findmywhy

What a beautiful, crystal clear, crispy and starry ‘Christmas Eve’ morning. 7am you see. (click on the picture below to get a taste of ‘A Christmas Carol’ from Charles Dickens)

The curse of decades of rolling out of the leaba for work means that this internal clock will only probably re-adjust a decade after retiring and that’s a long way off, if ever. (Do you ever get the sneaking suspicion that governments might raise the retirement age to 110 sometime soon as there simply wont be money for pensions as we all living way too bloody long)

I am not complaining though, at this hour of the morning the peace and quiet is just perfect. The hurrying and scurrying has yet to hit it’s stride. So for now just enjoying putting a few words down, and a Mattersons sausage from the frying pan. (Oh! just prepared the brine, my turkey is going for a long bath in an hour or so, keep you posted.

Christmas Eve was (and is) the big day in many a household. In Croatia this morning they only now decorate the Christmas tree. Nothing up to now. No month long build up. We should really try and adopt some traditions from other countries that sound like good idea’s instead of McDonald’s. (I feel a Bah Humbug coming on!)

It was magic for us anyway, Christmas eve, for us a young children when we were all dressed up in our Christmas clothing, that was patiently hand made by ‘the Mam’ in the weeks and months running into the Christmas. Dad’s job meant that a lot of odd pieces, end cuts of material were left over from the business were re-cycled into the most incredible apparel by our resident genius of a seamstress, tailor and designer all rolled into one, the Mam. Boy did we look great and the magic was only starting. Once dressed we of course were on our best behaviour (somebody was keeping a very close eye on us today and if we misbehaved we just might ruin our chances of getting a cracker of a surprise much later in the evening, you know what I mean) and off to town we went for the ‘traditional’ visit to Santa to whisper in his ear, I want a surprise. (I honestly can’t remember telling the bearded one what I wanted, as it would have been a waste of time and we simply got a surprise every time). The annual ‘Santa’ photo was taken and off we went to wander about the store ( a store called Cannock’s is strongest in my minds eye), and stop and gape at the magical toys that were everywhere. Thing is, if you stopped for too long, or even reached out to touch some of the toys on display (and boy we were warned to keep our hands to ourselves) somehow Santa knew that that was the thing we most wanted for Christmas. He had eyes everywhere. He was some operator. Hence every Christmas was a ‘surprise’.

It was over to Cruises hotel or another establishment close by for a lemonade and something to nibble and then home, Christmas clobber put away for the big day tomorrow (and the most crowded mass I can remember which scared me a little).

Happy Christmas Eve.

Well, I’ve had the notion o f ‘brining’ the turkey for a long time and now that I have all I need to actually do it, I’m getting the ‘collywobbles’. Won’t be such a great ‘Christmas Day’ celebratory meal if I’m sitting there with an inedible bird and four ‘told-you-so’ faces looking across the table at me … more to follow, watch this space.

Now I did mention that I picked up my ‘Christmas Fry’ sausages (and they had to be Matterson’s) in Euro Spar,  at Watchouse Cross Limerick, well here is a little story.

Limerick,

The city of Pigs, now let me explain, Limerick is well known and famed for its bacon production, “everything but the squeak was used” was a well known saying in the city. Indeed the offal stews, skirts and kidneys, pigs toes (aka trotters), eye bones and back bones ensured a healthy childhood full of the most delicious food that was the only affordable way to feed the big families that abounded in Thomondgate, (We were eight children).  Many of the households in areas such as the Abbey, Thomondgate, Carey’s Road, Parnell Street, an area better known as the ‘Yellow Road’. (known as such because of the yellow clay under the road. The first road world have been bare, exposing this soil, so the road would have had a yellow appearance.) had homes where pigs were reared in the back gardens and fed on scraps from the houses that populated the surrounding area. In Thomondgate alone (my home patch) there were many people rearing the pigs, the Sherlocks, Keanes, Murphy’s, Connelly’s Heckman’s. The ‘Barrell in a Pram’ was a regular sight as some of the scrap collectors went from door to door collecting the scraps daily. It would have been inconceivable that this waste be dumped. It was the best of ‘swill’ for our happy pigs in Thomondgate.

Not a scrap wasted, Green and Recycling was everywhere.

Although the vast majority of the pigs were imported from the local environs.(Great stories of the pig markets in Kilrush, Kilkee, Doonbeg) The city pigs were a premium product that were reared on the scraps from the tables of people homes (as well as the local hotels, hospitals and restaurants) Thousands of pigs were slaughtered and processed weekly in the Limerick Bacon factories, who in the height of their production were the most consumed pork products in the British Isles. In the 19th century Limerick Hams became renowned throughout the British Empire with Queen Victoria insisting on Limerick hams at her Christmas dinner. Limerick pork through the O’Mara’s was even exporting as far away as Russia and Romania in 1891 and 1902 respectively.

