Good morning from a grey overcast Dover, Kent, England, UK 🇬🇧 😀 😉
Geez, I do wish this weather pattern would move on over now and we can finally get going with summer. It’s still very chilly with a sharp wind blowing, and feels more like autumn than spring/summer!
Last night, after my client had gone to bed, I watched a TV programme – for the first time in months!! ‘The World’s Most Scenic Railway Journeys’ on Channel 5. Its narrated by Bill Nighy who has such a beautiful voice.
I was so excited to see the route; the train left from Yorkshire and travelled through Durham and into Northumberland!!! It called in at some of the places where I stopped on my jaunt along the Northumberland Coast Path in 2021, albeit going from south to north, via Newcastle, Berwick-upon-Tweed and into Scotland and ending in Edinburgh.
It stopped in Craster and near Lindisfarne, and into Berwick-upon-Tweed.
I love the little snippets of history that they talk about and learned something last night….the expression ‘on tenterhooks’ comes from the fish industry and making kippers. The fish, crasters, are filleted and hung up on hooks before being hung up in a shed for smoking, and producing smoked kippers. Pretty neat eh! Never too old to learn something new 😉
It was thrilling to see all the places I had visited during my walk. Happy memories
Time is such a weird construct! It feels like yesterday I posted my previous blog, but it’s been absolutely months!!! It doesn’t feel that long, and yet so much has happened in the past 9 months that I can hardly comprehend it. Starting with current events; my daughter’s father passed away on Saturday 20th and although he and I have not been in a relationship for over 43 years, his death has raised all sorts of emotions. My daughter is absolutely exhausted with crying and feels bereft at his loss. There are so many emotions it’s difficult to untangle them all. Sadness because she hasn’t had a very long or close relationship with him since they first met in 1995. Sadness because he lived in South Africa and for the last 20 years she has lived in the UK with only the occassional trip back to SA to visit. Sadness because he will now miss all his grandson’s life events…like first day at school. Frustration and a bit of anger because he chose to not have treatment when cancer was diagnosed. Although she obviously respected his decision, it was frustrating because he chose some quackery treatment instead of treatment that could have given him many more years….or maybe not. And there is the sliding door. We just don’t know. The grief of losing a parent, even if they’re not close. The sudden realisation that one of her parents has died…it’s the next level. Grandparents die and then parents. That raises all manner of fears.
We had a replica Spanish Galleon visit our little harbour recently. It is just magnificent and I was really sad to see it go. We boarded for a visit and loved exploring. My grandson was full of questions about everything and took it all in.
Just over 3 weeks ago I camped out on The Mall for my first ever coronation. Not that I am a supporter of Charlie and his ex-mistress, but I am a fan of the British pomp and pageantry that they do so well. Oh my gosh, those bands and the horses. Amazing. And the coach was fabulous. I’ll do a blog on this fab fab event at a later stage.
I have two additional ‘grandson’s in the form of new kittens that my daughter and family have adopted!! They are just so cute! One is ginger and the other pitch black. They are so cuddly and my human grandson just loves them to bits.
I have just come through what has to be the most unbearable winter I have ever experienced. I moved into a new flat last year in April and had the pleasure of enjoying summer and my garden….although that didn’t last too well in the summer heat last year and much of it was obliterated in the heat. The only saving grace I had is that I work away as a live-in Carer for 2 weeks of every month…somehow that helped me to cope… by God it was cold. I spent most days in bed with the electric blanket on just to get warm! Some days it was so cold that I could see my breath even though I was in bed with the electric blanket on! I would not have coped if not for the government handout for those awful 6 months. My flat is semi-basement and has little to no insulation.
My daughter and I were in the papers…not national news, but a small article about having a ‘cheap as chips’ (my expression, not the reporters!) funeral plan. I had recently (last year) decided that when I die I do not want a fancy smancy funeral that costs thousands of £s.
But wanted the cheapest possible exit. So to that end I did some research and discovered the cheapest plan; what they refer to as a direct plan, and coincidentally a reporter was looking for people who had decided on that route to interview. So I contacted her and we got our/my story into the papers. Frankly I’d much rather my daughter got as much of my money as what I have left, than it goes to a funeral home for what? flowers and a fancy coffin, hymns etc etc…no they can have a private memorial service/get together/knees up Mother Brown type affair afterwards if they wish. But no funeral. I can’t imagine anything worse!
