T, G or U: It's always the way

Once upon a time there was a lonely girl. People told her she would not be so lonely if she found somebody. But she did not want just anybody. She wanted to marry a real gentleman. She searched high and low but could not find him. She saw people who were male. She saw people who claimed to be gentlemen. But they were not real gentlemen.

One night, there was a terrible rain storm. There was a knock on the door. A man stood there who did not say 'I am a gentleman' but the lonely girl liked him anyway. He was very wet from the rain. She said he could stay in her conveniently located house. Having read a rather good story, she searched her house for a hard, dry pea. She placed it under his bed. In the morning she asked, 'How did you sleep?' and he replied 'Terribly. There was something strange in my bed.' And she replied 'Ooh sorry, I got lonely and wanted some company.' And he replied 'Okay, there was also a hard object in my bed.'
She declared, 'You ARE a real gentleman. Only a true gentleman would not have said something nasty about my incessant need for company! Will you be mine?' And he replied, 'Sorry, I have a girlfriend./Sorry, I'm gay./ Sorry, I'm not interested.' So the girl was lonely for ever more.

Jingos, I'm talented!

As you can tell from my story, the subject matter of today's blog is my sheer disbelief as to how I could encounter such an extreme proportion of these three categories in my 21 short years. My friend Hannah coined a wonderful phrase when we were at uni 'Taken or gay, it's always the way.' and I think this is very true. And I think the rather unspoken category, judging by my track record, is that of uninterested. Sometimes I get so sick of always being the one who has to pursue people, only to discover they just aren't that interested. The worst part is when they make you think they are interested in really obvious ways but then can completely change their mind the next time you speak. Why??

So, there I was, two days ago, thinking I'd met not one but two nice guys and that I was finally beginning to settle in here. But alas, within two days I realised one is completely uninterested and the other one has a girlfriend. Sweet niblets!!

Anyway, this has been a bit of a rantasaurus, and I'm sorry if you don't enjoy the change from the normal blog format, but I really needed to get this off my chest.

Shall I give you an update of the highlights of the last two days. Well, let's go backwards. Today it was absolutely crapping it down outside, so the whole day has been spent getting wet and wearing waterproofs. On the plus side, think I'm doing a bit better with the kiddies these days. This afternoon, the three of us tried to go to zoo because the family have unlimited tickets because...wait for it, they own shares of the zoo. I thought that was pretty cool, until I opened the zoo brochure upon arrival and seen that one of the animal sections is literally named after them. Jeeeeepers!!! Unfortunately, it was too rainy even for us so after about half an hour of legging it between indoor enclosures, we had to call it quits. Luckily, got to see penguins, hippos and even eat our snack with the kangaroos...and there was a little joey there! Awwww! It was the closest I've been to anything Australian in a while- I want to go so baaaaad!!!

Have you ever tried controlling two mischievous under 6s on a tram before?? It's not too easy...that's all I'll say! I was glad to get home, that's for sure!

Yesterday was one of the best days I've had here yet, close to Sunday's standard. As I was off after lunch, I decided to try and meet up with Sam to catch the tram together into the city before our classes. So, after a pleasant journey, we arranged to meet up for dinner in Paddys after lessons. Class was great as usual, I really love going and learning! As his class finished an hour after mine, I went on to the pub on my own and had my usual Magners- got really close to ordering 'the usual' off Craig who served me and had a nice chat as usual. There was also a gorgeous new bar man working so I had to get chatting to him too- you know what I'm like! He was 22 and called Finnton and was lovely too, but I could tell the barmen didn't really want to talk to me as they were very busy and I know they were thinking I was just a complete loner!

So, needless to say, I was very relieved to see Sam arrive. I actually made sure to say to Craig 'See? Look! I do have a friend.' and he said 'Never doubted it for a minute!' Haha, oh the banter! So we ate some massive chicken burgers and chips and had a lovely time. I taught him some Irish/English slang which I wrote down for him to memorise in his notebook. The whole evening he was a perfect gentleman. He opened doors. He let me go first. If I dropped something, he picked it up. He even insisted on paying for my dinner. Everything screamed date except for his lack of single status. Very strange indeed. He even gave me a lift home in his car after the tram, rushed around to open my door for me and all, and we sat outside the house singing with the radio and generally being strange dorks. It was a lovely late evening and I know I at least have a friend now.

