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I know, I know, but it's
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Posted:May 12, 2013 3:48 am
Last Updated:May 30, 2013 10:00 am
31809 Views
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I know, I know, but it's Mother's Day.
To each mother, hope you got breakfast in bed or something special. Today is a day to relax and be pampered and to celebrate motherhood.
It may mean different things to different people, we may be remembering someone who as sadly passed, we may be celebrating with our parents or our , or we may be just sharing the joy with others or with someone who has taken on a mother's role.
Regardless, hope today bring you peace and happiness and joy from the past to be spread into the future,
  
.....
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Dublin Part 1 - The Beginning
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Posted:May 10, 2013 2:22 pm
Last Updated:May 2, 2015 1:37 pm
36605 Views
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Dublin Part 1 - The Beginning
 Suppose because I grew up in Dublin I do not appreciate it as much as I should, until I have visitors to show around. MissMimosa is running a series of posts MissMimosa on Glasgow and suggested I do one on Dublin - so here goes.
The very first thing to learn about Ireland is that most place names are English spellings of Irish words, and Dublin is no excpetion - it is "Dubh Linn" in Irish, which means "Black Pool". The River Liffey flows through the center on Dublin dividing the city into North and South. In days gone by the river had a ford held in place by sticks known as hurdles and that place retains the Irish Name "Baile Atha Cliath" - meaning "Town of the Ford of the Hurdles". Further down the river was a deep pool where the river Poddle entered the liffey... so Dublin must be unique as the only capital city with two names.
Dublin Coat of Arms
The Vikings settled here, at the "Black Pool", as it was ideal for their boats, but reclaiming land and banking up the river has pushed the port of a few miles more towards the sea. Old Viking settlements have been unearthed in the last few decades and a whole Viking village area re-created at Wood Quay showing daily life in Dublin 1,000 years ago (complete with smells I am told). You can travel around Dublin and the Liffey in an old WWII landing craft learning about Viking Dublin, wear Viking hats and shout Viking slogans at passers by on the street. But the Irish took on the Dublin Vikings and beat them in the Battle of Clontarf (1014 A.D).
Viking DublinChuristChurch & St.Patricks Cathedral
Near by, in Whitefriar Street Church, lie the remains of Saint Valentine, with it's shrine open to the public. On the subject of churches there are two Cathedrals in Dublin, Christchurch with it's arch spanning across Winetavern Street as it descends the slight hill to the river liffey and Saint Patricks (well we would have to have one called that) where the bells can be heard to ring on a regular basis. Both are, interestingly enough, Protestant as most churches in Ireland became during the English reformation.
Much of Dublin is Georgian in origin with many fine buildings and squares (or parks) that were the gardens of the people living around them. But Dublin Castle goes back 900 years and is steeped with history being the center of English rule in Ireland. It is now the headquarters of the Irish Revenue Service. But the State Apartments are open to the Public and contain many historic rooms and drawing, mostly associated with English Monarchs that came visiting.
Dublin, being divided by the River Liffey and extending towards the sea, has seen it's bridges and center slip eastwards requiring ferries to cross at the lower end. One ferry company replaced it's aging ferries with a toll bridge. The Ha'penny (half penny) Bridge remains a landmark crossing the river to this day but, thankfully, the toll of 1/2 a penny was removed in 1919. This is just one of many bridges that span the river Liffey.
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Dublin Part 2 - A bit of History and Culture
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Posted:May 10, 2013 2:21 pm
Last Updated:May 13, 2013 10:18 am
31472 Views
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Dublin Part 2 - A bit of History and Culture
Ireland was ruled by small tribes each with their own "King" and a "High King" to which these tribes pledged allegiance. But, since the arrival of the British at the request of one of these "kings" to fight another, Dublin developed into the seat of "modern" learning for Ireland during the nation's development celebrating it's millennium in 1988. But Ireland ran for a long time as a nation divided where Celtic type rule was the norm outside of Dublin while the area around Dublin was called the Pale, the expression "beyond the pale" is derived from this division.
 Dublin has had it's fair share of writers, Bram Stoker of Dracula fame, James Joyce's Ulysses is relived annually on Bloomsday, 16th June, as Dublin, and it's visitors, celebrate a day in the life of Leopold Bloom. George Bernard Shaw, writer of Pygmalion and inspiration for the film "My Fair Lady", he was also a founder of the London School of Economics. Jonathan Swift author of "Gulliver's Travels", the notorious Brendan Behan and of course Oscar Wilde of "The Importance of being Earnest" fame.
