Athbhliain faoi mhaise daoibh

Go mbeire muid beo ar an am seo arís ~ May we be alive at this time next year. 

I decided that 2021 should be welcomed with as much luck as can be found, so I've been reading about Irish New Year traditions in an effort to help ring in the new year in style. 

Flinging Bread Against the Door. 

This tradition seems especially apt this year. To banish the greatly feared dangers of hunger, a piece of cake or bread is dashed against the door by the man or woman of the house, while reciting a verse that translates to: We call on famine, out as far as the land of the Turk, from tonight, to a year from tonight, and from this very night, be gone. 

I baked a loaf of soda bread this evening. I'll be flinging some, while saving enough for a nice midnight snack. I didn't have any buttermilk, so I curdled milk with vinegar. I'm anxious to sample it. If it's not good, I'll fling it all in to the backyard for the squirrels. 

Clean, clean, clean. 

Quite frankly, I tried to ignore this one, but it kept popping up. The idea is that a clean house represents a clean slate. 

I spent the day cleaning and I'll admit that it is nice to look around and see some order to the madness - although my table-turned-work-area still needs some work. 

Mistletoe, Ivy, and Holly

People who are alone on New Year's Eve are encouraged to put a spring of holly, mistletoe, or ivy under their pillow - the tradition says that you will dream of the one you are to marry. 

I snipped a sprig of holly from by beloved holly bush this evening. I'll keep you posted! 

Out with the Old and In with the New. 

This one seems to have two versions - one is to open your back door before midnight to let the old year out and to open the front door at midnight to welcome the new year in. The other version calls for entering your front door at the stroke of midnight and walking out the back. I'm planning on both, just to be safe. 

Honoring the Dead. 

This is the most famous tradition. On New Year's night households across Ireland set a place at the table for those lost the year before and door off the latch. 

I've really been thinking about my friend Lana, who died in March. We last worked together at the Red Key three years ago this evening. I'm so sorry that I didn't push her for a photo of us together - she was busy arraigning and rearranging and making everyone feel welcome. 

I've started several posts about Lana and haven't been able to properly capture her spirit - I'll make sure that I do that soon....https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/indystar/obituary.aspx?n=lana-june-seacott&pid=195941953

Tomorrow I'll put a plate out for her and the others that have died this year. 

In the meantime: 

Misfortune Be Gone, And Happiness Come In, From Tonight To A Year From Tonight, In The Name Of The Father, And The Son, And The Holy Spirit, 

Amen. 

five seven five

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suitcase plane travel
Ireland and Tanzania
cousins godmother home

Today's Think Kit blog post prompt:

Five Seven Five

Write a haiku (or...multiple haiku!) about the past – whether it's a year ago, a decade ago, or from childhood. If you want to, give some background information about your simple scene. And then – write one that paints a picture of the present, or predicts the future.

Some people can whip out a haiku at the drop of a lotus blossom. 

Not me. 

It took me all day and a lot of counting on my fingers to come up with this one. 

I think it sums up 2014 pretty darn well for me. 

See you next year! 

travel

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Selfie snapped immediately after landing I arrived in Dar es Salaam 

Today's Think Kit blog post prompt: 

A Single Word

What one word sums up the past year? Now: unpack, unfold, and uncover it. What does it represent? What events float to the top when you think about your word? And, okay, if you can't limit yourself to a single word...use a (select) few

This was the easiest prompt so far! With out a doubt my single word was TRAVEL. The sentence "Now: unpack, unfold, and uncover it" resonates - I literally unpacked my suitcase, unfolded my clothes, and uncovered new adventures all over the world. 

2014 was a grand year! 

Merry Christmas

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Creche - Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church, Indianapolis
Midnight Mass, Christmas 2014

Today's Think Kit blog prompt: 

What's Your Tradition?

Today we'll keep it short and sweet. Share a photo from your year that highlights giving, thankfulness, traditions or finding peace. What does the photo represent to you?

I panicked when I first read this prompt - How could I choose one photograph that highlighted my whole year? I reread the prompt and the words "traditions" and "peace" resonated with me. 

I'm what some people call a "Cradle Catholic" - Catholic since birth. I really did grow up in the Church. My dear mother has worked at a Director of Religious Education in several parishes and it seemed like my handy father was always replacing roof tiles or building shelves at our home parish. They are both still very active in their parishes. 

I attended Catholic schools randomly - both the parish grade school and the -Girls Catholic High School I attended closed while I was a student - not my fault, I hope. 

Over the years I've come to realize that God isn't just in church, but truly in all of us.  And I was able to take time to witness that this year. In the faces of newly-met cousins in Ireland, in the volunteers at Second Helpings, in the good work of my godmother and the other Maryknoll sisters, in the love I felt at beach weddings, and the joy of the people of Tanzania. 

Merry Christmas to All! 

sixty-five

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Midtown Indianapolis, Indiana, meets Musoma, Tanzania

Today's Think Kit blog post prompt: 

A Dash Of Thanks

What are you thankful for? Maybe it's from this year – or maybe it's something in your past that resonated with you recently. And – we hold people, places, and things in equal regard: a sense of gratefulness can take many forms.

