Sunday, December 19, 2010

The Key To A Happy Life


Words of wisdom indeed. Just spotted that little plaque as I was sipping on a cuppa waiting for my bus yesterday and had to snap it to share with you. Here’s a pic of said cup too, just because I thought it was cute. I was in a lovely little old café by the station which I get the impression hasn’t changed  in decades, cups and all. I love places like that. 


Anyway,  what a difference 24 hours make. After all my smugness the last night about how organised and chilled out I was about the whole Christmas carry on, I’m now as stressed and frazzled as the next person. I didn’t even last the week! It’s all the snow’s fault too. Don’t get me wrong, I still love the stuff. Especially now when I’m at home all tucked up and cosy looking out on it’s magical brilliance and beauty.  But it didn’t bode well for the shopping yesterday.

There was already a good blanketing before I even set off in the morning, which to be honest I was quite selfishly pleased about. I don’t have a car and am well used to public transport, so all it really meant for me was that the shops were nice and quiet. There was none of the usual madness you’d expect at this time of year, which made for quite a pleasant and festive shopping experience. For a while. I hadn’t helped myself much by starting off in a book shop, going a bit overboard, and then having to lug my purchases around town all day (I’d forgotten to bring a backpack with me too; my arms are killing me today!). And then it started snowing again.

At first I got that usual thrill that always accompanies the sight of flakes falling and floating their way down from the sky. Ah, I love watching it tumble… I even get a little giddy when it’s snowing, probably a remnant from childhood when the longer it fell for the more chance there was for snowmen, sleighing and (most importantly) no school! The charm quickly wore off yesterday though when it went on and on and on. And on. It just kept getting heavier too and by the time I’d remembered that I actually HATE shopping and was making my way back to the bus it was about a foot thick on my head alone and all my paper bags were soggy and tearing apart.

It then took almost two hours to make the 30 minute journey home, while I sat there with the snow melting off me into a puddle on the floor. I’d my camera in my bag and amused myself by taking these snaps through the dirty bus window.  I know they’re dull and blurry but after running them through Poladroid I kinda like their retro feel. Plus, to me they really capture exactly how damp and dreary that ride home was.


Anyhow, to sum it up because I’m starting to drag on a bit here,  in the end my usual disorganisation shown through and when I reviewed the day’s work I realised I hadn’t got near to everything sorted out like I’d planned. That wouldn’t even be so bad if I thought I could get out of my house to get the rest of it finished, but now the snow’s stopped the freezing has begun and there’s going to be one giant block of ice on my front door in the morning. The same thing happened last week and the little laneway leading to our house became so slippery it was literally IMPOSSIBLE to walk on. So it looks like we could be stuck in here for the foreseeable future.

Any other time I wouldn’t even care but this is the one holiday when all those friends you haven’t seen since last year are back and when you really want to get out and have the craic. If things keep going as they are, though, I won’t be able to get up to the pub nor will they be able to call round for tea! And that’s if they actually get home; even if the airports manage to reopen, they’ll have a hard time traversing the bottle roads of Donegal. Do you know our local council have actually run out of salt? Seriously! Apparently they’re waiting on shipment from overseas but the boat it’s coming on is stuck in storms on the Mediterranean.  Don’t exactly know why they have to import salt to an island country, but that’s the modern world for you. For now the whole county is practically at a standstill and it’s promising to be a very quiet Christmas indeed. Oh snow, lovely as you are, please go away now. I want to see my friends!

14 comments:

JJ said...

Why the Mediterranean? I thought there was a ginormous rock salt mine somewhere near Belfast.

Somebody wrote a comment on one of my posts that said 'I catch the snowflakes falling on my tongue.' Isn't that sweet? If only I could see it that way. I'm sick of the stuff, too. I'm sick of the house being bloody freezing from top to bottom.

Still, it was a nice connection.

Róisín said...

