FMM: 3 mi
Hi, friends & fam,
Just a day of hunting and gathering...or should I say attempting to gather...I got a drip coffeemaker, but 4 attempts to find coffee filters for it have failed. This morning I am drinking a cup filtered by a paper towel,an old trick I learned from Connie O'Connell, Bob's dad. And Bob wonders why he found all those empty M & M wrappers in the waste basket last night! I have one more lead on coffee filters which I will follow up on the weekend... Bob & I watched the movie _Michael Collins_. Liam Neeson stars in the story of Ireland's struggle for independence in the early 20th century. We have seen most of the settings in the movie which made it fun to watch. You can see them to if you come to visit us. My calendar is waiting for you to claim your dates...Today and tomorrow we have a full calendar of Fulbright activities. Who knows? I may even meet another desperate housewife like myself. By the time most of you read this, I will be dining at the U.S. Embassy. As you finish your lunch, I will be on my way to the Abbey Theater for a play...Remember--according to the Fulbright manual -- I am your emissary here in Ireland. What the people think of me is what they think of YOU, so wish me luck!
Eternally yours,
Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Mom/Liz/Elizabeth
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Creative Writing Class
Last night I went to my first creative writing class at a nearby junior college. Having seen the school clientele smoking outside on my previous visits, I wasn't quite sure who would be in the class. Bob assured me that since mine was isted as a "hobby" class, not a required class, that it would be peopled with respectable middle-aged ladies like myself. In fact, the class contains 17 females of various ages, an older male and a young male. The teacher is from New Jersey. Last night we wrote dialogues in teams and read them aloud. It was fun and it makes me wonder if the Irish have as much trouble understanding my accent at I do theirs. While they do speak English here, it is most definitely not the same language we speak. .. I was going to keep a log of the differences, but there are so many that has proved too tedious a task. However, I will keep a list for a few days and let you know what I'm talking about. That way when you come visit, you'll be prepared. The class is about a mile and a half away. I walked home at 7:30 as it was getting dark. It's funny that I would never walk at night by myself in Columbia, Missouri, but I felt perfectly comfortable doing it here. There are always lots of people out walking the streets here and it feels quite normal and safe. A lady from class walked part of the way with me and Bob showed up halfway home....On another topic, nearly all the Irish people we have met who have been to the U.S. have been only to these places: NY, Boston, Philadelphia, San Franscisco, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. A few have also been to Chicago and Orlando. So, all of their opinions of the U.S. are based on those cities. We have found one man, Rita Schulte's friend who has visited relatives in Missouri...all my ponderings for today...I am off to drag a coffeemaker and a few odds and ends back to the cave...if you really want to know what happen to my other coffeemaker, e-mail me..
Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Mom/Liz/Elizabeth
Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Mom/Liz/Elizabeth
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
The Immigration Office
FMM: 7 mi
Hi, blogmates,
You'll be happy to know that Bob and I are now officially registered with the Gardi (Irish Police). They now know where to find us! It only took 2 trips (about 6 miles of walking, but I'm not counting) and a few hours of waiting in line...We went to McDonald's to celebrate. You'll be happy to know that an egg McMuffin is an egg McMuffin here, too...I then went to the National Gallery to a lecture on "Munch and Expressionism". It wasn't what I thought I was going to, but it was interesting nontheless. Tonight I am starting a creative writing class. I'll keep you posted on how that goes...Fun hearing from you..
Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Mom/Liz/Elizabeth
Hi, blogmates,
You'll be happy to know that Bob and I are now officially registered with the Gardi (Irish Police). They now know where to find us! It only took 2 trips (about 6 miles of walking, but I'm not counting) and a few hours of waiting in line...We went to McDonald's to celebrate. You'll be happy to know that an egg McMuffin is an egg McMuffin here, too...I then went to the National Gallery to a lecture on "Munch and Expressionism". It wasn't what I thought I was going to, but it was interesting nontheless. Tonight I am starting a creative writing class. I'll keep you posted on how that goes...Fun hearing from you..
Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Mom/Liz/Elizabeth
Monday, September 28, 2009
Becoming an Irish Know-it-All
9/28/2009
Hi, Everybody,
Well, I finally finished the_ Paris Beacons_. I enjoyed my favorite column: "100 Years Ago". I was disappointed that no incorrigible nymphomaniacs were captured nor were the "worst women ever to hit Paris" dancing on tables or pounding on their cell doors. However, there was a mysterious "resort" by the railroad track that was raided...We had a busy weekend of learning about Irish history. You may want to skip the next few lines ..we spent 5 hours at the National Museum on Saturday. We viewed prehistoric and Viking artifacts and also went to a lecture on Irish/Scottish swords. One interesting thing we did learn is that if a person does find an artifact, s/he has exactly three days to turn it into the government or face severe penalties! This may sound like it wouldn't be a big deal in the U.S. where the best we could hope to find might be an arrowhead, but some people here have found hoards of gold items in the ground and they still do. I'm not quite sure how they enforce that law, but many finds displayed in the museum were by ordinary citizens,not archaeologists...If you want to know about these topics, call Bob for all the details. He's standing by, ready for your calls..Yesterday we went to historic Glasnevin Cemetery for a 2 hour tour. One and a half million people are buried there. The tour guide was marvelous and told us about all the famous people buried there. The most famous, of course, is Daniel O'Connell, the great liberator. He is no relation, but Bob plans to check his lineage anyway...So, as you can see, I'm in a dangerous spot for an infomaniac like me: I've learned all these things and I have no one to tell them to. Watch out if you call me on the phone! ..Thanks to the kind responses I have gotten from a few of you with directions on how to cut up carrots and offering me a recipe to make applesauce. I will take your suggestions under advisement...You all know that I am always looking for ways to improve myself.. I guess my class reunion occurred without me last weekend...I'm waiting to hear from some of my classmates reading this..I'm off to go out and drag home some stuff and carry it back to my cave.
