Messages

Forgot all about this thread. Update: We went for a second one and now he's two! So we have a girl and a boy. He's in toilet training and we're hoping to get through that soon, it'll be a major milestone. When he stops napping that'll open up a lot of other possibilities too.

[Kevin Conway's dad]

Kevin Conway's dad originally fell foul of the IRA for allegedly breaking into the homes of OAP's. He moved to Kilwilkee where he fell foul of the dissidents for supply cigs and booze to underage again allegedly. So the son didn't really have much example.

I used to work with him when he worked for Irwin's Bakery. He was under investigation by the bakery who suspected he was up to no good financially. There was a lot of cash transactions in those days so it was easier to pocket money than it probably is now.

Another of people here being quite blasfemous. Around the year 2000 I had an awful time with the runs and visited a nun in Portglenone. She had a good look and hoke about, put her hands over me and said something in Latin. Within 3 weeks my bowels were hunky dory and since then I've only had the runs about 10 times. These things work if you are open minded. Her name was Sister Bradley but she was since derobed over a betting scandal but still does cures from her home in Stranocum.

Put her hands all over you? Took three weeks for your bowels to clean up? A betting scandal?

I feel a novel coming on.

Load of superstitious woo-woo boll**x.

[Cycling in the dark is almost safer]

I have 4/5 routes I regularly use depending on the time of day. Roads with very wide verges or secondary or local roads with little traffic.
Old national roads replaced by a motorway are also great.
Always have flashing lights front and rear.
Cycling in the dark is almost safer

This. On my old commute I'd wait for the sun to go all the way down before heading home, I hated riding in twilight. (The sun goes down quickly at this latitude, so you don't get much twilight.) Riding at night's a completely different experience, and I love it. I always lit myself up like a Christmas tree.

I hated it in the old days when you could see more with a candle than with the big clunky lights. You can get some great lights now, so it's very different.

Get it self-published MR2.

Not sure what the cost is though.

Didn't cost me anything when I did it. For print, they print on demand so you don't need to buy a big consignment and hope you can flog it. For Kindle, if you know HTML you can do it yourself, and if not then it shouldn't be hard to find someone who can do the formatting for you. I did it through Kindle Direct Publishing.

Another New years eve  comes and goes , and   I blatantly  refuse  to utter  those three words yet again

never liked the  new year.  Always thought it was  a hyped up load of bollix

Judging by  reports,  more people are  thinking the same

What grinds my gears is people saying "Happy New Year" still in the middle of January. I'm dreading the next few weeks. Might just avoid eye contact in the office, or not go in at all the more of that.

I wish everyone who is working through health issues (for them or family) all the very best. And I wish solace for all those who have lost loved ones.

Otherwise life is for living. Economy / job is still going gangbusters, so have to make the most of it. Two holidays booked already, got to enjoy life while you can as things can turn very quickly and without warning. I had a big Covid related health scare, but pretty much clear now,  but wakes you up to this is our one chance. Kids are in Uni, working their asses off, but have so much opportunity out there for them. Mental health challenges to work through though.

Resolution is to eat healthier. Said to myself I am giving up crisps from today, so we'll see how long I can last.

Happy 2024 everyone

Good man, Hound. I plan to lose a bit of weight myself, try to eat healthier. The days are gone when I could eat any old sh1te I liked and burn it all off. Our little ones are 2 and 4, so we're going to be in the thick of it for the next few years and it's hard at my age, but we're just about managing.

For my own mental health I've had to tune out the news. No point in worrying about a Trump re-election, there's not a big pile I can do about it. And the news coming out of that Gaza strip is too upsetting to watch, especially to those of us with children of our own.

On the plus side I'm concentrating on my career this year, and as side project I've got big plans for our hurling club and a good board working with me. We'll be hosting the USGAA finals too and I'm involved in the marketing side of that. I'm also trying to get another book published, so it'd be nice to see some progress on that this year. Some lads on here have been helping me out with my research for that, which is much appreciated. More on that later.

Referring to a leisure centre as a leisure centre means you have "notions?"  How does that work?

How was everyone's Boxing Day? We just stayed local.

I fell out with Christmas when I was a teenager because the magic had gone. It took a while to grow on me again, and it's back in my good books again. Having kids helps.

Thanks, Paddy.

Winter Solstice tomorrow, I think. There'll be a "grand stretch in the evenings" soon enough, so we're through the worst of the year for a lot of people now. Hang in there if you're struggling. Post here if you need to, we're all here to help.

Happy holidays, everyone!

Is the High St / Main St thing another Boxing Day / St Stephen's Day thing?

Too early for that shite!

I look forward to it every year.