Up from the depths

[radegund]

I really don't know how it can have been so long since I posted. It's been a rellie-tastic few weeks. (I'm still skipping 60 on my flist, which is normally enough to inhibit my twisty self from posting at all, but feckit.)

We went to Belfast to see segments of niallm's family, and then down to Connemara with about 80* of my relatives. Oisín had the time of his life in both places.

In Belfast he had available for his amusement a fabulous young third cousin (five months his junior), a selection of devoted adult fans, lots of toys that went beep (and a few that went boop), bouncy balls, a park with a pedalled roundabout, and a very fine fox-terrier called Toby. Toby was the subject of a series of staged experiments on O's part, whereby he managed to bring himself from SHEER WHIMPERING TERROR on the first evening, through horrified fascination, nervous amusement and eager sympathy, until he was finally - FINALLY - able to pet the beast on the morning of our last day. It was absolutely fascinating to watch him put himself through what amounted to a desensitisation programme. I think we might have a determined son.

Connemara featured several more dogs, including a black labrador puppy who attached himself to our party when we were out for a walk on the first day and stayed around the place for the following week (I gather he belonged to a house some hundred yards down the road from our cottages). There were also cows, sheep, cats (who say mao! mao!), birds, trees, water, and a BIG DONKEY (bee doddy), who brayed most satisfactorily for us when startled by a brash motor vehicle roaring by on the tiny bog road. This by way of backdrop to the standard meetings, chattings, playings, charity coffee morning and kids' art auction, amateur film (featuring, among other things, Oisín being read to from his grandfather's recently launched novel), and wall-to-wall cousinry - many of whom were more than happy to play with the Oyster for hours on end. It was magic.

[ETA: Can't believe I forgot to mention our daytrip to Aran, where we saw seals and took tea with ailbhe's mother (whom Oisín recognised as an ally within about 15 seconds). It rained steadily for most of the afternoon, so we didn't really see any Sights, but it was lovely nonetheless. We'll have to go back for longer some time.]

Owing mainly to the on-tap toddler-surveillance, I read MOST OF A NOVEL in, like, five days! This is, in my current routine, unheard-of (a circumstance that pains me more than somewhat). The feat is even more remarkable given that the book in question was the not un-bricklike Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, which has left me agog with admiration (yes, OK, and a degree of envy - first novel, frazza-razza - but it's a motivator, so that's all right).

Oisín returned to our urban stronghold thoroughly convinced that he really ought to be allowed out the garden gate to explore at will, which given the road we live on is unfortunate. He's fenced in. This can only end on one of those trikes with the parental steering pole, which - OK, obviously they're safer and everything, but - make me sad.

Since we got back life has seemed inordinately busy. On Saturday I skipped choir rehearsal to go to a wedding, then went to the Sunday rehearsal (we're preparing for the Cork Choral Festival next weekend, so it's fairly frantic), after which I was so utterly exhausted that I went to bed when Oisín did, for the first time in ... probably over a year. I need to do that more often, but it completely wipes out my retire-and-regroup evening time, which I'm screamingly loth to give up.

Then yesterday, I met my boss to talk about taking on some freelance work (yay! luchre!), then had lunch with my colleagues before going to get my head shrunk, then home, dinner, and a gaming session. Then a horribly wakeful night. So ... actually it's not all that surprising that I've been feeling like DEATH MICROWAVED all day today.

Nevertheless, life is basically good. Perhaps now I've broken the ice, I'll post again soonish.

* Really, actually, literally about 80, not just comic-exaggeration-80. As long-time readers may remember, we do this every Easter.

Comments

[cangetmad.livejournal.com]

Hello! You've been missed. I did mean to say, by the way, does your relatively unscheduled toddler-keeping life offer opportunities for travel? We have a fine seaside establishment with some mod cons, also a beach.

Gnome, on her last visit to her biggest sister's place in Newcastle, had to do a rapid version of the same desensitisation to the two resident house-rabbits. It must be simple unfamiliarity, because she's bold as brass with cats which are bigger and more intrusive, and quite cheerful about dogs, too - we see a lot on our walks along the seafront.

[radegund.livejournal.com]

I just remembered that I'd never actually answered this comment. I'd so, so love to bring the Oyster to Edinburgh. In fact, I've been vaguely meaning to cadge an invitation suggest a visit for ages. Thanks very much for pre-empting me!

Timing is, alas, another question. We're surprisingly booked up in the next few months, what with one thing and another. Would late summer or early autumn work for you, in principle? Also, what are good ways of getting there from here?

(*is excited*)

[cangetmad.livejournal.com]

And so in retaliation I don't reply to you for ages. I have just been showing glitzfrau's you-and-Oyster pictures to the girlie, and she wistfully asked when she might get to meet you-and-Oyster (and niallm?), then I remembered that in fact we had not sorted it. Yes, that timing sounds good. I have a date with the sister and nephew on the weekend of 14th August and a vague plan to go interrailing with wonderlanded and Gnome for a week in September, but, yes. Do come!

[biascut.livejournal.com]

Aw, now I miss Oisín! Computer adults aren't a bad substitute for the real thing, but computer-mediated toddlers are quite pointless.

[felinitykat]

It's yoouuuu! I've missed you (not that I am one to talk about posting regularly).

(Please tell niallm that his calendar is very useful indeed, as well as lovely to look at, and thoroughly beats the 2003 one I had before that I was always too lazy to replace. Hurrah for serendipitous presents.)

[mollydot.livejournal.com]

Tell him I've had admiration and questions in work, where I have mine.

[ailbhe]

You are gonna love our trike when you eventually get here. Might take O some time to acclimatise though.

(Loan-Nana was dead impressed with O's response to her).

[ainetl.livejournal.com]

yay what a lovely post! i've given up worrying about posting when i haven't read flists. sometimes i great about it, sometimes i stink, and that's the way it is. no worries, there's a life out there especially with small children.

your traveling adventures sound fun for all, especially so for Oisín.

[kulfuldi.livejournal.com]

Nice to hear from you again. I'm delighted that O has got over his fear of dogs - perhaps he could give my mother some classes?