Death From Above

Cork is awesome (as expected) does amazing coffee and has really friendly people. Also my Hotel was opposite a funeral home. These things happen.

Had to pay for an EXTRA ticket on the way home due to not using the outgoing portion of my return because a nice man gave me a lift to Cork from the most concentrated induction day ever. He saved me about 4 hours though, so I'm not complaining. That much. Ok, maybe a little bit. Stupid bus people.

And tomorrow I have to go back to work. *sigh*

Lots and lots of pink. Yesterday I got to make RED and also some yellow goo, and today I got to mix them together and make pink. Unfortunately the pink currently looks purple, but I've left them in the dark overnight like the paperwork says and hopefully tomorrow they will be purest pink.

Yay pink!

Oooh, I remembered I had more to say!

Not content with making pink, I also raced home in time to put Festus in for his service. Poor Festus, I hope he's ok in the shop. There were lots of other bikes there for him to talk to, but they were all much posher than him. I hope he doesn't get a complex. Or start any fights.

The other side of this is that I'm bikeless for the rest of the week. But that's ok, as my week ends tomorrow. I'm off to UK-LAND. It's a wedding and it's going to be AWESOME. Ginger J finally decided that it was time to marry his lady of lurrrrrrve (who managed to get together one new years a long time ago despite me wandering through ever 30 mins to loudly throw up. Rawk was completely it). There will be dancing and inappropriate speeches and for some reason they want me to read Shakespeare in the church. Ooops.

I'm also taking time-out to go and see a wounded friend who deserves some cheering up but is going to get me instead. Poor lass.

It's going to be so much fun!

Friday - Truck Stop In The Middle Of Nowhere - England.
Coach full. Am being sat next to. Comforting, as coach company has decided to go by Irish Ferries instead of Stena and I was about to have a little flail until it was explained. Booked cabin on ferry. Slept. Apparently it was a rough crossing. I wouldn't know. Still sleeping even as I post this. Wish you were here.

Saturday - Parental Front Room - England.
Good day. Have been cleared by optician for new optician in Ireland. Purchased maternal unit's bike and took it out for its first spin. Will now be watching Castle and then going to bed. Cat says "Hi".

Sunday - Truck Stop In The Middle Of Nowhere - England
The sun shone! And it was hot. Living in a maritime climate for 6 months has softened me. Must sit in saunas more often. Had a nice morning, chilled with Papa and took the maternal unit out on the bike again until confidence was achieved. Lovely walk in the afternoon. Tea and scones. Coach emptier this time. Will still book cabin though. Wish you were here.

Monday - Couch - Flat Above Pub - Ireland.
Dead. I'm dead. Totes dead. 3 Hours of sleep (mmm, cabin) completely not enough to survive a day. Even with mild napping and an extra hour once I got home. Pizza and Leverage and Bed. It's the only way.

I have socialised. I have familied. I have celebrated (well done parental units! 40 years!) I have eaten, I have drunk and I have incidentally missed Doctor Who.

I have flown (Air Lingus! wider seats, emptier planes) and I have travelled on a million and one buses.

But now I'm home again and tomorrow I'm going on a MASSIVE bikeride to enjoy what's left of the sunshine.

Oh, and the bay is full of boats. BOATS.

So yesterday I gardened all the things and lay on my back in the grass drowning in blue sky until I developed a wet patch on my arse (grass/moss mixture not as dry as previously supposed).

My friends and their small children are now friends with not quite as small children but the children are still lovely and still wake up at unearthly hours. Not that I mind. Nothing beats a morning snuggle from a sleep-warmed toddler.

I can't believe how great the weather has been, chumbling back home over the Peninnes yesterday evening was a veritable picture book of bleak pretty.

Today I get to brave the rail network again as I drag all my gubbins down to sweetsyren's. And then we go to Echo2. Woo, Fandom etc. Currently my main concern is that I've got a bit of a suntan this week and I'm worried I'm gonna stick out like a sore thumb amongst the REAL, properly pasty faced geeks. I have, however, decided not to wear my worm charming t-shirt. Not EVERYONE needs to know I'm a nature geek...

Short weekend is short. But lovely. And my assessment of travel-time to family time ratio and opportunities to do important things (like hug my papa) over the weekend have concluded that this method of maintaining contact with the folks is good.

Hope you all had good weekends too. {{{all}}}

So, I'm off to Ireland tomorrow. Tis time to leave this chilly Isle and grab a bit of a drink and share some Craic with some old friends. I may be back in a week. However, as the estimable Oates himself said: "I may be some time."

If I am some time, I'll be holed up in the old place with the general lack of jolly old unbounded internet (no LJ/Dreamwidth). In preparation for this I have put all y'all on "notification". My inbox is gonna be flooded. Ee by gum, the things I do for you! So be good little chaps and chapesses and write pretty code would you? Cos that's the only way I'm going to be reading things for a while.

Have fun, and if you desperately need a reply, stick an email address in a PM and I'll see what I can do. As we used to say in the 90s, "laters!"

Yes it was too Ben Barnes in Caspian so NER, Didactylos. HA. Eat my being right and enjoy it in a tasty fashion.

I enjoyed it. Though I see we are now pretty much ignoring the books and just picking the pretty moments to film. But it was pretty, and there was much sailing and fighting with swords. So I'm happy. Shallow, but happy.

Today there shall be building shelves with the paternal unit, attempting to convince the jobcentre that I HAVE been looking for employment (no REALLY) and then swimming. Very productive day.

And tomorrow I get to go up to London (down, but you know what I mean) and look at all the bright lights and people and also (more importantly) catch up with old beloved friends for a chit chat, booze and bump admiration session.

Then I go invade Syren's peace and quiet and wreak havoc in the home counties. CRY WHATSIT AND UNLEASH THE DOGS OF WAR!!!

I'm Spartacus! Ho yus. Despite breath-stealing, appendage solidifying, FREEZING temperatures I have achieved shopping. I have bought ALL THE THINGS. Including a non-existent Christmas cake.

"M&S don't have them" sayeth the Maternal Unit. "Nowhere has them" sayeth she.

Well HA! Cos I found one. And where did I find it? In M&S. So ner! :D

I was also chatted up by a deliciously tall and delightfully cheeky gentleman who was attempting to sell me things. Reader, look askance at me as you will, I bought them. He Was CHEEEKY!!! :D

( So, shall we have a ramble about travel? )

Also, there will be Keeley over Christmas. Keeley with a better haircut and good clothes. Keeley on the BBC. This is pleasing to us.

Right.

Humongous bag: Packed
Small but essential bag: Packed
Tent: Strapped onto humongous bag
Sleeping mat: Strapped onto humongous bag
Bike: In pieces, ready for transport
Last essential exercise (i.e. swimming): Done

This is it people. The real thing. Off to Scotland tomorrow.

Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! It was nice knowing y'all.