The Queen died last year in September. It threw me into a massive spiral of grief. I attended her lying in state to say my good byes and attended her funeral. The Queue as it became known was incredible. The spirit of goodwill was impressive and made the hours of standing bearable. Entering the Great Hall and seeing her coffin on the dias was almost overwhelming; the atmosphere was reverent and respectful. Camping out on The Mall for the funeral was just extraordinary, and when her coffin came past you could have heard a pin drop it was so hushed.
I’ve semi-retired myself now LOL and try to not work more than 2 weeks of each month but it does require quite a lot of sacrifice…. like no long distance walks or spontaneous trips away. But the upside is that I get to spend a lot more time with my grandson, and when I’m home, I have him for the day on Monday and Thursday. I take him to his activities, and once a month, I take him for horse-riding lessons. He loves them…and is so very confident on the horse, it’s an absolute delight to see.
I’ve finally started writing my memoirs. This in itself has raised all manner of emotions that I’m grappling with. I think it’s going to be a fairly long-term project, but after the death of my daughter’s father, I feel the need to hurry it up. So to that end I’ve been writing away like mad, and the last few days I’ve been compiling a list of all my favourite songs from when I was about 9 years old, till more recently.
I’ve travelled to some amazing places in the last year for work and added to my growing list of Domesday Book places visited. I’ll have to write a few blogs about these places for sure. Some of them are so beautiful. I also had the joy of working in Richmond for 2 weeks. Although the job itself was quite challenging, being able to take a long walk through Kew Gardens and along the banks of the Thames from Kew to Rochmond was blissful. I used to love walking that route when my daughter and I lived in Richmond….many years ago.
I’ve now completed 26 Conqueror Challenges and am slowly working my way through another 3. It’s been more of a challenge lately due to my flat….having a place to call home has been so amazing that I can hardly tear myself away, and my walking has fallen by the wayside.
Talking of home; I’ve taught my grandson how to make pancakes LOL and now whenever he spends the day at my place, we have to make pancakes. He is so proud of himself for remembering all the equipment and all the ingredients. It’s such fun!
So yeah, life has been both eventful and normal. The years are flying by and I’m 2 years closer to 70 than I was last year. Going forward, I had been planning on walking the Portuguese Coastal Camino for a 2nd time in September with one of my younger sisters.
But…it seems that she may not be able to do it after all….even though we’ve been planning it for the last 2 years. So we shall have to wait and see. If however we do not walk it, I’m going to do the South Downs Way instead. My grandson starts school this year (dear God, he’s far too young) and life is going to change quite a lot when he is on a Monday to Friday schedule. I’m definitely going to keep his school breaks for planning trips and adventures and have already diarised the whole school year’s trips into my diary.
I have a new computer now and hopefully once I get all my photos sorted (over 5,500 still on my phone LOL) I’ll start blogging in earnest again. Sorry I’ve been away so long, I truly do not know where the days go! and some days I think my father was right….time goes quicker the older you get. Is it maybe something to do with our mortality? We are racing towards the end of our time on this planet, and as the years go by, you start to realise that actually….the sands of time are running out.
I’ve seen so many posts recently on Instagram and Facebook of posts sharing the loss of a child, whether it’s pre-birth, still-birth (born sleeping) or from SIDS and various accidents or illness (an alarming number to cancer).
Each and every one is heart-breaking 🥺😢💔 and I can’t imagine the pain of that loss.
And yet, so often, folks are uncomfortable with listening to or hearing about that loss. They try to change the subject or say things like “oh you can try again ” as if you’ve bought a chicken from Tesco and it’s off…thrown in the trash. That’s such a horrible thing to say “you can try for another one”.
Just listen…loss is loss, no natter at what stage or age, and especially when it’s a baby or child. It’s not something you ‘get over’. It’s a pain and trauma parents carry for the rest of their lives.
