Back again

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My half-hour on-foot commute the other morning was slightly challenging, but super lovely.

It's been ages since I've felt like I had anything to write about. (It felt so try-too-hard-y to try making an interesting post about what we ate for dinner, or that how many times a week we have to clean the entryway of its sidewalk salt-stains.) But I keep thinking that I want to anyway. I mean, who cares? (Read: who reads this anyway? I see you, Mom. And I love you.)

The part that always brings me back around to wanting to blog is really the DESIGN part. I get so impressed/obsessed with the stuff I see around. It makes me go, "That's really cool. I want to do that." So why don't I? Ok, ok, I will. :)

So without further preamble (I always feel like coming back from a long hiatus deserves a 3,000-word update on everything that has happened since the last post), I'm just going to dive right in. And by that I mean, re-posting my old favorites (mostly the Travel stuff from my big 2014 Eurotrip) with some added commentary, and sprinkling in the new stuff as it comes.

Next up: Some updates.

:D

Turning 28 + Halloween in Galway

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Turning 28 + Halloween in Galway

Twenty-eight. 28. It just looks weird. So did 26 and 27. Somehow, after 25, they started to melt together. With these "late-20s," I haven't anticipated each individual age, (16! 17...was almost 18! 18! 19 was almost 20 which was almost 21!) so when a new one comes around, it's like, "Huh, we're back here again already?" Time, you old coot.

Apparently when you turn 28 your start using words like "coot."

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Irish pool has too-small balls, and other adroit observations.

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Irish pool has too-small balls, and other adroit observations.

The Irish do a lot of things their own way; phrasing ("Runners" are sneakers, you have "loads" of something instead of a lot, "having a laugh" means kidding, a "press" is a cabinet), scheduling ("Irish time" is a commonly heard phrase to note general tardiness, such as that of the bus). This weekend I can add to my list of these discoveries: Irish "pool." The balls are small(er) and are two solid colors instead of stripes and solids and don't have any numbers on them; the table is half the size of standard billiards and the rules seem to favor Irish players if you happen to be a non-Irish player. (Or so it seemed after a few drinks.) Needless to say, Team America lost miserably this last Saturday evening in a small bar the only bar in Letterfrack, in Connemara, a national park north of Galway.

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My new roommates like to play 'Power Rangers' and often have Nutella on their cheeks

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My new roommates like to play 'Power Rangers' and often have Nutella on their cheeks

My new roommates are 3-year-olds, twins and go by the names of Nathan ("Nate-dog") and Dylan; they enjoy Rugby Tots, tricycle-riding, sword-fighting in something called "Power Ranger mode," wrestling each other and lollipops; also, they would like everyone to know they do not eat vegetables, thankyouverymuch. Their mom Niamh, (pronounced "Neeve") is a wonderful woman who loves her boys but is definitely long over due for an extended spa weekend; their dad, Conor, works for the provincial rugby team and travels more often than not. The family's home just outside of Galway is roomy and welcoming; my bedroom is big and comfortable, and the kitchen is stocked with things like doughnut-shaped biscuits (cookies) and breaded fish fingers. Traces of 2.5-ft. tall humans exist throughout the suburban home; handprints of varying colors, dribbles, artwork, and two of every toy.

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Galway, Ireland: Students, spiders and a shortage of best friends with red hair

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Galway, Ireland: Students, spiders and a shortage of best friends with red hair

I'm in Galway and there are small spiders on the ceiling in my bedroom. At first I thought they were spiders, but they stayed in one place for so long and are so tiny they almost looked like small holes/cracks in the ceiling. Later, one crack had changed locations. Upon closer examination, it was confirmed: There are small spiders on the ceiling in my bedroom.

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Irish Arrival: Pretty good 'craic' and yes, there was Guinness

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Irish Arrival: Pretty good 'craic' and yes, there was Guinness

Greetings from my very cute Airbnb room! It's a cozy spot, right on the River Liffey that flows through the city from the Irish Sea. My host, Liam, is super kind, and laid out a very nice assortment of breakfast items for me; I went for the Traditional Irish stone-ground wholewheat bread with some Traditional Irish red currant fruit preserves. I don't know if Liam just purchases Traditional Irish Products for his hostees, for an authentic effect, or if people are just generally really into their Traditional Irish Products around here. 

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