Hallowe'en

It dawned on us that although we've been married 19 years, we'd never actually done a Christmas in our own place. Liz has never actually cooked the Christmas Turkey or had guests round. We have always been invited to spend it with Pud Lady and Tom (and, obviously we have been delighted to do so and very grateful to be asked) or we have been asked over to Silverwood to share theirs. Again, we have no problems with that and it was wonderful but now that we have our own place in Roscommon we are determined to correct this imbalance and we are going to do it here so that the Silverwoods can come to us and be spared the need to worry about cooking and kitchen stuff!

Along these same lines, we are also looking to enjoy doing OUR Roscommon version of any other festivals, High Days and Holy Days which come along. The first of these (maybe not a 'Holy' day?) coming our way was Hallowe'en which, here in Ireland, the locals go mad for it seems in lieu of a UK style Bonfire night and Guy Fawkes. It gets very American and all the kids dress up and go out Trick or Treating so anyone who wants to take part decorates the front of their house with appropriate pumpkins and any amount of lit up witchery, plastic tombstones and black-hooded, scythe-wielding, Old Father Time effigies, and stocks up on chocolates and Haribo sweeties for the marauding hordes of kiddies.

Now we live quite a way outside our tiny village and we were not at all sure how many Trick or Treaters might come our way but we decided to try a pumpkin on the gate pier and bought an 850g tub of Cadbury's Celebrations. Luckily, a couple of days prior we also met some kiddies who we knew lived in the nearest big house out walking a dog and established that they were, indeed Trick or Treating on the day.

On the night, about 7pm we were duly invaded by a nice selection of small ghouls, witches and ghosties accompanied by 2 Hi-Viz clad Mums. These were, by all accounts, "all the children in the village" (there were 8) who do this in one big posse. The Mums also, apparently pre-visit some of the senior citizens like our own John Deere Bob who don't really 'know about' Trick or Treating and give them a box of suitable sweets which they can give to the children on the night. The Mums were therefore delighted that we, the 'new people' had opted to join in the fun. The Mums, both in local family we will call McG, are quite close neighbours but we have to shamefully admit (as did they) to not having actually got around to calling on one another since we moved in, so it was nice to be able to say hello and to promise to go meet each other properly. We must actually DO this and not leave it another 10 months!

Happy Hallowe'en!

Gunpowder, Treason and Sleeping

Not that long ago, November 5th, Guy Fawkes night was a major event in Haggis's life, being chief defender of the skies from rockets, whizz bangs, alien debris and any other NIH material (not invented here). Every single fizz, bang and crackle (excluding Sugar Puffs) had him racing to the back door to charge down the garden barking furiously at the sky. How DARE they? The nerve of it! Not for Haggis that cowering behind the fridge that some dogs go in for (hey, Rags?) or leppin' onto a human lap in fright. He was OUT THERE, underpants over the top of his tights, big red "H" on his chest.

No longer.

Now Guy Fawkes Nights come and wearily go; whizzes, bangs and fizzes ignored and derided as the H sleeps on. He is one mellowed out dude. Someone else can defend the Empire. He's had his turn.

Dad and 2CV Llew were out making their own noise in the back garden today (much more intresting to we dogs), chopping the top 5-6 feet out of the beech hedge, which has been allowed to go a bit mad while the Home for the Bewildered was being site-cleared and then built. The beeches were trying to revert to the 'tree' form and nobody minded because not having seen the H-f-t-B yet, we all worried how over-looked we'd be. Now we know what it looks like and overlooking is not a serious problem, so the beech trees are being reverted to a hedge.

Dad's already had a go up the sides with the extended loppers, but today Llew showed up with the 4WD and 2 chain saws; one a normal chain saw, the other a shaft driven extendable thing with the motor at one end and the saw blade at the other. Lots of exciting noise and drama, blizzards of saw dust and falling tree limbs. From somewhere, I produced a dead rat, but no-one saw me 'get' it so they'll never know. The boys also took off the lower limbs of the big Paulownia tree (Foxglove tree) which were shading out the green house and the James Grieves apple tree, this time using a rope to gently lower the branch lest it demolish the green house.

The output from all this was variously taken to the tip in 2 4WD loads, logged up for burning or left in a pile to be used as allotment pea sticks. While all this was going on we entertained Llew's 16 year old Jack Russell, Rosie (of beer and tea drinking fame). She decided to hold with the tradition here of all dogs who have ever been in our garden must fall in the pond, reversing carefully in when Llew came round the corner with the pole chain-saw. She looked up at him with daughterly pride before stepping carelessly backwards, forgetting she was near the edge. Nothing an quickly produced dog-towel couldn't fix!

We all adjourned indoors for a splendid roast pork dinner produced by Mum, who'd also lit the coal fire as by then a chilly wind was beginning to ship through.

Hope you had a good weekend.

Deefs

Remember remember

Haggis started it! Awake and scratching all night. "Company" they call it round here, so now Dad's been off to the vets and come back with some Frontline. Dad's done we three dogs already, but the cats are a 2-man job, plus "we" have to do Mississippi first, so she doesn't see Felix getting done and get all upset (I mean, as in "upset wetly all down the front of Mum's Chanel jacket"). Their time is to come, but Mum's not home yet.

Meanwhile, despite the fact that we've had fireworks going off all over the weekend, tonight is yer' actual Guy Fawkes, so we can expect a good bit of sporadic crackling, flashing and banging.

A card comes from the vet, through the post, especially for me. I have no idea at all what "annual inocculations" means but it sounds technical and fun. I heard Meggie say to Haggis "Act nat'ral, say nuttin' ". I'm booked in Thursday at 5pm. I'll tell you all about it when I get back

Deefer

Terrier Heaven

Heaven! We were just setting off on our walk tonight, headed for the allotments when, coming down the side of the house, we were hailed by Ellie, (my sis) and her Mum, and all four of us immediately decided to head for the Rec where we sisters could have a long overdue run-around together. It's been ages.

We are still similar in size, even though Ellie's a bit shaggier, so she looks a bit bigger. No sooner were we off the leads than we were tearing round in small circles bowling each other over, with Haggis piling in occasionally to unbalance anyone who was still standing up.

We were joined by a lady who knew Ellie's Mum, and her young Jack Russell, Bindy. Next arrived another lady out with a black collie cross, Ben, and then the young jack Russell Mac, who we met the other day. Last came another JR, Patch and a young spaniel, Molly. 4 westies, 3 JR's and 3 other dogs all variously running about, chasing each other, or mooching round the humans. It was great fun - best gas for ages!

Bindy had appeared with a soft, hollow-centred luminous green frizbee, and we soon started chasing that, with Dad lobbing it huge distances, so that we young ones all got really tired

It was dark by the time we were done, and we met Mum walking back across the Rec towards the house.

Terrier Heaven!

Guy Fawkes night coming up, so fireworks to shout at. Not sure I'll have the energy!

Deefer