My HUGE dash of thanks is for all of the amazing travel that I got to do this year. I was healthy enough, I had the financial wherewithal (thanks in part to a grant), and had a job (jobs actually) and generous co-workers that allowed me to be gone for so long. 

Here is a rundown of my travels: 

January/February - 16 days in Ireland.
May - 4 days in St. Pete's Beach, Florida for a cousin's wedding.
July - 28 days in Tanzania
October - 8 days in Colorado for a conference and visiting friends.
October - 3 days in St. Pete's Beach, Florida for a godson's wedding.
November - 6 days in Sanibel, Florida with my brother and his family. 

That's 65 days of travel!

How incredible is that? 

theme music

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Traditional Irish music session
February 2014

Today's Think Kit prompt:

Insert Theme Music Here

 
Strike up the band – what was the soundtrack to your year? Was it the music you listened to the most? A certain song that kept reappearing, or worse...that you couldn't get away from? Or maybe it wasn't music at all – maybe a podcast, voice, performance, or significant sound played over-and-over. Whatever you heard: we're all ears!

I listen to tons of music, but I'm always stymied when someone asks me what my favorite band is or to name a favorite song.

I can say that if the song includes pedal steel or an accordion I'm smitten.  

I adore seeing live music and my favorite way to hear music is during songwriter-in-the-round shows. It is where musicians trade songs and stories and I fall in love with the last song played.

Can I just say that my theme song is music? 

grant

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Today's Think Kit blog post prompt: 

+ / -

 
Have no fear – no numbers needed here. Who (or what) made a difference for you this year? Were they cognizant of their effect? Did it add to your life...or detract? Was it a momentary encounter? A year-long helping hand? Someone who took a chance on you, or vice versa? What would've changed if you'd had to go without, or go it alone? Imagine the alternative scenario.

There is no doubt about what made a difference for me this year: An $8,000 Human Services Renewal Grant from the Lilly Endowment (administered through the United Way of Central Indiana).

The grant is available to folks who have worked in the nonprofit arena for at least eight years. [Click here for more details here, if you're interested]

I was lucky enough to receive it last year and it enabled me to travel to Ireland and Tanzania this year. I tossed in some of my own money to make it happen, but I wouldn't have dreamed of trying to do it without the grant.

Applying for the grant made me really plan the the trips and make a budget and allowed me to dream big.

Thanks Lilly Endowment! 

changes

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Today's Think Kit blog prompt: 

What did you change your mind about this year? Was it a big deal – the way you feel about an issue? Or something small – maybe you learned to like Brussels sprouts? What was the moment or series of moments that changed how you felt? How did your friends or family react? Have you uttered the phrase, "I'll never change my mind!" since then?

I've never thought of myself as a rigid person. I can go with the flow in both my work and social life. In fact I've never understood folks that can't make adjustments along the way. 


Of course I get disappointed if things don't go as I envisioned them, especially if  it is something that I've planned, but all and all, life is great. 

With all of my travel this year, I discovered that my flexibility had a lot to do with the fact that I know how to handle almost anything that is thrown at me in my day-to-day life. 

Someone cut themselves at work? Apply pressure. 
Copier jammed? Follow the paper path. 
Student need help with utilities? Contact the social worker. 
Someone have too much to drink at my waitressing gig? Call a cab. 
Need volunteers for an event? Post it on facebook. 
Traffic jam on the way home? Go around the block. 
Someone collapse? Give CPR. 
Toothache? Call the dentist. 
Low on money? Pick up a shift. 
Flight cancelled because of weather? Reroute. 
Possum in the house? Borrow a cage and trap it. 

After living in the same house for 17 years and working at my main job for 9.5 and working at one part-time job for 25 and the other for 13, it is hard to knock me for a loop.

I have a sign on my wall that says, Don't Let Logistics Get in the Way of a Good Idea, and I truly believe it. I've spent the last several years in a cocky haze of thinking that nothing will rattle my cage. 

I've got this. 

Ha! 

The thing that make me break down in a sobbing heap?  
A stupid flat tyre (it feels better when you spell it the Irish way). 

Mom and I traveled from Indianapolis to Ballangarry, Ireland via Heathrow and a harrowing drive from the Shannon Airport. I don't like to drive on a good day, let alone in an SUV on the other side of the road in the dark with absolutely no idea where we were going. The GPS system can't help if there is no road name or address. 

Mom and I finally arrived at the rental cottage in the driving sleet in one of the coldest winters in Irish history.  After getting a fire started and warming our toes and putting some soup in our bellies, we slept well. I woke up energized and ready to explore the community and look for long-lost cousins. 

Then I looked out the window over the sink to see a flat tyre on the rental car. 

I looked at the rental agreement to see who to call. Spelled out in bold print was the advisory that tyres were not covered for damage. You were on your own for replacing the damn tyre. Great. 

I didn't know what to do or who to call. After a good cry, I bundled up and knocked on the door of a neighboring cottage. They couldn't hear me because of the rain so I wound up knocking on their window, interrupting a mom breast feeding her newborn. 