Yea, I know! I think it's up near the Giant's Causeway somewhere, i.e about and hour away! Maybe the Irish government just don't want to buy it off you Brits ;) Nah, it's probably just some EU trade bullshit really. Most things are like that these days. Do you know that we've got loads of big fat prawns out there in our lough, which get shipped off to Japan or somewhere, while we get ours shipped in from Spain or where ever. And I noticed in the shop one day that the potatoes were from Israel. Why the hell do we need to get our spuds from Israel?! (And it was even spud season here at that time, so that's not the reason.) Madness, but sure that's the way of it!

JJ said...

Coals to Newcastle. Spuds to Ireland. Barmy, eh? Off to bed.

Laura {Gypsea Tree} said...

I love your pictures. They do totally capture a cold wet bus ride home. Your description of your trip is certainly familiar, as I am totally like that when it comes to shopping. I'm all happy and energized at first until suddenly I'm not and I remember how much I hate to shop! I did a lot of online shopping this year for the first time and while I somehow felt like I was cheating, it was still wonderful! I hope that the snow doesn't last too much longer and prevent you from seeing all your friends over the holidays. I'll see about sending you some of our never ending rain... Our climates are usually so similar, but I wouldn't mind a bit of your snow just now.
Your comment also made me laugh a lot. That is indeed me in most of my shop pics. Thanks! I somehow managed to sweet talk my fella into posing for the men's scarves. His mom thinks it's pretty much the funniest thing she has ever seen. She laughed for about five minutes when we showed her the shop. Moms are just fantastic... ;-)

TheBlakkDuchess said...

I'm wishing slightly warmer weather your way... I want you to be able to visit your friends too! ^-^

I loveloveLOVE the last two pics! They're awesome! =D

Thanks for the comment, btw... I'm glad you enjoyed that post. ^-^

And I love the idea of opening the doors on New Years! =D I so wish I didn't have to work this New Year's eve... Ah well. I'll open my doors in the morning when I get home. ^-^

I hope you're staying warm & safe (no slipping on ice!!!), and that you have an ample supply of tea! I'm so jealous of your tea shops! I'm surrounded by coffee shops, which while nice, just have a different feel to them...

Don't stress about your holiday stuff. Just smile & know that it'll get done eventually. ^-^

Oh, btw... I would love to send you a holiday card! I won't get them mailed out until probably after Christmas, but I would love to send one! Postage to Ireland isn't much, so if you'd like to email me your address, I'll let you know when your card is in the mail! =D

absynthe_and_arsenic@yahoo.com

XOXO

Della said...

Your photographs are wonderful, Roisin, I love their grainy quality and off-the-cuff feeling. We've had lots of snow here too, on Friday night it felt like a blizzard out there, the snow was coming sideways and people were huddled against it – some without hats looking really put out. Oh, and it's started up again now this morning as I look out my window. Unfortunately it's predicted to be warmer and probably rainy for Christmas which is a dreary prospect! Oh well, the grass is always greener.. Take care & have a lovely holiday with your friends :)

TheBlakkDuchess said...

Woohoo for my psychic moment! XD

I didn't know there books... @_@ I must go find them!

And I will gladly send you my snail mail! New Year's cards sound just delightful! =D

Hope your dinner was tasty! ^-^

Anthropomorphica said...

Fine excuse for the councils to do bugger all, last year Edinburgh claimed it was bringing salt from Africa...
Don't forget Irish peat is shipped to Egypt to pack spuds so they can be sent back to the Uk and Ireland, what a farce!!
Anyway my dear, chin up and grab a tub of table salt, mix in a little silver glitter and you can sprinkle a twinkling path to the pub and find your way back ;)
I love the bus window photos Roisin :)

Theresa said...

A Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to you~ May the snow subside to allow you your visits. Stay warm & enjoy your tea! ~Theresa

Laura {Gypsea Tree} said...