Happy Monday.
Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Mom/Liz/Elizabeth
Hi, Everybody,
Well, I finally finished the_ Paris Beacons_. I enjoyed my favorite column: "100 Years Ago". I was disappointed that no incorrigible nymphomaniacs were captured nor were the "worst women ever to hit Paris" dancing on tables or pounding on their cell doors. However, there was a mysterious "resort" by the railroad track that was raided...We had a busy weekend of learning about Irish history. You may want to skip the next few lines ..we spent 5 hours at the National Museum on Saturday. We viewed prehistoric and Viking artifacts and also went to a lecture on Irish/Scottish swords. One interesting thing we did learn is that if a person does find an artifact, s/he has exactly three days to turn it into the government or face severe penalties! This may sound like it wouldn't be a big deal in the U.S. where the best we could hope to find might be an arrowhead, but some people here have found hoards of gold items in the ground and they still do. I'm not quite sure how they enforce that law, but many finds displayed in the museum were by ordinary citizens,not archaeologists...If you want to know about these topics, call Bob for all the details. He's standing by, ready for your calls..Yesterday we went to historic Glasnevin Cemetery for a 2 hour tour. One and a half million people are buried there. The tour guide was marvelous and told us about all the famous people buried there. The most famous, of course, is Daniel O'Connell, the great liberator. He is no relation, but Bob plans to check his lineage anyway...So, as you can see, I'm in a dangerous spot for an infomaniac like me: I've learned all these things and I have no one to tell them to. Watch out if you call me on the phone! ..Thanks to the kind responses I have gotten from a few of you with directions on how to cut up carrots and offering me a recipe to make applesauce. I will take your suggestions under advisement...You all know that I am always looking for ways to improve myself.. I guess my class reunion occurred without me last weekend...I'm waiting to hear from some of my classmates reading this..I'm off to go out and drag home some stuff and carry it back to my cave.
Happy Monday.
Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Mom/Liz/Elizabeth
Saturday, September 26, 2009
The Care Package
Hi, former countrymen & women,
FFM: 7 1/2
My care package from the U.S. has arrived! I only had to walk 3 miles to get it and carry it home in my little wheeling cart ...it was worth it! Here is what Mary and Mom sent me: paper napkins (yes!), washclothes, handtowels, M & Ms, playing cards, crossword puzzle books (I'll tell you about the newspaper crosswords here another time), a Sudoku book for Bob (and Megan if there are any left undone by Dec.), and yes, NESTEA! I rushed home with my loot, ejected 8 mini ice cubes from my solitary ice cube tray, and savored a glass of ice tea. It was heavenly. Then I took out the last treasure in my box: a stack of Paris Beacon newspapers. I sat down and read and sipped to my heart's content. I called my old roommate Pam and we talked under an hour ....she had to run to Pilates class in order to squeeze into her mother-of-the groom dress or we would still be on the phone. Bob and I went on a tour of St. Stephen's Green and out for a bowl of steaming and delicious Irish stew. That's all from the Blog from the Bog (I must credit Pam with that suggested title; she guffawed and snorted as she suggested it.) If you have a suggestion, please send it. My own suggestion is " The Portrait of the Artist as an Old Woman".
Love,
Tizzie/Tiz/Mom/Tizmom/Liz/Elizabeth
FFM: 7 1/2
My care package from the U.S. has arrived! I only had to walk 3 miles to get it and carry it home in my little wheeling cart ...it was worth it! Here is what Mary and Mom sent me: paper napkins (yes!), washclothes, handtowels, M & Ms, playing cards, crossword puzzle books (I'll tell you about the newspaper crosswords here another time), a Sudoku book for Bob (and Megan if there are any left undone by Dec.), and yes, NESTEA! I rushed home with my loot, ejected 8 mini ice cubes from my solitary ice cube tray, and savored a glass of ice tea. It was heavenly. Then I took out the last treasure in my box: a stack of Paris Beacon newspapers. I sat down and read and sipped to my heart's content. I called my old roommate Pam and we talked under an hour ....she had to run to Pilates class in order to squeeze into her mother-of-the groom dress or we would still be on the phone. Bob and I went on a tour of St. Stephen's Green and out for a bowl of steaming and delicious Irish stew. That's all from the Blog from the Bog (I must credit Pam with that suggested title; she guffawed and snorted as she suggested it.) If you have a suggestion, please send it. My own suggestion is " The Portrait of the Artist as an Old Woman".
Love,
Tizzie/Tiz/Mom/Tizmom/Liz/Elizabeth
Friday, September 25, 2009
Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Hi, Everybody,
FMM: 9 mi !!!
