The Joys

It's taken me this long to write about the joys of being back home but everyday I've been here there has been something to put a smile on my face. Living out in the countryside is good for the soul. It makes you remember and appreciate the simple beauty in life. Autumn is a good time to be in the country and there's nothing nicer than walking down the road and seeing the browns and reds and greens of the trees. It is true that it rains a lot in Ireland but it is also true that it can be pissing it down one minute and the next minute the sun is coming out.

Another reason I love bein home is having pets around me. I love taking them for walks and cuddling up to them in front of the T.V. and I even love when Paddy starts a row with me even though he's a rough bugger and would bite the hand aff ye. I love the way Rosie barks at him when he does this and tries to protect me from the evil Paddy. I love the way that two minutes after that Paddy will come over and sit on top of you and lick your face and be the softest wee doggy ever. I love Harry ze cat too the way that if you refuse to feed him for the 4oth time he'll come and lie on top of you no matter what you're trying to do.

I also love the fact that I get to see more of Nellymoms and Zoe and Bert. Zoe is trying to make a lady out of me and teach me to bake buns. She also encourages me with my photography and provides me with her posh digital so I can take pictures with ease. She has made me realise that a digital camera is necessary if you want to do photography because SLRs aren't always practical. I tried hard to resist the temptations of technology but it always gets me in the end.

Thursday nights are music night and Bert's chums come round with their geetars and mandolins and banjoes. I join in with my geetar and it's good practise for me. I also get severe fits of the giggles though when it's not going so right and then that puts me off completely and I can't play. Anyway, I salute these guys because they all pcked up their instruments only a few yaers ago and for some even less and they've come along great. Better than me who's been playing for longer.



Sometimes I get a wee pang for Stoke.