The Penultimate Day

Don't you hate when people use a word like penultimate when regular words, like 'the day before I leave', would do just fine? But on the other hand, if you were the word 'penultimate' wouldn't you feel a little insecure or even left out if you never got to be somebodys blog post title? Conclusion: You can never please everyone.

Today has had some ups and downs. Firstly, I lost Patty (my purple stuffed platypus) Turns out she was hiding inside the duvet cover of my comforter! What would Leezle (Meghan's blue stuffed platypus) have done if I had returned home sans Patty? Secondly I lost and made $10 dollars. Lost thanks to a sneaky little Bank of America monthly charge that they "accidentally" and incorrectly applied to my account. I noticed this because I wanted to see how much my savings account had earned in the past month: a whopping 8 cents. With a 10 dollar fee... "Saving" isn't really what I was doing.

Other good things about today: Since I'm leaving the flat, its important that I eat all the remaining food in order not to be wasteful. So I'm working dilligently at the remaining Nutella, bread, hot chocolate, coffee, and hobnob biscuits, and saving one package of chocolate biscuits for the plane ride.
Tomorrow is going to be a very long day, leaving Fir Tree Farm at 5:45 am and not leaving Dublin till 2 pm since Eric and Sue have much earlier flight than I do. I have one book saved and a couple of podcasts on my ipod. And having gone through Dublin on my trip to Munich, I've scoped out the Smoothie Bar (outside security) Starbucks (inside the main terminal) and the Nothing Good (inside the International section, avoid for as long as possible)

Excited to be home tomorrow!

Thinking about Boston, going into Belfast

Even though I can't watch US tv online, I can listen to my favorite radio stations. So I'm sitting at the kitchen table listening to WERS 88.9 with their cute, awkward, djs and because of their commitment to playing variety (variety that goes beyond mixing a hit from the 90's with one from last week)sometimes bad music. Like the song playing now is pretty atrocious, but still it feels like I'm already back in Boston -driving along, my hair blown back (from the air conditioner, I can't feel any proper breeze because I haven't moved down the mass pike at all in half in hour)surrounded by cars on the right side of the road, beeping as they cut each other off. there's nothing like home...

Today I'm headed into Belfast for the last time to shop for miniature and incredibly lighweight gifts and also to go to starbucks. And I'm contemplating pizza. I haven't had a slice of pizza in the entire time I've been here! It's not impossible to eat pizza in Ireland, but at the same time the country isn't exactly crawling with delivery places, so I decided to abstain from pizza during my stay. But now the craving has struck (its only 9:30 in the morning) and I'm about to cave...
And abstinence makes me think of the religious signs in Ireland peppered amongst the hedges. They say things like "Where will you spend eternity?" and "Jesus died for our sins" and "Outside Christ there is no hope." I mention them because they're a bit different from our own religious signs which tend to be posted on enormous billboards -at least in my experience, and they tend to be limited to the south. In contrast, these signs are small, hand painted, and pretty unobstrusive, you find them on the country road rather than the highway.

