The Irish Summer
The Irish summer has decided to stay. I dont think its rained in a week, which completely ruins my reputation as a credible weather predictor (based on my working days) – though I do expect it to still be sunny over the next two days while I work indoors, catching but a glimpse of daylight with longing in my heart, stretching forth my pale lifeless hand everytime someone opens the front door to enter, confined to the darkness of my labour.
It has been so hot infact, that last Tuesday saw me going for my first Irish swim. I caught a ride up to the cliff trail with a couple of girls staying at the hostel, and we walked (or rather staggered in the heat) along the cliffs and down onto the rocks to find a suitable swimming spot – suitable being one not already occupied. We ended up in a spot that was indeed isolated, but was not actually very good for swimming – a small pool into which the swell rushed, crashing against surrounding sharp and pointy and most-likely flesh-tearing rocks. But there was enough space between swells for one to get in, swim about frantically, then rush out, hoping ones gammy leg didnt give out, leaving one at the mercy of the incoming monster wave. Thankfully my gammy leg held out fine and there was no tearing of flesh by hungry rocks. (And luckily so as one of the more adventurous three swimmers was exposing rather alot of flesh – the French one – hence the neccessity for a ‘suitable’ swimming spot).
So what have I to say of my first Irish swim? In the words of the Irish, It was feckin freezing. And they tell me the water is warm for this time of year. Crazy Irish. I might compare it to rolling naked in the snow if I had ever done such a thing. I can compare it to a swim equivalent to one in the oceans of home – in the middle of winter. That kind of handnumbing, heart stopping cold. The only thing that made it bearable was being able to crawl (slowly with frozen limbs) towards the rocks and thaw out in the heat of the day on a scorching hot rock.
Today I went in the other direction to the coast and just hung out and poked around in some rockpools again – I cant help it – why dont they move?. I was tempted to go for a swim (in my undies) but after testing the water with a toe I chickened out… maybe just as well, to save anyone passing by the spectacle of very pale me swimming in my undies – though I saw only one person in two hours. There were horses though, who might be able to tell the difference between togs and undies so best I didnt. I spent my two or so hours instead painting in-the-field with watercolours, just like a real artist. First attempt not so successful and abandoned, but second not too bad – recognizable as sea, sky and land anyway.
The next two days I will work and then on Tuesday its off to England where the queen rules over her people with a ‘funny wave’ (as opposed to an ‘iron fist’), people say things like ”ere what?’ and ‘jolly good old chap!’, and everyone looks like someone from Coronation Street. I’ll let you know how mis-conceived my pre-conceptions are soon enough.
Tags: Ah Sweet Doolin
Em
Em you only work two daysa a week, isn’t “……while I work indoors, catching but a glimpse of daylight with longing in my heart, stretching forth my pale lifeless hand everytime someone opens the front door to enter, confined to the darkness of my labour……..” a little extreme.
Though on the other hand it is important to never lose sight of living the dream as “the idle rich”.
Well yeah, I only work THREE days a week but the rest of the time I do nothing and doing nothing is hard work. Plus I dont get paid for it – its all volunteer.
And Im pretty far off living the life of ‘the idle rich’ – closer to just living the dream as ‘the idle’. what Wow the word ‘idle’ is really strange if you look at it enough.
P.S You too can live the dream!
And since when are we on a first initial basis?
I too have been idle, leading to atrophy of “o” pushing finger muscles, hence the lack of “o”, however have been working out, promise it will never happen again.
How come you are working for free?
No you misunderstand. Im working for the hostel for Euros. Im working at doing nothing for Free. Its a hard life.