Let Agreed

It's official! Hubs and I are movin' on up - out of our tiny one bed apartment and into a slightly bigger two bed (in the same neighborhood)! The lease was signed yesterday and we couldn't be happier to begin moving into our new place in just two short weeks. Pictures to come!

Lovely Dublin Weekend

Another lovely Dublin weekend out and about for hubs and I! We didn't do much but weekend flew by anyway. Saturday night we participated in a pub-quiz at the Waterloo to benefit a friend of Hubs going to India with Habitat for Humanity. With the help of Simon and Liz (and not much help from yours truly) we won first place! We proudly took home the bottle of [cheap] Brut champagne... yum!

Saturday was pretty low key. We strolled through the city stopping in a few shops, and even ran into good friends Larry and Beth! Ha! Small city :-) We took a pit stop for a bite to eat at one of Dubliner's top rated spots Lolly and Cooks. The sandwich was just okay, but the lemon cupcake after (I know - totally not on the diet plan!) was divine!!

Pausing to admire the pretty door/bird/plant

While walking back home I was drawn to the local flower man and these glorious sunflowers! Just €10... They are now sitting on the kitchen table. Lovely :-)

Sunday we decided to take a walk (turned out to be a very looong walk) to scope out prospective apartments. Our lease is up soon and we've been lurking on daft.ie so we were curious to see where our favorites were actually located. One of the places we liked was very near the Irish Sea, so we took a stroll down Sandymount Strand.

Sitting on the rocks by the Sea... Ahhhh...

By the time we got home it started to rain and we were famished, so we didn't feel one bit bad staying in the rest of the evening and watching a few episodes of the last season of the Sopranos courtesy of Larry and Beth!

Now that's how to have a very pleasant weekend and not spend more than €20.

A Weighty Issue

It's official. I have gained almost 10 lbs since we moved here last September. I am not a happy camper. Granted, I know I came here a little underweight, and this extra 10 pounds doesn't put me overweight by any means. But this is my blog and I'll complain if I want to! I knew I'd put on a few extra when my jeans started to get tight. Never a good sign. I need to face the facts. I have been eating way too much sugar, and not working out hard enough. Sooooo, time for action. No sugar for me for the next little while and time to amp up the exercise. This is my public statement, so if you see me pop a chocolate in my mouth you have permission smack me. Off to find something healthy for lunch now...

Hunger

Last night Hubs and I finally got around to watching Hunger, the film about Bobby Sands and the hunger strike in the 1980s in Nor'n Ireland. I have to say, I was a little afraid to watch it, because, it's one of those movies that you already know the ending and, well, it's depressing.

It was definitely depressing but incredibly well done. There is a scene in particular that I thought was amazing. It was where Bobby is talking to the priest about his decision to go on the strike. You can tell that the whole 15 minute scene was done in one take, with one camera. Really powerful stuff. I also found myself holding my breath because I could so easily imagine the stench of the prison cells... I definitely recommend the film. Go rent it. But I suggest not eating popcorn and chocolate during... you will feel bad.

Our Very American Date

Note: the following activities are not recommended for tourists.

Hubs and I were missing home a bit last weekend so our Saturday was filled with some of the things we associate with our home country.

We decided to take a short train ride to the Dundrum Town Centre which boasts the only American-like mall that I know of in Ireland (aka: lots of stores, shops, a cinema and restaurants in one big building). We first walked around the mall dreaming about buying a TV and an i-pod docking station (neither of which we have - yes, we are living in the dark ages). After a couple hours of that we went to see the much anticipated Brüno.

The movie was exactly what we expected. Same format as his last movie, Borat, and even more lude, ridiculous and offensive! My jaw was pretty much on the floor throughout the whole movie - but I still thought it was hilarious. I just don't get how this wasn't an 18 and up film! There was a ton of full frontal and I sure as heck wouldn't want my 16 year old kid watching it! Yikes!

After the movie we got dinner at the famous TGI Friday's to round out our very American day. It wasn't very good though :-( I had a mushy veggie burger and Justin had a regular burger. He wasn't very impressed with his either.

At about 7 pm we walked home in the very Irish rain. All in all it was a great day with my hubby (who, by the way, I've been married to for 10 months today!) !

60 things.... copied and pasted from Beth

The following survey was lovingly copied from my dear friend Beth's blog. I got sick of looking at my previous depressing post!