Almost time to Leave

I know I've neglected my blog for nearly a month... partly because my computer has been broken, but is now restored to health although it had to be cleared of all its documents and programs in the process. But Since I'm leaving in 4 more days I thought I would write at least one more time before I go. The horses have all been turned out together for their fall vacation and Roofus is busily trying to become Charlies boyfriend while still staying in Phoebes good graces. Phoebe is now 5 months pregnant and starting to get very round. Her cousin Imperial Cavelier had a clear round yesterday at the WEG. Getting the yard ready for the fall involved a LOT of tack cleaning, but eventually everything leather was snuggly packed away in "the coffin" Sue's term for Eric's enormous handbuilt trunk. I also helped pull of shoes which made me seriously appreciate how much work it is being a farrier. Even though Charlie stood patiently for much longer than normally expected, I was huffing and puffing after just 2 shoes.
I finally tried my 1 pound self tanner and it worked pretty well. I'm not orange and there are no streaks, but I'm only confident enough to use it when I can safely put back on my sweater and pants. The weather has continued to be good, mainly raining at night and drizzling sometimes during the day, but the sun tends to come out right afterwards. (Although I haven't seen any rainbows) And I have to say I'm glad I'm coming home before the daylight hours get any shorter, its now still dark out at 7:30 am (when I arrived it was light by 6).
I've been watching the WEG online because Eric and Sue's "red button channel" which gives coverage of the games isn't working, and wishing I was there watching in person. I also keep thinking I see people I know, but especially with the quickly moving xc its too hard to tell. I was really surprised by how exciting yesterday became, after Nicola Wilson and the first Japenese rider's excellent rounds I was thinking it wasn't going to be an xc competition, but as the day, and difficulties, went on their rounds looked even more impressive.
I'm spending today washing clothes and trying to start the packing process. I don't feel like I've really gone shopping or bought that many things but somehow the amount of stuff I'm leaving with is a LOT more than what I came with... So I guess its more like stuffing and cramming and hoping for the best (and being under the weight limit :/)
My favorite TV show, Britain's Best Dish, has come to an end and a man who works at a sheet metal factory won the 10,000 pound prize. Good job him! I've noticed that British people have a habit of ending sentences with pronouns and I find it kind of nice, like they're ending the sentence with "him" to emphasize he's the most important part. I'm also hoping that somewhere in the recesses of my brain I've picked up the tinsiest bit of Irish accent.
During my blogging hiatus I also spent a fantastic week in Germany visiting family friends and enjoying the beginnings of Oktoberfest.
Off to switch laundry now,
See you soon!

Rain and Tapestries and Free Butter

Today it is windy and raining steadily. I think its probably hurricane Earl (but since I'm close to England I will think of it as a noble and royal hurricane instead of a crass and unfortunate first name for anyone to have). We took the horses to a racetrack (that also has a schooling xc course, a showjumping ring and an indoor -talk about multitasking!) and cantered Foxy and Charlie. One of Eric's friends and fellow event riders happened to be there so he cantered Charlie which meant less time out in the rain for me. Roofus got to jump a bit and again was very good.

I heard on the news that some tapestries from the Sistine Chapel are going to be exhibited in London. Which makes me wonder, how do they transport them? Obviously not on Ryan Air... I'm not an art historian of course but the idea of moving them makes me worried about the poor old guys. What if something happens to the plane /ferry / bus they're on?? I suppose they have divine right on their side.

I'm not going to worry though because I have a new culinary acquisition. Sue gave me some butter from her family farm which I'm very excited to try as I'm sure it will be delicious, so I'm off to make a grilled cheese.

At what point does eating chocolate biscuits become a problem?

I don’t have much else to ask on the subject, but I’m averaging around 5 biscuits a day, on a good, biscuit conscious day and I’m going through biscuit packages really quickly.

Chocolate Things I’ve tried:
1 Cadbury’s Chocolate flakes. Wonderful texture but flakiness has its drawbacks, like flaking all over the floor or all over your sweater.
2 Terry’s Orange Chocolate. Overall good, slightly heavy for daily use.
3 Cadbury’s Mint Snaps. Thin chocolate in the shape of potato chips. Tastes good but insubstantial.
4 Crunchie. Honeycomb with chocolate around it. sweet and crunchy but gets stuck in your teeth, not great for eating in public.
5 Double Decker. A bar with cereal and chocolate and other things. Multiple layers. An English major would be inclined to call this chocolate bar deep, layered, profound even...
6 Mars bars. Like a milkyway but pronounced entirely differently (as in the oregano issue, above post. Or below post? Dependent upon whether new posts go to the top or bottom which I really don’t know and whether or not your computer and screen are right side up. Or if you’re wearing those goggles that switch things).
7 Nutella. I’ve had nutella many times before so it doesn’t technically belong on this list of new chocolate experiences, but its just so good I couldn’t help myself. In Ireland I have had Nutella on pancakes, toast, and spoons.
8. Lots of different types of chocolate biscuits but my favorite are McVities
9. Cadbury Milk Chocolate Bars
10. Bingo bars -chocolate biscuit with chocolate on top surrounded by chocolate. acceptable but not as good as they sound

Things I've learned while watching The Great British Bake Off....
The McVities factory is capable of producing 1 million biscuits in a day!
And the reason shortbread is called shortbread, even though its a cookie, is because tax on bread was lower than on cookies so they called it a bread.

