Ob-la-di, Ob-la-dah
Not alot to report this week Im afraid, life goes on as usual, though Im sure I’ll find something inane to babble on about. The wretched weather and the international events of the past week have left me rather unenthusiastic, content for the moment to lie around reading or eating scones, or even both at the same time. Ive been back to MY beach once and to my disappointment recovered skulls numbering zero, and carcasses also numbering zero. And also alas, someone stole my poking stick. Either that or I forgot where I secretly hid it, proving my secret hiding place to be an exceptionally good one. I found another stick but it didnt fit just right in my hand like the other and it chafed so I threw it into the air with a cackle and a shake of the fist.
Last Friday I did as intended journey to Galway where I stayed with my friends at the Salmon Weir, took myself out to the movies on Friday night and perused the Saturday markets. The movie was Batman Begins (as intended) and the verdict was ‘great despite the excessive voice transformation that came with the batsuit’. I went to see the movie at the new Eye cinema which boasts many technical sounding things and the chance to ‘escape into your dreams’. Basically it had a screen and seats that didnt leave me contorted in agony and so I was happy. Adding to my happiness were the hot pink bathrooms with space age technology taps that didnt work when you put your hands under them – but I liked the hot pink which is rare for someone such as myself. I also had the opportunity here (at the cinema not in the bathrooms) to experience the icecream heaven that is Ben&Jerrys that Ive never had the pleasure of experiencing before. Part of the fun was asking for Chunky Monkey flavour, which was good – banana with walnuts and chunky chocolate pieces. But the cookie dough was my favourite – just like Mums which I have a habit of picking at when shes not looking (ay Mum) – but with added icecream!
The markets promised more pleasurable food experiences and did indeed deliver. (I sense this entry is going to be more food orientated than anything else so if you’re on a diet stop reading). I began by wandering down through the markets making note of the more tastebud tingling morsels on offer. I compared price, aesthetic nature (colour, texture, movement), preparation environment and attractiveness of server and narrowed my choice down to one ultimate winner. The prize being to be eaten by me. The winning lunch choice was a food called Kitchiri from a HareKrishna-run stand offering vegetarian food. It was the ‘a complete meal in one’ description that got me. Just what I need. And the server though not overly attractive (nor unattractive) had an inner calm that often radiates from such people of religion and I concluded that this could only be beneficial to the food. Anyway, you want to her the details. Well it was a mixture of rice, carrots, potato and some other mushy things cooked into mush with mustard seeds, coriander, chilli and similar spices, and topped with pinapple chutney. I’d buy it again. After my complete meal I stocked up big time on sundried tomatoes, dolmades (Angs fav), olives and feta from the stall outside the cheese shop. Only the best sundried tomatoes, dolmades, olives and feta youve ever tasted. Then fresh organic veges, then best for last the elusive Galway market sushi which I carefully transported back to Aille River – my prized possession. Which some monkey stole and hid pretending he’d eaten it. So cruel. Its now a week later and my food stock is dwindling. I had potatoes for dinner tonight and I’ll most likely have potatoes tomorrow too. Though I can garnish them with my few treasured remaining sundried tomatoes. Tuesday will call for another food trip, maybe to Ennistymon where Ive heard they hold produce markets.
On a more serious note, I heard about the London bombs a few hours after they occurred only after an email from a friend. It fleetingly crossed my mind that the email was some sort of joke, but after checking the BBC website I learnt the details of what had happened. At that time only two people had been confirmed dead – that number steadily grew throughout the day. My mind was put at ease to hear from you guys over near London at the moment, that you’re all fine. These attacks seem to have affected me more than those in the past. Maybe because I have friends there, maybe because its closer to home, maybe because I was thinking about travelling to England in a few weeks at the time. But what has also struck me, is how often this sort of thing has happened in the Middle East or even up North here in Ireland with far less media attention. I am also curious as to the way life seems to go on regardless. We forget. Like sitting in the living area of the hostel the afternoon after the bombs occurred listening to conversations about bus timetables and Irish breakfasts, or finding myself looking at a recipe for pancakes on the web and then remembering – and almost laughing out loud at the absurdity of it. But then what else can we do? Life goes on and it should.