Róisín, I just announced the winner for my give away and it was you!
When you get a chance email me your mailing address and I will send it off to you in the New Year.
Happy Solstice!

gypseatree7{at}gmail{dot}com

Such a Wondrous Place this Faery Space said...

Oh friend friend. I hear you. I told you how we had a dump and a freeze last week and now here is a low pressure system settled in, tucked around every corner adding more and more freezing mist and snow. My dear daughter came home today with headache from school and is suffering so with this migraine she must must stay in bed tomorrow, too. I need Santa, now, the sleigh and the whole deal. I laughed so loud about the bookstore and the snow! I have done that soooooo many years in a row... I am so silly. You see there is nothing for me more magical than books for Christmas, bookstores with coffee in hand, snow coming down, sitting for a spell checking off my list of to do's for the holiday. I always love going to this old bookstore and always want to set the mood by finding treasures there. Ahh... well. I understand. is the point. I just want you to know you are the gift and the treasure. Glad to have met you this year. That is the best! Thanks for the kindness and joy you send my way! Blessings.

Kat_RN said...

Best of luck. I grew up in the mountains and I know what that sort of weather is like.
I hope you have plenty of tea, I do agree, a nice warm cuppa can make all the difference.
Nice to meet you.
Kat

Anonymous said...

I think you got all our snow, Róisín! It is dry here - only a dusting of snow at 10,000 feet in the Colorado mountains. Most unusual!

Anyway, I hope the snow gets cleared enough so that you do get to see all your friends!!!

~ Zuzu

Róisín said...

Laura- Firstly, thank you so very much again! Can’t convey to you how much I appreciate it… Secondly, I never thought I’d miss the rain but the snow is really getting annoying now. If only I’d been as organised as you with the online craic. I say I’m going to do it every year but I still haven’t even sorted out paypal never mind a credit card. I’m useless! Finally, that story about your boyfriends mum is great, she sounds like fun. I also want to add that you both look like professional models in them! Well, thanks again missus

Annalee- Oh shite! I only just remembered I never emailed you! Sorry- on my way now after this to do it!

Della- I hope your weather men are wrong! A few days ago they said we’d be starting to thaw by Christmas too but they seem to have changed their minds now. To be honest I think they have a hard time predicting snow, so fingers crossed! I might be giving out about it now, but it’s lovely when you don’t have to go anywhere or do anything.

Melanie- Aye, the whole carry on is a joke! I’m wondering where all this rocksalt from the mine in Antrim is going because I’ve yet to hear of a council in the UK or Ireland using it. They probably shift it off to Russia or somewhere! No wonder the world’s in the state it’s in…madness. Anyway, loved your comment about table salt and glitter! It made me smile

Amy- Your comments are always such a joy to read! I’m sorry to hear about your daughter’s migraines (I hope she’s feeling better now) and I totally empathise with you on the weather front- it sounds pretty identical to here right now! I also loved your description of book shopping- which I agree is probably the best form of shopping in the world ever! I also concur that one of the most wonderful things of the year has been meeting new friends like yourself through blogging, it’s been such a rewarding adventure.

Theresa and Kat- Lovely to meet you both! As I was just saying to Amy there, it’s been so lovely meeting new people through the blog over the past year and it’s a nice thought that there’s many more kindred souls to get to know in the coming year

Zuzu- The world’s weather really is going mad! It’s about -14 (Celsius, not sure what that is in American degrees) here right now when it should be around 0+, and there’s you over there in what I imagine would be good skiing country with hardly any snow! It’s a little scary when you think about it, which is why I try not to!

Well folks, hope you’re all doing well and are having a nice holiday week. The snows still thick on the ground here and the whole of Europe seems to be in the same boat, so there’s a lot of people not getting home for Christmas here. Most of the people I know who are stuck are still hoping to make it for New Year’s though so it’ll all be grand in the end. As long as everyone’s safe that’s what matters!

Related Posts with Thumbnails