I know of a wee lassie, born sleeping in February; Maisie. I think about her often and about her Mama who is struggling so bravely. She shared her story on Facebook and its had the most incredible response, with people writing Maisie’s name in the sand at the beach and on mountain tops, right around the world. A small thing, but of great comfort to her mother. Support from around the world acknowledging that her little girl existed.
It’s also been a real eye-opener, quite shocking really, at how the medical profession, more often than not, are totally cold and uncaring and even brutal in how they manage miscarriage and death of tiny babies. Some of the stories have reduced me to tears in their stark brutality…at the death of the parents hopes, and dreams. The forever “what ifs”. This is such a beautiful quote I’d like to share. I hope folks, especially mothers, can keep this in mind and just listen It’s important.
In my line of work I travel a lot and often get to stay in fabulous, centuries old houses in quirky villages, many of which are mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book.
I’m currently working and staying in this fabulous 16th century, listed house. The main part of the house is in this image; a quintessential English house. The rest of the house which leads off to the right is added onto and a converted barn.
A pretty little house
It’s a twisty, winding type of house with long passages and rooms leading off; the exterior replicates the original house. It’s just gorgeous
The village nearby is indeed a Domesday Book village with a fantastic old church that retains vestiges of the original medieval wall paintings/decorations.
The village of Stanford Dingley is a good walk through fields of long grass awash with buttercups, and along shady woodland lanes. The village is ever so pretty under normal circumstances, but look so gay and colourful with the Platinum Jubilee bunting and flags.
I love the plaque that’s been installed near the pub
I’ve been awfully slack these last few months and after my computer kicked the bucket I simply did not have the will to write up a post using one finger 🙃 🤪🤪
So yeah. Thought I’d better at least get one post up before you’ll think I’ve done a runner 😁😁🚶🏼♀️🚶🏼♀️
I’m hoping to buy a new (refurbished) machine soon and then I can get back to writing.
I’m pleased to say I made my walking target of 3200kms for 2021, although it was very tough going the last few weeks of 2021 and my daily targets were exhausting, but I did it 👏👏👏
I’ve set a lower target of 2022kms for 2022…give my body a break 🙃
A very good start 😂😂😂😂
Wishing you all a happy, safe, healthy, wonderful New Year for 2022
If you have all day, I could list hundreds of colourful characters and famous people who have links with Dublin; some born in the city, some borne there on the winds of change and fortune.
Same pic from my previous post…
But of course you don’t have all day 😉 so I’ll stick with the few I encountered during my latest visit.
As mentioned in my previous post, we have the lovely Molly Malone, who by all accounts sold cockles and mussels during the day, and other wares by night!! Hence the nickname ‘The Tart with the Cart’, which I think is a bit unfair really…😂😂 Here are the lyrics of the song telling the story of Molly…
In Dublin’s fair city Where the girls are so pretty I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone. As she wheeled her wheelbarrow Through streets broad and narrow Crying, “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!” Alive, alive, oh Alive, alive, oh Crying, “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh”
She was a fishmonger And sure ’twas no wonder For so were her father and mother before And they both wheeled their barrows Through streets broad and narrow Crying, “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh
She died of a fever And no one could save her And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone But her ghost wheels her barrow Through streets broad and narrow Crying, “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh
Molly Malone – was she good or bad?? The song tells the fictional tale of a fishwife who plied her trade on the streets of Dublin and died young, of a fever. In the late 20th century, a legend grew up that there was a historical Molly, who lived in the 17th century. She is typically represented as a hawker by day and part-time prostitute by night. In contrast, she has also been portrayed as one of the few chaste female street hawkers of her day.
Then we have the louche Oscar Wilde – a very bad boy indeed, who was a tart at night and famous author by day; nicknamed: the ‘Queer with the Leer’. 🤔🤔 Unfortunately I didn’t get a pic of him this time, but he can be found lounging on a rock in St Stephen’s Green.
We also have the ‘Prick with the Stick’ which refers to none other than James Joyce, mentioned in the previous post as having frequented the King’s Inn.