The grand prize winner of yesterday's contest was Molly O'Connell. She received a darling picture of her dad watching TV. The consolation prize went to John Stegemann who begged for a picture of Bob. I obliged by sending him a cute shot of Bob under an umbrella.
The answer to yesterday's question: Arthur's Day
Yesterday was the 250th anniversary of Guinness Brewing here in Dublin. Arthur Guinness was the founder. Bob tells me that the Guinness Company has a 9,000 year lease on the land where the brewery is. I think that as long as there's Ireland, they'll be Guinness.
No, that 9 above is not a typo. What I'm going to tell you will prove once and for all the lengths I will go to just to have a good time or at least a reprieve from my captivity here on the 4th floor. I met a nice lady name Maire (that's the Gaelic form of Mary) at a coffee after Mass a few weeks ago and she invited me to a walking club that she belongs to. Yesterday was the big day. I walked 30 min to the train, took the train 30 min, she picked me up, then I walked 90 mins along the seashore, before taking the train home, and walking back home, returning at 4:00 PM.
It was a nice group of 5 ladies. However, they were serious walkers. We walked the entire peninsula of Dublin Bay around Howth. The views --- when I was able to sneak a peek in between making sure to keep up and not fall flat on my face on the rocks - were stunning. Once of these days I plan to show Bob was a forced march really is. Won't he be surprised? When I thought we were at the end of the walk, I was told that we were only a third of the way there. Part of the walk is on a trail like the MKT Trail in Columbia. At least they do stop 2/3 of the way around the peninsula and have a cup of coffee. That part I liked. The ladies were most pleasant and agreeable and I have been invited back next week...Last night we went to Fulbright event and met a few other Americans in the same situation we are in. So, I did improve my social interaction quotient yesterday... Sadly, I missed being here for the delivery of my care package from Mom and Mary. Now I will have to walk 3 miles to get it and carry it back. I may have to open the ice tea mix and fix myself a glass along the way. Mom insists the box is "huge"
and "too heavy" for me to carry. I will probably unload my precious cargo at the post office and stuff it in my wheeling shopping cart. I will let you know what arrived in my special box; I know you are dying to know....until tomorrow I remain your faithful
Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Mom/Liz/Elizabeth
FMM: 9 mi !!!
The grand prize winner of yesterday's contest was Molly O'Connell. She received a darling picture of her dad watching TV. The consolation prize went to John Stegemann who begged for a picture of Bob. I obliged by sending him a cute shot of Bob under an umbrella.
The answer to yesterday's question: Arthur's Day
Yesterday was the 250th anniversary of Guinness Brewing here in Dublin. Arthur Guinness was the founder. Bob tells me that the Guinness Company has a 9,000 year lease on the land where the brewery is. I think that as long as there's Ireland, they'll be Guinness.
No, that 9 above is not a typo. What I'm going to tell you will prove once and for all the lengths I will go to just to have a good time or at least a reprieve from my captivity here on the 4th floor. I met a nice lady name Maire (that's the Gaelic form of Mary) at a coffee after Mass a few weeks ago and she invited me to a walking club that she belongs to. Yesterday was the big day. I walked 30 min to the train, took the train 30 min, she picked me up, then I walked 90 mins along the seashore, before taking the train home, and walking back home, returning at 4:00 PM.
It was a nice group of 5 ladies. However, they were serious walkers. We walked the entire peninsula of Dublin Bay around Howth. The views --- when I was able to sneak a peek in between making sure to keep up and not fall flat on my face on the rocks - were stunning. Once of these days I plan to show Bob was a forced march really is. Won't he be surprised? When I thought we were at the end of the walk, I was told that we were only a third of the way there. Part of the walk is on a trail like the MKT Trail in Columbia. At least they do stop 2/3 of the way around the peninsula and have a cup of coffee. That part I liked. The ladies were most pleasant and agreeable and I have been invited back next week...Last night we went to Fulbright event and met a few other Americans in the same situation we are in. So, I did improve my social interaction quotient yesterday... Sadly, I missed being here for the delivery of my care package from Mom and Mary. Now I will have to walk 3 miles to get it and carry it back. I may have to open the ice tea mix and fix myself a glass along the way. Mom insists the box is "huge"
and "too heavy" for me to carry. I will probably unload my precious cargo at the post office and stuff it in my wheeling shopping cart. I will let you know what arrived in my special box; I know you are dying to know....until tomorrow I remain your faithful
Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Mom/Liz/Elizabeth
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Arthur's Day
FMM: 4
Good morning, Yanks,
Another overcast morning is dawning here in the Emerald Isle. It's been great hearing from some of you and your concern for my problems. I appreciate the advice I have been given on how to cut up my own carrots (Who would've guessed? Of course, my family knows I'm not allowed to hold sharp objects..). I've also heard from one friend who is so "devastated" at the lack of paper napkins that she may now have to cancel her trip here. I'm only here to report the truth, folks. Another pal has suggested that I also included a count of the human conversations I have in a day with the added restriction that talking to myself doesn't count. Somehow I think many of you are getting way too much pleasure out of my "quiet life".... Actually, yesterday I did have a bit of human interaction. I went to a creative writing class at the National Gallery. It was a very lively, fun class with about 20 people who -- Bob doesn't believe me -- were all older than I. We studied portraits in the gallery and wrote short scenarios about them which we then shared. I must say it's the most fun I've had in a long time. The woman giving the workshop has just opened her own writing center and I think I will sign up for a class there next month.... Bob and I made another attempt to find our "local pub". We went to O'Brien's which is right across the street. We have been there a few times and it seems to cater to - at least during the week - an older crowd. We met a talkative guy who had just returned from 6 mos at a remote, untouched,beautiful fishing village in Spain. He told us that there are only 2 Americans in the whole village. I don't know if those two pieces of information are connected or not. .. Today is a BIG DAY here; it's Arthur's Day!!! I won't reveal what Arthur's Day is until tomorrow, but the first person who e-mails me with the correct answer will get a personal e-mail back from me with a picture of Bob attached to it. How's that for an offer? Bob says he doesn't read this blog; and in fact he had no idea what a FMM was when I asked him last night, so I think I'm safe. Furthermore, I did succeed in attaching my 2nd picture of all time to an e-mail yesterday (the first was to you, Megan)- so I can do it. When my patience returns, I will try to attach a picture to this blog. I am off shortly to do what I know and love best: WALK!!!!! More on that later..
