Author: MsWalsh

As I type I'm 40 odd yrs. Sometimes very odd :) I'm separated and now I'm also cat free. I love to cook, craft, read & watch TV. This is to be the place that makes me smile.
Life

That First Coffee

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Right now I’m after finishing my cereal and I’m having a coffee and it really has hit the spot. Not every cup of coffee (or mug) makes you think “you know, that was exactly what I needed” but the first one of the day tends to have a better hit rate – in every way 😉

Books · Christmas · Home · Life

Learning

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Yesterday my email account was hacked and everybody in my address book was sent something – not sure what as I didn’t open it. Anyway three cheers for Google! They decided that it was spam and blocked it so the mails didn’t go anywhere. My only problem after that was to think of a new password and make the change so I looked to my bookshelves for inspiration. Eventually I came up with something so all is well with the world – however as I was looking at my books I noticed that I have a few books about learning some different languages. It really was an Oh Yeah! I have those books – so now I’m going to use those books! As I type I realise there is one other text book somewhere in the house – I will have to dig that one out although I can start with what I have. I have to admit that I’m rather looking forward to getting stuck in but it will require me to make sure that my desk is cleared – I have to get some stuff shredded 😉

I wonder if I will do any better by myself compared to school & a brief stint in college? At least there won’t be any exams – eek and bane of my life – you would think that as a grown up I’d be beyond that kind of thinking – I guess old habits die hard.

Speaking of looking at my shelves – I wonder if it really is the wrong time of year to dip in to one of my Christmas books? Possibly maybe I’ll save them for night time reading.
I’ve just realised that it is I’m going to dip into next – I started reading Maya by Jostein Gaarder but have never managed to finish it – I’m only hoping to get a little bit further on in it – yes finish what I’m reading and then have a look at that.

Books · Cats · Husband · Life

S.O.F.A.

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Or Shankill Old Folks Association – have their regular book sale on the first Saturday of every month. We don’t normally get to go out to it too often as himself has to work – however since he is out sick we ventured out – mind you we don’t venture out for too long as himself doesn’t like to be out of his surrounding for too long. However today was slightly different – off we went and plunged into the books. I didn’t get too much ’cause I’m not really looking for books at the moment – I came away with:

Ngaio Marsh = Enter A Murderer – I can’t find an image of the book online but it does have a rather splendid cover illustrated by Philip Hood.

Rebecca Shaw = Omnibus edition of The New Rector & Talk Of The Village.
I haven’t read any of these but have seen them on occasion and thought for that price (€3-) why not give it a go?

Himself had a rather large haul but as this is about things that make me smile we won’t mention the boxes of magazines he got – nah I don’t really mind but sometimes it’s fun to pretend I disapprove 😉

Afterwards we went to visit one of the kittens we had to re-house. The new owner is an old friend of himself so it was interesting to sit there and listen to them swap stories. I have to say though it was really nice to sit out in the garden drinking orange with the sun shining and the cat & dogs picking people at random for rubs. I hope we get another chance to do that again.

Life

Hair Today

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Actually gone this evening! I know it’s silly but I do look forward to having my hair cut. I love the fact that apart from the length in the fringe I don’t really notice too much that it’s lost its shape but with a snip here and a snip there the whole thing is magically transformed back into its old self again.
So I’ll go from fringe in eyes:

Arthur Dent

To shiney hair!!

weddings!

I know you can’t really see it in the photo above but I like the outfit I had for that wedding so that’s why the photo – to be honest my profile picture of my profile is a better picture of what it will be like.

I had a hair style like that on and off for most of my life and it was only in recent years when I went back to it that I came across Louise Brooks and that made it much easier to get what I wanted.

Must dash!

Uncategorized

Blitz Party

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It’s such a pity we don’t live in the UK!!! This sounds like so much fun – I haven’t completely looked into the website so why not dip in as I am?

http://www.theblitzparty.com/

Life

Foreign Climes

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I was reading a blog post today about a short stay in Rome and you know I’m so jealous. So far this year I’ve used about half of my annual leave on doctors and hospital visits – I usually keep the leave ’til about now and use them for holidays so this year trips abroad are not really on the cards – for two reasons really = I don’t have the leave left and himself isn’t well enough be able to wander around places for a day let alone a long weekend 😦

So with this in mind I’m day dreaming of places we’ve been and like to return to whenever we can. This time of the year sees us return to Paris where we walk for miles and miles finding exhibitions both new and old, little shops that sell the oddest of things. It doesn’t get better then spending an evening wandering around trying to decide which restaurant will we eat in.

