Hail fellowesses well met...

This is a picture of Sandra and Lisa - they were the ones who DID make it to the birth, although it all happened before they arrived, but they made the effort, which is what counts. I met both of them in the most interesting ways. Sandra, i met with a group of other women at a women's stand-up comedy night at the Duke of York three years ago now!!! I was there, alone, after one of my wanderings in Belfast on one weekend. It was a great weekend, i remember it well. I had gone to The Edge and had been having glasses of wine since four in the afternoon. I read that the Belfast Festival was having this stand up comedy and threaded my way to the Duke. There I took a table and then Sandra and crew walked in and asked me if they could join me. I said of course - and we have grown on and with each other since. After the show - where we were as much part of the performance as the performer - we went to the Art College. David Holmes was playing and we boogied the night away. It was mental. I got home at 6 am i think.

Lisa, i met at the grassroots gathering two years ago. She was heavily pregnant and was organising the whole shebang. Myself and Oisin peeled three hundred potatoes for the dinner, which took about five hours to prepare and we had a great time listening to music deep into the night. I love the fact that they were met on random encounters and we've become such good friends.

Parents arrive
Ma and Pa are now here and they have taken the house under their wing. Sleeping is a bit weird, but i'm sure we'll work that out. With any luck we'll get some renovation done this summer and then innumerable numbers can call on us and stay with us, especially since Belfast is now the most exciting holiday destination in Europe. I've been saying this now for a few years, but since Lonely Planet has said so, it's all official now.

Amhairghin is now sleeping and snoring, as babies can only sleep and snore. He's been strapped onto me since he won't be left down. I don't really mind, now i must say, since we're still in the one month confinement. I miss him kicking and moving inside me, and as strange as it may sound, i do miss being pregnant. I don't know why it was so different this time round.

The brain has been on the blink over the last few days i must say. I got very moody and teary for a bit there. I don't know what makes me go into the slough of despond at what seems to be a strangely suddenly rate, but i read some Thich Nat Hahn and felt much better. The mind is a truely remarkable thing.