Love,
Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Liz/Elizabeth
Good morning, Yanks,
Another overcast morning is dawning here in the Emerald Isle. It's been great hearing from some of you and your concern for my problems. I appreciate the advice I have been given on how to cut up my own carrots (Who would've guessed? Of course, my family knows I'm not allowed to hold sharp objects..). I've also heard from one friend who is so "devastated" at the lack of paper napkins that she may now have to cancel her trip here. I'm only here to report the truth, folks. Another pal has suggested that I also included a count of the human conversations I have in a day with the added restriction that talking to myself doesn't count. Somehow I think many of you are getting way too much pleasure out of my "quiet life".... Actually, yesterday I did have a bit of human interaction. I went to a creative writing class at the National Gallery. It was a very lively, fun class with about 20 people who -- Bob doesn't believe me -- were all older than I. We studied portraits in the gallery and wrote short scenarios about them which we then shared. I must say it's the most fun I've had in a long time. The woman giving the workshop has just opened her own writing center and I think I will sign up for a class there next month.... Bob and I made another attempt to find our "local pub". We went to O'Brien's which is right across the street. We have been there a few times and it seems to cater to - at least during the week - an older crowd. We met a talkative guy who had just returned from 6 mos at a remote, untouched,beautiful fishing village in Spain. He told us that there are only 2 Americans in the whole village. I don't know if those two pieces of information are connected or not. .. Today is a BIG DAY here; it's Arthur's Day!!! I won't reveal what Arthur's Day is until tomorrow, but the first person who e-mails me with the correct answer will get a personal e-mail back from me with a picture of Bob attached to it. How's that for an offer? Bob says he doesn't read this blog; and in fact he had no idea what a FMM was when I asked him last night, so I think I'm safe. Furthermore, I did succeed in attaching my 2nd picture of all time to an e-mail yesterday (the first was to you, Megan)- so I can do it. When my patience returns, I will try to attach a picture to this blog. I am off shortly to do what I know and love best: WALK!!!!! More on that later..
Love,
Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Liz/Elizabeth
W.B. Yeats, etc.
Hi, folks,
FMM: 2 1/2
Once again my followers - 2 out of all 3 of them -- have made a request. They want me to post pictures, too. Now I don't know why anyone would want pictures of me and Bob other than to feature us on "What Not to Wear," but I will try to accommodate this request. However, I am not up to that task today. ..Yesterday I went to the National Museum of Ireland and took a guided tour of the W.B. Yeats exhibit. If you want to know more, the entire exhibit is online and you can look at it yourself. It was my only human interaction of the day - other than with my loquacious husband, of course - as I have unwittingly taken a vow of silence over here. There were 2 of us in the tour group and my tourmate was talkative and inquisitive enough for both of us. So, my vocal cords are preserved for another day. I also viewed an exhibit on James Joyce. Bob has purchased and carted home -at great inconvenience (it is 933 pages long) -a copy of _Ulysses_. It is touted as the most commonly unread classic of all time. Anyway, I think that we can at least complete the Joyce literary pub crawl which takes you to many of the places mentioned in the book. Furthermore, we can both claim to have read it since none of you probably have either, so how will you know?? If you have, in fact, read the book, please send me your comments and suggestions. Happy Wednesday.
Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Liz/Elizabeth
FMM: 2 1/2
Once again my followers - 2 out of all 3 of them -- have made a request. They want me to post pictures, too. Now I don't know why anyone would want pictures of me and Bob other than to feature us on "What Not to Wear," but I will try to accommodate this request. However, I am not up to that task today. ..Yesterday I went to the National Museum of Ireland and took a guided tour of the W.B. Yeats exhibit. If you want to know more, the entire exhibit is online and you can look at it yourself. It was my only human interaction of the day - other than with my loquacious husband, of course - as I have unwittingly taken a vow of silence over here. There were 2 of us in the tour group and my tourmate was talkative and inquisitive enough for both of us. So, my vocal cords are preserved for another day. I also viewed an exhibit on James Joyce. Bob has purchased and carted home -at great inconvenience (it is 933 pages long) -a copy of _Ulysses_. It is touted as the most commonly unread classic of all time. Anyway, I think that we can at least complete the Joyce literary pub crawl which takes you to many of the places mentioned in the book. Furthermore, we can both claim to have read it since none of you probably have either, so how will you know?? If you have, in fact, read the book, please send me your comments and suggestions. Happy Wednesday.
Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Liz/Elizabeth
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Food Fantasies
Hi, everybody,
FFM = 4 miles...
By popular demand (requested by 2 of my 3 official blog followers), I am adding a new feature today. It will be listed at the top of the page. It is the Forced March Mileage or FFM for the day. This way you can keep up on just how far I had to walk that day. Bob has been taking all of us on forced marches for years and somehow my children are quite gleeful at the fact that I am now in a continued state of forced marching. Anyway, I aim to please my readers. Yesterday's FMM was 4 miles. I do think I need to somehow add to that when I have also been carrying full-length mirrors or overflowing grocery bags. Since we are on groceries.... there are a number of things I have NOT be able to find here. I realize that I am in the city, so I have hopes that should I ever get out to the suburbs I may find one or two of these items. Here are the things I cannot find: 1) applesauce (I did finally buy something that they called apple sauce that was located in the "sauce" section with horseradish; it turned out to be very sweet and more like apple pie filling. Mom thinks that maybe the Irish make their own applesauce, but somehow I doubt this. 2) paper napkins - they do have the expensive large party kind for about 5 euros, but absolutely no everyday ones. I guess they use cloth napkins. 3) deodorant soap -- really, they have a brand called Simple that is like Ivory and most stores carry Dove. They do NOT have Irish Spring soap!!! Bob is holding on to his last slivver with his life!! 4) ice tea mix -- I know, I know it's very gauche to search for a thing like this in Ireland, of all places, but I LOVE iced tea and I have had a hard time doing without it. It is not offered in any restaurants. Mom is sending me some Nestea and I can't wait! 5) grape jelly -- you can get plenty of strawberry preserves, orange marmalade, or currant jelly, but not grape. 6)frozen canned juices 7)cake mix - I did finally find one box of Betty Crocker and it sold for the equivalent of $4; they must not use it. 8) small bags of carrots already washed and cut up -- okay, I know I'm being lazy and petty now, but giant hulking carrots can be rather intimidating not to mention time-consuming to cut up. 8)plastic pitchers, cups, containers, plastic anything - I think they are probably more environmentally aware in this area, but all I truly want is a plastic pitcher in which to put my ice tea in should I ever get any...
Today I am going exploring again. I will let you know what I find. Happy Tuesday! Tizzie/Tizmom/Tiz/Liz/Elizabeth
FFM = 4 miles...
By popular demand (requested by 2 of my 3 official blog followers), I am adding a new feature today. It will be listed at the top of the page. It is the Forced March Mileage or FFM for the day. This way you can keep up on just how far I had to walk that day. Bob has been taking all of us on forced marches for years and somehow my children are quite gleeful at the fact that I am now in a continued state of forced marching. Anyway, I aim to please my readers. Yesterday's FMM was 4 miles. I do think I need to somehow add to that when I have also been carrying full-length mirrors or overflowing grocery bags. Since we are on groceries.... there are a number of things I have NOT be able to find here. I realize that I am in the city, so I have hopes that should I ever get out to the suburbs I may find one or two of these items. Here are the things I cannot find: 1) applesauce (I did finally buy something that they called apple sauce that was located in the "sauce" section with horseradish; it turned out to be very sweet and more like apple pie filling. Mom thinks that maybe the Irish make their own applesauce, but somehow I doubt this. 2) paper napkins - they do have the expensive large party kind for about 5 euros, but absolutely no everyday ones. I guess they use cloth napkins. 3) deodorant soap -- really, they have a brand called Simple that is like Ivory and most stores carry Dove. They do NOT have Irish Spring soap!!! Bob is holding on to his last slivver with his life!! 4) ice tea mix -- I know, I know it's very gauche to search for a thing like this in Ireland, of all places, but I LOVE iced tea and I have had a hard time doing without it. It is not offered in any restaurants. Mom is sending me some Nestea and I can't wait! 5) grape jelly -- you can get plenty of strawberry preserves, orange marmalade, or currant jelly, but not grape. 6)frozen canned juices 7)cake mix - I did finally find one box of Betty Crocker and it sold for the equivalent of $4; they must not use it. 8) small bags of carrots already washed and cut up -- okay, I know I'm being lazy and petty now, but giant hulking carrots can be rather intimidating not to mention time-consuming to cut up. 8)plastic pitchers, cups, containers, plastic anything - I think they are probably more environmentally aware in this area, but all I truly want is a plastic pitcher in which to put my ice tea in should I ever get any...
Today I am going exploring again. I will let you know what I find. Happy Tuesday! Tizzie/Tizmom/Tiz/Liz/Elizabeth
Monday, September 21, 2009
Irish Food & Newspapers
Monday morning
Hi, everybody,
It's come to my attention that some of you prospective visitors are now worried about having clean dishes, clean linens, hot water, heat, and cable TV when you come to visit. Well, all I can say, is that you can't beat my price and that you are welcome to try your hand at any and all appliances once you arrive.
