19.11 23 - I guess its marching season

Yesterday was Saturday and I was back out marching. It was so cute cos first Ghin and I went toTim Hortons for breakfast. It has been a very funny few days here.

Ghin was caught by me leaving school without permission with his friends. I sadly had to turn him in. Yes I ratted on my own son. Later that day we refused to speak with me - Isaid, yes indeed, you have your Miranda rights as I drove him to volleyball practise. Ghin is actually really good at volleyball. After that he was a bit more chilled out. He had had a good sesh and was shaking his head as we recounted his escapade.

Such is life.

We stayed the night and I made udon with tofu and peppers. For breakfast the next day we went to Tim Hortons. It was perfectly awful. I mean PERFECTLY AWFUL. The doughtnut I had which was Boston Creme did not have any chocolate, the sugar in it was gritty, the doughtnut itslef was meh and the creme in it had no creme. It was some kind of cornstarch sludge. The coffee was also awful. All round awfulness had to be given out. It was dreadful.

We then went to the march and I was an hour early. It was v exciting cos Colum, an ex-RSPB colleague had asked to meet up - he had asked if I would run with him to raise funds for Gaza and I said yes. I sent him photos of the boys at previous marches. So this happened...

Ghin said he wanted to stay in the car to sleep. What he really wanted to do was to SHOP in Belfast. Because I was an hour early I ended up returning early to the car... where he had DISAPPEARED. So that's where I learnt he had gone shopping. I then went back to Writer's Square where I thought, well you know what i'll go to the Mac and have a coffee. At the Mac I saw three Steiner families - their kids were still of the doing stuff on Saturdays leg of their lives. I sat on a large orange sofa and watched the world go by. How different Belfast was now!!! 

It was so busy. And the Mac used to be a sleep quiet place - and now people were queuing to by £3 coffee!!!! £3 - I was stunned.

After that I headed to the march around 1. When both Colum and Ghin messaged me. They had met at the light crossing and Colum had recognised Ghin from the photos! Both came along - along with Colum's wee very ginger and ringleted daughter, Eoiblaine. I think that's how it's spelled anyway. 

OMG I cant believe you recognised him!!! Ghin said to me I was wondering who this wee ginger man was? Colum said, the last time I saw you, you were ... I said probably in my arms?? Well Ghin was 5 really when I left the RSPB, Maybe 6. The both of them are now so so tall.

Then he had to go find his parents and Ghin and I headed home. I began trying to fix the Tv and Broadband package since the engineer had been missed, but to no avail. Then I spent 3 hours trying to get hold of someone from Sky to reschedule someone to come out. In the end I realised the number which the engineer had left was not a customer number but his own number... I said, look I will PAY YOU to come out and do this. He said, no, sorry - that won't help. But just wait till Monday and they'll reschedule your visit. I was OMG why couldn't someone tell me that in the first place???

Emma then came over and we talked about her episode and the hospital. The we booked ourselves on the ferry to Rathlin. So we are going to Rathlin next weekend - Emma's treat!!! Then after that I told Kevin and Anthony that Colum was looking for pple to run for his fundraiser and Kevin expressed his concerned about sectarianism and I told him really the whole Gaza thing is beyond sectarianism. Then I caught up with a couple of friends just exchanging Messages. Around 10.30 pm I told Ghin I was going to bed. I had waited for him to come along. I had made mash and was waiting to make the steak for him. He said, OMG I thought you were going to get me. So I did. He then ate his steak and declared it excellent. It was quite bloody but he said he liked it like that. I didn't intend to make it that bloody. We chatted about Colum and Anthony and Kevin - and I have realised that the people I have kept in touch with tended to by guys - not Singapore though, there's a good cross section of people. Then it was time to go to bed and so I did... and you know what, that was a pretty awesome day - even if I didn't clean the house. 

:)

Which is what I will do now. 

A good good life doesn't take an awful lot and yet it means everything