Saturday 7 September 2024

Hello Fresh

 Hello September!

What is wrong with me that I am unable to blog these days??  Here we are, in September already.

We recently tried out "Hello Fresh" and it sure is an intriguing service. Imagine, sending food all the way down to the Southernmost city of the Southernmost state. And it arrives promptly on time and just perfect.

I liked it a lot! It definitely is "cooking" - Patrick was worried it would be a little "tv dinneresue" but on first bite his fears were put to bed.  

I thought the price was very good too. We may not do a weekly order but will assuredly do it again in the future.



Sunday 4 August 2024

Contact paper wrapping

I blogged previously about the repair job that I carried out on the murphy bed. Looking back on it now, I am not too impressed with my work lol.  But this!  Look at this!

I purchased some contact paper/wrap on amazon and I am impressed how easy it was to use and the results!


I just hope I don't look back on this in a week or two and think it looks awful!


Next up, is our first visitor to use the bed!  Patrick's friend Vic is coming for his yearly(ish) visit for some fishing and fun.

Jeep Makeover


Check out this guy!
New wheels and tires looking great.
And what you can't see is that the underneath has been completely overhauled and replaced too. 

Current reading list

Jonathan Rosen, The Best Minds (recommended by Isabelle)



Johann Hari, Magic Pill (recommended by Cillian)


Jonathan Haidt, The Anxious Generation (recommended by Ger)


Monday 15 July 2024

July round up

I still have a bit of the bronchitis/breathlessness left. I added in a new inhaler (an over the counter for asthma) and that is really making a difference.  I think I am 98% there now!

A beautiful fan from Seville - sent in the post to me from Enid in Spain

Nice little mahi day - hit a school and must have pulled in 20 between us.  A lot of throwbacks (juveniles) but brought these two 20 inchers home

Am in love with my new Kate Spade earrings!

Our two new Ikea adirondacks
They are made from eucalyptus wood, will need to be oiled every 6 months.  Let's see how they do in the tropical climes!

Met up with a longtime family friend/old swimming coach who was in town.

Held our annual Canada Day party and it was lovely! Moosehead beer and Labatts Blue, and this year the addition of cute little baby cans of Canada Dry for fun lol!

Attended a Bloomsday event in Key West and read as Molly Bloom

DIY repair job

 In my previous post, I noted how much I love the new murphy bed.  It was a big job getting to and into the house (had to come in a back door) and while it arrived relatively intact, it did suffer a small injury along the way.

Part of the side panel bent and broke off as it was being rolled in over gravel on two dollies

The injury from a different angle

Patrick and I went to Home Depot on Sunday morning but we were really struggling find the correct wood piece to use.  And while we bought something, we ended up bringing it back and returning it.

What to do?? When suddenly Patrick remembered a piece of scrap wood we had left over from my table project in the shed.   I got some help from a work colleague in cutting it to size (thank you!) and Voila!!


Stained with wood paint/stain!


It is not looking bad, I have to say!
I feel the colour is slightly "off".  I have ordered some mahogany wood effect Contact Paper from Amazon and am going to try wrapping it to really finish it off.

Murphy Bed


A long time ago, we set our guest bedroom up in this fashion.  And while I think it looks pretty in this photo, I need to admit that it did not stay this way...mainly down to me.  I have to confess that I tended to use the bed as a bit of storage area/dumping ground and the room ended up a bit messy.

So when an offer/opportunity for a Murphy Bed came up, I JUMPED at the chance!

While this may not be to everyone's liking, I do understand it is a bit plain, I am a convert - I think every guest bed in guest bedrooms should be murphy beds lol!


While this is our guest room, it is also Buddy's room, ha! I painted her litter tray box and added a crystal door handle (come on!!!).  Do you see the framed New Yorker magazine?!  It is a little black cat, just like our Buddy.

Have you ever slept in a Murphy Bed btw?  They are proper beds - compared for example to a sofa bed - and very, very comfortable.
 

Sunday 16 June 2024

Bob's on Margaret - new happy hour

We went to a new Sunmer happy hour yesterday. Located where the old Michael's was, owned by same people as Seven Fish, their super teeny tiny tasting plates were packed with flavour. Well, not the brie and spinach quesidilla. It was pretty plain/bland, needed some hot sauce or something

Patrick's shrimp tostada - a delight

My brie and spinach quesidilla - "fine" but bland

We each got a waygu slider and they were "chefs kiss"

Won't be rushing back, but it's definitely on the rotation

 

Friday 14 June 2024

Brown Chitis

 Hard to describe how methodical and calm my experiences with (urgent) healthcare is in the USA compared to Ireland. 
In just over 90 minutes (with no appointment) I had vitals and history taken, swabs for covid/flu/strep done, seen the doctor for a chat and exam, chest xray completed, another chat with the doctor and sent on my way with a prescription and a note for work.

I can't begin to contrast this with the chaos of the Irish system, but those who know, know :(

I may or may not have supplemented my meds this evening. Some things Irish still work best 😉

Ps. The diagnosis is bronchitis. Anyone get the "brown chitis" reference in the subject line?? 😀😃

Travails of Travel 2024

Yeah, the photo is on it's side.  I can't flip it, whaddya gonna do

I was due to fly home Dublin - Chicago - Miami on Sunday morning, when I woke up on Saturday to a text from Aer Lingus saying reservation cancelled due to technical issues.  They had re-routed to me Monday Dublin - London - Miami.  An extra 24 hours in Dublin, sure how bad is that.  