Bob and I went to dinner with an Irish couple Sat. night. Bob had sea bass. I had shredded duck and salad, but only after I verified what a "salad" entailed. Those of you who have been to Ireland before know what I mean. A salad can mean a boiled egg and a blob of mayonnaise. We recently ordered salmon, potatoes, and a side salad, only to discover that our "side salad" was potato salad. So, diners, beware... It was interesting to talk with local people, or with any people in my case, as I have spent more days NOT talking in the past two weeks than possibly since my babyhood! The noise pollution level has surely gone down in the past two weeks... We learned that there are a few interesting First Communion rituals that priests have had to thwart lately. They include the eight-year-old girls having spray-on tans, pedicures, manicures, and even -- are you ready for this? -- headdresses that light up and say "Jesus" when first communion is received! Even we ugly Americans haven't thought of these things. We also learned that Ireland has the highest per capita rate for newspaper reading. I am not surprised as there are a huge number of newspapers available from both here and the UK and people are reading everywhere. Also, there are lots of bookstores and lots of people in them. I asked about getting the paper delivered to my door (something I dearly miss as many of you know) and I was told to go ask the people at the convenience store (my "newsagent" -- I didn't know I had one) and that he/she might be willing to bring one to my door every morning. They don't have official paper routes...Bob and I have continued our forced marches around the city, probably logging about 5 miles yesterday. WE came home, collapsed, and watched Ireland's version of the Super Bowl -- the national final for Irish football (I think this is right as futball I think is soccer?) between Kerry and Cork. Cousins and relatives, you'll be happy to know that our ancestral home team - Team Kerry - prevailed.
I love hearing from all of you, so keep those e-mails coming.
Tizzie/Tizmom/Liz/Elizabeth
Hi, everybody,
It's come to my attention that some of you prospective visitors are now worried about having clean dishes, clean linens, hot water, heat, and cable TV when you come to visit. Well, all I can say, is that you can't beat my price and that you are welcome to try your hand at any and all appliances once you arrive.
Bob and I went to dinner with an Irish couple Sat. night. Bob had sea bass. I had shredded duck and salad, but only after I verified what a "salad" entailed. Those of you who have been to Ireland before know what I mean. A salad can mean a boiled egg and a blob of mayonnaise. We recently ordered salmon, potatoes, and a side salad, only to discover that our "side salad" was potato salad. So, diners, beware... It was interesting to talk with local people, or with any people in my case, as I have spent more days NOT talking in the past two weeks than possibly since my babyhood! The noise pollution level has surely gone down in the past two weeks... We learned that there are a few interesting First Communion rituals that priests have had to thwart lately. They include the eight-year-old girls having spray-on tans, pedicures, manicures, and even -- are you ready for this? -- headdresses that light up and say "Jesus" when first communion is received! Even we ugly Americans haven't thought of these things. We also learned that Ireland has the highest per capita rate for newspaper reading. I am not surprised as there are a huge number of newspapers available from both here and the UK and people are reading everywhere. Also, there are lots of bookstores and lots of people in them. I asked about getting the paper delivered to my door (something I dearly miss as many of you know) and I was told to go ask the people at the convenience store (my "newsagent" -- I didn't know I had one) and that he/she might be willing to bring one to my door every morning. They don't have official paper routes...Bob and I have continued our forced marches around the city, probably logging about 5 miles yesterday. WE came home, collapsed, and watched Ireland's version of the Super Bowl -- the national final for Irish football (I think this is right as futball I think is soccer?) between Kerry and Cork. Cousins and relatives, you'll be happy to know that our ancestral home team - Team Kerry - prevailed.
I love hearing from all of you, so keep those e-mails coming.
Tizzie/Tizmom/Liz/Elizabeth
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Tiz Tech Talk
Top 'o the morning, friends and family,
I am at home this time, sitting on the couch under a blanket and I've just finished my coffee which I make in a nifty little contraption called a caffetiere. It is non-electric and I just pour hot water into it and let the coffee steep and then I push a plunger/filter thing down. That brings me to appliances. .. If you wake up this morning and flip a switch, turn a knob, or push a button and you get light, heat, air conditioning, TV, clean clothes, dry clothes, and hot water, and can answer a telephone call and make one, you are way ahead of me. In our apt, I turn the hot water on and off all day as needed…but of course I’ve never remembered to turn it on when I need it like when I’m washing my face at bedtime. So I splash ice cold water on my face because I’m too lazy to go flip the “hot water” switch. Instead of being ready for bed, I am then wide awake. There’s more. We have a combination washer and dryer. In order to work it, I have to program it and there are 13 choices. Half the time I don’t know if the clothes are washing and/or drying, but at the end of the day I take out everything I put in and hope for the best. Cable TV? Don’t even ask. Bob and I are eagerly awaiting our children’s arrival in Dec. to solve that one for us. We have 3 remotes and even –I’m told—have a DVR. (Note to PM: you said I was the only person you knew who didn’t have a DVR; well, now I have one, but I don’t have the remotest --no pun intended—idea of how to use it!) If I turn it on and a channel actually appears, I won’t dare change it. I have watched some majorly boring political debates for just that reason. (I hate to ask, but do I sound like my 98- year- old mother on that one??) We do have a large heated metal towel rack in the bathroom which is awesome. The telephone? Again, I’m waiting for the kids on the cellphone. The calls are so rare that when I do get one I am shocked, don’t know what it is, and usually don’t get it answered on time. I have no idea how to get my messages on either my Vonage phone or my cellphone, so if you leave me one, beware. Yesterday Bob and I accomplished the last technological hurdle: we turned on the dishwasher! We think it worked. Again, I just took out the dishes and hoped for the best. They looked reasonably clean… So, as you can see, we are adjusting well to life in a foreign country. While I wouldn’t say we have conquered the appliances here, we are seeking peace with them
