Home Sweet Home

Things I can't wait to do/eat/see when I'm back in Michigan in June (in no particular order)

• Jimmy Johns Beach Club
• Little Caesar's Hot & Ready pizza
• Deck night with mom & dad
• Meeting baby Penelope
• Kelly's wedding
• Target
• Meijer
• Banana Republic
• Wendy's
• On the Border 
• Edy's slow churned ice cream
• Warm weather
• Lake Michigan

Hurry up and get here, June!!

I Live for the Weekend

And now for the update you've all been waiting for...

Hubs and I had an exceptional long Easter weekend.  For me, the weekend started on Thursday night when CM and I went to see a movie. We meant to go see Two Lovers...

But I totally screwed up and got the times wrong. Silly me. There weren't many other choices so we ended up seeing The Boat that Rocked.

Which CM had already seen. I felt like such a dummy. Anyway - it was a pretty good movie. Funny and different from anything I've seen recently. All you stateside friends will have to wait until August to judge for yourself :-) (Finally, a movie I can see BEFORE you!)

Friday was another great day. Woke up to do some cleaning (boring I know, but seeing as I'm domestically disabled, I like to point these things out). Went for an awesome lunch with KD and new friend LT at Roly's cafe which turned out to be both inexpensive and delicious (a rarity in these parts)! We decided we were not done enjoying each others company so we wandered into town (but not without some photos along the way...)

Pretty cherry tree on Baggot St.

KD, LT & myself

We had a wonderful afternoon wandering around the shops on and around Grafton St.  We even got free makeovers from the Bare Minerals people at BT2! KD, being the social butterfly that she is, had to run off to another engagement, but LT and I started the quest to find alcohol on Good Friday (the whole city is dry on this day) we are fully aware of the sinners that we are! We were unsuccessful in our mission, so we went back to LT's apartment where there was beer and wine aplenty. I meant to stay for a short while... but was having too much fun with the Googlers.

Eventually I made it home (via taxi) and hoped that my head wouldn't hurt too badly for Hub's football game the next day!

Thankfully I woke up with only a mild headache and sour stomach the next day, and since it was self inflicted, I didn't complain. Time for the big game! I made the trip to Santry (all the way in BFE) with KH's brother (also KH). Thankfully it was perfect weather for a good ol' American football game (I'm sort of a fair-weather fan). The Trinity boys lost the game but will play UCD again two more times in the next couple of weeks.  I think they can pull it off!

Easter Sunday we were invited to join KD & TB for a lovely Easter dinner (along with TB's mom and sister). KD was the perfect hostess, serving up delicious lamb and salmon. YUM! I made sure to inform everyone that the lamb we were eating was a male. Apparently, 

farmers only need one ram per 50 sheep, so the little boy lambs are the poor cute things taken to slaughter. So cute, but so delicious.

 

We sent the boys out to Kiely's to get ice, but I guess they had to make it fresh... it took them about an hour to get home. 

TB & Hubs (out for ice)

Thank you for a wonderful time! It's people like you that make being away from family on holidays much more bearable.

Most of Monday (had work off this day as well) was spent cleaning and relaxing, not to mention dreading the workweek, albeit a short one, ahead. 

And now it's almost the weekend again - hooray!! 

Megology

Due to a lack of inspiration: A fun survey completed by yours truly. YOU do it too!

Let others know a bit more about yourself, re-post this as 'ology' followed by your name.

FOODOLOGY

What is your salad dressing of choice?
Ranch (Hidden Valley) and boy do I miss it!

What is your favourite sit down restaurant?
Maia

What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of?
Ice cream

What are your pizza toppings of choice?
I love a slice loaded with yummy veggies, but particularly enjoy mushroom, tomato, feta & spinach

What do you put on your toast?
These days butter and honey. I've also been known to spread peanut butter and  add sliced bananas. 

TECHNOLOGY

How many televisions are in your house?
ZERO

What color cell phone do you have?
Black with a little bit of blue

Do you have an iPod?
Yes, I've been meaning to update it, actually.

BIOLOGY

Are you right or left-handed?
Right

Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
A mole from my arm when I was a baby

What is the last heavy item you lifted?
Ummm... I carried home a pretty heavy bag of groceries the other day. 

Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
Yes. It was not my finest moment. I was playing flag football in 9th grade gym class and accidentally ran into the wall.

BULLOLOGY

If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
Nope not one bit.

If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
Although I don't love my name, I would never change it. It's part of who I am :-)

Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
You bet.

DUMBOLOGY?

How many pairs of flip-flops do you own?
I used to own several in college. Now I'm down to one pair. And I only wear them at the beach.

Last time you had a run in with the cops?
I can't even remember.

Last person you talked to?
I just spoke with my boss via the phone

Last person you hugged?
Hubs, this morning when I was leaving for work.

FAVORITOLOGY

Season?
Autumn. I hate that winter comes after it, but love everything else about the season. The smells, the temperature, the colours, I could go on and on!

