I actually heard the chorus of the song "Now she's got 27 candles on her cake, and she means to make her life her own before there's 28"
I could feel the tears stinging at the back of my eyelids... I said nothing but realised that was what I had to do... I had to make sure that by the time I was blowing out the candles on my next birthday cake I'd taken my life back...

As things happened, just 8 weeks later I ended up leaving my job and about a month after that I came to the decision that I would move back to Ireland... after all that had taken place this year, it seemed like the most logical decision... and in my heart it felt right...

I remember being on the phone to my mum, ranting about something that had happened that day which had upset me, and for the first time I said outloud that I'd been thinking of moving to Ireland... it sounded ok when I said it, but I wasn't sure what her reaction would be.... well, she was a little shocked, but she thought it was a good decision... so, and hour after I'd first said it aloud I had come to the decision... I would now seriously look into it.

I spoke to my close friends, to see what they thought - they knew the year I'd had, and all that had gone on, and they too agreed that it seemed like the best decision for me... and if I didn't try it now, that I might regret it in future.... I hate the thought of living with regrets, so I started making plans.... quietly at first... I didn't want to hear everyone's 2 pence worth...

Hello and welcome... ;-)

Well, thanks for logging onto my blog... After a few of you suggested (and nagged a little too) that I start a blog I decided that it was probably the best way to stop you from moaning, and it also might not be such a pain in the butt afterall... so here goes...

Well, not much really to write on my first post, except perhaps a little introduction.

I am the youngest of 7 children, and grew up in London in a very Irish family.... you might think that being the 'baby' of the family, this means I'm spoilt rotten... well, you'd be wrong... a little spoilt yeah, but not rotten - far from it!

I will also say that 2007 has been a year of great change for me... I've pretty much been through it all this year.... but I don't want to get boring and send you all to sleep, so I'll just say that 2007 is the year my life begins again... a clean slate and a perfect opportunity to start again...

... SO, I take this 'once in a lifetime' second chance, and I hope to make the very best of it...