2 months worth. Still. Not much to say?

Remember those dust storms we had? Mad stuff altogether. Now I can get some semblence of what a sand storm would be like. Taste's like sh&t.

17^th October

At 17 months, Emma ditched the cot.

We didn’t have a lot of choice to be fair. As I was lying down on Aibhe’s bed one evening reading Hansel and Gretal, having put Emma into her cot (screaming) about 5 minutes earlier, I heard a noise in the kitchen. Alissa had left for pilates a little earlier, so, I wasn’t expecting anyone to be wandering about our house to be honest. I walked out and stood in shock as Emma walked over to me with her dummies (soothers) in hand. I think I said something like ‘What the f&ck are you doing here?’ I picked her up and put her back into her cot, back into Aibhe’s room and tried to pretend I hadn’t just seen that, and thought maybe Emma would forget what she had done. 5 minutes later I went back in and she was dangling on the outside of the cot, about to drop to the ground (on which I had placed pillows, just in case). Out of control. She did it again in the middle of the night, so the next day, decision made, she was going into her bed. That was 2 days ago, and while I have been in Auckland for these days, apparently she has settled into her new sleeping arrangements brilliantly and is altogether chuffed with herself. Can’t talk for sh&t, but sleeps in a bed. So many people talk about their kids getting to 2 years of age and over before they move from the cot. Ours? 19 months and now 17 months respectively. What the f&ck’s going on?

Auckland again. Really have not been doing too much travelling for the past 6 weeks or so, this was due. Pretty much pissed rain for the entire time I was here, made me feel at home. They’re a mad bunch the Kiwi’s. They whinge and moan like they’re suffering death by a thousand cuts when am in Brisbane – usually about stuff they really can’t control. But when I get here and sit down and chat with them, they’re nice as pie and all elements of confrontation disappear. It’s almost as if it’s a case of them just needing to be shown a little love. It’s the small island nation beside a big one syndrome I reckon.

So then, how are things? Am conscious that Christmas is a coming, meaning we’re getting to almost a year since we were home, and there are some people I have not been in touch with since. Terrible terrible stuff. Two way street and all that. Having lived abroad for quite a chunk of my life now (8 years all up counting Prague, Amsterdam, Australia, not to mention the two 4 month stints in the U.S.) I do realise how hard it is for those at home to find the time to keep in touch with all those who have left homes’ shores. For me, the idea of this blog was to make some effort at keeping as many up to date with the generic goings on of the Foley family life in Brisbane, so when we get to actually talk or e-mail (imagine – e-mail is almost become dated as a social contact medium already!) we can cut to the chase. Whatever “the chase” may be. Not the recession that’s for sure.

The good news is that the folks are coming back again after Christmas for a few weeks. Will be almost a year since being home, and the girls are getting geared up for it. Nana with her stash of jelly snakes in the cupboard. Hottest time of year of course, but, they’ve done it before and know all about it. As long as Dad doesn’t go climbing hills or cycling around the city in the 40 degree heat we’ll be alright. Obviously, Sinead expecting number 2 has curtailed plans for travel for a wee while for herself Ferg & Eoin.

03^rd November

So we didn’t win any money on the ‘Greatest Horse Race on Earth’ (or race that stops a nation if ye want the real cliché). Despite Irish horses coming 2^nd and 3^rd in the Melbourne Cup. It is genuinely quite a big deal over here, and being someone that really does not ‘get’ horse racing fanatics, I still don‘t get this either. Never won anything on the Grand National at Aintree either so maybe it’s my lack of betting prowess.

We’re into our 2^nd week in Peppers resort in Kingscliff, about an hour and a half south of home, just over the New South Wales border. Amazing spot. Unbelievably good for kids. We’d thought about a week, but realised that to ‘switch off’ completely, 2 weeks would be needed. First time I’ve done a stay-put “2 weeker” for……16 years I think. That I think was the trip to Portugal with Ken, Annemarie, Deirdre and Simon if I remember rightly. The auld trollies. What I can remember of that trip is

- A helluvalot of Sangria in Villa Casa Mario

- Bar-b-q’s in the pissing rain holding umbrella's over the bbq

- Buying a gigantic bag of 'popcorn', and almost burning the villa down as we discovered it was in fact chicken feed we had bought. How the check out girl must have laughed.

- Almost crashing on the first night as I drove our rental on the wrong side of the road as we went to find booze

- A very nasty dog near the villa that scared the bejaysus out of us every time we walked down to the local bar. I should remember the bar man’s name really.

- Kiss the nightclub, where the Stereo MC’s were the band of the moment and where Deirdre flirted with the DJ's everynight. Felt like we were the only ones in there most of the time.

- Something to do with me shoving balloons up my back and not thinking bouncers would notice me taking them home.

- People doing it right behind our seats in the nightclub

- Hot chicken piri piri (pronounced with the very heavy Scottish accent of our travel agent)

10^th November

Lovely holiday had – and coming back to work was actually tough this time! Aibhe and Emma had a blast.

But, tis time for me to load this up on the blog. Back at work with a bang.

And Christmas is coming quickly.

Here's a couple of recent video clips.... listen to the end of the goat feeding carefully........