One of the Many

A Home for You ?

As many as 35,000 thousand new houses that have never been lived in lie idle in Ireland all since the diabolical bank crash and the imposition of austerity.
The photo above is just one of the many, it was completed during the summer of 2009 and stands on a large site and would be ideal for a keen gardener or even a smallholder.

I think it was built as an investment by the builders, if so it has proved to be a rather costly one, for oil the heating is put on every winter just to keep the place from mouldering.

It is a family sized home with at least four bedrooms and with all of the modern requisites as per a shower on the ground floor. I haven’t been inside or intruded on it’s grounds. Merely gleaned some information by looking in over the hedges which border the property, because at the end of the day I am as nosey as the rest of humanity.

Richard Briers - R.I.P.

Richard Briers

I was extremely sorry to read about the passing of Richard Briers. 
Here was a man whose boyish looks and twinkling eyes, held us, his viewers enthralled and entertained throughout his long career.

My first encounter with this actor was through the BBC series ‘The Good Life’ in which he played the part of Tom Good, the husband of Barbara (Felicity Kendall). 
They portrayed a middle-class, suburban couple who together decided to escape the 
rat race by setting up a small holding, complete with a hens and a pig in their back garden.

Felicity Kendall & Richard

as

Barbara & Tom Good

I am sure that hundreds of viewers were inspired through this wonderful comedy to virtually emulate them, in a real life situation of going it alone, by growing their own vegetables, having hens and living it green. 


Please enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4gM0Hp1eU8&list=PLDD869346DE3EFEC5

In memory of Richard Briers 14 January 1934 – 17 February 2013. 

For You !

From

blue 

sky

colourful 

birds 

fly 

Sing, 

You

their 

Valentine !

IRELAND'S DISGRACE

This particular piece of news is one of the most shameful things I have ever had to bring to your attention, for I consider it to be a national disgrace.

The following is an extract from todays Irish Times (6th February 2013)

Maureen Sullivan a Magdalene survivor 

STEPHEN COLLINS and HARRY McGEE

The Government will seek a "clear strategy and a clear plan" as to how best to deal with the findings of the report into the Magdalene laundries, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said.

The Government came under renewed criticism today following the refusal of Mr Kenny to issue a full apology to the women who spent time in the laundries, despite the fact that more than a quarter were sent there by the State.

The 'Report of the Inter-Departmental Committee to establish the facts of State involvement with the Magdalen Laundries' was published yesterday by an interdepartmental committee chaired by Martin McAleese found the women were from many backgrounds.

Some were referred by courts, others released on licence from industrial schools before they reached 16 years of age, while some were young women over 16 years of age who had been orphaned or were in abusive or neglectful homes.

Responding to Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin during Leaders' Questions in the Dáil, Mr Kenny said he was "genuinely concerned about bringing reconciliation and closure to the women involved". The report exposed the truth and "in that regard the first and major issue of concern to the girls and women in the Magdalene laundries was the removal of the stigma".

He didn’t want to get into "adversarial diplomacy" on an issue as sensitive and evocative of bad memories for people.

The Taoiseach said the Government itself would reflect on the issue and he would "like the space to work with government by putting a process in place so that we can help these women reach closure".

Mr Kenny told the Fianna Fáil leader that his government "refused to actually investigate it then. This Government is dealing with it in the context of the McAleese report which sets out the truth here."

Mr Martin, who chaired the committee dealing with industrial school abuse, told the Dáil he was "sorry we didn’t deal with the Magdalene laundries at the time".

He said the committee led to a State apology to survivors of industrial schools. And he told Mr Kenny that the 1,400 page report published yesterday on the Magdalene laundries "doesn’t take any stigma away".

"The only effective way for the stigma to be removed by the State is to apologise with no ifs and no buts," he said.

Responding to questions from Sinn Féin TD Mary Lou McDonald, Mr Kenny said some of the information contained in the report had not previously been available. It was the "duty and responsibility of the Government to examine it and reflect on it and decide what is the best thing to do from here", he said.

“I am sorry that so many women worked and were resident in Magdalene laundries in a very harsh and authoritarian environment," Mr Kenny said in response to criticism from Sinn Féin TD Mary Lou McDonald. Ms McDonald told the Taoiseach that yesterday had been the time for the Government to apologise and to tell the women: "You were wronged."

Mr Kenny said he did believe the stories of the women and that the report was the truth about what had happened to them and about their lives and their experiences.