Still, what is it with me and people giving me cryptic mixed signals?? I must give off some weird sort of vibe or something...

At the minute I have no weekend plans...bit awkward :s

Mr Uninterested doesn't even need to be covered in the blog. He wouldn't be bothered to be interested anyway. Shame...

Nil points...but big love

 Bonjour mes amies! I thought it was ripe time for me to update ye olde blog with the latest headlines of my life. Today it is raining. For the first time in a week. An apt illustration of the rivers of tears I long to cry in relief that I have FINALLY done an exam!

Yesiree, I am officially on the map...or timetable as the case might be. A half hour exam which was the academic equivalent of Blind Man's Bluff....a multiple choice English exam!!! I got on the bus this morning and accidentally sat next to my professor for this class...luckily, she didn't have a clue who I was. Secret identity maintained *phew*

Tapas central!!!

Still, it's all over...and I am very happy about finishing it. I deleted all the documents for this module off my computer in a very laissez-faire wa- Long gone. Moved On.

Stupid Loreen...

In other news, my sister Suzanne came to visit for a few days as it is the last time we shall meet. Indefinitely. She is moving to California mid July while I am still in Barcelona so we shall not be at home together again for heck knows how long! It was all very final, seeing her off at the train station, sausage bap in tow. Wherefore art thou, sister friend?

She arrived on Saturday morning, where we indulged in Starbucks frappucinos before returning to the house for a spot of sun bathing. It was reaaaaallllly hot! In the evening, we ordered Chinese takeaway and the five of us watched Eurovision. I was cheering on Jedward because I love them and Roman from Germany because I love Germany too! Alas, Sweden won. I have nothing against Sweden...or even the song...but that Loreen woman dances worse than S Club 7 these days (Have you seen them? They're not in the best shape...)

Sunday we relaxed in the garden for most of the day, stopping for regular ice pop breaks and the odd shopping trip to Booths.

Our next door neighbours here are pretty annoying. The mother yells at her children. All the time. And she sounds like Howard Wallowitz's mother. I never really knew what she actually looked like though, as it was only ever the father who ventured outside. Anyway, thanks to my sister's excellent photography abilities, we now have the visual aid you are all dying to see. So here it is. John and Joleen.

Big Love.

                                                                                     Positioned next to their lovely bench, which I'm almost certain was hand-crafted by John in a wannabe Joseph move with his son, Jay. (Is it a coincidence that both their names begin with J like their predecessor carpenters? I think not...) So, we were all equally delighted and repulsed by this lovely picture so I thought it was necessary for me to share. Someday I hope I look like a fat angry baby and look so in pain when I hug my much smaller husband. Living. The. Dream.

On Monday, we again stayed mainly in the house, although we did go and walk a dog at the animal sanctuary where me and the girls are volunteers. We met Harry. A dog with a bit of a personality. It was more akin to taking a stroll with a friend than walking a dog. He was elegant and polite and never pulled on his lead. It makes a change from my own mentalist of a dog who sometimes hops with a bunny because she cuts off circulation to her back legs by choking herself with a lead.

His Lord, Harry, with Josie and me

On Tuesday, me and Suzanne went into town to watch 'What to Expect When You're Expecting', armed with pick and mix from W H Smith. This was my second time seeing this film. It's probably a bit weird that a young thing like me enjoys films about babies so much but it is genuinely a really funny film, treating things in an honest, interesting and often sad way, with a lovely balance of laughs to tears. After the cinema, we met up with Josie and went out for tapas in the lovely 1725, a favourite spot of ours in town. Such nice food and a really atmospheric location. We got 8 tapas between the three of us and got two of these for free, much to our delight. We washed it all down with delicious Sangria and good conversation.

Me and Suzanne- tigers grrrr!

Me and Suzanne...and Barbie.

As I waved away Suzanne on Wednesday morning, I felt very sad. I walked back to the bus stop in a daze of disbelief. No more friendly chats with my sister in our pjs. No more inside jokes. No more reminiscing. It's a really disturbing period of life to be entering. I know I should be used to it because I've been living away from home for three years but I always knew I'd be returning home for holidays and I'd get to catch up then but now....there's just nothingness. And loneliness.

