Rufty

we came home to find him just hangin out. so chilled.

my sexy new board....

She's called No. 4. (she's a fish, obvious references apply)
I bought her when we went surfing in Tramore, Co. Waterford. It was a mean day of surf... I managed to bruise my heel (no mean feat), re-create smashface, and swallow a vast majority of the sea. Tramore that day was for the big boys, and a big boy I AM NOT!! It was fun though. Ouchie fun.
We had an amazing night after, driving in a storm and stopping in the middle of anywhere to watch the lunar eclipse. Wonderful stuff....

our anniversary gone to the dogs....

To celebrate another milestone, my Paddy and I went to the Greyhound races. We brought warm clothes, flasks, and plenty of 2 yo-yo bets. It was GREAT fun. The dogs are so lovely. Did you know that they're all ladies? And well treated ladies at that? And did you know that the rabbit they chase is just a tube with ears? Bizarre. There was shouting, betting, cake-covetting-a-plenty and fun fun fun to be had. A great night in all.


(paddy just lost 2 euro)




(paddy just won 2 euro back)

So I didn't get a single photo of a dog, I assure you we WERE at the dog races!!! I took loads of photos of fences, crap odds and my feet.....

cuties

awwwww

SMELL YA LATER MYSPACE

you spectacular waste of time you........

Night driving

can be quite pretty....

Lent

I've given up sweet sugary goodness for lent. It's killing me. No sugar, no cake or pie, no chocolate NO NOTHING. I've been eating honey by the hive-ful. I know it's cheating somewhat but so far Jesus doesn't seem to mind.
Pancake tuesday, as a last ditch effort, was sugar fest oh seven. Paddy and I made pancakes (badly) and covered them in everything sweet within arms reach. Baileys, chocolate sauce, maple syrup, fruit (to be healthy), agave nectar, honey. Anything bar raw sugar. They were gooey and sinful and good. They hurt my belly.

driving dog

haha

Congrats Jesse!! (clicky clicky!!)

My little big sis (with her lovely friend and business partner Alison) have opened the doors to their stables EPONA STABLES!!
Why "Epona" ? The meaning : (gallo-Celtic: EPO for Horse and ONA as an ending that shows divinity. Horsegoddess or divine horse/mare).
Epona is the protectress of horses, animals, riders and stables. According to many pre-christian roman sources Epona had a shrine in almost every stable of the Roman empire.

It looks great. I can't WAIT to see it!! I'm still MILDLY terrified of the horse types, but I'll muster up some bravery and give it an ole visit. I like to pat their noses.

a few good surfs...

On a much deserved weekend off, Paddy and I headed up to Sligo for a surf-fest of the highest order. We had studied the swell charts and it looked damn fine. (when the heck did I learn to read swell charts??)
It was a beautiful weekend. We stayed in Strand Hill for the first night and the next morning surf. It was a lovely beach and a pretty little town with a pub that gave out free chips and sausages. Heaven I tell you.

The surf was ok but we kept getting pulled up the beach onto the little bit of rocks on an otherwise sandy beach. We decided to head up the caost to Bundoran, the area where smashface was born. Sadly Tullen Strand wasn't working, and the break in Bundoran looked like it'd swallow us whole, so on some advice we went to Rossnowlagh. Rock!! (every mention of this beach was accompanied by hand gestures.... we soon learned why) It was a beautiful beach, long, SAFE, and sandy with charming, perfectly formed waves, no current, and a sunset, furious on the horizon.




















We had four surfs that weekend, one day was a write off due to rain and flatness. We borrowed some boards from Mark at Powersource and had an excellent day out with them. They were lithe, and sexy and sweet. They were a completely different ride, and we needed to get us one!! Mark makes them in a shop outside of his amazing house in the country outside Bundoran. Stepping into his workspace was like walking into a candy shop.... so many beautiful boards in every shape and color, it was tricky getting out with just one.
But we did. And she's a beut.

I can safely say I became a bit more of a surfer this weekend. The need for it is definatly there. An ache that keeps you in the Irish sea, or the Atlantic when it's beyond Baltic, An itch that drags you out of cosy bed, into a cold, wet, wetsuit. The drive and stubbornness that gets you back up when you've been held under and flipped bakwards, upsidedown by a burly wave, or slapped in the face by raw, icy salt water.
I love it.

(it needs to be said - I got my ass kicked at Bowling. It was instant Karma, like trundling spherical kismet. I bragged myself all the way to that alley, boasting bowling skills that I simply did not have. Fair play Paddy. You win. xx)

slowly seeing the world one venue at a time!!

Lluther are confirmed to play in....

(wait for it....)

TRANSYLVANIA!!
One of the Fox family's fave movies when I was a kid was Transylvania 6-5000 so naturally my news about the gig brought a little giggle from Dad.



I can't wait, although my Romanian friends are filling my head with stories of hungry bears and pickpockets.
And pickpocketing bears.
Seriously.
We're also playing in Budapest. I've ALWAYS wanted to go there.

i'm going home

for Easter with Paddy in tow.... I can't wait. I haven't been home since last may!!