The four great bacon factories in Limerick were Matterson’s, Shaw’s, O’Mara’s and Denny’s each competing for local, national and international trade out of Limerick city during the 19th and early 20th Centuries.

Matterson’s Sausages coming home for Christmas.

Now my memory of Matterson’s was a rather large cold factory just off of Watchouse Cross, on the edge of what is now a sprawling estate known as Moyross. My aunt Bernie Benson, worked there, Bernie was married to a certain Paddy ‘Magwa’ Lysaght who in his heyday played his rugby for Young Munsters RFC and I understand was a brilliant player who was on the famous winning ‘Bateman Cup’ team. In fact Matterson’s had been in Limerick for a long time before the Moyross factory appeared on the scene. I’m reliably informed by the ‘Mammy’ that Bernie also worked in the older Domnick Street / Parnell Street premises of which I have only a vague memory but even before that J Matterson & Sons operated out of Roches Street, while their rival company O’Mara’s operated across the road on the same street from 1839. Mattersons was established in 1816 by John Russell and J Matterson.

The Matterson brand of Sausages now travel all the way from the new recipe owners, Mallonfoods from  Co.Monaghan. That’s Globalisation for you. I buy my Mattersons sausages in a Supermarket on the spot where they were manufactures a good 40+ years ago but they now travel a bit to get home. Just like all our returning emigrants, home for Christmas.

Just back from a run to the village…. Mayhem, traffic jams and full car parks. Is there a major weather alert I should know about? Oh! It’s just the Christmas madness, and we have Christmas Eve tomorrow. (as well as two Christmas Eve birthday’s in our extended family, Happy Birthday Mary and Mike)

More to follow.

0700 Monday 22nd. December – Weather: Very windy, rainy and mild (13+ degrees)

Just to get things started lets have a short ‘ Christmas’ diary to create that space that we call all step into to get the season of goodwill kick started. I promise not to be cynical about the commercialisation of Christmas. The big sell, the big drink and the big smiles coming at us from every channel on the TV, radio and newstand.

So it’s what you make it. Build the magic of Christmas around those closest to you, those you will be with this Christmas and of course those who may not be able to be there but are also very much a part of your Christmas ritual.
Lets have a beginning. In the beginning there has to be the big fry, so its a shopping trip to the English Market here in Cork for the Clonakilty black and white pudding, the duck eggs, the smoked bacon, streaky and lean, (got to think ahead and covering the turkey breast) and for the clan I come from, it would not be the same without the ‘Mattersons Sausages’ which made the journey all the way from ‘Watchouse Cross’ Euro Spar a few day earlier and have waited patiently in the freezer. (Click on Santa below to get the Magic of Christmas started) I’ll come back to Watchouse Cross later.

The special Christmas fry.

Cork City and the English Market can certainly be a fantastic starting point for the Christmas. Just to wonder around amid the noise, the hustle and bustle, the smells and the traders. The best one stop shop for the ingredients of the Christmas Fry. I’m sure you have something close by (a supermarket even) where you can get the makings of a good fry to get this season of goodwill started. It’s a simple ritual. Just get it started.

I do know these pictures are going to be appreciated by some, not-so-appreciated by others, especially those overseas who can’t get home for Christmas and be part of the traditional Christmas fry, and even worse those of us who are minding the ailing bodies against the ravages of ‘Cholesterol’. I say go for it. Go for it with gusto and do what I did, walked off the calories later in the day.

Tip #1. Get out of the shops, the markets , the madness as early as possible to avoid the crazies. They should be out of their beds and in the shops by 11ish. That time for any sane person to be leaving the for the safety of their own home, apartment or special space and let the mayhem and madness behind you for something far more ‘mindful and peaceful’

Yum, Yum.

Finally sit and enjoy the fruits of your Christmas Fry with a cup of ‘tea’ and the headlines from your favourite rag. Now don’t be insisting on having everyone involved. If they are happier in their ‘leaba’s’ (Gaelic for beds) then let them be. This is your ritual.

Happy Christmas one and all. I look forward to the next few days and being with you even if it is just via a laptop , PC or device,

Walking along the corridor yesterday evening I met a work colleague who I don’t see that often. We work at opposite ends of the facility so it’s rare enough we bump into each other. I’ve know my colleague many years, a true professional and hard working person, with a dry sense of humor and ‘smiling’ eyes. We have always worked well together, good guy all round.

