Toys 4 Big Boys

So myself and Jono got up at 6am yesterday to get the train to Dublin. Luckily they re-opened the track between Sligo and Dromod so we didn’t have to get a bus this time.

We got to the RDS just after 10am and our tickets that we won from boards.ie were waiting for us.
As we walked in we had a close encounter with several Stormtroopers! Later in the day Darth Vader (David Prowse) was there signing autographs but at twenty euro a go we gave it a miss.

There was loads to see including Militery Vehicles, a ‘Dream pad’ kitted out with designer furniture, robots (including a dalek), cars, bikes, boats, disco lights and all kinds of things. What was missing were games consoles, computers and mobile phones.

Upstairs was a ‘pamper zone’ for the girls with different stalls selling anything from nail art to palm reading. There was also a fashion show. If I was organising it I would have had a wine bar for the girls, with soft lighting, girly films and chocolates so they could really relax.

The best part of the exhibition for us was the ‘Smoke ‘n’ Rubber show in the Live action arena. This featured:
•Abseilers
•Dancers
•Chain gang
•Quad Bike Stunt Show featuring Niall O’Hanlon
•Trialstar Motorcycle Trials featuring Andy Perry
•Rallycars
•Autotest
•Drifting
•Mini Motos
•Opposite Lock Live Action Display Team
I’ve done a short bit of video of the show.
The smell of burning rubber was mad. I’m so glad I don’t have to buy tyres for their cars.

Outside the main halls there was a wall of death (which we didn’t try!), a rally car simulator and a big inflatable ball which you got into and ran along a bit like a hamster. Jono had a go in this but he forgot to stand up and landed on his head! He was OK though and actually enjoyed it.

All in all it was a great day out and we really enjoyed it. I took loads of photos which I’m am going though and will put up on flickr and pix.ie

Little me (the one of the right!)

Little me (the one of the right!), originally uploaded by magnum_lady.

I can’t remember if I posted this already. Wasn’t I cute? I wonder what went wrong!?

Not much news. Just organising myself for our trip to Dublin tomorrow for the Toys 4 Big Boys exhibition. We’ve never been to the RDS so it should be fun.

I’m hoping to take lots of photos.

Hello flower

Hello flower, originally uploaded by magnum_lady.

Today was fairly busy and the weather was awful again.

Both kids had appointments in town and then Lucy had an eye test at Specsavers. She is short sighted so has to get glasses, she tried on a couple of pairs but she thinks she either looks like a man or Harry Potter! So we will go back again another day to see if there are any more she likes. I think she looks very intelligent in them and much older.

I also got Jono a coat from Elverys which was half price. I’m delighted to see HMV is coming to Sligo. They are going where Zavvi was in Johnston Court and are meant to be opening over the weekend.

I entered a competition yesterday on www.boards.ie to win two tickets to the ‘ toys for big boys’ exhibition which is on in Dublin this weekend. I was delighted to get an email today so say I won. So myself and Jono and going up on Saturday. I tried to talk Lucy and Andy into coming with us but they are going to stay at home. I’m really looking forward to it. I love gadgets and there is also a dalek, cars and even a pamper zone for girls so all in all it should be a good day.

The hospital didn’t phone me yesterday but they called today. They are saying the surgery wasn’t cancelled because it wasn’t an ‘official’ date. I said the consultant gave us the date so I considered that official and therefore considered it cancelled.

Anyway they were on about swine flu and emergencys and said they hoped to fit Jono in before Christmas and will be in touch in about 3 weeks to let us know if there is any date! So we will wait and see.

Somewhere down the crazy river

Somewhere down the crazy river, originally uploaded by magnum_lady.

It seems like Winter has arrived. I have been cold all day, the wind has been howling, the hailstones have been falling and the leaves were being washed along the road in the floods.

Yesterday wasn’t too bad and as Jono has been stuck in the house for a while we decided to go to Belleek, which is in Northern Ireland, just over the border. There isn’t much there but the pottery is lovely and we had a look around the few shops that are there too. I took mum along with us, she hasn’t been very well again. She’s been having dizzy spells and has always had low blood pressure. So I’m keeping a closer eye on her.

Today I went into town. I had to go to the library and get a few bits of shopping. I had a look in Penneys and was shocked to see some ‘babygro’s’ for women…..why?? They are meant to be pyjamas but are all in one….no good for anyone with a weak bladder! I just hope no one decides to buy me one for Christmas

Crumlin phoned me on Monday, it was all very confusing. They said they were looking into it and promised to phone me today….I’m still waiting.

Aspire

Rainbow, originally uploaded by magnum_lady.

As some of the regular readers to my blog might know, Jono has Asperger’s syndrome.

There is some help out there but it is hard to find other parents who understand.

A group has just started in Sligo for parents who have children with asperger’s syndrome. If anyone wants any more information just leave a comment on here with your email address and I will get back to you (I won’t publish your comment so it’s all confidential).