Dublin being an outpost of the British Empire for 700 years was the birth place of the Duke of Wellington of the Battle of Waterloo fame. Handel's Messiah was first performed in Dublin as well - but perhaps Dublin is most famous as the origin of the "pint of plain", "stout" or Guinness by brand name.
Annually about one and a half billion pints of Guinness are consumed almost everywhere around the world, although maintaining the original brewing plant has been a battle for Dublin City. It's fleet of ships have long since been replaced by brewing overseas but the factory remains open and is a visitors paradise where one can learn, and be certified, as an official Guinness pint puller. Pouring a pint of Guinness is a unique art as it takes two goes with a resting period in between, and the glass has to be at a certain angle or the pint will not turn out properly.
 In years gone by Guinness ran an advertising campaign claiming that "Guinness is good for you" - while this type of alcoholic beverage advertisement may now be illegal the fact remains that Guinness was given to post operative patients in hospitals and a free pint was offered to Irish blood donors right up until 2010.
But not alone was Guinness good for you but the Guinness family was good for Dublin too. The great-grandson of the founder of the Guinness Brewery provided money to build housing for the homeless people of Dublin and, to this day, the Iveagh Trust runs a homeless shelter in the Center of Dublin.
Dublin Millennium Coin
Being beside the sea, Dublin was the main port in Ireland, and, because of Rebel troubles, had a large soldier garrison. Where sailors are ported and soldiers are billeted there is a need for human sexual interaction. In true tradition, down Montgomery Street, lay Dublin's red light district said to be one of the largest in Europe in the 1860s and immortalized in the Luke Kelly song "Take her up to Monto".
Dublin Port is thriving still today with ferries to the UK and cargo containers from around the world. The old Port Area, Dublin Docks, has been developed into a Financial Services Center while in the Suburbs many worldwide computer and IT companies are based, making modern Ireland the Silicon capital outside of Silicon Valley.
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Dublin Part 3 - Modern Dublin
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Posted:May 10, 2013 2:21 pm
Last Updated:May 15, 2013 1:09 am
31686 Views
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Dublin Part 3 - Modern Dublin
Dublin was the center for the Easter Rising of 1916 when "rebel" forces seized the General Post Office in Dublin main street, now called O'Connell Street, and declared an Irish Republic. Although defeated and the Post Office destroyed, it set the ball rolling for eventual Irish independence for the 26 counties, the other six, making up Northern Ireland, remain under British rule to this day. The GPO, as the Post Office is known, was rebuild and is in use to this day. It contains a full size bronze figure of Cu-chulainn a mythical figure for Irish folklore reminding us of tails of times gone past of great heroes, battles and feats, linking modern Ireland with it's older past.
Speaking of O'Connell Street, the most famous landmark was Nelson's pillar which was blown up in 1966 and replaced recently with the Dublin Spire, but in best Dublin fashion, it is better known as The Spike or The Stiletto in the Ghetto among other things. It replaced a statue of a woman in a river, Anna Livia (from a James Joyce character representing the River Liffey) best known to Dubliners as the Floozie in the Jacuzzi (or more crudely as Hoor in the Sewer. One last thing to say on O'Connell Street, long before internet dating and that sort of stuff, the main shop in O'Connell Street was called Clearys and it had a clock over the entrance and was a favourite landmark and meeting place for people meeting on a first date.
The GPO - Dublin's General Post OfficeTrinity College - Temple Bar Area
No talk of Dublin would be complete without a mention of Molly Malone, and the song that has become the Dublin Anthem. Molly Malone was a fictitious street trader, Dublin has many street traders to this day, offering a cheap alternative to the main stores - but, again with typical Dublin wit, her statue has become known as The Tart with the Cart or The Trollop with the Scallop and can be seen at the bottom of Dublin's main shopping street, Grafton Street.
Molly Malone
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 a-live O!
A-live a-live O! A-live a-live O!
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!
She was a fishmonger and sure it was 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 a-live O!
A-live a-live O! A-live a-live O!
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!
She died of a fever and no one could save her
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone
Now her ghost wheels her barrow
through streets broad and narrow
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!
A-live a-live O! A-live a-live O!
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!
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Modern Dublin has developed upon it's past, Trinity College contain the "Book of Kells" a 1200 year old illustrated and ornamentated book of the Gospels. It is on display to Visitors in Trinity College's old Library. There are museums of every kind and Natural History, Modern Art, Archaeology, Decorative Arts & History. There are parks of many sizes, some based upon old "country" style houses. These include the Phoenix Park, one of Europe's largest enclosed (walled) park and contains home of the Irish President, a monument to the Duke of Wellington largest obelisk in Europe, as well as the world renowned Dublin Zoo, the 3rd oldest in the world.