Anyway, usual greetings, and on asking him how he was keeping, he replied with his wry smile, ‘Living the dream’, ‘Living the dream’ and continued on his way. Of course this brought an immediate smile to my rather glum face I have been sporting over the past few months. You see, our organisation has been going through some very tough and challenging times. Major global organisational changes within our organisation have left the whole organisation in a ‘vice grip of uncertainty’.
My local organisation is in the ‘thick’ of a major redundancy program to shrink the organisation in line with falling market demand and continuing budgetary challenges designed to get our local organisation best placed for survival in a savagely competitive environment. Not a pleasant year 2014 for all concerned. In fact it has been a horrible year.

But ‘living the dream’ is something worth thinking about for a few moments. You see, sometimes a word or a sentence can put an awful lot of things into perspective. In reality I am blessed with relatively good health, as have all of my loving family and siblings. I have some amazing friends and co-workers, I have a job and working, trained and educated, clean running water, a home, a car in the driveway, living in a country with a rule-of-law, and looking forward to the Christmas break and time with my extended family, I am blessed, whereas countless others are challenged, and really challenged, on so many levels.

Sure I stress about the future and the uncertainty of what lies ahead, pay taxes, get stuck in traffic and delayed at airports, my heating boiler, car, and a lot more besides breaks down just when you least expect it, etc. BUT when I look at the big picture, my god, I have so much to be thankful for. Sadly, we all forget to be grateful most days, as life does what it does to us all, gets on top of us and we can’t see the wood from the trees.

OK, ‘Living the Dream’ was a just my colleagues way of being funny and maybe tongue-in-cheek but it spoke volumes to me. So this morning I woke and started with being thankful. When things occasionally got me annoyed and frustrated today, I started with being thankful. When I let my thoughts drift to the uncertainty of the future, I started with being thankful, really thankful.

Find a reason to be ‘thankful’ and let all of the worries, stresses, difficulties and distractions that we face every waking minute, take a back seat for a while. Have a great weekend

Thirteen Lenten Days (13, not including Sundays) remaining. 13 Days to a feast of Easter Eggs, to a well deserved long weekend, 13 days to lose-a-sausage (Refer to Lenten Diary Entry 2). Since I last wrote in my Blog, Mother’s Day has come and gone, a large chunk of Ukraine, a region called Crimea, has become part of Russia, A Boeing 777 has disappeared from our skies, with the loss of 239 souls and an awful lot more besides. We live in an ever-changing, fast paced world and what happens tomorrow nobody knows. (Actually Munster Rugby play Toulouse in the Heineken Cup Quarter Final tomorrow all going well but the result is another thing altogether)

My Lent has been a disaster from a weight-loss perspective but in all other ways it’s been great. The stretch in the evenings is such a boost to the endorphin’s it’s amazing. I can almost smell the West Coast of Clare as we draw nearer to real spring time and the weekly travels to Kilkee recommence. A few things that have grabbed my attention that I want to share with you. They are completely different and yet are intrinscially linked. They are about having the determination, caring and kindness to succeed against seemingly insurmountable obstacles that we as individuals and as human beings face.

First I just want you to watch and be amazed by this short piece about a guy called Liam Cullinane.

Just Click on his picture and watch the Fundit piece on Liam. (He is no longer seeking funds so you are safe)

The Purpose of all of us is to serve, the more you serve the better you become. Liam Cullinane

Good luck to Liam on his continued journey. he is a true inspiration.

Another time, same love.
Kit, the elderly woman telling the story came from a large family. On Sunday mornings, her mother lined them up to wash their faces and comb their hair. They would wait in turn and then go out to play while their mother finished with the rest. One Sunday, Kit was anxious to get ‘done’ and have a half hour to play. Just before her turn her mother saw that the youngest was missing a shoelace and asked Kit to get one. Kit didn’t want to lose her place in the line and her mother didn’t ask her a second time, she didn’t go. Her mother said nothing as she combed her hair and then she went out to play. Soon after she felt guilty and went in to get the shoelace. When she went in, her mother was bent down putting her own shoelace on the youngest child’s shoe. Feeling doubly guilty, Kit got a shoelace and, as her mother was was combing her sister’s hair, she threaded the lace on her mother’s shoe. her mother said nothing but gently stroked her hair.
“Ever since that day that my mother stroked my hair, through all these long years…and long after her death..I have had this secret promise with her: I keep an eye out for what someone is missing!”
Blessings beget blessings. When we are treated kindly, kindness grows in us. Our mothers bless us with understanding and forgiveness. They let us know that we are loved just as we are, that love doesn’t have to earned, that a mother’s love is unconditional love. Belated Happy Mother’s Day, Mam.