He believed the Government had a responsibility to act to "bring closure" to the women and he acknowledged that many of them were elderly and not in robust health.

The Taoiseach said it was a case of having "a clear strategy and a clear plan as to how best to deal with it and that is what the Government will do". There would be a further opportunity to discuss the report in two weeks, Mr Kenny added.

Minister for Justice Alan Shatter said today the report was a "watershed" that had cast light on areas that had been in the shadows. However, he declined to comment when asked on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland whether it was wrong for the State to be involved with the laundries.

“I don’t want to use that type of language,” Mr Shatter responded when asked if it was “wrong for the State to collude with the enslavement of women and children?”

He also criticised opposition TDs who called for an apology yesterday before reading the report in full.

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin said he thought the Government would be "compassionate" in its response.

The facts had been "long and late" coming but the Government had set up the inquiry within a few months of coming into office. He said Dr McAleese had been the right person to conduct the inquiry.

Labour Party TD Gerald Nash tweeted that a "full, sincere" apology was needed. His Labour colleague Aodhán Ó Ríordáin tweeted that it was “clear that the state owes the Magdalene women an apology”.

"Quick progress on this issue is important," he said.

Footnote:

The  report by Dr Martin Mc Aleese, also reported that coroners do not appear to have been notified of deaths in the laundries for some years leading up to 1996. The inquiry into State involvement with the laundries said that end-of-life issues relating to the 879 women who died in the institutions since 1922 

An estimated 11,500 women passed through ten institutions between 1922 and 1996.

ALWAYS A PLEASURE

Fresh from the cooling rack

Showing the consistency 

I moved to my present location in 1991 and found that I had a lot to learn in regards to 

living here among the green, green fields of Ireland. 

One of those tasks was to learn about making Soda Bread and so I was given instruction by a local housewife however, my early attempts were utter failures each time. 

I read and re-read her instructions and realised that some vital information was missing, so knowing the days when she made bread I hid behind a hedge that over looked her kitchen table and studiously watched her every move and was able to discover a process that tested the worthiness of the mix before putting the mix into the oven.

Simple and easy it was and part of the kneading process and it is to lightly press the dough mound downwards and check for the springiness of the mix prior to the final stage of cutting the four armed cross on the top.

I returned home and immediately tried it out and never again did I ever have any failures.Through the years up until I gave up eating carbohydrates a couple of years ago, I used to make about three or four soda breads a week; sometimes I would add other ingredients such as sesame seed or sunflower seed, amongst my friends "sesame seed" was their favourite addition.

Yesterday I decided to make a Soda Bread just for a change and also to see if that old magic was still with me - am glad to say that it is !

The ingredients are roughly 1lb of self raising flour (bicarbonate of soda included) and

about 1 pint of organic buttermilk. I never add salt or sugar to any foods.

Bake in a pre-heated gas oven to Mk 4.5 for about an hour, the test is to tap it's base for a distinct hollow sound.

Final proof is when cool to cut three slices and apply a generous coating of the best butter in the world - Ireland's own KERRY GOLD, make a cup of tea pull up a chair by the fire - eat drink and enjoy!

A JOINT BIRTHDAY

My friend Ita and I share the same birthday and often have a joint celebration, I should stress that there are several years of difference between us, however that day is the 9th of January.

The niner's at play

OUR JOINT PARTY

Started at 3pm when our friends arrived some of whom where musicians and we partied away for 12 and half hours before falling into bed. It was a brilliant time of song music and dance; the nominated photographer slipped into the joviality and the consequence is that very few pics were taken.

Musicians in session

Charles on the harmonica, Seamus on the accordion

and Colm Mac Con Iommaire on the fiddle

Sean-nós dance is an older style of traditional 

solo Irish dance and is a casual dance form. 

A SECOND PARTY

Took place on the 12th January at 3pm for those who were unable to make the one on the 9th, this one was minus musicians and it focused mainly around a Storyteller who arrived and sat in the kitchen entertaining guests by the telling his tales for most of the night, similar to the first party this one went on till gone 4 in the morning!

I have gloriously celebrated my 70th birthday and am looking forward now to my 150th !

If I had any doubts this card sure told me

The grand collection of cards

A special gift from Lucy

representing Earth, Air, Fire & Water

her web site

http://crelegra.com

Ita and I wish to thank everyone who attended both parties, because we know that some of you travelled many miles from all over the isle of Ireland to be with us; our very special thanks and appreciation go to Mrs H whose organising ability astounded us ! 