Statue of James Joyce. Taken in 2008 – not at all too sure what is going on there with the pink outfit...🤔🤔 James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, short story writer, poet and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influential and important writers of the 20th century. Joyce’s novel Ulysses (1922) is a landmark in which the episodes of Homer’s Odyssey are paralleled in a variety of literary styles, most famously stream of consciousness. Other well-known works are the short-story collection Dubliners (1914) and the novels A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916) and Finnegans Wake (1939). His other writings include three books of poetry, a play, letters and occasional journalism.
The variety of people, from all walks of life, is a long story…
Religion….
Catherine McAuley was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1778. In 1824 she used her inheritance from an Irish couple she had served for twenty years to build a large House of Mercy where she and other lay women would shelter homeless women, reach out to the sick and dying and educate poor girls. The House on Baggot Street opened in 1827. To give these efforts greater stability, Catherine and her co-workers founded a new religious congregation. On 12 December 1831, she and two others professed their vows as the first Sisters of Mercy. Before her death on 11 November 1841, Catherine founded convents and works of mercy throughout Ireland and England.
Literary giants…. of course James Joyce and Oscar Wilde fall into this category too, but I’ll leave them where they are with their respectively notorious histories…
Abraham Stoker (8 November 1847 – 20 April 1912) was an Irish author, best known today for his 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula. During his lifetime, he was better known as the personal assistant of actor Sir Henry Irving and business manager of the Lyceum Theatre, which Irving owned.George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 1880s to his death and beyond. He wrote more than sixty plays, including major works such as Man and Superman (1902), Pygmalion (1912) and Saint Joan (1923). With a range incorporating both contemporary satire and historical allegory, Shaw became the leading dramatist of his generation, and in 1925 was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Josephine Edna O’Brien DBE (born 15 December 1930) is an Irish novelist, memoirist, playwright, poet and short-story writer. Philip Roth described her as “the most gifted woman now writing in English”, while a former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson, cited her as “one of the great creative writers of her generation”. Her first novel, The Country Girls (1960), is often credited with breaking silence on sexual matters and social issues during a repressive period in Ireland following World War II. The book was banned, burned and denounced from the pulpit.
Political….
James Larkin (28 January 1874 – 30 January 1947), sometimes known as Jim Larkin or Big Jim, was an Irish republican, socialist and trade union leader. James Larkin was actually born in Liverpool but of Irish parents; he was raised in poverty and received little formal education. He was one of the founders of the Irish Labour Party along with James Connolly and William O’Brien, and later the founder of the Irish Worker League (a communist party which was recognised by the Comintern as the Irish section of the world communist movement) and linked to the 1916 Easter Uprising.
Music…
Luke Kelly (17 November 1940 – 30 January 1984) was an Irish singer, folk musician and actor from Dublin, Ireland. Born into a working-class household in Dublin city, Kelly moved to England in his late teens and by his early 20s had become involved in a folk music revival. Returning to Dublin in the 1960s, he is noted as a founding member of the band The Dubliners in 1962. Becoming known for his distinctive singing style, and sometimes political messages, the Irish Post and other commentators have regarded Kelly as one of Ireland’s greatest folk singers.Philip Parris Lynott (20 August 1949 – 4 January 1986) was an Irish singer, musician, and songwriter. His most commercially successful group was Thin Lizzy, of which he was a founding member, the principal songwriter, lead vocalist and bassist. He was known for his imaginative lyrical contributions including working class tales and numerous characters drawn from personal influences and Celtic culture. Lynott was born in the West Midlands of England, but grew up in Dublin with his grandparents. He remained close to his mother, Philomena, throughout his life.William Rory Gallagher (2 March 1948 – 14 June 1995) was an Irish blues and rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer. Born in Ballyshannon, County Donegal, and brought up in Cork, Gallagher formed the band Taste in the late 1960s and recorded solo albums throughout the 1970s and 1980s.A random story?Streets of Dublin – Millennium Child, across from Christchurch Cathedral, Dublin My name is Daniel Tighe. I am 12 years old. In May 1847, the worst year of the Great Irish Famine, I walked this path from Strokestown to Dublin heading for a ship and in hope of a new life in North America. Follow in the footsteps of my story which is marked by over 30 pairs of Bronze Shoes along the National Famine Way – now a 165 km accredited trail.