Back to the future, Dublin was the center of employment in Ireland and many people arrived here from all around the country. It was also the stopping off point for people emigrating from Ireland on the "Mail Boat" to Holyhead in Wales (and onward to London where a supposed fortune awaited them). Dublin had become very run down by the 70's but the Celtic Tiger allowed it find a new self with the development of Temple Bar and other places and Dublin is now a fine place to visit for a few days.
Just a small introduction to the city where I was "bread and buttered" as they say.
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Purple Rain no it's Pink Snow
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Posted:May 8, 2013 1:14 pm
Last Updated:Jun 15, 2013 2:16 am
28951 Views
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Pink SnowFor as long as I can remember the road around the corner from where I was "bread and buttered", as they say in Dublin, became a blaze of pink when the Cherry Blossoms open.
This morning I passed by the spot evoking memories of a distant past. Sure enough the trees and ground were covered in pink. I stopped to take a photograph before the wind and rain removed the lot.
The Pink Cherry Blossom became a popular tree in the 50s, my father planted one in the center of the garden and around this time we had a lawn of pink with petals floating from the overhanging branches.
These trees have a limited lifespan and 50 years is old enough and many have survived only because of the care that they receive. In many ways they are the last of the spring flowers and the beginning of summer, that is if we are going to get one this year.
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Coming soon, a look at my home town - Dublin |
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Get out of the gutter
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Posted:May 6, 2013 5:16 pm
Last Updated:May 15, 2013 2:57 pm
27645 Views
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| X | X | Getting out of the gutter | X | X | | |  Switch off that sexy mind of yours, today I borrow the ladder from my neighbour - the reason - when it rains heavily the gutter at the rear overflows and soaks down into the utility room. URGENT action needed me things, but action on a sunny breezeless day!!!
At first I thought it was just cleaning, but the gutter it was sagging, looked like it had carried a great weight, but am sure it was no eagles or the herons that stole the fish from the garden pond.
| | | | | Now I had been banned from using ladders, not because I was spying on the neighbours sunbathing but, cause the last time I did I fell off (the last step I might add) and hurt my back (not serious or anything, just painful when having sex... lol).
| | So up the ladder went I, armed with a bucket and small beach spade... but as luck would have it I noticed that the brackets had come loose.... so down the ladder and back up again, this time armed with a hammer and screwdriver. |
| | | | | As time progressed I realised that to fix the problem I would have to remove the gutter completely, water, muck and moss and everything.... and, of course, with windows in the way and my in the shower, it was necessary for me to be showered with the entire gutter contents- there was no other way.
Gutter down and cleaned, then the examination - the cowboys that had put up the gutters had used plasterboard nails... so the fix was simple, remove the brackets and replace the nails with screws, put back up the gutters - job done, now waiting for the rain...lol!
| | | | | I just hate to see it when "professionals" fail to do a job properly - it sucks. | | |
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An old faithful for the ladies
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Posted:May 5, 2013 10:40 am
Last Updated:May 15, 2013 1:14 am
27816 Views
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| | Cucumber | | | | | After 55 years today I noticed something. It has to do with spelling and sexual things.
It is a favourite food of many, green skinned with a cream inside....
For 55 years I never noticed that there was cum in cucumber...lol!!!
| | 0 | | 6 | | | I know it may be called a blow job but... | | ... but you are supposed to suck, not blow, girl! | |
| | 0 | | 6 | | Now I wonder is this what it's like to give a cucumber a blow job.
| | 0 | | | GerK - Blogging for fun. | | |
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Winking Willies
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Posted:May 3, 2013 12:36 pm
Last Updated:May 18, 2013 11:38 am
27720 Views
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Well I am always interested in road things....
In Florida I came across the "four way stop", but only on side roads, while in Canada I came across them on main roads too. Four way stops seem to work in these countries but not here in Ireland, no never....
At a four way stop everyone stops and then proceeds one by one, each car on each road in order, allowing other cars to cross before them. It requires a level of courtesy I have never seen before in driving.... here, no one really stops at stop signs, they just coast until they see the road is clear then drive away.
We used to have four way stops..... indicated by a flashing light suspended in the middle of the junction. But they were the source of so many accidents that they were withdrawn - hence the death of the Irish "Winking Willie".
I was looking up the term and found an Irish Parliament debate from 1955 on the subject of roads, road safety and other things... One suggestion was that drivers who drove on "open" road be compelled to stop and park for 1/2 an hour before entering the city, to eliminate the feeling of driving very slowly after driving at high speed. Another was the desire to ensure that bus drivers knew the rules of the road because it would be absolutely suicidal that men in their position should go on the roads without a full knowledge of how to drive.