A BIT OF BACKGROUND (about me)

A wonderful event took place in Birmingham City Children’s Hospital on January 9th 1943 at approximately 0520, the timing, place and date were unique for it marked the umpteenth rebirth of Me. Little did I realise at the time that a warm welcome heralded my arrival, for evidently several resounding blasts were heard in the locality.

These were caused by the Birmingham Blitz of heavy bombing by the then enemy (9 August 1940 - 23 April 1943). Overall, about 2,000 tons of bombs were dropped on Birmingham making it the fourth most heavily bombed city in the United Kingdom. Is it any wonder then that sound of a propeller driven plane flying at night has always awakened me?

Happier events though were around the corner when hostilities ceased and chocolate, biscuits and other goodies became available and better still, we departed from ‘Brum’ in 1946 to soft and sleepy Somerset.

A CONUNDRUM

Mystified

I spend time in contemplation studying various aspects of life. One aspect in particular has recently caught my attention and it is I think something that we all practice, in varying degrees. Although that phrase ‘varying degrees’  might not be the ideal, perhaps frequently would be better. How frequent is frequent? What about twice a day, once a day, every day, three times a week, twice a month? Perhaps once a month or once every two months - who is to decide?
I suppose that it actually comes down to need or desire. 
I told this to Mrs H and she asked if by desire did I mean pleasure?
Then she said that she didn’t actually believe that it was pleasurable each time. 
To which I retorted that it rarely seems anything but pleasurable to me.
Yes, I do think that the need to do so answers an inner desire in all most every case and in only a few rare cases do I feel that it comes from a negative source.
That to which I am referring can be practiced while alone, yet I mainly do it in the company of herself. Others that I know have absolutely no qualms about doing it in front of several people. I have to say though that I am not that brave.

If you would like to find out more about this particular aspect of my life you will need to visit
my other blog  wordsofaramblingmind.blogspot.com

To Pagans Everywhere !

A toast from the East

With a glass of Irish Mist I toast Pagans everywhere and send a not so humble blessing

That they keep themselves sharp, lively and be very full of Fun

and

Long live the Sun !

in the South

Cheers me hearties !

The Great Goddess!
without whom
no ritual
can be done.

No cards or presents sent

This year Mrs H and I decided not to buy any greetings cards or gifts, instead we have made a donation to our favourite charity.

The Society of St Vincent de Paul who do so much good work for those whose need is greater than ours.

Our personal message to you all :-

To those of you who celebrate Christmas 

and to those of you who don't 

we send you 

Peace and Happiness !

http://www.svp.ie/Home.aspx

Council of Ireland, National Office, SVP House, 91-92 Sean MacDermott Street, Dublin 1

Telephone: 00353 1 838 6990 Facsimilie 00353 1 838 7355 Email: info@svp.ie

Charity Reg. No. CHY 6892

WINTER: Food and Cures

A Cornish Pasty

The pasty has to be one of my favourite dishes and especially at this time of the year. This one was made quite recently by Mrs H when I was feeling slightly under the weather and her culinary skills cheered me up no end. It contains cubed swede, parsnips carrots and lean beef steak, plus white pepper and an oxo cube for additional flavour. 

It was absolutely delicious and very filling, so much so that I was unable to consume all of it at one sitting and approximately half of it became a meal on the following day  

A cough remedy

I recently suffered an irritating dry and tickly cough which disturbed me both day and night. After having tried homeopathic drosera which helped, that alone was not sufficient and so I resorted to Manuka honey to which one drop of thyme oil had been added and stirred into; the dosage I took was one teaspoonful twice a day for about four or five days which am delighted to say completely cured me.

Cayenne Pepper

Another one of my home remedies is cayenne pepper which I use fairly frequently throughout the year. It is well known for improving the circulation and has many uses; my best advice is for you to look it up on the internet and make your own decision.

I take it once a day: one teaspoonful in a small glass of cold spring water.

The Cayenne Pepper Drink

The cayenne pepper drink is extremely hot and the way I take it is have one large mouthful and to hold it in the mouth for about three seconds before swallowing down as rapid as is possible, quickly followed by drinking second glass of water to flush away any residue from the gums, of course another way to reduce the burning sensation in the mouth is to have a spoonful of honey.

I try to avoid pharmaceutical medicines and visits to medical practitioners as far as is possible, unless it is absolutely unavoidable. My preference is to eat wholesome foods, exercise regularly, do nothing to excess and maintain my height/weight ratio.

My plan is to grow old disgracefully by being a geriatric hippy !