Kells, Cliffs, and Clowning Around

FMM: 7 miles

Hi, Mates,

Look carefully at the picture. Notice anything? Bob and Scott have been stealing beauty secrets from me and Teresa. This picture flatters them because they are bending a knee, turned sideways slightly, and they should have had their chins raised. Don't they look like cover boys? We thought so, too..Now on to more important things (SURE, Tizzie..) Bob took Teresa and Scott to the Book of Hells (oops, I mean Kells) while I sat on a bench and read _The Picture of Dorian Gray_. We met our Irish friends Michael and Jenny Keane at a dinner/music venue called My Irish Party. When asked to sing a song, Michael did our table proud with a many-versed Irish ditty which brought down the house. Bob, Scott, Teresa, and I determined that we couldn't think of a comparable song to sing. Michael says he's experienced this before with Americans. Unlike the Irish, we don't sit around and sing much. Therefore, we have no clever American ballads to sing at the ready. Can you help us out? We are scratching our brains. Teresa suggested "Yankee Doodle Dandy", but we couldn't remember the words. I came up with a song Dad used to sing in the car "Ragtime Cowboy Joe". Any suggestions? Send them along, and start singing. You'll be prepared next time you have an opportunity to get up and show your stuff. I'll be singing "Turkey in the Straw" in the shower myself shortly...I have had further thoughts on Teresa's passport loss. It think I've figured it out. It's her new hair color. She used to be a level-headed brunette. Just a theory...Yesterday was a grand day of FMMing (forced mile marching for any newbies) on the cliffs at Howth, followed by a fresh seafood dinner, and a nightcap at O'Brien's Pub. Bob and Scott wonder what Teresa and I can find to talk about (many of you reading this mostly), but we haven't run out of topics yet. If you've done anything wild and crazy or scandalous, please let me know right as we have two more days to fill up with talk..Off to sight see. Maybe I'll surprise them with a little song as we wander the streets of Dublin...

Belting out while Celting out,

I remain

Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Mom/Liz/Elizabeth

Another Friend Messes Up

FMM: 6 miles (including 1 Royal Mile)

Hi, Lads and Lassies,

We are having a great time sightseeing here in Edinburgh. The city and the sights are gorgeous. We have been to the castles as well as several museums and tours of the cemetery and the underground city... However, I seem to have a strange effect on my friends. Teresa woke up this morning and found that she was without her purse which contained - you guessed it - her passport. That's right. Marianne J loses her credit card and now Teresa loses her purse. And these two ladies are my most organized friends by far. I think it is the "Tizzie effect". Nonetheless, I always savor an opportunity to look good myself at the expense of my friends. I know just where my own passport is -- Bob has it for safekeeping. It turns out she had left it in a bar - the big lush (!) - and the bartender found it, so our day was saved.. We're heading to Dublin first thing tomorrow, so I won't be blogging.

Still a tattletale,

I remain

Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Mom/Liz/Elizabeth

On A Kilt Trip

FMM: 5 mi

Hi, Statesiders & others,

Here we are in bonny Edinburgh (Tim is right; it is pronounced Ed-in-burra, not Ed-in-burrow). It is absolutely gorgeous. It is 10 PM Wed. and - in true O'Connell fashion - we have managed to torture the Fosters and ourselves via sleep deprivation combined with nonstop forced marching up and down hills and around a castle and food and drink only at irregular intervals. Teresa and Scott have finally escaped and locked themselves in their room for the night. We are meeting first thing tomorrow morning for more fun...

Tired and wired,

I remain

Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Mom/Liz/Elizabeth

All Wet

FMM: 7 mi

Hi, Pals,

Been tickling any rats? Just wondering...Bob and I took yet another beach side march at Malahide. We were rained on, blown around, pelted by little pea-sized hail, splashed by cars driving through puddles, and, of course, ended up walking twice as far as we intended. Bob's only comment, "Aren't the rainstorms better here than in Missouri? No fear of lightning or tornadoes." I told him that my goal before I leave is to go to the ocean once when I'm not cold, wet, or with a group of fitness freaks, and sit on a bench as long as I want just looking out... We leave for Edinburgh (pronounced "ed'in burrow"), Scotland, tomorrow to meet the Fosters. To save $75, we are not checking any luggage. We'll show that greedy Aer Lingus! Who needs luggage? We plan to spend our $75 at a fine restaurant, preferably one that allows faded flood pants, water-logged tennis shoes, and green suede St. Pat's ball caps. I warned Teresa that I was adopting the 3 layered vagrant look. She seems okay with it... No blog tomorrow. Catch you on Thursday.

Cracking about not packing (Okay this one has no rhythm, but I am off for a haircut and can't spend all morning thinking of cute ways to sign off!),

I remain

Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Mom/Liz/Elizabeth

Bank Holiday

Sorry, Guys,

Today is a bank holiday here. Bob is home, and I'm off schedule. Our building is quiet, many businesses are closed, and the streets are deserted. I'm taking the day off, too. Catch you Tuesday.

Slacking, not yakking,
I remain

Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Mom/Liz/Elizabeth

Rodents

FMM: 3 mi

Good morning, Saturday Slackers,

Don't you know it's "Turn Off Your Computer" Day? That's right. What were you thinking? Do I have to tell you what you should be doing? I guess so since you're still reading. I am perched here in my fourth floor turret looking down on the world and doing-- you guessed it -- absolutely nothing. Therefore, the rest of you must do something to make up for me and the air I breathe, the space I take up, food I eat, and most of all the hot air I exude. So, get busy! Go and check the mousetraps. Now. You know you heard a squeak. But did you know that rats - and probably mice, too - like to be tickled and they LAUGH? I don't think I would try tickling the mouse in your trap; however, if you go to YouTube and type in "Rats Laughing" you will see an interesting demonstration. And it's for real; after all, it's on YouTube...It's a quiet weekend here as most of our neighbors have gone away for Easter. We are off to Malahide to investigate another seaside walking/bike path for Scott and John. I wish you guys would hurry up and come; I'm getting tired of this. If I had a rocking chair and knew how to knit, that's what I'd be doing. But since I truly have no useful skills, I'll just keep marching and blogging..

Tickling rats 6 days a week,
I remain

Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Mom/Liz/Elizabeth

Calm Down!

FMM: 4 mi

Hi, Excitable Readers,

Wow! Thanks for your blog comments yesterday. I'm still reading them. I didn't mean to incite such a response! I was only doing my job. Some things just need to be said...Okay, moving on..I met a friend for coffee and dessert yesterday. Don't be so surprised. I can scrounge up a friend when I need one. Although she's Canadian, she's from the American Women in Dublin Club. We had such a good time that we eventually moved from the coffee shop to the bar across the street. We came to a few conclusions: 1) our children should always listen to our advice; 2) our husbands should always listen to our advice (I just made that up, but we would've decided it had we discussed it);3) tattoos are generally not a good idea; 4) there's no way to get your hair to shine at our age; 5) 9 out of 10 eclairs sold in Ireland need to have sugar added to the whipped cream filling...Good Friday is a national holiday here as is Easter Monday. The bars are closed today, but that has sparked and ongoing national debate due to a big rugby game being played in Limerick. Somehow the bars there have petitioned and are allowed to be open today...Okay, if you've read this far, I'll come clean. There was no blog yesterday, you April fools! Gotcha!

Jesting and testing,
I remain

Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Mom/Liz/Elizabeth