The Purpose of all of us is to serve, the more you serve the better you become. Liam Cullinane

We are at cross roads.

On the news this week is something that I’m sure came as no surprise to most of us. A new report on the impact of climate change from the UN’s expert panel has warned that soaring carbon emissions will amplify the risk of conflict, hunger, floods and migration this century.

In a stark summary, it warns that “increasing magnitudes of warming increase the likelihood of severe, pervasive, and irreversible impacts.”

The new document, gives the starkest warning yet of extreme consequences from climate change, and delves into greater detail than ever before into the impact at regional level.

The report confirms that climate change is contributing to severe weather events, such as the recent storms in Ireland.

Rainfall patterns will be disrupted, resulting in a significantly higher flood risk, especially for Europe and Asia and magnified drought risks will add to water stress in arid, heavily populated areas, the report says.

This, in turn, will have consequences for agriculture. Yields of staples such as wheat, rice and corn will be squeezed, just as demand will soar because of population growth. The report says climate change will also have a ricochet effect on health, through the spread of mosquito or water-borne diseases and heatwaves.

Vulnerable plant and animal species, especially in fragile coral reefs and Arctic habitats, could be wiped out.

Adding a further grim layer to the warning, the report said the most vulnerable ecosystems faced a potential “tipping point” that could pitch them into unstoppable decline.

The report says the danger could be substantially reduced, especially for those alive at the end of the century, if greenhouse-gas emissions are cut swiftly.

End of blog

So we have some tough decisions to make if we have to leave this place in some sort of of reasonable shape for our children and those generations coming after us. We have to start being kind to this gift of a planet now. Let’s keep an eye out for what our children and future generations could invariably miss!”

The Purpose of all of us is to serve, the more you serve the better you become. Liam Cullinane

I keep an eye out for what someone is missing!” – Kit

I think Liam and Kit, in their own way and with very different words expressed what I’m trying to say. We ALL have a duty of care that we must delve deep into to see if we can help. Have a great day my friends.

Unusual title for sure. 17171. It actually happens to be the birth date of a good friend of mine (younger I admit but a good and true friend nevertheless). I honour him the title to this little blog for the many gems of wisdom he has passed me throughout our friendship. You see 17171 happens to have one fantastic ‘Wise Head’ on young shoulders. Over our near twenty year friendship, I sometimes found it difficult to figure him out or understand his wisdom for sure but as I get older and the fog of life starts to clear I see his great wisdom. He has also been such a courageous inspiration to me as he has carried himself through a very difficult period of ill health and continues to do so with such dignity that my admiration deepens. One gem of wisdom he imparted on me (which took some time to penetrate my thick skull was to mark a ‘Birthday’. It was not something I ever did. Birthday’s came and went with little ceremony or fuss. I looked on in bemusement when 17171 took his day off work to ‘Mark’ his birthday albeit with little fuss and just the sound advice when I asked why? to ‘Always celebrate another year on this earth, mark the day, be thankful for another year’.

I now know how important it is to ‘Always celebrate another year on this earth, mark the day’. Our time is precious.

There is one wise quote that says it all about my ‘Wise’ friend. Here it is.

One, seven, one, seven, one continues to face the challenges with his usual strength and steadfast focus to overcome them, inch by inch row by row. He will find little things every single day to be thankful for. Whether it be, for feeling a little less under the weather, or one of his children mastering something new or challenging. I admire him greatly so I will honour him with these words. ‘Thank you for being a friend’ .

We all probably have somebody who we should say ‘Thank You’ to more often but life gets in the way, we get busy being busy.

A card, a quiet word, a call on the phone with a line that ‘something just came up and it reminded me to say ‘Thanks’.

It may be for nothing in particular or it may be for always being there.

Just imagine how you would feel if that friend was not there anymore and you left that ‘Thank You’ unsaid.

Liam, ‘Thank you for being a friend’.

Well hello everybody, Seven, yes, only seven days into the forty days of lent. You can look at this in two ways, another thirty three days to go, Jasus!, or I’ve made a pretty miserable attempt at a ‘Lenten’ sacrifice, it’s early days so I’ll start again tomorrow.

Back to the early morning exercises while listening to Shay Byrne’s Risin’ Time on RTE radio and a lunch-time cycle in the glorious sunshine that we have been so kindly gifted after our winter of discontent (and relentless storms)

The mid-week glass of wine is off the menu and the weekend fry’s have been replaced with a ‘Duck’ egg and a fat free English Market sausage and on that particular subject, the amount of weight lost to-date, Not-A-Sausage. Feeling good though, so how bad.