She invited my dripping self in, called a tyre service and soon a truck arrived. I had a new tyre within the hour. 

While the whole incident doesn't even qualify as dramatic, it snapped something in me. 
Asking for help and not feeling like you know all of the answers in disheartening. And hard. 

I am much more empathetic with folks who need a hand with what I might consider a minor problem. I am much quicker to ask for a hand, rather than waiting and making myself and others crazy. 

So let me know if I can help in anyway. And I'm sure I'll be asking you for help soon. 

a wee bit of ireland

I had my computer over the weekend. It was enough time to write my column and plug in to the Newsstand's DSL line to extract some photographs. Hopefully I'll get full custody by tomorrow.

You can read about the musical portion of the trip here: click.

You can see photographs of street musicians here: click.

Work as been tough, and I made the commitment to myself to not noodle around on the computer during the work day. We'll call the the five minutes I spent writing this my union break (learned that from Dad).

Crabbydad update: all tests were negative. Woo Hoo!

dublin day one

[I had much better intentions of posting each day. The Dublin hotel has wireless, unfortunately it is not working on my floor. I could stand in the hallway and press the computer up to the window or write in the lobby. Too much fun stuff happening in the lobby to write much. I did manage to squeak out the article that was due. Rest assured, I'm having a lovely time. Cheers!]





We arrived at Dublin Airport at 8:30 in the morning Irish time, 3:30 in the morning Indiana time. There were five of our group on the flight plus two surprise guests. I'll start off with introducing the group.

Kevin: I used to work with him in Philadelphia. We're here to celebrate his 50th birthday.

Sean: Kevin's brother, also from Philadelphia.

Joanne: cousin of Sean and Kevin, from Florida.

Luke: friend of Kevin.

They were all part of the group when Dad and I went to Dublin four years ago.

Surprise guests: Malcolm and Sarah. Friends of Kevin and Luke from Philadelphia. They managed to stay hidden while we boarded and reveled themselves an hour in to the flight.

Malcolm and Sarah are staying at the Four Seasons.

The rest of us taxied to our hotel. We ditched our bags at the hotel at hit the ground running.

I love how busy the streets are! People everywhere.

We had lunch at a cafeteria-ish place above a swanky department store. Being the restaurant geek that I am, I wanted my photograph by the conveyor belt for the dishes.

We walked around Trinity College, where Kevin spent a semester 28 years ago. We did a bit of shopping (I bought a cool Waterford jar -- it will be perfect for Twizzlers) and a little something for my sisters and mom. Luckily the items will be shipped, so I don't have to worry about breaking them.

All of us were dragging but the walk was terrific. We stopped for our first pint around 2:00 in the Temple Bar area. As you can see, it was a well documented pour.

Kevin, Joanne, Sean and Nora

Our hotel is right off of O'Connell Street and an easy walk across the Liffey to the Temple Bar area and Trinity College.

The River Liffey

Bangers and Mash

After all of the travel and walking we were exhausted. We had an early dinner and called it a night at 7:30. I did wake up at 10:30 and considered wandering out, but thought better of it.
But I hated to leave 4 1/2 hours of Sadie Hawkins Day on the table. I'll be 50 the next time I rolls around.

almost there...kind of

I'm here! Sitting on the floor near an outlet to plug the computer in. 

I'd forgotten how big this place is. I landed in Terminal F and I'm flying out of Terminal A, I think I might have walked to another county. 

The walk felt good, I have plenty of time and it helped calm me down a bit. I have that pre-flight nervousness going on. 

 

The airport is pretty barren and business like. They are also doing a ton of construction, so there is lots of narrow boarded off places right now. I did discover a cool flag display. It started with the Betsy Ross flag and ended with our current one. A bit of trivia- the Betsy Ross PEZ dispenser is the only one based on a actual person. 

Okay, I'll go back to my regularly scheduled freaking out. Will I even recognize the people that I'm travelling with? I have not seen them for years...and twenty pounds on my part, or should I say my bohunkus (as Jamie Dawn would say). 

weir cook

Just a quick post from the airport. My flight to Philadelphia leaves soon. As you can see, I'm well wired. My intention is to post each day from Ireland. I'm making no promises, I might meet a nice age-appropriate sheep farmer or something.

Mom and Dad dropped me off. I miss the good old days of being able to see people off.

When I was a kid the Indianapolis International Airport was called Weir Cook, named for World War I flying ace Harvey Weir Cook. When the airport opened in 1928 it occupied 900 acres to 7700 now. The airport is in the middle of a big expansion adding a midfield terminal and moving the highway.

I cannot tell you how excited we used to get when we got to go to the airport. I was so big and fun. And you could usually count on getting a treat, something exotic like a Coke and popcorn. We were a good welcoming crew. My sisters have continued the tradition. You can count on being greeted with a sign, bells or something exciting when they pick you up from the airport. I started to write that maybe we needed to get out more as children, but I think it instilled a good sense of excitement over travel- whether we were flying, or someone else.

Okay, I'm headed for one last potty break before I get on the plane. TMI, I know.

Woo Hoo!