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.

Saint Patrick's Day & Cancer-Not

Well, March is marching on and Saint Patrick's day has been and is gone. The festivities were brightened by a nice day in Louisburgh and were kept in check by my parenting duties. Anna and our nephew, Caoimhin, carried some of the gifts up to the priest as part of the mass. My mother's house in in the centre of the town, I like to call it the financial district or the "West End", across from the parochial hall and this affords us a prime viewing location with occasional hot tea and coffee available from the kitchen of my childhood.

The parade was impressive . Some locals noted that the "yanks" (a contingent of current  students from Duluth Minnesota who come here every year for more than 20 years) had not taken part in the parade. "The American Students are always in the parade." So, no news yet on why their absence was a fact.

Many (including family members) went "up-the-town" for a few and the reports were very positive. It seems this is a day for family outings with kids running, climbing, singing, shouting, crying, laughing, sobbing, fighting, making up, etc... in the local pubs. I didn't indulge. Perhaps next year or ......

It was nice to be home for Saint Patrick's day. Last year my friends sent a photograph on the mobile to Anna (my phone is an antique) of my family at the front door enjoying the parade without us. Such is life.

Included in Saint Patrick's day this year was a little concern for a family member which I can now report was unfounded, thankfully. Also my mother was in bed with a cold/throat infection. She has recovered. My brother, who is a couple of years older than me, was scheduled for an exploratory procedure the day after Saint Patrick's day in Saint Jame's Hospital in Dublin. This procedure would discover that his throat was not infected by cancerous cells which was the worry.

So, really, the day after Saint Patrick's Day in 2010 was a great day. I travelled to Dublin and waited to hear that Basil got the all-clear, and 6 weeks of worrying, for the family, was unfounded and over. A day after Saint Patrick's to remember! Of course the 5 hours hanging around a hospital always gives rise to sobering thoughts.

Enjoy life!

What is there to not enjoy? Happy day to you.

March 1st, Ridges, Turning the Feirbin & Clothes Line.

Spring is in the air during the day and winter consumes the bright moonlit nights.

Today I was outside working and the daylight stayed until nearly 7 p.m. I thought of the future nights of summer when the daylight will exist from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. This is a lovely part of living in Ireland - the long days of summer. In San Francisco, the longest days of the year keep daylight until around 8 p.m.

The days are beautiful, dry and sunny. The nights are clear and freezing. Our forecast for tonight is -5 degrees. The moon is bright tonight and it is beautiful outside but yes it is freezing.

The other day I posted a question on Facebook asking for advice on where to erect my clothes line. The problem is that the view from my house is a stunning panoramic of Mweelra. No matter where the clothes line is put, it will be in the view-line. So I decided to put it outside the kitchen and to leave the view clear for the sun-room and the sitting room. I am comfortable with the decision.

On the other hand, I wonder why no one voiced an opinion on facebook. Social media is supposedly connecting us all to share and deliberate and interact virtually. Is it so that a simple question like mine is too trivial for the millions on facebook? For me personally it is indeed the simple, mundane, repetitious issues that are life, which can be given new life through social networking.

Some are attempting now to discover new ways of using social media for education, for monetary gain, for networking business, etc. etc. Perhaps the elephant is in the room? Maybe social media is just that - Social Media - nothing more or less? Maybe it is simply an extension of our social networks and as such it should be used for social networking issues.

Issues like - Where should I erect my clothes line? What washing powder do you use? Where is a good spot for grub? Do we over intellectualise some things?

I wonder if I went on Facebook and asked "what is 'turning the feirbin '" would I get anywhere? Would any one out there take my question seriously or is it too trivial again?

Getting a phone line in the new house

We asked the phone company, Eircom, to move the phone line from the rented house to the new house when we moved in.

They came to view the situation and discovered that there was no "connection box" visible on the road adjoining the property. The fact that the box existed was never questioned. It seemed to be common knowledge that the box was there but was covered by the tarmacadam on the road. This was probably done when the local authority covered the local roadway.

Anyways, the connection box had to be risen up to the level of the road. After being informed that this process might take up to June 20, 2010 we contacted some of the local authorities and got the issue resolved.

Now we have the connection box at the road level, the phone is connected, and the road itself is not finished.

But we have our phone line in. Now we must wait for ten days before we can apply for broadband connection. Why? I don't know. And nobody else seems to know why either.

We are happily looking forward to getting our broadband service in to our new home. Using a dongle  for internet connection is a great second option but it is not up to the task when viewing or downloading video footage.

A visit to Clare Island

This past weekend I took it upon myself to visit Clare Island. As it happened this was the weekend that The Clare Island women and men's Gaelic Football teams were celebrating their wins of 2009. They won the All Ireland All Island finals for both.

As you can see above the weather was exemplary. I forgot as I walked the island that it was February and not August. The sun shone. It was a beautiful visit.

The island is a short 20 minute journey on one of he boat services from Roonagh Point, which is about two miles form my home.

Granuaile's castle at the shore beside the pier. One needs to be very close before it is visible to the sefarer - a fact probably exploited by the O'malley's "back in the day."

This Abbey on the island is home to the finest examples of medieval paintings in Ireland. It is also said to be the burial site of Granuaile.

Walking along I noticed someone's ridges in a field. This may just be the catalyst to get myself in the garden and planting some vegetables and, of course, potatoes.

This was the view from the front door of the house I stayed in. The pier is just to the right of what we can see here.

One man and his dog were spreading manure on this plot of land. I asked if It would be o.k. to take a photograph and he said "Yeah, fire ahead and I won't charge you.

I'm all right here ...Continued.

Look at the previous post for explanation and enjoy.

 

 

"I'm all right here"

The old topic of life and death, etc... came into clear view for me again today...

I am in the process of researching and writing a piece for The Western People about Granuaile because they are covering the production in Ballinrobe of The Pirate Queen. This exercise landed me at Murrisk Abbey this morning. It is believed that Granuaile was both baptised and married in the abbey.

While there, I met an old acquaintance and he gave me a tour of the adjoining graveyard with a running commentary. The grave inside the gate, which was one of the last I saw because we crossed the wall to gain entry, had the caption written "in stone" at the bottom of the headstone, "I'm all right here." I just think it is worth recounting.

In this beautiful picturesque location where many find their final rest looking out to the Clew Bay drumlins and backed by Croagh Patrick, both infinite and mortal, one such mortal had the good humour (I presume) to tell his kin to put his words on his stone; "I'm all right here." Well, I believe he is.

And just to prove that I saw the beauty of which I speak, here's a shot...
[My internet connection is not giving me the power to upload many]