St Patrick’s Day

Saint Patrick’s Day or the Feast of Saint Patrick (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig, “the Day of the Festival of Patrick”) is a cultural and religious holiday celebrated annually on 17 March. Not alone in Ireland but around the world. Most of the world’s most famous landmarks will go ‘Green’ for this famous and celebrated day.

Saint Patrick’s Day was made an official Christian feast day in the early seventeenth century and is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion (especially the Church of Ireland),the Eastern Orthodox Church and Lutheran Church.

The day commemorates Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, as well as celebrates the heritage and culture of the Irish in general. Celebrations generally involve public parades and festivals, céilithe, and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks.
Christians also attend church services, and the Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol are lifted for the day, which has encouraged and propagated the holiday’s tradition of alcohol consumption.

Have a look at this St.Patrick’s Day ‘YouTube’ Video produced by the Irish Foreign Ministry to get a feel for the ‘pride of the Irish’ at this special day in the year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMBTcx4_1Ew

St. Patrick is the beloved patron saint of Ireland. The Irish are famous for spinning exaggerated tales, so despite the infamous stories traditionally attributed to St Patrick, quite little is actually known about his life. We do know that St Patrick was born around 385 in Scotland, probably Kilpatrick. His parents were Calpurnius and Conchessa, who were Romans living in Britian in charge of the colonies. As a boy of fourteen or so, he was captured during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep. Ireland at this time was a land of Druids and pagans. He learned the language and practices of the people who held him. He was held captive for six years, living a solitary, lonely life as a shepherd. It was then that he became a devout Christian, embracing his religion for solace. From his writing, we know that a voice, which he believed to be that of God, spoke to him in a dream, urging him to leave Ireland. He did. Walking nearly 200 miles, Patrick escaped to Britain and undertook seriously religious training. He was ordained by St. Germanus, the Bishop of Auxerre, whom he had studied under for years.

Later, Patrick was ordained a bishop, and was sent to take the Gospel to Ireland. He arrived in Ireland, March 25, 433, at Slane. One legend says that he met a chieftain of one of the tribes, who tried to kill Patrick. Patrick converted Dichu (the chieftain) after he was unable to move his arm until he became friendly to Patrick.

Patrick began preaching the Gospel throughout Ireland, converting many. He and his disciples preached and converted thousands and began building churches all over the country. Kings, their families, and entire kingdoms converted to Christianity when hearing Patrick’s message. Because Patrick was familiar with the Irish language and culture from his years of captivity, he chose to incorporate Irish ritual and symbols into his teachings rather than to eradicate Irish beliefs. Thus, was born the Celtic cross.

Patrick superimposed the sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the traditional Christian cross so that the result would seem more natural to the Irish. Patrick by now had many disciples, among them Beningnus, Auxilius, Iserninus, and Fiaac, (all later canonised as well).

Patrick preached and converted all of Ireland for 40 years. He worked many miracles. After years of living in poverty, traveling and enduring much suffering he died March 17, 461 at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland where he had built the first church.

The story goes that the first St Patrick’s Day parade was held in New York City on March 17, 1762. Irish Americans were not the first, however, to celebrate the feast of St Patrick. Irish families have traditionally celebrated the feast of St Patrick as a religious holiday for thousands of years,a great pause during the Christian season of Lent when prohibitions were lifted for one day of dancing, drinking and feasting on meat. Every village, town and city in Ireland on March 17th. will celebrate St.Patrick’s day with a parade.

The St.Patrick’s Day Parade

Limerick had the best parades in the world as we had the first ‘All American’ marching band. ‘The Limerick City Brass and Reed Marching Band’ or better known as Sammy Benson’s band. They rocked our St. Patrick’s Day. Better still they drew a crown of visiting ‘American High School Band’s’ to Limerick (Not sure which came first, Sammy’s band or the visitors fro the USA.)

There were hundreds of  ‘John Fitzgerald Kennedy High School Marching Band’s’ from Baltimore,  Delaware,  Wisconsin, Newark, Boston, Chicago etc. There were literally thousands. So many came in fact the the International Band Parade came about and we had two parades in Limerick.

Marching in a parade was a source of great pride for every Irish person but looking out at the dry mild (13deg.) day  I see today, March 17th. 2014, bears no resemblance to the St. Patrick’s Day parades of bygone years. We were drenched to the skin, frozen to the bone, bored to tears and weary, so very weary standing in Sarsfield’s Barracks waiting to start the long stop/go march to many an ending point including Honan’s Quay (opposite Barrington’s if fading memory serves me correct).