Happy Halloween

The midnight hour is close at hand, originally uploaded by magnum_lady(away).

Well I’ve been quiet on here.

I’ve been busy behind the scenes though. I got the chance to go to a meeting yesterday at Our Ladys Hospital in Crumlin which is where Jono has been going.
The meeting was organised by a lady called Teresa who is the spokesperson for the campaign to save the hospital. It looks like it will be closed because the government is hoping to build a new childrens hospital in Dublin.

Anyway I had to get up at 4.30 yesterday morning. The rail track is closed between Sligo and Dromod because the bridge at Drumsna is being repaired. So a bus took the passengers from all the stations to Dromod where we got the train. I was a bit surprised because the bus at Collooney was a school minibus It wasn’t too bad though.
I got into Dublin just before 9am and made my way to the hospital where I met Teresa and another mum who has a daughter waiting for heart surgery.

We were shown into the meeting room which was like a board room. I was expecting to be told ‘Your fired’ like inThe Apprentice. We got to meet the Chief Executive of the hospital, also the head of nursing and some other people belonging to the hospital.

Everyone was very friendly. The meeting was mainly about the cutbacks at the hospital and the new hospital. They weren’t going to discuss individual cases but I got to mention about Jono and they are going to look into the case for us. So fingers crossed that we will hear something positive soon.

I managed to get back to the station and got the 1pm train home. I was shattered though.

You can’t get better then a kwik fit fitter ;)

You can’t get better then a kwik fit fitter , originally uploaded by magnum_lady.

I haven’t got an awful lot to say at the moment (makes a change I hear you all cry).

I had to share this photo with you though. I took this a couple of weeks ago while I was out for a walk. This friendly fella was tied to the side of the lane. It makes me laugh just looking at the goats expression.

The French Market comes to Sligo

French Market, originally uploaded by magnum_lady.

Well we didn’t get into town yesterday because the weather was really awful. We get see the lottery draw live from Sligo on the tv though I can’t find my ticket so I don’t know if I won yet…..fingers crossed though.

The clocks went back last night. I really don’t like the dark evenings,it’s so depressing. I forgot to remind mum about the clocks but she did remember to change them…..she put them forward!

I took the kids into town today. We were hoping to see some street entertainment as part of the Sligo Live festival but I think that was all on yesterday which was a shame. There was live music in the local cafes though and the French Market was on.
Jono got to have his German hotdog and Lucy and I shared a Spanish paella (both very French!)

As there wasn’t much going on in the town we went to the cinema to see Fame. Lucy has already seen it and Jono wasn’t too keen, but he went for the popcorn (and the nachos and peanuts!) The film was good except for four girls all under 10 that talked and thumped and shouted all the way through it.
There was no parent with them and I think the cinema should have a rule that children should be accompanied by an adult.

Thank donkey it’s Friday

Thank donkey it’s Friday, originally uploaded by magnum_lady.

Thanks so much to all of you for your kind comments yesterday, we really appreciate it.

Things are OK. Jono is still disappointed, but I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.

So now we are going to make the most of Lucys mid term break from school. I’m so tired that I’ll be glad of a few days off from the school run.

This weekend is the Sligo Live festival so we are hoping to go to that. There is a French market down by the river and all kinds of live music also an Air Fiddle competition which sounds like fun.

We also have a bank holiday on Monday for Halloween or Holloween as they seem to call it on the local radio station. I bought a barn brack (or barm brack as it’s meant to be called) from Ballymote today. I remember having them years ago when we visited my nan in Galway. In those days they contained a pea, a stick, a piece of cloth and a ring. Whovever got in their slice the pea, would be unmarried; the stick, would be a fighter; the cloth would be poor; and the ring would get married.
The ones they sell now just contain a ring and Lucy usually gets it……mind you she makes bits of the brack trying to find it so that’s cheating

I found a recipe if anyone wants to try making one:

1 Lb. of flour

6 oz Sugar.

1 lb. of mixed dried fruit.

1 teaspoon of Baking Powder

1 Egg.

1 Tsp. of All – Spice or

mixed spice.

A pot of hot Irish Tea

The trick to making a Barm Brack is soaking the fruit over night in the tea. While this makes the dried fruit softer and more appealing in general, one must be careful when mixing the dough not to over knead or the rehydrated fruit will break up and speckle the cake. Add the sugar and egg to the fruit mix the next day. Sift in the remaining dry ingredients. Mix gently. Use a 7″ round baking tin at 350°F for 80 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and serve with hot tea. (If you include a ring make sure no one swallows it!)

Candle of hope

Candle of hope, originally uploaded by magnum_lady.

I phoned Crumlin today. Jono’s surgery has been cancelled. I knew this would happen, don’t know why I just had a feeling so I’m not surprised.

Jono is gutted, he was all ready for it.

I have to phone next Thursday to see if there is anymore news of a date.

Thanks so much for all your good wishes, you are all wonderful.