One of these days...

Teach beag deas So we went to "view another property" today as we say. We are really getting into the jargon of this househunting business. This one has been on the market for 4 weeks and not a sniff of an offer. Someone should tell them to remove the interesting ornaments from the stairs... The guide price is about 20 grand too much.
Apart from that relaxing to the max and enjoying our amazing new broadband. Super cool and brilliant (I still hate Eircom the m*n*p*listic wh***s - is that slander? D'you think they'll sue? I'll take out vowels and put in asterisks instead and then I'll be safe, won't I?)
Okay gotta go. Abs has asked me to take pix at her gig this evening so I have to go down to the photographic mecca that is Rathmines and try and rustle up some half decent film. Good luck to ya Rosie!

Thanks to my new visitors and thanks for posting comments!

Kiwi Birds Dinners and her fella plan to keep us informed via their very originally named site:Colm and Linda's New Zealand Trip

Homebird So it's all over until May. No more work for Rosie. C?ard a dh?anfaidh m? liom f?in? Bhuel ar an gc?ad dul s?os, liosta fada do na jabanna beaga uilig at? f?gtha roimh an l? m?r!
Treated myself to a couple of CDs on the way home - see Sounds to the left. When we were at our parentcraft class on Wednesday we were shown the delivery room (which I was in again today - more anon...) Himself felt it made the whole thing very real. I was relieved to see it was a really comfy room, not a bit hospitally really (well apart from the small amount of monitors etc.). The best thing we found out is that they have a CD player and you are allowed play your own music. Himself reckons "Everything, Everything" by Underworld should hurry things along nicely or indeed "Push" from their album Beaucoup Fish. I was thinking of something a little bit more laid back. Please post a comment with your recommendations - I'd love to hear them!

Chocolate Fudge Cake
People are always asking me for this recipe. Dinners being the most recent and as she is off to Kiwiland, how could I say no.

Oven at 350C/ 180F
Grease a tin about the size of a biscuit tin like the ones you get for Christmas from aged aunts.

• 8 oz butter/ margarine
  
• 20 oz sugar
  
• 4 eggs
  
• 12 oz flour
  
• 4 oz cocoa
  
• Couple of drops of vanilla essence (optional)

1. Melt the butter/ marge in a large saucepan - all ingredients will be going in here so...
   
2. Remove from heat and stir in all that sugar!
   
3. Add eggs one by one stirring after each
   
4. Depending on your mood sift or dump in flour and cocoa
   
5. If you have it, throw in a few drops of vanilla essence.
   
6. Turn into the greased tin and cook for 30 - 45 mins. It can take a while and depends on what consistency cake you like as well.
   
7. Enjoy hot with ice cream or cool like brownies for a good few days.

I sometimes cut out a message in paper and sift icing sugar on top while it is still warm and it sticks well. Actually I haven't done that in years and years...

Movin' and shakin' This is how Frisky is doing according to Eumom "Baby's soft nails have grown to the end of the toes and fingers, and the hair on the head can be up to 1-2 inches long. In a boy, the testes should have descended. " The whole process never ceases to amaze me.

Leaving Yes I am leaving work to go on Maternity Leave today. To be honest my work here is done but I have a few little things to sort out before I go. I reckon the last day in work deserves a treat of some kind. Might nip off early and buy myself some new trousers...

Doctored I received my copy of Ois�n Deery's new collection of poetry "Yes, doctor" in the post. I only had a quick glance over some of the poems but first impression? Beautiful. You can buy your copy here from TAMA BOOKS - a bargain at around EUR15.

Ois�n is Kaybee's fella if you need another reason to pick up a copy...!

Google fined ?75,000 by French court By Christopher Noble - examiner.ie: "A FRENCH court has ruled against internet search powerhouse Google in an intellectual property rights case that could have far-reaching technological and financial implications for web search firms, who process tens of millions of queries a day. "

Serious weather Well the winter is here and the rain is back. But it's very odd - thunder and lightning. In Ireland. In late October. Since the middle of last night. Strange.
MET EIREANN - The Irish Meteorological Service

Just call me Biddy We've caught the bug and put a bid on a house. It's right on the edge of the cemetery in the map - nice and quiet anyway...
Oh man!

Scotsman.com News - Top Stories - The language of life: "Jack McConnell declared it his favourite book of 2002. It also caught the fancy of Irish president Mary McAleese and Northern Ireland unionist leader David Ervine. An Leabhar M�r, 'The Great Book of Gaelic', has made more of an impact than its creators had ever hoped. " Yeah but when is it coming to Ireland??

Maternity leave bill more flexible - Unison.ie
"A NEW provision in the Maternity Bill will see the compulsory pre-confinement period of maternity leave cut by half from four weeks to two, writes Caroline Crawford.
Minister of State, Willie O'Dea said the move will create greater flexibility for women. A further change will allow breast-feeding women adjusted working hours for up to six months - an increase of two months. This brings the maternity legislation into line with National Breast-feeding Policy which recommends breast-feeding up to six months.
Announcing the changes he said: 'These further enhancements to our maternity Protection Legislation will further strengthen the special rights and protection available to pregnant and breast-feeding employees.' "

Aaah it's a little...lesbian I dreamt that Himself and I decided to take the baby out for a while, just for a go, y'know. It was a girl and she had a mop of really blonde hair and was in fact Ellen de Generis - god only knows why!! Anyway when we tried to put her back in we couldn't. Not for love nor money. So I may be giving birth to a wilful lesbian. Analyze that!! It was very funny!

Oh my Only 30 days to go until the real waiting kicks in.


Gulp

Purchase of the week definitely goes to my newReebok 65cm Diameter Gym Ball. from Argos. Apart from the sheer comedy factor of being able to bounce through dinner, it is good for posture, great to encourgae Frisky into a good position for birth and basically one of the comfiest seats I have ever sat on. AND afterwards it should help me get back into shape - hurrah!

And it's very funny if you fart while you are sitting on it...!

And if that wasn't domestic enough We went back out and finally ordered new lino for the kitchen.

Housey, housey So started another major lifestage yesterday: Himself and I went to look at a couple of houses. My mother was right when she said we were spoilt in the house we are living in at the moment. I'd say we could have fitted the first house into our bedroom. But you have to start somewhere. The most astonishing thing about this house was the wallpaper - Himself thinks I am an awful snob but I pointed out that having a dislike of wallpaper is nothing to do with class - sure the most yuppy-ish magazine going is called Wallpaper... Anyway my big problem with this house was the bathroom was far too close to the kitchen. It had a great long garden though.
The second house was very nice indeed and a year ago we might have put an offer in but as it didn't have a bath it wasn't a goer - a 6 month old baby is too big for a baby bath. This house was at the other end of the spectrum decor wise and I know, I know, decor has nothing to do with it really when you are househunting but it does mean you can move in somewhere and live there without getting nosebleeds or nightmares. Speaking of nightmares the back bedroom in this place had a great view of Mount Jerome Cemetery - Himself reckoned it would be nice and quiet at least. Also a nice garden.
So I'm still optimistic. Of course we haven't got to the really hard part yet.