We were completely mad. as we got older we left it to the up and coming cubs,  scouts, the FCA, An Slua Muiri and sporting clubs to fill our soggy boots, shoes and sandals.

I heard the International Band Parade was on in Limerick yesterday. Jeeze, that was the highlight of the year for all us red blooded young fellas in Limerick. The American’ high school bands marching quick time down O’Connell Street and rest assured it was led by the baton twirling perma-smiled Miss Congenialities from all across America, who always caught my eye and gave me the biggest friendliest smile that no Irish colleen had ever done (A scowl was more the rage from the rainsoaked Mna na hEireann, and would you blame them).

But these exotic smiling angles (much like Farrah Fawcett-Majors smiled out of the TV from the ‘permanently sunny’ Hollywood America) looked into our eyes, saw the handsome Irish guys perched precariously on top of rusted railings outside of the grand facades of O’Connell street and smiled directly at us Irish boys.   I swear they spotted me, I’m sure they did and I was immediately besotted.

Oh! Youth, how wonderful and simple it was back then. Happy St. Patrick’s Day.

Lenten pancakes. Yummy!

Well, Lent is nearly upon us again.That great time of year where we get brownie points off the ‘Lord’ himself for making sacrifices. So if that ‘New Year’s’ resolution went south (and whose didn’t) you can now start again with the might of the almighty on your side (and keeping an eye on you as well).

Lent is a forty day period before Easter set aside as a season of soul-searching and repentance. The forty days reflect Jesus’ withdrawal into the wilderness for his own time of spiritual reflection.

And, yahoo, we get to start this special time of year with a feast of Pancakes, well at least that is what we do in Ireland. Tradition says that Pancakes were made to use up the butter, flour, sugar and whatever other foodstuff that was seen as an indulgence. Mainly the fatty foods were not eaten during this time of fasting. As with all traditions they have been adapted to fit with our modern and plentyful society with Pancake recipes now, with every topping imaginable, Chocolate Spreads, cream, strawberries etc. I think it is very safe to say the true meaning of this time of sacrifice and reflection has long been lost to a good many of us.

I have many early memories of our Lent in Limerick. Surprisingly, we did what we were told to do and attended a lot of the religious activities throughout the 40 days of lent although if this fragmented and rosy memory serves me right, since a lot of Mam’s & Dad’s (Mam’s mainly) pointed us in the direction of the St.Munchin’s church and we were on our own for the evening 6.30pm Lenten mass it turned out to be not such a bad place to catch the eye of the members of the opposite sex, and no were were not afraid of being struck down.  We also attended the ‘Fathers’. Boarded the bus at the ‘corner’, where Michael Connelly (AKA Mucka Connelly, the potato man), always took an age to climb the steps of the bus as his walk was ailing him a bit.

Mucka Connely’s was before it’s time, organic potato’s, cabbage, carrots and assorted vegetables. Organic insofar that he never removed any earth / soil from any of his vegetables as it added weight and a couple of pennies to his price. He would patiently wait while the weigh scales wavered to and fro and remove even the smallest of potatoes from the weighing scales in case you got a spud too many. Eating into his profits you see. The only redeeming factor about your trip down the road to Mucka’s for your mam was you walked into a time-warp when going in the front door of his house, come shop, come front parlour. An open fire / hearth always smelling of turf , a concrete flag floor and nearly always the smell of dinner on the go . It was a mini  journey back in time to the country gottage, only this one was in the middle of Thomondgate. Always glad to get back to your warm home and carpeted floors.

The Fathers:

The Redemptorists have been in Limerick since 1853 and are known locally as “The Fathers”. I can be corrected here I’m sure but during Lent we got the bus twice a week (Tuesday’s and Thursday’s) to the Fathers instead of the obligatory once per week. (Tuesday’s)

So on Tuesday 4th. March, Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras or even Fat Tuesday (whatever appeals to you most) we start our Lenten season with our Pancake feast. I, unfortunately, will be travelling and on the foreign soil of Switzerland, so I may just persuade ‘her indoors’ to have a few pancakes on Monday 3rd. instead.

Lenten Hopes

It can be a time of reflection, a time of spiritual renewal or all of these things together. It also coincides with the lengthening of the evenings and the blossom of the daffodils. This represents to me a return of the warming sunshine, even if it is only in the form of a flower. March and April can be the coldest of months if truth be told. But for 40 days (with Sunday’s off, how bad) you can be grateful for the things you have in life, walk that extra few steps, skip that extra spoon of sugar, the fry on the weekend, the extra glass of wine and enjoy that ‘guaranteed’ energy boost you will get for the smallest of exercise regimes.