A word about Gaelic Football

Right now I am watching the absurd, delightful, crazy, popular (at least here in Ireland) and dangerous looking game of Gaelic Football. Ulster versus... someone else who's losing. According to wikipedia "The primary object is to score by kicking or striking the ball with the hand and getting it through the goals." When this doesn't work players jump on top of the ball and pile on each other. Then someone finally grabs the ball (which looks to me like a soccer ball) and runs away or throws it. It reminds me of how you played soccer when you were 6 and the gym teacher wasn't looking. Only the Irish and Australians play, but one plays in a rectangle and the other a circle, so when they play against each other they have to compromise and they play in a... I don't remember but I think a rectangle.

Verbs about my life

Riding Foxy, Charlie and Roofus while Eric and Sue are away at Burghley
Eating Annies mac and cheese from my wonderful package from my mom (thanks mom!)
Watching Burghley for free (visit the chronicle website to sign up)
Doing lots of laundry
Picking berries and making the first Blackberry Raspberry pie of the season. Can't wait to eat it.
Watching Waverly Road -a drama about a private high school... called a public school in Britain strangely.
Ruminating upon old age, as I've just finished Love in the Time of Cholera
Not Writing papers or reading long novels or deciphering philosophical texts. Entirely school-less

Thoughts about my life, specifically an hour each day of my life monday through friday including commercial breaks :
I've always thought about bad tv in terms of people needing a distraction from "real life," enjoying the absurd and sordid, coating their brain cells in refuse etc. But I've also noticed that I look forward to Britain's Best Dish (certainly not bad tv but not really life changing either) in part because it gives me a nice nightly routine, specific and timely plans in the chaos of the postmodern world, an hour of peace amidst the rapid passing minutes, food for thought etc.

Our First Show

Roofus (a very cute and sweet 4 year old) and I (a very cute and sweet 22 year old) went and did a horse show today*. His first show ever and my first show in Ireland. We did the first two jumping classes, 60 and 70 centimeters, and had 3 clear rounds! They let you do your round twice so we got to trot the first time and then canter. Roofus won a red rosette in the first class and I think probably something in the second class as well but we left mid-class. Roofus was incredibly grown up and brave the whole time, and his canter is so uphill and balanced I felt like I was on an old pro sailing around the course. The ring next door was doing the pony starter class at the same time and I got to see some especially cute ponies and children with moms/dads/ instructors running alongside them as they jumped a whole course of fences.

Off to another event with the other horses tomorrow.

*I know, Roofus should try and be more modest, but he's only 4 and doesn't know any better.

Words and Things

I went to an event last weekend and my wireless died before I could write about it here. So I have some more gems from the announcer... (I think the same as from the first event):

"I'm sorry about mispronuncing all these names, guess I shouldn't have had that third pint of guiness last night" (He was especially terrible at names)

"I'll try and put on my french teeth to say this name" (he then said the name in an attempt at a french accent)

"The aptly named Anxious Moments going quite quickly to fence 7" (my favorite)

The announcer also commented on the unusual facial hair of some of the men. Interestingly, nearly all of the younger male riders at the event have had long beards. I found out that this is not a new fad that has only struck irish eventers, but because they are extras in a movie, historically based in some sort of past time period, which requires beards. (I'm being purposefully vague because of the top secret confidential nature of the movie and not because my mind may have accidentally drifted slightly as someone explained the movie to me)

"John O'Brien's (not his real name, but I'm sure there was an o'brien at the event so... maybe his real name)over the first two beard intact...and he's not stopping for a shave at the water jump"

My other main source of entertainment is Britain's Best Dish, a cooking show with 3 delightful /brilliant /lovely judges, who are trying to pick britain's best dish for this year. There are starters, main courses, and puddings /desserts / the best part of the show.
I've noticed that every so often amongst the wonderful British accents* there comes a word that is pronounced totally differently.

Margarine turns into marje- er- een as if it were an exotic lady instead of a butter substitute.

And pasta is pronounced more like passta as in pass me the Parmesan, instead of pawsta (Side note, the word Pasta in fact originated in Italy which is nearby to France where basset hounds were invented. Basset Hounds have strikingly large paws. Hence Pawsta)

Oregeno and basil are said differently but just a pinch (sorry couldn't help it. There's only the one though because puns can be dreadfully annoying). the slightly different ring didn't do anything to aid or abate my appetite for the oregeno-full dish, but the pronunciation differences have provided a nice forum for me to use the words aid and abate.