60 Things You Can’t Possibly Know About Me

1. What is in the back seat of your car right now?
No car.

2. When was the last time you threw up?
About a month ago from a tiny bout of the flu

3. What’s your favorite word or phrase?
Certainly.

4. Name 3 people who made you smile today?
Hubs, my sister (via email), and a guy that delivered our new boardroom table at work. That one was probably a fake smile though.

5. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
Just getting up.

6. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
Downloading a new sitemap to our webmaster

8. Have you ever been to a strip club?
No.

9. What is the last thing you said aloud?
Cool, thanks.

10. What is the best ice cream flavor?
Ben & Jerry’s Oatmeal cookie chunk (sadly it's in the flavour graveyard now) :(

11. What was the last thing you had to drink?
Water.

12. What are you wearing right now?
Skinny jeans, rolled up, birks, a coral t-shirt and black cardi

13. What was the last thing you ate?
Strawberry yogurt

14. Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
I bought shoes from Karen Millen last Sunday (they were 70% off!!)

15. When was the last time you ran?
I don't run so much anymore. I walk. I frequently run across the street though. I hate waiting for the pedestrian green light.

16. What’s the last sporting event you watched?
Hub's football game

17. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I want to go to Italy right now, and stay for 2 weeks.

19. Ever go camping?
I love not camping. I did love it back in the day though!!

20. Have you ever lost anything down a toilet?
Um, yes, actually last weekend I dropped my phone in a toilet at Stephen's Green Shopping Centre. And I stuck my hand in to retrieve it. It was the grossest thing ever, but my phone survived. Don't worry it's been disinfected!!

22. What is your guilty pleasure?
What isn’t? I love to read teen fiction, and watch sappy chick flicks, and will flip through any magazine ever printed. And eat chocolate while doing all of these things. (Beth - I'm leaving your answer because it is perfect!)

23. Do you use smiley faces on the computer a lot?
All. The. Time. :-D

24. Do you drink your soda from a straw?
If I have the choice, I always opt for a straw.

25. What did your last text message say?
"OK hubs, love u!"

26. Are you someone’s best friend?
Yes.

27. What are you doing tomorrow?
Going for a walk with Kara in the morn, then going to Dundrum for some shopping and a movie

28. Where is your mom right now?
Probably at her house. She has Fridays off, the lucky thing.

29. Look to your left, what do you see?
Susan's desk and other office type things.

30. What color is your watch?
Silver

31. What do you think of when you think of Australia?
Justin's Aunt Di - one of the most awesome people I've ever met!

32. Ever ridden on a roller coaster?
Yes. A small one that Rob tried to tell me was “tiny” and then really wasn’t.

33. Birthstone?
Topaz. I used to hate it but I really love it now! P.S. Beth, pearls are awesome and so classic!

34. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive through?
Car or not, we normally go in.

35. Do you have any friends on Facebook that you actually hate?
No.

36. Do you have a dog?
No, not enough room in our place :(

37. Last person you talked to on the phone?
Boardroom table guy

38. Have you met anyone famous?
Yes.

39. Any plans today?
Finnish work, go home eat curry for dinner and watch a movie.

40. From whom did you get this?
Stole it from Beth

41. Are you happy?

Yes.

42. Where are you right now?
In the office

43. Biggest annoyance in your life right now?
My J-O-B

44. Last song listened to?
I don't remember.

45. Last movie you saw?
The Jane Austen Book Club, and I loved it!

46. Are you allergic to anything?
Nope, not to my knowledge.

47. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
My birks are becoming my faves. They are the most comfortable shoes I own. I also enjoy my yellow patent flats.

48. Are you jealous of anyone?
Not really.

49. Are you married?
Yes.

50. Is anyone jealous of you?
I couldn't possibly know that.

51. What time is it?
4:44 GMT.

52. Do any of your friends have children?
Yes.

53. Do you eat healthy?
I try to, but sometimes I fall off the wagon!

54. What do you usually do during the day?
Work.

55. Do you hate anyone right now?
No.

56. Do you use the word ‘hello’ daily?

I would say I do most days

57. How many kids do you want when you’re older?
As many as I’m meant to have.

58. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
26

59. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
Nope - Cedar Point is where it's at!

60. How did you get one of your scars?
Bunionectomy