A few famous people who visited Dublin
Luciano Pavarotti Vanessa Redgrave Rupert Everett
So there you have it. A few of the many many famous and infamous people who have ties to Dublin.
In my next post I’ll share some of the lengthy history of Dublin
Dublin is one of my favourite places to visit. Its quirky, and colourful albeit dirty and home to one of my least favourite aspects of street life; the Dublin oyster 🤮
But I love the street art and the humour – the Irish are adept at poking fun at themselves, and that is a very attractive trait.
Dublin’s ability to poke fun at itself
Amongst others, you’ve got; Molly Malone – The Tart with the Cart. The Hats with the Bags. The Stilleto in the Ghetto, the Queer with the Leer, the Ace with the Base.
Promoting the Tart with the Cart The Hags with the bagsThe Stilleto in the Ghetto The Ace with the Base
I captured these scenes while in Ireland for my sister’s 50th birthday 🎂 🥳 ; a fun and unexpected trip.
Street art
Whether you look up, sideways or down, you’ll be bound to find something somewhere…
Just a random bird 🐦 A snail 🐌 A bull 🐂An elephant 🐘 A location to be avoided me thinks!!Temple Bar – preparing for Christmas in October 🤪🤪Famous figures- James Joyce The King’s Inn – where James Joyce frequented Accommodation and traditional Irish music are not a good combination for a peaceful night’s sleep 😴 How to stand out in a crowd!!! Can’t imagine what shade of yellow this is described as Pink and Blue will never do…Yup. We got it! It’s….Korky’s Down a side alley, The Icon Walk in Bedford Lane, is this gorgeous confection of coloured glass (or plastic)
You may think that Dublin is dull and grey, but you would be mistaken.
And amongst the garish, a more sedate type of street art.
We actually stayed in Temple Bar, which as it turned out wasn’t too noisy, but then I’d never seen it so underpopulated…it’s usually heaving, day and night. I guess Covid-19 is still keeping patrons at bay.
In the thick of it…Temple Bar looking rather empty
I’ll share another post in a few days, featuring some of Dublin/Ireland’s people and history ..
Last month a few of us converged on Dublin, Ireland for my sister’s 50th birthday. She and her hubby flew over from South Africa and my daughter, son-in-law, grandson and I flew over from the UK.
Ireland selfie 😊😊
I love Ireland and enjoy visiting as often as possible…this was my 9th visit.
We had supper the first night at Eddie Rockets; the same place where I made the momentous decision to NOT return to South Africa, but to stay in Ireland for another 2 months till my visa expired, then fly across to the UK to obtain the necessary information to apply for my ancestral visa. (And here I am, 20 years later – my 20 year anniversary coincided with my sister’s birthday, so a meal at Eddie Rockets was a must!)
The food as always, was delicious 😋
We had a few days of exploring and reminiscing and visited a couple of lovely places; Glendalough being one
Lower Lake, GlendaloughIn the distance you can see the Round Tower in the Monastic City complex.
The lakes, formed by glaciers, in the Glendalough Valley are located in the Wicklow Mountains National Park. Besides the lakes and wonderful walks, including The Wicklow Way, there’s the world famous Monastic Site with Round Tower and chapel where St Kevin reputedly spent some time.
Glendalough is home to one of the most important monastic sites in Ireland. This early Christian monastic settlement was founded by St. Kevin in the 6th century and from this developed the “Monastic City”. Most of the buildings that survive today date from the 10th through 12th centuries. Despite attacks by Vikings over the years, Glendalough thrived as one of Ireland’s great ecclesiastical foundations and schools of learning until the Normans destroyed the monastery in 1214 A.D. and the dioceses of Glendalough and Dublin were united. For more information here’s the link https://visitwicklow.ie/listing/glendalough-monastic-city/
A screen shot of the complex off Google maps Round Tower Glendalough Cathedral St Kevin’s Church
Being back at Glendalogh has inspired me to walk around the lakes, and then head over to walk the Ring of Kerry. I’ve already walked the virtual route via the Conqueror challenges and now I’d love to walk it in real time.
