think before i speak.......

Over the last while God has been challenging me about ‘good intentions’ – sometimes I find myself saying something out of compassion or to fill an awkward moment of silence, that I can not uphold or do not uphold – or put myself under such pressure and guilt to uphold, ……… I don’t only mean big things but the little things as well, like visiting someone, or doing something etc ……anyway, I am really trying to work on making promises I can keep and keeping my mouth shut when I am tempted to say what I think I should instead of what I know I can do…….
As good ole Madge (Madonna) says in her song 4 minutes ‘the road to hell is filled with good intentions’……… and I guess you could change that to say ‘the road to heaven………….’

dripping fat..................

Well we finally had a sunny day and guess what - I had to work - Monday is normally my day off but I took a day off for a conference a few months ago (which I didn't even enjoy and left early) and had to pay it back........
To make the most of what was left of ‘blue skies’, after work we packed Jude (the dog) into the car and drove to my mums, and had a BBQ for dinner - it’s been only a few months since we enjoyed such pleasures due to the inclement weather. All was well we were enjoying some lovely food and lively conversation around the table when we heard Jude rolling with much joy on my mums living room carpet in the adjacent room, mum who is protective over her cream carpet wondered why Jude seemed to be having so much fun alone, so we called her in and on first glance we all asked the same question, 'why is her head so wet!' good question its not raining, the rest of her body is dry, I put my hand down to stroke her and was instantly disgusted cause it was all slippery and soaked with grease……….
As mum and I aren't into the technicalities of BBQing we had overlooked putting the little fat catcher under the grill, and the whole evening Jude had been experiencing her own doggie 'Indian head massage' with out the massage part....... yuck...... licking up all the dripping fat…………

She smells like the 'greasy spoon' and that’s still after I shampooed her head........

fire starter.........................

Tomorrow morning is a momentous occasion - the chimney sweep is coming to give the chimney its yearly sweep before I can light my first fire. I can't wait; it has to be one of my most favourite things. Its almost like having an old friend back, I love when its all cold and rainy outside (which is just as well) and I am inside snuggled up beside my fire, crackling and dancing away. In Ireland we burn ‘turf’, which is a peat dug from the bogs and it has the loveliest smell that instantly brings me back to my childhood....... when we used to come home to Ireland for visits during the winter months, when we lived in England, it was the first thing I could always smell as I stepped of the plane. It was like the welcome mat had been rolled out!

I think getting to light my open fire again is one of the many reasons why I love autumn so much!

What is one of your favourite things about autumn?


a traditional turf fire - what could be more friendly than that(apart from kittens and puppies etc etc)

foot a tapping.......

this is a local artist 'Brian Houston' who just so happened to be the live act at the evening doo for our wedding!

Here is his new song, check it out - i bet it will have your foot a tapping.......

its a dogs life.......

My mum bought me this little gift a couple of days ago

(i know sorry bad pic - it says this house belongs to one spoilt cairn terrier)

it made me snigger as we had Jude getting her vaccinations at the vet last week - it was a new vet as we only moved here a while ago - when the vet finished giving her the injection, she patted Jude and said 'there you go all ready for kennels or any other event' well when i told my mum and sister about this comment, they both burst out laughing at the thought of my face when the vet even thought my dog would ever set foot in kennels, and they would be right, my face didn't have time to hide my real feeling that moment and i think the vet realises that this is more what my Jude's lifestyle is like

jude thinks its a hardship when she visits my mums house and has to make do with the carpet instead of hte joys of lying uncouncious on a cushion on the furniture....... what can i say she has ute eyebrows..... just aswell she is good natured....

skipping.....

out for an evening walk tonight with stuart and the dog - when a couple little girls around 10 years old appeared out of a side street in front of us - one of the girls got a little behind her friend - she burst into a skip to catch up - it made me laugh and i said to stuart 'when did i actually stop skipping to get around'.


i wonder what age i just thought 'no thats no longer a cool method of travel'.

A:

i love living on an island.....

i woke up this morning craving a walk on the beach - so we packed our little doggie into the car and drove to my favourite beach near our house - its my favourite, not only cause its beautiful, but cause its pretty much always deserted and Jude can run free and chase her ball....
i love it! there is nothing like wading through the sea in your wellies with the sun on your back, breathing in that fresh salty air, we could hear nothing but the waves slapping heavily on the shore (and actually over Stuarts feet - while he was trying to take an arty picture).That's what i missed so much about Ireland when we lived in England for 4 years, cause in no time at all you can be at the sea or at least see it in the not to far distance.

One more thing today is the 1st of September and officially autumn - my most favourite season of the year, i get all excited and am convinced the air smells different - i keep asking stuart can you smell it can you smell autumn - i cant wait for the bright blue skies and frosty ground in the mornings - with the leaves all brightly coloured and crunchy under foot.......God really did think of everything........