It’s late February in Dublin. The days are sometimes sunny, sometimes grey and wet. On days of the grey/wet variety I get the most out of my Dublin Bus Rambler Pass. I stare out the slick windows, at the lights, the raindrops, the people, the damp borders of the Green. My body is here: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkaxDLeNW5g&hl=en_US&fs=1&] […]
Ireland
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The Gift of the Pancake
E got off the bus and wandered towards the scent of chocolates and strawberries and caramel and lemons and vanilla and sugar and heaven. Dawson Street was always busy this time of day, but she was being pushed more than usual – jostled by a throng that seemed to be converging in front of a […]
Things I Am Allowed to Say*
*according to Sean Give out – as in, “Sean gave out to me for yesterday’s blog post.” After – as in, “Sean’s after coming home from work.” Well – as in, “I’m doing well today – not good, because if I were doing ‘good,’ I’d be Wonderwoman.” Biscuit – as in, “This hard thing that […]
Things I Am Not Allowed to Say*
*according to Sean Chancer – as in, “I can’t believe they tricked me out of two euro; what little chancers.” Knacker – as in, “I saw some tracksuit-wearing knackers throwing snowballs at an old lady.” Ye – as in, “Quiet, the pair of ye.” Like – as in, “What a little chancer, like.” So – […]
Life in the Fast Lane
Dubliners, fear not the immigrants taking your jobs – fear the machines. The Self Checkout/Fast Lane at TESCO. Step 1: Press Start and away we go. Step 2: Scan. Lose precious seconds by trying to find the bar code on your item. Step 3: Place your scanned item in the scale next to the computer. […]
Kiss Me, I’m Blarney
It’s just a 20-30 minute bus ride from Cork City to Co. Cork’s most famous sight; Blarney Castle. I’ve never been. Kissing the Blarney Stone has been far down on my List of Things to Do While I’m Living in Ireland – far below “run with the sheep” (#2) and “visit the Aran Islands” (#4). […]
Off the Wagon
So a few weeks ago, I wrote a love letter to farmers’ markets and butcher shops. Buy fresh, I raved. Kale and salmon and yams and curried quinoa. The next farmers’ market is just around the corner! Fresh artichokes and heirloom tomatoes will be mine! Etcetera. And then, sometimes, Sean has 3 classes of number-shy teenagers […]
Spelling Bee
“I’m bored.” I say. “Can we play a game?” “Okay,” he says. “What do you want to play?” “How about shiritori?” “I don’t know; I’m off shiritori lately.” “Really? But it’s so much fun.” “Eh.” “How about another kind of spelling game then?” “Oh, bollocks. You know I can’t spell. Why don’t you spell words […]
Along the River Liffey
Away from Temple Bar, away from the tourists, away from the sound of my own feet pounding the street in the same 6 euro faux snakeskin flats every girl in Dublin bought from Penneys last Autumn. Along Eden Quay, along the River Liffey, towards the Ha’penny Bridge. Towards the woman on O’Connell street who sells fresh-fried […]
Chilled to the Blain
While I was growing up, I liked nothing more than curling up with a good book. Any book; mythological tales, teen horror, childhood classics. Every so often, within the first few sentences, I became aware that something was amiss. “U”s where they didn’t belong. Transposed “r”s and “e”s in words like “theater.” Children who drank […]