Trasna An Uisce

As the days pass we are settling, slowly, but surely. We have figured out the heating system and when the bins go out. Elation, the local soccer club has agreed to take The Small Man onto their squad. This was a source of much anxiety as soccer (‘it’s football over here Mum remember!’) is his outlet and passion. If he didn’t get playing with some club I was signin meself into St Brigids. His coach in CCFC at home gave him a glowing reference boosting his confidence no end and much appreciated. He needs it as this move is hardest on our Small Man in many ways. The two biddies always have each other and as I keep telling them, when they can’t bare the sight of each other, when one is breathing in the wrong direction or making too much noise when they’re eating, they are lucky.


God Bless Mr Apple and his i-gadgets! I used to be an ‘i widow’ but if you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em. My iphone Irish radio podcasts are a godsend (cause English radio is pants) and this morning Anton Savage kept me company via WunderRadio. The weather is good and with a great public transport system there have been plenty of excursions and day trips to keep the kids amused or they’d take the heads off each other. The area is quite quaint, chocolate box picturesque and very English but those I have met so far have been very open, welcoming, helpful and kind. The area abounds with farms selling their own produce and many where you can go and pick your own fruit & veg and enjoy your packed lunch while the kids hang out in the play area. Last week we went to Rectory Farm where my 3 picked their own strawberries, with the lot coming to about £10! Would you ever buy that many strawberries in Tesco, don’t think so, but they had a blast. But some things never change. I am coming to the conclusion that children will ask the same questions no matter where you bring them ‘Where’s the toilet?...Did you bring any food?...When is it lunchtime?...What’s for dinner?....Can we look in the giftshop?’. We were in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, very old and famous, with wonderful artefacts of all things Egyptian and Asian. Upstairs in the Japanese section the 3 were gettin giddy, sugars were low. Picture it, all very quiet and tranquil with exquisite Japanese screens and paintings in a dimly lit setting, people meandering around the exhibits massaging their chins. ‘Mum, c’mere and see this’ it was a proper Samurai costume with swords and all the trimmings. Loud as ya like, with all the actions, the Small Man breaks into ‘Everybody was kung foo fighting....’ and the girls join in. Priceless.

‘Is it awfully posh?’ asked the sister-in-law. It’s not Rachel-issue-with-her-vowels-Allen posh (you know..batter your bread, cap of tea, then put it in the aven..) but different. Jisht of recent conversation I was privy to, regarding summer holidays ‘It smacked a little of an overpriced Butlins, there was some solsa doncing by the pool...and at one stage I was practising my archery in my bikini and I said, dahling, won’t you take a photo, I look like someone from a Tarantino movie’. You can tell alot about the class of a town by its shops and here in Thame there is an Aga shop. Haven’t been in it yet, my own is in the garage beside the Land Rover!