I am at home this time, sitting on the couch under a blanket and I've just finished my coffee which I make in a nifty little contraption called a caffetiere. It is non-electric and I just pour hot water into it and let the coffee steep and then I push a plunger/filter thing down. That brings me to appliances. .. If you wake up this morning and flip a switch, turn a knob, or push a button and you get light, heat, air conditioning, TV, clean clothes, dry clothes, and hot water, and can answer a telephone call and make one, you are way ahead of me. In our apt, I turn the hot water on and off all day as needed…but of course I’ve never remembered to turn it on when I need it like when I’m washing my face at bedtime. So I splash ice cold water on my face because I’m too lazy to go flip the “hot water” switch. Instead of being ready for bed, I am then wide awake. There’s more. We have a combination washer and dryer. In order to work it, I have to program it and there are 13 choices. Half the time I don’t know if the clothes are washing and/or drying, but at the end of the day I take out everything I put in and hope for the best. Cable TV? Don’t even ask. Bob and I are eagerly awaiting our children’s arrival in Dec. to solve that one for us. We have 3 remotes and even –I’m told—have a DVR. (Note to PM: you said I was the only person you knew who didn’t have a DVR; well, now I have one, but I don’t have the remotest --no pun intended—idea of how to use it!) If I turn it on and a channel actually appears, I won’t dare change it. I have watched some majorly boring political debates for just that reason. (I hate to ask, but do I sound like my 98- year- old mother on that one??) We do have a large heated metal towel rack in the bathroom which is awesome. The telephone? Again, I’m waiting for the kids on the cellphone. The calls are so rare that when I do get one I am shocked, don’t know what it is, and usually don’t get it answered on time. I have no idea how to get my messages on either my Vonage phone or my cellphone, so if you leave me one, beware. Yesterday Bob and I accomplished the last technological hurdle: we turned on the dishwasher! We think it worked. Again, I just took out the dishes and hoped for the best. They looked reasonably clean… So, as you can see, we are adjusting well to life in a foreign country. While I wouldn’t say we have conquered the appliances here, we are seeking peace with them
Friday, September 18, 2009
Dublin Musings
Good morning, friends, ex-neighbors, and ex-countrymen/women,
Well, it’s finally happened. I am sitting in a café in downtown Dublin - on O’Connell Street, no less - drinking a cup of coffee at – would you believe The Muse Café? and blogging away. It’s been an exciting morning in Tizzieland – no I haven’t walked out in front of a bus yet although they do persist in driving on the WRONG SIDE of the road over here. I wonder who I should talk to about changing that. .. There are big signs painted on the streets which say “LOOK RIGHT” or “LOOK LEFT”. However, they don’t provide those in the middle of the street or on corners which can be a problem. No mind, I can honestly say that I have only stepped out in front of 1 bus and two cars so far. Bob rescued me once; I rescued myself the other two times while also achieving a remarkable aerobic heart rate.
This morning I have walked downtown with Bob on his way to work. He walks through the heart of the city, and I have stopped along the way to do some investigating on your behalf. You behalf, you say? Yes, that’s right. If all of you who are threatening to come to Dublin actually show up at my door, I will need to know where to take you and what you’ll want to see. It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it! I was most excited to wander through two stores this morning: Penneys and Ireland’s equivalent of a Dollar Store (however, it’s a 2 Euro Store which translates in about a $3.00 Store). I was happy to see some semi-American looking good old-fashioned crap. I picked up 2 plastic bins, some hot chocolate mix to mix with WATER (for some reason they want to mix all their hot choc with MILK over here; I was happy to find a good, cheap water version!), and a couple bags of Brand X coffee. They have a love affair with instant coffee over here, and ground coffee is not that prevalent in the stores. Usually, there’s just one small brand in one size. However, there is PLENTY of tea, and I have even learned to drink that in the past 2 weeks. I’ll let you know how the coffee tastes…
Responses to you Queries…
Have I ”cozied up” the apartment?
Yes, you can see above that I bought 2 black plastic bins in which to ’cozy up’ the papers on the kitchen table. I also plan to check the apartment dumpster as I saw a metal strainer and a 3-tiered metal rack of some kind that looked interesting. And you thought I only dumpster-dove for U.S.A. Todays at the University Bookstore!!
Has anyone actually said “Top ‘o the morning “ to me yet?
No, only a few of you would be -comedians have said that to me.
Now for your comments:
**My proudest one is from my daughter-in-law, Megan, who said that she “jumped for joy” when she saw that I was going to write a blog! Bob insists that she must have been kidding and that I just couldn’t see her tongue in her check, but I believe her firmly and truly. I think every daughter-in-law should be required to read her mother-in-law’s blog every day, don’t you??
“Tizzie, you will liven up the lives of those old Irish geezers in your apartment.”
Well, either that or I will become an old Irish geezer myself. We’ll see…
I will stop now as I know some of you have other things to do like work and I don’t want to bore my audience too early on.
