Monday, December 28, 2009

Our monkeys finally decided on a name for their new puppy.  They will call him Paxo.  This is not the Irish word for dog, their first thought for a name.  You might think it has something to do with peace.  It could.  We learned it as a product name - of the stuffing we cooked for Christmas dinner.  Paxo.  Nice choice for a name.

Kevin and I braved the icy roads today to go to town for some ibuprofen and a few necessities.  Two days before Christmas I was pitchforking some silage to the deer and strained my lower back.  I was really sore until today.  Ibuprofen saved me, but I needed more.  So, off to town we went.

The Royal Canal is still frozen.  Makes me want to go ice skating.  Which, by the way, led to us watching a youtube video of Torvill and Dean, Ice Dancing Gold Medal winners of the 1984 Winter Olympics.  You may remember their routine set to Ravel's Bolero, and perfect sixes from all the judges on their second set of marks.  To this day, this is my all time favorite ice dancing memory.  I was telling Kevin that the end of the VCR was a regret because I could no longer watch their taped performance.  So Kev was going to surprise me with the DVD, but found the video on youtube last night.  The internet can be a wonderful thing.

As we approached the first roundabout to town we realized that our wallets were still back at the house.  I circled the roundabout twice while searching my coat's zippered inside pockets and found 35 euro.  'Nough.  No need go back, whew.  Safe!  Then when we parked, Kevin checked his pocketful of change.  All these coins are 20 euro.

I am pleased to report a story with a happy ending.  In addition to being known as the "Chicken Lady" (from the time of Discover Mullingar Day when we had Mr. Fancypants on display), I am now pointed out as "The Honest Lady."  Before Christmas, while I was shopping, I found a small purse with money inside and turned it in to the authorities.

The purse was just laying on the floor in the common area of the small shopping center.  At first I thought it was a child's purse or a souvenir coin purse, brown leather with the word "Cuba" burned into one side.  When I unzipped it and saw the folded cash I quickly zipped it back up (I didn't even want to be tempted) and walked through the crowd to customer service.  There I removed it, unfolded it, and counted it out in front of the manager as she took the report.  230 euros! Oh, my!  That's a lot of money.  Somebody's Christmas  present shopping money, I thought.  Afterward, I went to the four other shops, in case the owner came looking, and  told them "a found purse" was at Tesco's, the grocery. 

Well, today, when Kevin and I were finished shopping, the cashier at our checkout somehow recognized me and said that the owner had claimed it.  Do Dah!  Happy Day!

This afternoon when Kevin returned from the big house he carried with him a pocketful of my favorite fruit.  Greg was not familiar with these little goodies and was happy to share them.  He had been given a whole basketful.  Remember we had seen them for sale in Cork for .49 EACH.  They are the best goodies!  Of course, I'm talking about Lychee.  What a terriffic surprise.

Big party tomorrow down in the lodge for Farm Safari revelers.  Greg has invited about one hundred people.  Then the following day our Indian friends from two months ago will be having another gathering/feast.  Let the partying continue . . . .

Happy New Year everyone!