On our way back to Dublin we drove over to the east Coast and stopped off at Bray for a stroll along the Promenade and beach, then dinner.
Love a long promenade Family time on the beach at Bray
We visited St Stephen’s Green where my grandson did a fairly good imitation of a sculpture 😁😁 Just in the opposite direction!
We visited Christ Church Cathedral where my grandson wanted to try out all the chairs, and he and I stood on medieval tiles
Still tiny little feet 🥰💙
Christ Church Cathedral, originally a Viking Church, is almost 1,000 years old. It was founded circa 1028, is Dublin’s oldest working structure, and is the spiritual heart of Dublin. It is also one of Ireland’s top visitor attractions and a place of pilgrimage through the centuries.
Then Marsh’s Library where they had a fantastic exhibition about elephants
Such an interesting history
Marsh’s Library was founded in the early 18th century by Archbishop Narcissus Marsh (1638-1713). Designed by Sir William Robinson (d. 1712) the Surveyor General of Ireland, it is one of the very few 18th century buildings left in Dublin that is still being used for its original purpose.
On my sister’s birthday we enjoyed a walk along the Grand Canal near Phoenix Park while visiting with their friends.
As with UK canals, you can see some beautiful canalboats either moored or in transit.
It’s a lovely way to travel and I invariably have canalboat lifestyle envy…
The Grand Canal stretches for 131km, with 43 locks, five of which are double locks, from Dublin to the River Shannon in County Offaly…would definitely be worth a walk. The Grand Canal (Irish: An Chanáil Mhór) is the southernmost of a pair of canals that connect Dublin, in the east of Ireland, with the River Shannon in the west, via Tullamore and a number of other villages and towns, the two canals nearly encircling Dublin’s inner city. Its sister canal on the Northside of Dublin is the Royal Canal. The last working cargo barge passed through the Grand Canal in 1960. Ref Wikipedia
Loved this sculpture One of the many bridges along the canal
We also visited Howth, and a brief visit to the castle ruins, then a walk along the coast. A stunning day, the route took us through magical forests and up some precipitous paths, the sun added a welcome warmth.
Remnants of Howth Castle
Since 1180 the St Lawrence family were the feudal lords of Howth. The original family castle, a timber structure, was sited on the edge of Howth village, on Tower Hill, overlooking Balscadden Bay. In some form, Howth Castle has stood on its present site for over 750 years. The great English architect Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1911 restyled a 14th-century castle built here, overlooking Ireland’s Eye and the north Dublin coastline.
The estate previously included much of coastal northern Dublin, including the lands of Kilbarrack, Raheny and parts of Clontarf, but these were gradually sold off from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century. Ref Wikipedia
A magical walk through a forest We’re going this way…or is it that way?Oh how I love steps 🚶♀️ 😁
In all a wonderful visit and much swapping of stories. Its quite hard being so far away from the people you love and life invariably gets in the way of communication.
And then it was the final day and a last walk around Dublin
My little sister…50! Wow 💖💖 – I used to change her nappies ☺☺Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉
I’m working near to Clapham Common for the next 12 days. I never knew it was so pretty.
Long Pond – formed after gravel pits were abandoned. Model yachts gave been sailed here since the mid-19th century The autumn colours this year are quite splendid Holy Trinity Church
This is going to be a relatively easy booking, but quite boring with nothing much to do. I may just get to start and finish (hopefully) my September blogs – it will all depend on whether or not my laptop is still operational.
From Wikipedia: At over 85 hectares in size, Clapham Common is one of London’s largest, and oldest, public open spaces, situated between Clapham, Battersea and Balham.
Clapham Common is mentioned as far back as 1086 in the famous ‘Domesday Book’, and it was originally ‘common land’ for the Manors of Battersea and Clapham. ‘Commoners’ – tenants of the Lords of the Manors, could graze their livestock, collect firewood or dig for clay and other minerals on the site“.
Whoop whoop, another Domesday Book place.
Lots of space for walking, and I’m planning on finishing the Ring Road Iceland by Wednesday next week 🤞🤞🤞 and starting the Romantic Road, Germany virtual challenge.
Tomorrow I shall go walkabout and look out for interesting architecture.
Not Just a Granny 
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