Being a grown up is going to be really hard.


However, I don't want to finish my blog on a negative point so I'll conclude by saying this.

In 11 days time I will be done with my exams. In 24 days time I will be in Barcelona. Everything is happening from now on. It's important some times that I can just sit back and try and relax. I am glad to still be with my friends for the next 20 days. I am happy I have had the chance to see both my sisters for a final time recently. I am excited for all that is going to happen soon.

Sisters are good. Next door are strange. I have wet hair.

QOTR

Here comes the sun?

Weather in Greece

This entry is from an utterly miserable windy, rainy tragedy of a country. While I listen to the delightful sound of rain ricocheting off my windows, I think to myself 'Ah, Bliss! I'm so very blessed to live in a country which offers such a wide range of weather conditions: if our days aren't filled with hailstones, it's hair-tangling wind, or snow storms, or heaven forbid some hazy clouds where, if one should squint way up into the distance, might spy a spot of actual blue skies. Blessed are we indeed!' When you are as blessed as I am to have hair resplendent of William Wallace (you can take my lands, but you cannae control my hair!) you really come to wish that you lived in a country that wasn't quite so windy!

Weather in Italy

So, being an inquisitive sort- and an all-around legend (although that's neither here nor there!), I've taken it upon myself to make a study of some current temperatures across our glorious range of European countries. That's how fair my study is, not even stepping out of the continent, keeping it only two hours maximum time difference.

Weather in Malta

As I'm sure you can see, by my beautiful print-screening abilities, it's all looking nice and sunny. Everybody is well and truly loving life, up in the 20 something degrees. Nothing like a nice bit of clean, hot, humid free air, right? That's something else I have noticed about the so called warmer temperatures (wherever they've gone now I couldn't possibly say) of our so called country. When it does feel warm, it's not the nice warm of other countries that feels clean and pure and comforting. Ohhhhhhhh no! It's more akin to being in a huge invisible jar which someone has burped into. Dirty, trapped, germ-ridden air.

Weather in Cyprus

I'm terribly sorry for the graphic image above but that's the exact thought I had while I was walking earlier on. That's another story though. Walked to the sports centre to go for a nice swim. As soon as I left the front door it literally started raining. I just thought 'Today is going to be a perpetually moist day, isn't it?' and got on with things, not being one to wimp out of extreme weather. Of course, by the time I experienced burp jar syndrome, I was already incredibly damp and longing for dryness. Somehow swimming wasn't as fun when you couldn't dry off in the sun afterwards. When you have to return to the 4 degree cold and mizzle it's downright fantastic. That's another thing. When you go to an actual sports centre swimming pool, there

Weather in Switzerland

's an unspoken expectation that you have to swim length after length after length. In Barcelona I was more likely to be found happily mushroom floating or carrying children around singing like Barney the Dinosaur (although he had the whole short arm syndrome so don't know if he was able to carry anyone. Safet to say, in Barcelona, I didn't find myself having to walk home with my arms bent like wings because they siezed up somewhere between getting out of the pool and attempting to put clothes on. My friend Josie and I have spent the remainder of today whimpering in pain, watching day time tv, our arms curled up in weird contortions to get comfy, thinking with extreme dread of trying to get out of bed tomorrow morning.

Weather where I am...

So here we are, our weather. The one thing I'll say in it's favour, if you still desire to stock up on sun cream or summer clothes, there's probably some good discounts, because let's face it: nobody's getting a real tan in this country. Unless you're a tennis player, somehow in Wimbledon, they always get tanned!

Here's looking at you, last week in March. You were a brief summer....but you were awesome. Highlight of my summer was watching my dog trip over one of my shoes and then look back in confusion. I did chortle. That one day of sitting outside was magnificent. That temporary smell of everybody in the neighbourhood BBQ-ing was just what the doctor ordered.

Meanwhile in the U.K...

 So wrap up warm, folks. Summer is 'coming'. The 'sun' has got his hat on. Here comes the 'sun'. I'm feeling 'hot, hot, hot.'

Olé. Olé. Oléolé!

Brrrrr-illiant
QOTR