On the Road...

Hi everyone... Just a quick note to say that we are heading out for the next week (and a bit). We will be working and spending Thanksgiving with some friends. I'll post a note just as soon as we get back (around the first of December). We hope that all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

A Random Pic for Today......

What are you really saying?

If you think about it we use words all the time that don't really make a lot of sense. The root word really isn't all that recognizable, and I'm sure that it must drive people learning English as a second language crazy! Well... You are probably speaking a little bit of Irish Gaelic everyday... And you may not have even realized it.

Case in point:

What does it mean for something to break into "smithereens"? What a bizarre word. Well... You don't have to stay up late pondering that one ever again... It comes from the Gaelic word "smidiríní" which means - little pieces!


Do you know someone who is "highfalutin'"? That one comes from "Uí bhfolaíocht án." It looks like a mouthful - but it is pronounced - "high falooit an" (FYI: the "bh" and the "ch" are silent)... It is the Irish Gaelic word meaning "descended from noble blood". Now that makes sense doesn't it?


Have you ever told someone that they have swell "duds" on? That comes from the Irish Gaelic word "d'éadaíse" which sounds a like like duds and means 'your clothes'.


Have you ever gone to a store that advertised that they have 'bargains galore'? Galore comes directly from the Irish Gaelic word "go leor" meaning a lot or enough.


Now you know... Interesting isn't it?

Ag súil i lár na coille…

It's funny the once normal - everyday - things that you forget about when you don't have them on a regular basis. It's the funny little things... like the taste of a real peanut butter and jelly sandwich made with real peanut butter and jelly or the smell of wood burning in the fireplace.... Until today I had forgotten about something that was once so familiar to me. I went for a walk in the woods.

My parents' home - where I grew up- has a ton of trees and a yard full of large boulders... Most of my childhood was spent jumping from rock to rock or wading through piles of leaves... but our home here in Ireland only has one medium sized tree that grows beside our driveway (I think that it might technically be two small trees, but they grow so close together that it looks like only one). So, when I had a few extra moments this afternoon I drove to a wooded area and I took a little walk in the woods. It isn't much of a wooded area - just several acres of dense trees. But my little time there made me realize that I had forgotten about that real familiar sound of leaves blowing in the wind. The sound of all that movement was almost overwhelming (and there really were not many leaves left on the trees)... But it was somewhat comforting to swash through all of the orange and brown leaves on the ground... to sit on a large boulder and somehow feel a little closer to my parents' home. I guess that it is just one of those funny little things you never think about........

Backyard...

Just a quick note to introduce the backyard cam. (see the side column) This is just going to be random pictures that we take out of our window... Hopefully this will give you a chance to see what the weather is like here from time to time. We will try and keep updating the pics.

The Backyard Cam

What happened to the thing in the back garden...

The Thing In The Back Garden...

The Green Guy

The "Green Guy" is a fixture in our city. It's not a complete experience of going into the city if you don't stop and watch him stand at attention for a little while.... and stand at attention he does... there on his little sheet covered box this guy dressed completely in green, dawning a fake white beard and bright green face paint. His concealed cd player continuously blares Irish music so loud that it is distorted until some curious (usually young person or tourist) person puts money into his strategically placed basket. The moment that the money 'chings' green guy jumps into action rewarding the payee and everyone else on the street with an awkward yet entertaining dance. The act isn't original by any means, but he like "sign guy" and "guitar guy", is a staple part of our city's charm.

Yea!! Trick or Treat!!!

We had a small first here last Sunday night. We had our very first trick or treaters! Deedra and I have been married for over five years now, and we have never had anyone come to our door on Halloween. I always buy a lot of candy just in case someone comes.... and I am so glad that I did it this year. We had a group of six kids that we know come and sing a little trick or treat chant in Irish to us! I don't know what they said but they were really happy when we started giving them snickers bars.