N Gale

Well its blowing hard today from the North but you would hardly know it at the house I have so many trees round about the place. The yacht was fine and sheltered in her new berth so I'm happy she isnt hanging onto an anchor somewhere. I took a couple of pics of the new lights Allan and I fitted and the outside of the front of the house, I'll paint it white after the insulation goes in as they drill holes in the outside brick layer and pump the beads in, and the new windows will be a light oak colour so it should look brand new.

Everything is blooming here now and all the trees have their leaves and I have found some lovely flowering bushes around the place. All we need now is for the sewage tank to be installed and I'll pay for the place and the work can really start.

launch goes well

Well Mark and I launched the boat at high tide this morning around 0830, it was great of him to give me a hand as he has just finished 7 nightshifts in a row, the first time we did it we didnt have much of a clue about rigging her and the mast had to come down a couple of times before we got it right but this time only took an hour or so to get everything shipshape. Its a shame Mark is heading back to Australia but I can understand why.

They have given me a cosy wee berth right in the corner of the marina which is as sheltered as it gets and really handy, the marina has a secure car park and is flash card entry onto the pontoons so should be secure against theft.

Itsa Ma Bota

Well  I towed the yacht across from my pal Keiths farm yesterday, the brakes were stuck on when I picked her up and I had to renew the plug for the trailer lights apart from that all went well. The roads here are pretty awful for towing but I just took my time and all was fine, gawd I'm a poet. Spent today power washing her hull and cleaning, making up hawsers and ran the engine which started first kick :)

Reversing down the drive was the hardest part as there are only a couple of inches either side between the two boulders and not much more in the gateway itself.

I'm going down tomorrow to see about the marina berth and will launch the boat on Tuesday and take her round with my pal Mark hopefully. The weather looks good for Tuesday and for next weekend so I will hopefully get out for a sail. 

3.4 million grant for frilly dresses

Last year the Irish Government gave away 3.4 million Euros in grants for the needy, the money isnt for food or cookers or heating or any other numerous causes that would ease the suffering of the cash strapped applicants but its for communion and confirmation payments. I'm not a religious person and I can understand why people want the have religion in their lives and in no way am I questioning that, but in Ireland this money for the first communion and confirmation isnt for a church service, its to buy fancy suits and dresses for the kids and have a big party. Its hard to believe the country is going down the  bailout plughole and the government is still  paying this grant.

Got some news about the sewage tank problem that has me happier today so I resumed work on the garden and moved 15 barrowloads of firewood to my woodpile close to the house. I also went down and met the Harbour master at Rossaveal to see about a berth at the marina for the boat. If we can afford one of the berths alongside it would be excellent as they have water and electricity and have security access 24 hr and secure parking. They are on pontoons that travel up and down pilings so the boat is at the same hight alongside the pontoon regardless of tides. Ideal for nipping down on a nice evening for a gin and tonic and a barbi on the back deck and no problems with worrying about moorings breaking away.

house drama continues

Well my experience of buying a home in Ireland deserves a small novel rather than a blog post anyway needless to say there are more dramas unfolding. Its been 6 months since we moved in and I cant do any work on the house till we own it and I'm not paying till everything is legal. Theres more cowboys here than in the wild west, and it seems that the vendor is employing most of them.

Anyway apart from that everything is well, I went out today to look at getting a mooring for the yacht for the summer but the harbour master wasnt to be found anywhere, hes probably out rounding up some cattle on his horse. Yesterday was kind of dreich but today has been a bit nicer so the dogs got a swim down at the coral beach an old bodach toddled up and was drooling over Gus so I made sure he knew that the dog has had the snip and cant produce wee Gusses anymore, he has a bash at wee Gasses right enough but thats the dog food I recon. With the house dramas I think I may put a hold on all the work I have been doing to the gardens here so I need some website work to keep me occupied
or I shall vegitate.

More visitors

Well this weekend Allan, Angies brother, is coming across for a week, he is an electrician so I have a listy for him to look at while he is here. Jessy keeps wandering onto the road so I'm going to get one of those wireless dog fences to try and keep her home. Also the outside lights are needing replaced and the sockets indoors have no on / off switches, I know what you are thinking but hey this is Ireland folks.

Its almost time for the bike hire to be kicking off so I cleared all the wood out of my sheds into a bigggggggg woodpile to try and clear enough space for the bikes, they are in storage in Moycoulin with the Real Estate agent, I know what you are thinking but hey this is Ireland.

Just had the sewage tank desludged, so had a peek inside, it should be called a sewage box cos that is all it is this one doesnt even have a deviding wall, anyway it was interesting to see what Ireland missed out on when the Romans visited.

April Fool

Well Angie got me on april fools day she said "fancy going for a wee walk with the dogs" 3 hours later we were still going. Was another glorious day weather wise.

My house is the one on the left in among the trees.

The sort of terrain we were hiking on.

Tomorrow there is a 20% chance of rain for the first time in a fortnight, not that I'm complaining.