In the pink

It seems large chunks of Northern Ireland have gone pink this week in anticipation of the Giro d'Italia cycle race.  (Is that tautology at work?  Does everyone else in the world know what the Giro is?)  

Anyway, on my way home yesterday from the little lump of God's own country that is the beautiful Causeway Coast, there were pink decor bikes at the entrance to every village and town - and all along the wayside people were enjoying the joke.  Wish I'd had a proper camera with me - pink tractors, pushchairs etc.  

Shop windows had gone for all pink merchandise, but taking the biscuit really was the wag of a farmer who'd pinked half his flock of sheep.  I stopped to snap a pic with the phone's camera, so it's not great quality - but by the time I'd moved off, three other cars had stopped.  I can only imagine it's a plan to pre-dye the yarn for the biker's woolie jumpers.  Bella bella!  Not a baaaad idea really.

our latest graduate...

The l'il guy follows in the family tradition! It's the first non-university graduation ceremony I've been at here - though I think they're creeping in and I know they're very common in America.

It was the best entertainment for half an hour - I'm not sure when I last saw my father enjoy something so much and laughter is such good therapy. They trotted in behind the staff to their version of the drill instructor's song from Full Metal Jacket - "we are winners from the start"... and from there we had songs about numbers, colours, shapes, hygiene and a personal statement from each of them about something they'd learnt this year (table manners!).


So having been snowed out of the nativity play at Christmas, and security alerted out of sports day, nothing was keeping me away on Friday. I wouldn't have missed this for the world!

365:113 and 114 Catching up!

Friday was train day - very low on inspiration, so have settled for the real Holywood - Co Down. May day dancing round the May pole on Monday at the town's medieval fair.

Then Saturday - and shopping with the girls. Mum wasn't sure what size the shoe was, Fi got to read the sole and Ang had a good laugh. Next stop Moulin Rouge Mum!

365:091 Hey ho, hey ho...

...it's off to remedial class (for theology) we go.

Quote: "...and I thought they'd be good for illustrating a children's talk on Joseph and the rest of Jacob's seven sons... no wait... was it seven?"

Oh dear, oh dear, back to the drawing board - and where to start?! I'm definitely grumpy.

365:084 Seahill

Through the window of the train today... the Seahill halt. Maybe the place for inexperienced Irish water skiers? (Beats looking for a lake with a slope.....)

365:077 freaky throw

As someone who could go half a game of ludo before throughing a six to get "out", I was fiddling with an old camera film box to see why it was rattling, and out fell the six "farkle" dice - in sequence, one through to six. How often does this happen?! I've never placed a bet on anything in my entire life, but maybe I should have had a flutter or something today!

365:069 Ignore the mug... the contents are an illustration.

So, a nice story that illustrates beautifully the (mystifying) reverence held by Irish mothers for their sons. A colleague's brother had just started university and was visiting another student's flat.

"Would you like a cup of tea?" asked the host. "Lovely, yes please" was the reply.

"Milk?"

"Yes please."

"Sugar?"

"Yes thanks."

"How many?"

"I'm not sure, my mother usually puts it in."

You couldn't make it up could you. Needless to say, this story will follow him for life.

365:058 Lisnawhatsit

So, all attempted pronounciations please for where you'll arrive at 3 miles down the road? (Had me stumped for years.) Oh - and an extra few from the lovely sunset light up in the north coast on Saturday night. So, the Causeway museum, the beautiful sky over the ruins of Dunluce castle, the entrance to the Bushmills Inn and John Willis' painting of Finn at the pub . Enjoy.

365:057 dad?

I've never worked out what dad was doing half a mile away....

365:054 Signs of the times

Not a planned theme following yesterday's "stop" sign for the birds... but this one made me giggle this morning. It's on the drive through the grounds of one of the local schools (just at the Belmont Road roundabout for those with local knowledge!) and I think it says a lot.

D'you think it's a reflection on the old joke about this particular school educating the "cream" of society?!

365:053 "Fowl" play

Well it amused me this morning - the suggestion that the winged wildlife around Lough Neagh might be literate - they all seemed to be following instructions. I guess the guys perched on the railings were getting impatient though and none of the swans seemed to know why they had to "stop"!

365:028 Bee-have please...

So anyway, there was this geriatrician... and this gynacologist...

No, not the opening line of a gag, but a description of cast members on stage during today's photo - taken during opening night of the hospital panto ;o)

Captions please?

-

365:011

Playing hide and seek with a three year old..... "any one seen the l'il guy?" Oh for such innocence.