Holiday?
Thanksgiving

Day of the week?
Friday nights are my fave! The whole weekend is ahead :-)

CURRENTOLOGY

Missing someone?
Always!

Mood?
Mostly happy 

What are you listening to?
Just people moving around upstairs

Watching?
The clouds roll in and the pretty tree in bloom outside my office window.

Worrying about?
The Irish budget

RANDOMOLOGY

First place you went this morning?
Off to work at 9am

What is the last movie you saw?
In the Cinema - Doubt with Meryl Streep (excellent, by the way!) On DVD - Singin' in the Rain

Do you smile often?
Yes, I'm American

Sleeping Alone Tonight?
No :-)

OTHER-OLOGY

Do you always answer your phone?
Generally, unless I'm with a friend. It would be rude to answer, in my opinion.

4:00 in the morning and you get a text. Who is it?
I don't get texts at the hour. My husband, on the other hand may be getting one from one of the boys... most likely Kieran.

If you could change your eye colour, what color would it be?
I would love it if my eyes were a bit more green

What flavour do you add to your drink at Sonic?
Orange cream slush rocks my world

Do you own a digital camera?
Yes.

Have you ever had a pet fish?
Yes. They are boring. Unless you have a huge salt water aquarium and someone to take care of it.

Favourite Christmas song?
Silent Night

What's on your wishlist for your birthday?
My birthday isn't for a while. But I imagine I'd like to forgo a gift and go on a trip.

Can you do pushups?
Yup

Chinups?
Like, one.

Does the future make you more nervous or excited?
Excited

Do you have any saved texts?
If I do, it's not on purpose.

Ever been in a car wreck?
Yes. My little Saturn was totaled 

Do you have an accent?
I sure do. Representing the Mid-west

What is the last song that made you cry?
Probably our wedding song. DMB Steady as we Go

Plans tonight?
Gym, them home, dinner and relax time

Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom?
No

Name 3 things you bought yesterday
I don't think I bought anything! Amazing!

Have you ever been given roses?
Yes

Current hate right now?
This budget ordeal

Met someone who changed your life?
I think all people we meet do, in a way.

How will you bring in the New Year?
Who knows, that's ages away

What song represents you?
I couldn't say. 

Name three people that will complete this?
Liz, Kara & Beth?

Would you go back in time, given the chance?
Absolutely

Have you ever dated someone longer than a year straight?
Sure have

Do you have any tattoos/piercings?
Yes, a small shamrock on my lower back

Will you be in a relationship four months from now?
Yes

Does anyone love you?
Yes

Would you be a pirate?
In a second

What songs do you sing in the shower?
Hahaha. I can't believe I'm admitting this but recently I've been waking up with the Winnie the Pooh theme song in my head... "Gotta get up, gotta get going, gonna see a friend of mine..."

Ever had someone sing to you?
Yes, several people

When did you last cry?
I don't remember

Do you like to cuddle?
LOVE it

Have you held hands with anyone today?
Not yet

Who was the last person you took a picture of?
Probably Justin

What kind of music did you listen to in elementary school?
Whatever was on the radio while I was on the bus or in the car

Do you believe in staying close with your ex's?
No

Are most of your friends new or old?
Both!

Do you like pulp in your orange juice?
No, I hate chewing my orange juice.

What is something your friends make fun of you for?
This list is endless, and not limited to friends, but also family and colleagues!

Don't drink and blog

Oops. Too late. I'm breaking my rule. I am waiting for Justin to come home from football/ the gym after a day of errands and (of course) a wander down Grafton St. I sometimes forget to eat when I am out and about so the lovely Pinot Grigio I am sipping is going straight to my head! Originally, I was planning on cleaning the house after I went to the gym this morning but the sun was out. And when the sun is out in Ireland you do not stay inside and clean. That's my personal mantra anyway. 

I was almost home when I heard a little old woman yell down to me from her building steps, "excuse me, miss, can you help me?" I love little old ladies, so was quick to oblige - when I went up the stairs to meet her I found out that she needed someone to zip up the back of her top, as she was going out to a fancy dinner. I went inside and found out her name is Mary and she's 75. She was bright, bubbly and very smiley. I instantly liked her.  She has lived all over the world... Manhattan, San Diego, Vienna, London; and is from the West of Ireland. I left telling her that she looked beautiful and to give a shout if she ever needs me to zip her top again. I really hope we meet again soon. I think we could be good friends.

Celebrating Spring

The past couple of days spring has most definitely sprung here in Dublin. Flowers are in full bloom, the buds on trees are turning into baby leaves, the birds are happily chirping and the sun doesn't set until 8 pm.  So today, when I could get no one to join me for lunch in Stephen's Green, I celebrated on my own. By buying a very sweet pair of black peep toed heels from Office. I needed new black shoes for work as my current shoes are in a horrid state. The streets of this city eat my shoes! So, see below for the most recent addition to my shoe collection. Are they not lovely?