RIP Ashling Murphy

 Like the rest of the country I am trying to come to terms with the utter senseless murder this week of Ashling Murphy.

Unfortunately Ashling is not the first in this country to die violently but hopefully this will really be a watershed in our attitude to gender based crimes.

The reason I have been so deeply affected by this atrocity is that I see so much of myself in her. Of course she was much younger, more beautiful, more talented than I could ever hope to be. However the number of times I have come home from school, my head "a wool-gathering" after the day, put on my gear and gone for a run or a walk along the canal. I have written many times on this blog about how the canal saved my sanity during lockdowns and restrictions.

It is always so peaceful and tranquil. When I'd get to the car park I'd be disappointed if I'd see it almost full. It meant that there were a lot of people on the route. If the car park was empty I was delighted as it meant that I had the place to myself and didn't have to worry about meeting people. It always felt so safe as there was no traffic.

It would be around 4pm when I'd get there. Still bright even during winter time. I know many people are not so lucky to be able to go that early in the evening.

So I was Aisling, the only difference was I came home.

It was so spiritual to be able to attend a vigil in her honour in our local GAA pitch. It just gave everyone a chance to show their support for and solidarity with her family in this awful time.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a hanam

You need to get one of these TODAY!!!

 I have finished clearing out my old bedroom in the family home. It takes time to go through boxes of memories and keepsakes, deciding what to let go and what to keep.

I found this tucked away in one such box. I'm keeping this as I need it!

For those of you who can't find your glasses , it says....

This is a tuit

At long last we have sufficient quantity

for you to have one of your very own. Guard it 

with your life, as these tuits are very rare and hard to come 

by....especially the round ones.

This is an indispensable item. It will help you to become a much 

more efficient worker. For years people have been saying

"I'll do that as soon as I get a round tuit."

Now that you have a round tuit of your very own

Many things that have been needing to be 

done will be accomplished.

So I'm going to blame all the things that I didn't do in the intervening years on the fact that I didn't get my round tuit. Now that I've gotten it back there'll be no stopping me!

Make sure you get one for yourself!

My "IKEA" hat.

 I got this present for my birthday....

It was the wool, pompom and instructions to knit a hat. Hence it was soon christened the "IKEA hat", not because it was bought there (it wasn't) but because I had to bring it home and assemble it myself.

I love knitting and I find it very relaxing

except for that time I knit an Aran jumper, that was stressful!

So a couple of nights later, while watching de telly and knitting, I produced this!

And it keeps my head warm in this wintry weather. The gift that keeps on giving!

Happy New Year 2022

 We spend January 1st walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. 

Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives - not looking for flaws, but for potential.

Ellen Goodman

Well I spent New Year's Day doing a little bit of both.

We had a final family meet up in our old family home to go through each room to check that we had all non essentials cleared out before it's put on the market.

I discovered a hidden box which contained my diaries dating back to 1979. Reading back over them is really like going through each room of my life. Having glanced through January 1st in most of them I realise that all the "rooms" are pretty much decorated the same.

"Lose weight."

Here's my 2022 diary.

The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written.

Melody Beattle

This year will definitely see one chapter of my life closing and a new one opening. I'm nervous and excited about it, but thankfully I have the first half of the year to prepare fully for it.

Here's to 2022, make it a good one!