I spent the day and evening with mam and Katie. Which was lovely. We were woken up by a false (fire) alarm around 1am, my real alarm went off at 4.30am and then finally after I left, mam and Katie were woken up by an old set alarm on the clock radio in the room.  But sure look, that was that.  They said they got back asleep.

Delays with the Dublin flight meaning that it was very tight for my connection for the Miami flight.  I alerted the crew and asked for any advice.  Seems some other people did too because a few minutes later came a nice announcement confirming to anyone (me)  that were flying on the Miami or SF llight that they were pushing out their departure by one hour in order for a group of us to make it.  Arrived at my gate just in time to grab a coffee at starbucks right beside. 

Okay! We are off! I send all my goodbye texts and we taxi off to the runway.  There was a bit of a bang (boom) and jolt as we taxi and about 5 minutes later there is an annoncement from the captain that we had a tyre (tire for my USA readers lol) blowout and we are headed back to repair it.

It takes about 30 minutes before the engineers are on site.  Takes about 2 hours for them to fix.  We are sitting waiting for paperwork to be completed before we can go when suddenly it starts getting very hot.  The effects of no engine and no AC and 500 people in a small space are kicking in.  Two people ask to leave. Their bags have to be located (this takes time).  A few more people want to leave...more time.  You can see where this is going.  One crew member goes out of their service time, we wait on their replacement.  Looking like the remainder of crew will be out of time at some point - replacements are on call for them. Someone passes out upfront, paramedics called, their bags need to be located.  Six hour mark - crew out of time, everyone is overheated, the captain calls it.

All crew onboard during this time were superb.  We are told that there will be ground crew meeting us to assist with rebooking etc and God Love them but they were next to near useless.  They literally told us they know nothing about helping to book, that first they were going to give us hotel vouchers and bus vouchers - could not advise where to get the bus from btw.  I went to three different agents and each one literally had no valuable advice.  I heard somebody mention the app which of course I did not have....because Aer Lingus rerouted me.  I went on the British Airways website and filled in my booking ref etc and Lo and Behold I was already rerouted and rebooked for next day.

I have emailed BA my feedback from the flight (good - it was nobody's fault what happened) and the service on the ground and what I would do if I were those agents:
I would come armed with a Pack for each customer.  
In this pack would be number 1 a cover note saying that right now, in the background, operations crews are working on rerouting you.  That you can check on the app or on the BA website and see if this had happened already.  That if you had not been rerouted automatically within one hour, call this customer service number XXXXXX and they would help you.
Second in the pack would be the Hotel voucher for the night
And third Transport voucher - including directions/map to where to get the bus
Literally just give one of these to everyone, ask them to review it and come back to you if any questions at that point.

Next morning I was up bright and early and back to Miami with no issues....except a $290 uber ride ahead of me to get home that evening for work the next day (and to see my cat and Patrick!)

I have since received compensation from both Aer Lingus and British Airways.  I appreciate that.  But hard to balance against losing all that time.....aaaaaand guess what I now have bronchitis and am on steroid medication (inhaler and tablets) and feeling quite dreadful.

That is air travel these days for you!

Me on the plane.  Note the home made fan in he hand behind me that we were all using

Ireland 2024

My adventure home was everything I hoped for, and more! Catching up with dear friends and family was the highlight, and let's not forget the mouthwatering meals Patrick and I devoured!
And although I missed capturing photos with some key people 😭😭 (Alice, Ann, Louise, Mam, Katie, Faith) the memories will live on ☘️ 🇮🇪














 

Friday 12 April 2024

Eclipse 2024

An exciting day seeing a 45% partial eclipse in Key West.  Without the glasses there was nothing going on - maybe a slight haziness versus a darkness.  But boy, with the glasses...what an amazing experience.  I put on the glasses and it was so dark (PITCH BLACK) that I initially thought they weren't working. And then, I turned to the sun and with blackness (still) all around I saw the bring sun with a chunk taken out of it by the moon.  I GASPED! And then passed the glasses to my colleague and she too gasped.  Unbelievable.  I've never seen anything like it, and I guess it could be another 20 years before I see it again.  


I leave you with beautiful photo of sunset at Shannon Estuary, taken by my sister Katie on the same day of the eclipse in the USA

 

Twinchronicity

How about this for a bit of a mad co-incidence?! (Twincidence as we like to call them lol)

On Sunday, I see on Enid's instagram story that she got flowers. From a girl


I immediately sent her a text:


Want to guess what I got today?

Back to Seven Fish



Took a jaunt back to Seven Fish and better experience this time round.  Skipped the appetizers (really did not like them last time) and just got a nice Entree dish each.  Patrick got his favourite of a Seafood Marinara (mahi mahi, shrimp and baby clams).  I got the mahi mahi gnocchi with mushrooms in a bleu cheese sauce.  I got a Malbec. Patrick a Cabernet Sauvignon.
Done and done.  It was a very enjoyable Thursday evening,