And promise yourself that you will return to your wicked ways and life’s indulgences at the end of the Lent. I’ll keep you posted on how my lent progresses BUT I won’t promise anything but my hopes are for those things I’ve listed above.

So here goes…. LENT here I come :-), Four Pancakes Please, Yum

Only one entry in this diary folks and it’s basically our warmest and sincerest best wishes to you all for 2014.

All alive and well here in Carrigaline, another gale last night, all in all the weather has been pretty miserable for the Christmas break. (Mind you we are having a whale of a time compared to parts of the UK, USA and Canada and some parts of our own little Island have been without power for days now)

2014 approaches rapidly and the usual ‘palaver’ of ‘Happy New Year’ and ‘Auld Lang Syne’. I’m not a big fan of this particular celebration, mind you some would mumble ‘Bah Humbug’ when around me at the Christmas also. The fact is, I truly love the Christmas but the excess that goes along with it I could do without.

The irony is that I’ve spent my Christmas break reading a lot as I got some especially thoughtful books as presents from the wonderful women in my life. So to you my very special ladies I thank you sincerely. One of the books that I got for Christmas is ‘The Time Keeper’ by Mitch Albom who I have always liked as an author. I’ve read quite a few of his books and this book also delivers a particularly powerful message.

I’m not going to spoil the book for anyone but the story is about a man who was punished for measuring God’s greatest gift: Time. And to free himself he had to teach two people the true meaning of time.

Two particular passages I like in the book are as follows.

1. ‘There is a reason why God limits our days. To make each one precious’ and

    2.     Yet all around you, timekeeping is ignored. Birds are not late. A dog does not check its watch. Deer do not fret over passing birthdays. Man alone measures time. And because of this, man alone suffers a paralyzing fear that no other creatures endures. A fear of time running out.

Instead of the constant worry, clock watching and being so busy that life passes us by and so much precious time is wasted. Why not make 2014 the year that we all draw breath and savour the minutes, hours , days and weeks that we have.

In 2013, I attended ‘mindfulness’ classes that were held in work during our lunchtimes (organised by our kind and enlightened Occupational Health Nurse) and I recommend it highly. It will teach you the importance of savouring the ‘Now’ and pausing, resting, call it what you like, our very overworked and stressed out minds.

If you have an enlightened employer who would allow such a class during lunch, (and see the huge benefit to their employees) better still get them to consider contributing towards the small costs then get organising or if you spot a class for it in the next semester of ‘Adult Education’ classes in your locality take the opportunity. You won’t regret it I promise you. Practicing it on a regular basis will take determination however.

So, we come to the end of 2013, and not a minute too soon I hear some of you say, and start the New Year with a plethora of resolutions, dreams and wishes. I wish all of you luck with them, January can be the toughest of months. However, if you fail sometimes, pick yourself up, dust yourself down and start again. Enjoy being human, protect the precious gift of time you have been given and smile.

Smile as much as you can.

“A SMILE FOR YOU!”

Smiling is infectious; you catch it like the flu, When someone smiled at me today, I started smiling too. I passed around the corner and someone saw my grin, When he smiled I realised I’d passed it on to him. I thought about that smile then I realised it’s worth, A single smile, just like mine could travel round the earth. So, if you feel a smile begin, don’t leave it undetected. Let’s start an epidemic quick, and get the world infected!!

Corny I know, but you get my meaning!!

 The quite short guide to mindfulness
by Padraig O’Morain

Mindfulness is a very old technique which is becoming increasingly popular at the present time. Although it is linked to Buddhism, most of the people who use mindfulness in the West today are not Buddhists. People use mindfulness because they find it reduces stress and gives them a greater sense of control over their lives. Mindfulness helps people to get more enjoyment out of their good times and to handle their bad times better. 

You can read this document in a couple of minutes. Practising takes a little longer. The good news, though, is that you can begin to use mindfulness straightaway.

What is mindfulness? 

At its simplest, mindfulness means being aware of what you are doing while you are doing it. This means being aware that you are breathing, walking, driving, running making a phone call, cooking a meal and so on. When you have thoughts, notice that you have thoughts and come back to awareness of what you are actually doing. When you are emotional just notice the emotion – not trying to deepen it and not trying to push it away – and come back to awareness of what you are doing.

Is mindfulness the same as living in the now? 

Yes. When you practice mindfulness, you gently bring yourself back into the present moment every time you notice that you have drifted in your mind back to the past or into the future. Also, you gently bring yourself back to the present moment whenever you realise that you have drifted off into your imagination. The word “gently” is important. Never, ever scold yourself for drifting away from awareness. Drifting is what minds do. Accept this fact and take your awareness back to the present moment.