At this time of the day I should be just finishing my salad nicoise and getting ready to walk from Notre Dame (after feeding the birds) to the Louvre and the Jardin Des Tuileries. Shall we sit by the fountains and have an ice-cream? What will we do afterwards? Cut across to the Musée d’Orsay? or head on up towards the Champs-Elysée? – maybe we’ll save that ’til later.

I think later this year I’ll fondly reminisce about Edinburgh and the Christmas market, warms pubs & dinner with friends. However, I’ve a few months before that one starts.

I was going to say next year we’re going to do all of that but that is almost like putting things on hold and wishing away your life – so as soon as himself is well enough I think we will definitely try to get away – a long weekend doesn’t need as much 😉 Maybe we’ll jig things up and go to Paris this winter and Edinburgh next summer?

Books

More Book Buying

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This morning we went book buying – it was the first big trip out of the house for himself so this was a big thing.
The book sale we went to is for the Shankill Old Folks Association or S.O.F.A. it is on the first Saturday of every month and this month we were free (there is always a huge chance that himself will be working) Anyway I came out with a nice little haul 🙂

Dorothy L Sayers: Have His Carcase (Lord Peter Wimsey)
Have His Carcase

Henning Mankell: The White Lioness (Kurt Wallander)
The White Lioness

Margery Allingham: Mystery Mile (Albert Campion)
Mystery Mile

Deanna Raybourn: Silent In The Grave (Lady Julia Grey & Nicholas Brisbane)
Silent In The Grave

Charlie English: The Snow Tourist
The Snow Tourist

The other book I got but I didn’t buy – himself got it for me was the book about the BBC Big Read
BBC Big Read

I’m thrilled with this little lot and am wondering where to fit them in in my summer reading – although The Snow Tourist might just have to wait until later in the year.

Books

What will you read this summer?

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Most of yesterday was filled with a yearning to read something different. My usual habits are crime fiction, fantasy & a bit of SF with bits and pieces thrown in on the sides for good measure. However I think it’s fair to say that it hasn’t been the best of times so far this year what with his cancer and me with stuff so my head isn’t in the mood for finding new books and that is why I’m having a summer of re-reads. It’s probably just a comfort thing and sticking to what I know so that is why I’ll be digging into the bits and pieces.

I’ve picked three books that I will re-read and one that’s been on my self for a while.
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
I Capture The Castle by Dodi Smith
Rose Cottage by Mary Stewart

The book that’s been on my shelf for a while sees me drifting back to crime fiction (ish) I say ish ’cause I’m not sure if it is or isn’t! Anyway that one is One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson.

However there is one new book that I might pick up over the summer and that is “Miss Conceived” by Emma Hannigan – I saw it when I was out shopping and it appealed to me – don’t ask!!

Uncategorized

Relief

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I did have a long post written for this but it was LONG and it started to wander. A quick summary:
Pádraig was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer however he had surgery on Thursday and is making a great recovery. He will be out in a ward soon and hopefully not long after that he’ll be home.
It’s odd I’m loving having the place to myself however I miss not being able to talk to him whenever I want. What makes this even more odd is the fact that I’ve spent the majority of my waking hours with him.
Speaking of which I really should get ready to head out – my carpark ticket is valid ’til about 1.30.

Get Well Soon Sweetheart!

Music · Television

Ashes To Ashes

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I have to admit that I didn’t really watch Life On Mars – but have watched Ashes to Ashes from the beginning – I might go back to Mars but we’ll see. Anyway yesterday we got to see the first episode and the second episode which was on yesterday evening.  All I can say Why didn’t we record it???  The opening sequence was simply great.   I like the song Uptown Girl – ok so Billy Joel in the video looks a little bit scary but what harm?  Anyway yesterday in true 80s style we had Gene Hunt and Uptown Girl – Fan-tastic!!

and just in case you want the original here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Jy0YmvGc6o

embedding is disabled on that one.

Anyway I will be returning to watch this post a fair bit in the future as it really tickles me and if I need a laugh this will be the place to go.