And the debate went on
"Be glad if you run into a market or fair and find yourself delayed by cattle on the road, be glad the cattle are there..... being patient builds character!!! "
I"t was easy to get off drink driving charges as almost any excuse would do, including the fact that your grandfather had malaria makes you drunk on 1/2 a shot of whiskey!!! "
"As to speeding, one driver was stopped for speeding and used the excuse that he wanted to get home in time to see his baby bathed, the debater suggested that he should be banned from driving and use the bus or train for the next five or six years - to get home to see his baby bathed!!!"
Another debater added "It seems to me to be a complete waste of time to paint 'Slow' notices on the roads. I stood for 25 minutes at one of these notices situated about 50 yards beyond an intersection. The great majority of drivers simply blew the horn and accelerated."
Yet another "I live on Templeogue Road and coming into Terenure I meet an intersection from Kimmage Road. Do buses or cars give way to me? They do not. There is no such thing as giving way to you. I gave way there yesterday myself to an ambulance and a driver behind me almost lifted the roof off his car blowing the horn."
"One of the things that seem to be in the minds of Dublin motorists is never to allow anyone to turn to the right, to park, or delay for one moment, because when they are in cars, they want to go on themselves."
"When a cyclist indicated that he/she was turning the cars behind would sound their horns and overtake as though their lives depended upon it!!!"
"At a new pedestrian crossing a woman came along with a perambulator and seven cars passed the red light before she could get across."
"If I am walking across a road when the lights change have I the right to go on or have cars the right to drive on top of me? "
"Crossing the road there is far more dangerous than being out in a rising (war) because death is quite up against you all the time."
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 Hope you were not expecting Winking Willies like these...lol 
See the Irish are so competitive when it comes to road driving that the attitude is not to let another driver (or anyone) get one over on you... now I know this is extreme but there is still some elements of truth in this... while crossing the road today I noticed how the cars continued to pass while in Canada cars would stop and courteously wave you across.
One last quote from the debate... "I know that the observance of Christian charity or even pagan courtesy will solve nearly all the problems of the road."
When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful
- a miracle, it was beautiful, magical
And all the birds in the trees, well they'd be singing so happily,
- joyfully, playfully, watching me
But then they send me away to teach me how to be sensible,
- logical, responsible, practical
And they showed me a world where I could be so dependable,
- clinical, intellectual, cynical!
There are times when all the world's asleep,
The questions run too deep for such a simple man,
Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned,
I know it sounds absurd but please tell me who I am.
I said now, watch what you say, now we're calling you a radical,
- a liberal, fanatical, criminal
Won't you sign up your name, we'd like to feel you're acceptable,
- respectable, presentable, a vegetable
But at night, when all the world's asleep
The questions run so deep for such a simple man
Won't you please (Won't you tell me), (You can tell me what)
- please tell me what we've learned (Can you hear me?)
I know it sounds absurd, (Won't you help me) please tell me
- who I am, who I am, who I am, who I am
Logical Song - Supertramp
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Driving never changes...
Whatever you are doing try to have some fun and laughs today! |
Now for some adult talk suppose
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6
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I wish I could get more...
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Posted:Apr 4, 2013 12:25 pm
Last Updated:May 4, 2013 7:33 am
27687 Views
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I wish I could get more
TIME
 Well, it's that time of year that the evenings are getting longer, the sun is rising higher in the sky, the winter is supposed to be receding, the spring cleaning is supposed to be completed - but no, nothing goes to plan these days!
April has crept up on me, un-noticed I suppose. It's been so long since Christmas and the New Year and my world has been turned upsidedown.. twice.
Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way.
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.
Time - Pink Floyd |
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 I used to kick around, waiting for something to happen - but that was years ago, before I joined the site. I don't want to go back to those dark days, but moving forward is the last thing on my mind. There are things I have to do, things I want to do and need to do - that involves travel - but under the wrong circumstances.... maybe that's why I missed the springtime - je ne sais pas quoi dire.
 But on a brighter note my family and friends have been great and helped me through the last few months. And now I can smile when I read some blogs and comments that I see here. A smile wipes away a thousand tears and a hug helps you through the day and I thank my lucky stars that I have all these in my life - thank you all.
 And on that note of time - well I wish I had so much more to sit and read and comment and maybe post a little, but real life is more important I suppose, so I better get the laundry in the dryer.
 But I'll be back to read and comment soon, so be good... very, very good or very, very sexy if you wish!
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To link to this blog (GerK321Cum) use [blog GerK321Cum] in your messages.
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