Love from the Emerald Isle,
Tizzie, Tizmom, Mom, Liz, Elizabeth
Well, it’s finally happened. I am sitting in a café in downtown Dublin - on O’Connell Street, no less - drinking a cup of coffee at – would you believe The Muse Café? and blogging away. It’s been an exciting morning in Tizzieland – no I haven’t walked out in front of a bus yet although they do persist in driving on the WRONG SIDE of the road over here. I wonder who I should talk to about changing that. .. There are big signs painted on the streets which say “LOOK RIGHT” or “LOOK LEFT”. However, they don’t provide those in the middle of the street or on corners which can be a problem. No mind, I can honestly say that I have only stepped out in front of 1 bus and two cars so far. Bob rescued me once; I rescued myself the other two times while also achieving a remarkable aerobic heart rate.
This morning I have walked downtown with Bob on his way to work. He walks through the heart of the city, and I have stopped along the way to do some investigating on your behalf. You behalf, you say? Yes, that’s right. If all of you who are threatening to come to Dublin actually show up at my door, I will need to know where to take you and what you’ll want to see. It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it! I was most excited to wander through two stores this morning: Penneys and Ireland’s equivalent of a Dollar Store (however, it’s a 2 Euro Store which translates in about a $3.00 Store). I was happy to see some semi-American looking good old-fashioned crap. I picked up 2 plastic bins, some hot chocolate mix to mix with WATER (for some reason they want to mix all their hot choc with MILK over here; I was happy to find a good, cheap water version!), and a couple bags of Brand X coffee. They have a love affair with instant coffee over here, and ground coffee is not that prevalent in the stores. Usually, there’s just one small brand in one size. However, there is PLENTY of tea, and I have even learned to drink that in the past 2 weeks. I’ll let you know how the coffee tastes…
Responses to you Queries…
Have I ”cozied up” the apartment?
Yes, you can see above that I bought 2 black plastic bins in which to ’cozy up’ the papers on the kitchen table. I also plan to check the apartment dumpster as I saw a metal strainer and a 3-tiered metal rack of some kind that looked interesting. And you thought I only dumpster-dove for U.S.A. Todays at the University Bookstore!!
Has anyone actually said “Top ‘o the morning “ to me yet?
No, only a few of you would be -comedians have said that to me.
Now for your comments:
**My proudest one is from my daughter-in-law, Megan, who said that she “jumped for joy” when she saw that I was going to write a blog! Bob insists that she must have been kidding and that I just couldn’t see her tongue in her check, but I believe her firmly and truly. I think every daughter-in-law should be required to read her mother-in-law’s blog every day, don’t you??
“Tizzie, you will liven up the lives of those old Irish geezers in your apartment.”
Well, either that or I will become an old Irish geezer myself. We’ll see…
I will stop now as I know some of you have other things to do like work and I don’t want to bore my audience too early on.
Love from the Emerald Isle,
Tizzie, Tizmom, Mom, Liz, Elizabeth
Thursday, September 17, 2009
The Irish Adventure Begins
Welcome to Tiztalk. Bob is here on a Fulbright Fellowship to study electrical engineering education practices at the Dublin Institute of Technology. Me? I'm just here. That's why I'm blogging.
We live in a furnished 4th floor apt about 6 blocks from St. Stephen's Green. I'm told that the apt complex is sometimes used as a backdrop for 1960s dramas. The buildings are brown brick and old. I'm told most of the tenants are, too. When I peruse my neighbors' windowsills, I see teapots, teacups, bath powder, and cleaning supplies. Yeah, they probably are old. If they peer into my window, what will they see? An unmade bed, some socks hanging on the end of it, .piles of books, maps, and travel brochures....you get the picture? There's something freeing about knowing that not a soul you know is going to enter your apt...why do a thing? Bob has suggested that I cozy up the place, but it suits me just fine. I would rather be sitting here doing this, and who's to stop me??
I saw my first fellow tenant yesterday. I was beginning to think no one else really lived here. I thought perhaps I was in the Twilight Zone. I'm still not sure I'm not.
The most exciting thing that has happened so far is that I had an unexpected root canal last week. So far my tooth is still in my mouth, so I guess that's a good sign.
Tune in again for more exciting adventures. Next time I'll tell you about ....oops, out of space!
We live in a furnished 4th floor apt about 6 blocks from St. Stephen's Green. I'm told that the apt complex is sometimes used as a backdrop for 1960s dramas. The buildings are brown brick and old. I'm told most of the tenants are, too. When I peruse my neighbors' windowsills, I see teapots, teacups, bath powder, and cleaning supplies. Yeah, they probably are old. If they peer into my window, what will they see? An unmade bed, some socks hanging on the end of it, .piles of books, maps, and travel brochures....you get the picture? There's something freeing about knowing that not a soul you know is going to enter your apt...why do a thing? Bob has suggested that I cozy up the place, but it suits me just fine. I would rather be sitting here doing this, and who's to stop me??
I saw my first fellow tenant yesterday. I was beginning to think no one else really lived here. I thought perhaps I was in the Twilight Zone. I'm still not sure I'm not.
The most exciting thing that has happened so far is that I had an unexpected root canal last week. So far my tooth is still in my mouth, so I guess that's a good sign.
Tune in again for more exciting adventures. Next time I'll tell you about ....oops, out of space!
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