A Boreen

Ireland is a very small country.

Which means, very small roads.

When I first moved here I was nervous even being a passenger in the cars here. I felt that the driver was going too close to the walls, the others cars, the pedestrians etc.

And learning how to drive here on the narrow roads and on the wrong side of the road/car? even harder!

but eventually I learned. I feel like it has made me a better driver. more cautious, smarter.

maybe.

But I have been wanting to film a small road near my house for a while.

The Irish call this a "Boreen"- meaning small country road or narrow road in Gaelic.

This is a road I use as a short cut into town to the grocery store...its pretty small....probably even more narrow than it looks on the film....

But anyways...here is a short youtube clip of it- there is a small part on a much larger neighborhood road first...hope it doesn't bore you too much...and yes I was going FAST!







There is some honking in the video....I learned that a lot of times on these small country roads there is a completely blind curve and to inform whomever might be on the other side there is a car coming (including other traffic) you honk....and hopefully they stop!

The road is TWO-WAY....there are almost invisible little gaps in the road where you can kinda pull your car into when another car is coming head on...leaves less then a foot between the cars to pass...a little nerve wracking but you get used to it...

That day that I filmed I met no one- but- I have met several cars including a car that forced me to reverse over the bridge and into a freaking hedge!! I was NOT happy!

oh and also....most of that greenery you see on the sides....that's not bushes...those are mostly weeds growing out of stone walls....that line both sides of the road....no room for error people!


And that folks is a country road in Ireland....and not even CLOSE to the smallest I have been down at that speed.....there are MANY small country roads here with grass growing down the middle...and YES they are ROADS!!

much to my surprise.....even to this day.

sometimes you just need a moment

I want to say thanks.

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

Its so so hard for me sometimes.

I just need to vent. I need to let off steam. (honestly....i need a soundproof room to scream in. but those are in short supply around here)

Thanks for reading. no one likes to hear someone elses problems. but it was nice.

nice to say my thoughts out loud.

nice to get it off my chest.

thanks. i love you all.

My head: Wrecked.

There is an expression here in Ireland (im pretty sure we dont use it in america....im starting to get confused on little things like expressions and ect.) - My head is wrecked....meaning you could be hungover, have a headache or be stressed out. (there is also an expression "wrecking my head" but thats more for when someone or something is annoying)

Well consider my head wrecked.

I'm not hungover, I dont have a headache, but I'm just so stressed and disappointed. and I'm so sick of feeling this way.

Living here in Ireland hasn't been a very smooth ride for me. I struggled quite a bit my first year and now that I'm halfway through my second year I feel like I havn't gotten any further towards goals and dreams that I have for my life here.

I feel so stuck. Trapped.

I had a good job in america. I had a good car. great friends. comfortable life.

I left it all behind. and sometimes....I really really regret it. Sometimes I just want to go home. I want to wave the white flag, stick my head in the sand. No more.

I went home for 3 weeks. It was great. I came back feeling refreshed- thinking "ok I can do this- I WILL get a new job I WILL make a more comfortable life for me and my husband."

Nothing. Nothing is happening. I've applied for hundreds of jobs. I've reworked my CV countless times. I get interviews but I always get rejections. I don't think I can stand the rejection anymore. Little disappointments overwhelm me.

I just don't understand. I can't figure out what it is. What essential thing am I missing that other people seem to have? What is it about me that is so undesirable as a candidate for employment?

I know that these feelings will pass. one day. But its just hard. I don't even want to apply for jobs anymore. I try and tell myself that I will not get my hopes up, to remain neutral, but inevitably I always do. I always start dreaming of opportunities that a new job will offer. and then, when the rejection email or letter arrives I can't help but to shed a few tears and become overwhelmed with bitterness.

Right now I don't even want to end this post on a positive note of any sort. I know I'm being a total killjoy at the moment but I need to get all of these swirling thoughts out before my brain explodes. I never knew how difficult things would be over here- trying to get ahead, trying to make a good life for myself and james. I feel so alone and so hopeless. If I knew before I left america what I know now....I'm not sure I would have moved over.

I'll be waiting oh so impatiently...

by the mailbox for this little beauty.....

A couple of months ago another blogger, the very cute Fried Pink Tomato , posted some of these prints on her website.

I lusted after a Richmond print for a couple of months in my mind and finally decided to look them up and check the prices....

and it was super cheap! Less than 20 euro including shipping!

I love the print and its a great way to keep my hometown close to my heart. I can't wait to hang this little beauty in my home!

It is also going to require a trip to my very favorite place in the world...IKEA!!

The Etsy person (i dont know the correct terminology here) has sized it to fit an Ikea frame perfectly so even framing it will be nice and cheap....very thoughtful!

She does all kinds of cities and you can even email her requests....we asked her if she would do one of Limerick so we can represent both of our hometowns!

If you want to check them out for yourself here is her Esty site.

Hurray for cute pictures...hurray for mail that isn't bills!

Hurray!

Day trippin it

A few weeks ago James and I headed to the Cliffs of Moher for a small day trip.

I live so close to all of these great places in Ireland but I just never seem to make the time to go and see them So I decided that it was finally time to start checking them off my list. (and believe it or not, James hasn't been to most of these places either....I can't believe that someone could live somewhere their entire life and never go and see some of these great sights in the country!)