Can I still plan and think about things I need to think about? 

Yes. In fact mindfulness can be really helpful in planning because it can reduce the chances that you will get lost in a fantasy. You can plan mindfully by being aware that you are planning and by bringing your mind back to what you are doing whenever it drifts off.

Are there some quick exercises I can do to help me to cultivate mindfulness? 

Yes. Here are three:

1. Get in touch with your senses. Notice the temperature of your skin. Notice that you are breathing in and out. Notice background sounds around you. Notice your breathing again. 

2. Just notice your breathing. Just notice that you are breathing in and out. Notice the in-breath and the out-breath. When thoughts come into your mind just return to your breathing. Do not get involved with them. Simply go back to noticing your breathing in and out. 

3. Create mindfulness triggers. Pick some everyday things that you do routinely. Decide that whenever you do them you will be mindful and will be aware that you are doing them. Examples are: using the telephone, going up or down stairs or steps, arranging your desk or other workspace, tidying, washing up, taking a shower. 

Are there other more intensive exercises I can do? 

Yes. If you want to cultivate mindfulness more seriously, try one of these: 

Awareness of breathing. Sit still. Notice that you are breathing in and out. Notice the in-breath and the out-breath. If you are breathing through your nose, notice the air is colder when entering your nose than when leaving. When thoughts come into your mind just let them float on by. Do not get involved with them. If you like you can just label your thoughts: when you get a thought, just say to yourself “thinking”. Then simply go back to noticing your breathing in and out. If you like, you can count your breaths, counting from 1 to 10 and then back to 1 again. If you feel uncomfortable in your body, simply take your awareness back your breathing. If you feel pain, simply take your awareness back to your breathing. Do this for 5-20 minutes, once or twice a day.

Awareness of walking. Walk along slowly. Notice the feeling of the ground against your feet. Notice your breathing as you walk. Walk in a straight line or a circle or up and down in some place where you will not be interrupted. Again, when thoughts come into your mind just let them float on by. Do not get involved with them. If you like you can just label your thoughts: when you get a thought, just say to yourself “thought”. When you drift into your imagination bring your mind back to your walking. Do not look at your watch too often. Just be aware that you are walking, of the feel of walking and of your breathing. Do this for 20 minutes once or twice a day. 

When do I start?

Right now! Mindfulness and its benefits are available to you whenever you decide to practice awareness. Enjoy it.

Dec 26th. 2013, 2.11 pm
Afternoon all, yes afternoon. Did get up early but decided to get out and enjoy the beautiful crisp frosty morning. Took the camera along and got a few photographs. Will post them later on Facebook. Lots of traffic this morning heading for town to the Sales, lots of bargains ? I wonder.
The Wren.
The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,
On St. Stephen’s Day was caught in the furze;
Up with the kettle and down with the pan,
Pray give us a penny to bury the wran.”
(Traditional Irish Wren song)
Irish tradition holds that the wren symbolises the old year, while the robin symbolizes the year to come. To ensure that the passage from old year to new could take place, it was once common practice on St. Stephen’s Day (December 26) for a group of local boys to hunt and kill a wren. This band of so-called Wren Boys, usually costumed and often masked, would then travel from house to house carrying the wren in a small box or casket (other sources say the wren was tied to a pole and decked with ribbons). The regaled each house with musical laments for the unfortunate bird along with pleas to raise money for the funeral.
The next phase of the Christmas festival are the Sale’s and the off-loading of all that was not sold in the rush up to the big day. So much for the ritual of this special season.

Nice Christmas surprise on a frosty morning.

Actually, radio is really interesting this morning with Joe Duffy , with ‘Legacies’ a look back at 2013 and those of us who have gone onto bigger and better things (depending on your point of view).
Quiet a lot in fact, our Nobel Laureate, Poet Seamus Heaney, Bernie Nolan of the Nolan Sister’s fame, Lou Reed, Perfect Day, went his way recently after a rip roaring ride on this side of the universe.
Christmas Cracker Joke: How do you get down from an Elephant?? (Answer below)
The next few days will be the time to really relax and regenerate before we go back to the routine of our lives, work, be it inside or outside the home, money worries, car insurance, new tyres for the car, etc. So get serious about soaking up the Zzzzzzz and chilling.
New Year’s resolutions which usually don’t last a long time for the most part, we just aspire to do things differently and do our very best. There is always next year.
Let’s hope our friends in Met Eíreann are being over cautious with the Code Red for the next 24 hours. Who needs news of ‘Storm Damage’ in the morning! Jasus.
Answer: You don’t, you get it from a duck.