And back on a lighter note, today, that is the day after I was feeling rather unenthusiastic, I am feeling more enthusiastic. The sun, like clockwork decided to show its face the day before I start work – Im sure tomorrow will be dazzlingly sunny as always just to rub it in. But at least I got to enjoy some summer today. I walked down to the coast through fields overgrown with wild flowers of many shapes and colours, alive with the buzz of insects. The fields struck me with such a summery feeling I felt like lying right down and having a good old roll around. But the massacre of many living creatures for one’s own rolling pleasure is against the teachings of Swami Em. Besides the grass was kindof wet. I spent most of the day down along the coast under the blue sky watching sea snails traverse the rocky contours of rockpools (funny that they should be rocky) – that took a while as snails tend to move quite slowly. Then when I got bored watching the snails I poked a few things (as I have a habit of doing) just to see if I could make them move. Then having irritated enough of the local sea life I wandered back to the hostel, bought an icecream, read a book, met some people who lived on Gordon Rd in the Mount – small world. Then I had my potatoes and now I will sleep. Goodnight. Sweet dreams.
Tags: Ah Sweet Doolin
Em
dolmades…mmm…my fav…. to induce vomiting. And speaking of vomiting and also using your blog em for my own evil purposes… Pete was biking to work yesterday (in the words of Pete “REAL FAST”), with his mouth open…. and in flew a fly which also in the words of Pete flew right down his throat into his stomach where he could feel it buzzing. Instant reflex and Pete was vomiting his weet bix, orange juice (and fly) all over the streets packed with morning traffic, whilst still biking (REAL FAST). Just felt the need to put that out there for you all.
And a related question – remember the song about the woman who swallowed a fly (there was an old woman who swallowed a fly, I don’t know why she swallowed that fly, perhaps she’ll die…. and then she swallowed all those other animals to catch the fly?) Why would they teach that to young children?
The vast majority of kids songs, stories and fariy tales are pretty horrific, you dont even notice as a kid but looking back you certainly do.
Do you remember that Japanese story Mr Metcalfe played us on that tape, that was a jap kids story and had a badger? beating up that other animal with an oar?
yes! I remember that! the badger killed the wife and then the husband cooked the wife for food or something.. maybe the other way round. all I rfemembedr is it was really *messed* up – unlike most Japanese things. hehe.
anyway. Japanese people and German people (and people people) are scary.
not remembering the evil badger!!!! why o why was there a murdering badger?
But did the fly live post-vomit?
I think the moral of the song is dont eat flies. Seems a pretty reasonable sort of logic to me. Or maybe the moral is if you eat a fly dont try to kill it by eating more animals or you’ll just make the problem worse.
Or maybe its a song to quash the powerful vegehead-hippy movement. Swami Em does not condone the swallowing of any animals while still wriggling and jiggling. Except for oysters but they neither wriggle nor jiggle.
Uncertain as to the fate of the fly. Most probably drowned in orange juice and weetbix in a horrible death and lying legs up in the Repco car park.
was the wriggling and jiggling in the song? Am thinking it was but can’t remember how it goes – help? And what ate the dog after it ate the cat, bird, spider, fly?
a lion. and then god eats them all.
There was an old lady who swallowed a fly, I dont know why she swallowed a fly – perhaps she’ll die.
There was an old lady who swallowed a spider, that wriggled and wriggled and jiggled inside her, She wallowed the spider to catch the fly, I dont know why she swallowed the fly, perhaps she’ll die.
There was…..swallowed a cat, fancy that!she swallowed a cat, she swallowed the cat to catch the bird, she swallowed the bird to catch the spider she swallowed the spider to catch the fly ..etc etc
Then she swallowed a dog, what a hog,
Then a cow, I dont know how
Then a horse, a horse of course,
Then a camel, cos its a mammal,
Then probably an elephant but I cant think what rhymes with elephant.
Oh and there was a badger in there somewhere too….
did the badger kill the old lady and feed her to her old man husband in japan?
Ah yes Lyn. Thats exactly how it goes.
Not to cast aspersions on Em’s extended special directors cut “old lady who swallowed a…..” song. But (and this sounds in no way geeky at all I’m sure) we had a question at pub quiz the other week that was what did the old lady eat last. and we said horse cause “she’s dead of course” is how it goes. However seeing this old lady had one monsterous appetite I’m sure she wen’t on to consume all manner of beings I think they just cut it at horse and released it to the general nursery rhymes market hoping for another macabre winner.
And WTF is up with badgers. If I ever see one of these blighters I m running.
PS Em YOUR beach looks cool very rugged
there’s different versions of the old lady who swallowed…? (god, that doesn’t sound very professional, does it?) anyway. I’m now officially hanging out for the remix. wikka wikka wikka.