Keeping in touch with friends from San Francisco

I was at the Connacht football semi-final between Sligo and Galway a couple of weeks ago. As I stood inside the gate distributing Into the West, a friend from San Francisco said hello. It really is funny, where you bump into old friends and acquaintances.

In the last week I got calls from four friends from the US. The first, a Kerryman called just to say hello and to tell me how impersonal emails are and how personal the phone is. He is right. Then he got his wife to email me after the previous blog to call my turnips "mangles" or as he put it "cow fodder." Hmmmm...

Then Sean, my good friend from Louisburgh, who has lived in San Francisco for approx. 50 years called up to tell me the weather had broken in Ireland and that the introduction of property tax in Ireland will be the straw that will send me back to the US with my tail between my legs.

Brian, who has lived in San Francisco for many years, is from London. He's great craic and a great chin-wagger (talker). I was very sorry to have to cut my chat with him short as Sarah (1 year old) was demanding my attention. He seems to be in good fettle and enjoyed the World Cup.

Cormac called and informed me that there was a seisiun of music in Ballinrobe last Sunday. I went. Met Kenny, Cormac, Dave, Liam, Chris and John. What a great time we had. Music, Song, Sean Nos dancing and good honest chat.

Anyways, it is great to have such good friends. Such good friends are the kind that you can talk to as if you never lost touch, after long periods of no communication. After all, do we really need to be talking to each other to know that we love each others' company, that we miss each other (from time to time) and that when we do meet we will savour the moment(s).

Well friends, even if you criticize my turnips (or mangles in Kerry), I haven't forgot you. And I know that we will enjoy reunions.

The Fruits of Our Labour

Those days spent digging hard stoney soil are now paying off. This is a sample of what we have harvested.

Old Head Beach, Louisburgh, Ireland

Picking up litter on the beach is not the preferred occupation while strolling along but if I/we don't do it, then who will?

I was down at Old Head yesterday with the young fella and he loved it. Old Head Beach is one of the most popular beaches in this area and until very recently held the distinguished prize of being a "blue flag beach ." I don't know why, but that title is lost now.

This is a heavenly place and by coincidence you can see Croagh Patrick from the beach (as in the photo).

We walked to the pier and I noticed some litter. I must admit, my call to action was slow to evolve.

As we walked back from where we came, the litter caught my eye again and I had a moment of clarity. Why not me? Why wouldn't I pick up the plastic beer can wrapping and then the brown beer bottle and deposit it in the bin?

I did. My son saw this. Others' children saw this. Others saw this. I hope they might do the same the next time they are on the beach. If we pull together we can make our beaches clean, enjoyable, safe and catalysts of community interest. Am I too optimistic or will you join me?

Rain, at long last!

At approximately 6 a.m. on July 4th, otherwise known as Independence Day (in the US), I awoke to the beautiful sound of wind and rain on the skylights. This is a beautiful sound. The other day a man said to me that the June just past waas the most dry June he remembers in his 80 years. My potatoes are growing well but I dug three stalks the other day and they were mostly pooreens (small to tiny potatoes). My farming friends said that they, the potatoes, needed some rain for the next couple of weeks to "finish them off." So it has arrived - the rain.

The giver of life - rain (after all the sunshine that is). We landed in Ireland on August 27th, 2009 and we have seen about 2 weeks of rain since then (event hough I lost a car to the floods, but they were in Galway). It's been beautiful weather throughout. We got the real hard freeze with sunshine and then the dry spell with sunshine and now - Hallelujah - rain. We could do without the wind (it might break the potatoe stalks) but we'll take it as it is.

When I grew up in Louisburgh, I slept in the top-room. This was the converted attic in the house in which I grew up. So I could hear the rain on the skylights when I was in bed. And I loved to snuggle myself up in the bed and slowly doze off to sleep to the lovely sound of the pitter-patter of the rain on the roof and the skylights. Nostalgia.

So, this morning, July 4th 2010, Independence Day (in the US) I was drawn back to my childhood by the sound of the rain on the skylights. The wind was blowing and I snuggled up to my wife and two young kids (they come in to us in the morning) and I thought about how my friends in San Francisco hadn't even rose to greet the day yet - indeed in San Francisco it wasn't even Independence day yet (they are 8 hours behind us) - and I thought to myself...

Isn't life great. It just doesn't get much better than this!

Gardening and Social Media

I have been thinking a lot about social media lately. This is probably not a coincidence.

The Mayo Open Coffee Club has invited me to facilitate a discussion on Social Media and Business. What do I know about this? What does any one know about this? What do people think they know about this?

For research I have got my hands on Social Media 101 by Chris Brogan .

My general view on social media is that we are making too much of it and expecting too much from it. But that could change....

In the meantime here's a photo of my garden.

The potatoes are flowering now. According to my sources, the flowering precedes their readiness to be dug and eaten. Along with the obvious spuds there are radishes, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, parsnips, broccoli, two plum trees, gooseberry bush and a black berry bush.

Now, if you did not know that flowering potatoe plants are nearing the ripe-for-digging date then you learned something today from social media. (obviously, I include blogs in social media).

Everything must be kept in perspective. Enjoy.

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Driving Lesson and Test - Final Installment.

Remember what I said about the Driving Test?

Have you ever met someone who talks like they're in a real hurry but are not? Have you ever met someone who talks so fast the words stumble on top of each other in a rapid flurry of mumbo-jumbo? Have you ever met someone who, when talking to you, keeps nudging you with their elbow and sometimes with their fist or hand?

Well I did. 'John' the driving instructor. I had to take a few driving lessons in preparation for my driving test - I've been driving for 20 years so my habits (bad and good) are well formed - And I am glad I did! There was not a chance in hell, heaven or earth that I would have passed without a few lessons. 

John established, with my help, that he knew my dad when my dad was around. My Dad, Basil, was fairly well known around these parts. He was a performer and a character in many ways. But his musical performances as a one man show and as a band member got him most exposure.

I sat into the car beside "John-of-the-fast-talk-and-the-nudge-and-the-poke," and started driving...

"Now, Tommy I want you to drive straight across this lane and indicate right and drive on down. Aw... Basil was a nice...indicate! indicate! Now continue on here and outside the gate indicate left and continue. I knew him from Murrisk Abbey and the Tavern, Left!, Left!, He used to play his music there. LOOK over to your right when you move out - stop!... Now, Tommy, I want you to go into the roundabout and take the third exit. He had a great way about him really, Indicate! Look right, and move on sharply! How long is he dead now? Move on sharply, he won't be happy if you don't move on. Is it that long now? Aw well, powerful the way time passes too. Pull in here after this road. Stop! Stop! Now, Tommy back around that corner. Aw he was a great performer, wasn't he? Look in mirrors, and back, look over your shoulder, sure you have to look behind you, over your right shoulder again... and stop. He died too young. Now, Tommy, pull in and when you are ready turn the car around. He knew some amount of songs! Look left as you take off, Oh Jees don't forget to look left or he'll fail you. You can't beat them old songs. You'll be fine. 35 Euros. Thanks for your custom."

Well, all good things do come to those who wait and therefore my actual driving test came upon me on Tuesday, March 30th, 2010 in Castlebar. The lessons (four of them) were badly needed and did the job. I got the test.

The lesson I had on the day of the test just before the test was a great idea of Johns. It was not free but worth every penny. It was absolutely necessary. I made loads of mistakes on the run and it seems that got them out of my system for the real test.

I can now go ahead and apply for the real 10 year license and this should have a positive effect on my insurance costs. Yippee.