It was only about an hour drive from Limerick which I didn't think was too bad at all. It actually would be only about 40 minutes except for the fact that half of the trip was on tiny little country roads like this one:

And in reality- That road is a pretty main road. and it is TEENY TINY. The speed limit is 60 on the road and people FLY down it. Huge trucks included. It was pretty nerve wrecking for me when I first started driving here to get used to these little roads, while driving on the wrong side of the road.


Here's me driving somewhat nervously- There are stone walls on both sides of the narrow road (just for ease of driving...har har) A very old way of fencing the fields off. The walls are a little more permanent around where we were- but in other parts of Ireland these stone walls are piled really simply because they take down parts of the walls to move livestock between fields and then pile them back up after they are done.


Here is a picture from the parking lot- the views from this area in Clare are really nice- This is facing towards Lahinch- a small seaside village.
This is the classic shot of the Cliffs- Pretty much the first view you see when you walk up the hill. A lot of times the views can be obscured by fog and rain but we got a nice and clear day! Even though it was very gray and cold. (I didn't wear a coat and wish I had.....this is during JULY people....JULY!!!)
The Hubs and I. I was having a weird face day....I kept on Chandler Bing-ing the pictures.


A small turrent on top of a large hill along the cliffs. This is where people are able to go inside and walk to the top. The view of the cliffs is the best from the top but we decided not to go up there. We already had to pay just to see the cliffs and didn't feel like shelling out another 2 Euros apiece to walk to the top of the building.
The far side of the Cliffs- to the left straight out in the ocean are the Aryan Islands. You can actually see them from the Cliffs, which I thought was pretty cool. I can't wait to go and see them one day soon!
This picture is just to show you how close you can get to the edge. Yeesh. I was VERY uncomfortable taking this picture. There are fences of course, but it is very easy to walk over them and walk out further along the cliffs- which most people do to get some really great pictures.
The north side of the cliffs- I couldn't get over the beauty of them!

This is a plaque near the North side of the Cliffs for all the People who have lost their lives there. Suicides do happen there, tragically enough. I just found out this week- A girl that I work with, her brother ended his life at the Cliffs this past week. I think that its just so sad. Such a beautiful place and it has such a tragic end for some people.

Wogging

Jogging + Walking= Wogging

A friend of mine said this the other day and we stole it. And are now abusing it and loving every second of it.

I love making up new words out of other words.

Anyways.

So two girlfriends and I began wogging this week. Hard core wogging. UGH.

You see, we are kind of in shape. Well not a fit sort of a shape. A squishy kind of shape. But we all have done at least one race before (one girlfriend does several every year but has yet to complete one running all of the way...a new goal for her) and so we figured if we wog together we will keep each other on point.

But yeesh I am so un-fit at the moment. After two days of wogging a lot of things hurt that I don't particularly want sore. Muscles that I use a lot more than I realized. Stupid exercise.

Don't get me wrong, I'm pleased with myself. I've been moaning about wanting/needing to exercise for a while now and so I'm happy that I'm getting out there, but I would rather be over this tough uphill start and be on a much fitter plain.

Time and patience. And lots of wogging.

And maybe I can finally go from this:

To this:

brownie smores....yum!

For my birthday this year my little sister-in-law got me these brownies for my birthday!

Look how cute this bag is with the little spoon and bow!!

They were awesome for two reasons- 1. Brownies don't really exist in Ireland. 2. Smore's DEFINATELY don't exist in Ireland.

oh- and 3. ready made mixes like this are a rarity.

My little SIL really knows how to win me over :)


Well so I forgot to take pictures of the mixing process. But If you have ever made brownies then you already know what happens/ what it looks like.

Note: NOT burnt. Huzzah!

The box said I needed to bake them for about 40 minutes, that was a lie. Or I got my temperatures wrong. sometimes converting Celsius to Fahrenheit doesn't go so well for me. I cooked them about an hour and maybe ten minutes.

Then you top with mini marshmallows!! I thought the spaces would matter but I forgot marshmallows puff up. Duh.

*WARNING* Marshmallows cook really really fast. One should not walk away from a very hot oven after placing marshmallows in it.

Note: BURNT. waaaa!!

Cause then this happens. Burnt Marshmallows. YUM. not so much. But I just told James I was going for that authentic campfire experience.

I left the brownies with marshmallows in the oven for about 2 minutes.....big mistake! I should have left them in there 30 seconds tops!

But.....
In the end it didn't Matter- They were still delicious!! They look really nice as well when cut open! (that's Graham cracker crust on the bottom there!)

I know this was a pre-packaged mix but I know it is super easy to make at home as well...

to make these brownies all you need is:

One package brownie mix (follow all of the directions on the box to make the brownie batter)
2 cups crushed graham cracker- or maybe a cup to half cup more depending on how thick you want your crust!
3/4 stick butter, melted.
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

Mix together the crushed graham crackers and melted butter and press into a small baking pan. Place in a preheated oven (325 F) for about 10 minutes.
Spoon the brownie mix over top of the baked crust and make smooth. Place into the oven and bake for about 40 minutes (or until the knife comes out clean from the center of the brownies). Then turn the broiler on and wait for about 5 minutes for the broiler to heat. cover the top of brownies with the marshmallows and bake for about 30 seconds or until all marshmallows are fluffy and NOT BURNT. (unless your going for that genuine campfire experience as well!)

I hope you enjoy! I thought they were pretty good- and now I need people to come over and eat some before James and I eat them all ourselves haha!

All of this baking and blogging has tuckered Neko out.

well....actually most things tucker her out! But shes so freaking cute when she sleeping I don't mind one bit!