There are lots of other cooking words with altered emphasis, dropped or added endings (fillet for instance is simply fill-it with t intact)etc. I think if I'm ever accused of saying a word incorrectly** I will tell the person it's simply the British translation.

*Except weirdly one girl from Chicago with no delightful accent at all. Weird.

**For instance, did anyone else think "chaos" was pronounced chaw -whoose, like the inverse of achoo (as in the sneeze noise)?

*** Couldn't "Words and Things" be the title of any post? What a useful and versatile discovery.

Newcastle

Today I took the bus* into Newcastle, a seaside town with a beautiful hotel and lots of cafes and shops. They had a parade today; I'm not sure why but it definitely related to flying. I bought 3 little face masks, mainly because of their individual wrapping and colorful packaging, hopefully they will contribute to a glowing complexion as promised. They have stores like our dollar stores called "Around a Pound" I bought some chocolate biscuits and tanning lotion. Tanning lotion on sale for only 1 Pound may not be a good idea, but I'm going to try it anyway, and if my legs start to look like orangey abstract art at least its too cold to wear shorts.
I'm starting to understand cows in a deeper way I think. In particular, some are sort of cute, especially the tan ones and a few of the black and whites. I'm not really interested in the black ones, but I do like black sheep. I watched a pair of committed but not very talented sheep trying to escape their field by scaling the hedge and wanted to take a picture so I could title it "Hedge Hunters" Unfortunately, I missed the shot but I'm pretty sure I have a picture (of a hedge of course) I can call "hedging your bets." (Comments or attempts to stop my overuse of puns will be grudgingly accepted but probably not effective)

Saw lots of dogs in Newcastle but still no basset hounds :/

* The bus and I are still not entirely on friendly terms, but I'm not ready to talk about it.

Drawing Maps and Jumping Foxy

All week Sue and I have been hacking the horses down the roads and I've been trying to learn the different routes. I'm very bad at this, so I've been drawing little maps and looking things up on Google map. This helps but not very much for the private ways we go down... but I think I'm starting to get the hang of it.

Today Eric came back from teaching a clinic in Denmark and I got to jump Foxy in the afternoon. Foxy was very fun to jump and patient while I tried to keep my elbows in and my back not hollow and sometimes do both of those at once. I'm now in my little flat deciding between sponge cake and cookies for pre-dinner while I decide what to make for actual dinner.

Eventing in Ireland

Today I went to watch my first event. A Sampling of fence names from the xc course map:

The Coffin -normal name, but to really remind you, the ditch actually had a skeleton in it.
Big Flipping Gate
By Golly Thats a Big Jump
The Mad Cow -complete with a large plastic cow under the log
The Hope Jump. Hope you made it this far -I think this was the second to last jump

The announcer was rather colorful as well…
“Dog loose near fence 23. If someone’s missing a jack russel, well that’s barely a dog at all, please fetch it”

“Giving that one a lot of encouragement over fence 7, but it seems to be working so far”

“Mrs…. is off to fence 1, hope she does better than Mr…. Woops I’ve been told I shouldn’t have said that”

“If anyone could lend a hand, perhaps two, and legs and whatever other parts of your anatomy you’d be inclined to offer in the show jumping it would be greatly appreciated”

-Off to Belfast today...hoping bus riding will be better than bike riding

My First Irish Bike Ride

Hello,
Tonight I thought it would be nice to take a short bicycle ride to the grocery store in town. I promptly (and naively) cast aside memories of my last time on a bike (4 years ago at Groton House when I had to call some one and ask how to stop. Thank You Cell Phone and Mom) and set off, very slowly down the hill. and verrrrryy slowly up the next hill. I made it to the store without incident and chose between an assortment of delicious cakes, and off I went again. On the way home I learned three things: 1. Do not hit the front wheel with your grocery bag because it will hit the spokes which will angrily leap from their place on the wheel, stick out in all directions, and prevent you from biking any farther. 2. Optimism has no place on a bike when I'm the one pedaling. 3. Do appreciate your legs. Thank You legs for helping me home. no thanks to the sheep baaa-ing in a mocking sort of way (you probably had to be there but really he was).

-Retreating abashedly to a stationary position for the rest of the night, but outside of my biking incident, enjoying Ireland immensely