Diary of a busyish woman

Christmas time is hectic in every food producer's business especially when in fresh produce, so yesterday I spent in the office - filing, filing, checking information, filing, sorting a few queries, and still my desk isn't clear. I thought, 30 years ago, that the advent of computers would reduce if not eliminate paper records.  At the time, I remember I worked for a stockbroker as a very junior Junior. It was fascinating. Every day these cards would arrive and it was my job to file them removing the old out-of-date cards. These contained information on company prices; trends; shares etc. Because of where the office was situated, I was also responsible for filing the exact same information in the Cork Stock Exchange. This quiet room situated at the back of the buildig was hidden behind a heavy green curtain in the Y.M.C.A. building in Marlboro St,. Cork. With the curtain closed and the door locked, I would spend a few minutes after filing to just look at all the files and infor...

Hi, Quite some time ago, I started to write this blog, which I really enjoyed as I could rant and rave about stuff, but it wasn't related to work. Then as happens in many a busy life, I just didn't have time to write, but writing is one of the things I really enjoy so I'm going to have another blast. I hope you enjoy it. As always, comments are so welcome. The difference between this and the Rosscarbery Recipes blog  is that the latter relates more to work and what's happening on the farm and in our business and of course related issues including recipes. Where to start was never going to be a problem as I have quite a number of interests including education; health; tourism; and I could go on, but let's explore some of the things about which I have a strong viewpoint over the next few posts. I was and am the eldest of a family of girls from an agricultural background. Back in the day, it was assumed that girls would follow a pretty traditional route: teaching -...

 www.telemuseum.org/images/sagem-teleprinter-tx20.jpg Admitting yesterday that I'm no mechanic started me on the route of what I'm not too bad doing and that sent me down memory lane. I completed a 13 week intensive secretarial training course in Autumn 1979, where the most exciting thing was when I was finally (in my last week) allowed to use an IBM Golfball typewriter . I thought I'd arrived! In my first full-time job though, I was faced with quite a challenge - a Sagem Telex machine. On this I was expected to type ships' manifests onto ticker tape, & this was transmitted to a few different places including head office. In a short time, I was an expert at reading the tape and could easily amend any errors. Some years later, I temped in a Building & Construction company in Dublin, where I spied a Sagem telex in a corner. It had arrived but no-one had the confidence to try it so it had sat for the better part of a year - unused - so I taught everyone in ...

Ladies Lunch Poster 2014 Yesterday, I found myself in a large room in Inchydoney Lodge Hotel & Spa with about 230 other ladies. Yes, I had arrived - I was now a Lady Who Lunches! In quick time, I realised that I was simply one of the majority who had booked/snatched yesterday as 'me' time to relax and enjoy that time with other ladies. Yes, we lunched & without doubt it was very leisurely, but even the occasion had an underlying motive & we were there with a definite purpose. It was a fundraiser & all in aid of Cork & Kerry Simon . Master of Ceremonies, the lovely Eileen Dunne , well known RTE newsreader , spoke and all listened as she urged us to dig deep in our pockets and ensured that the raffle moved along. The only other speaker was Charlie Fellowes of Cork Simon who spoke eloquently of the needs faced by the organisation to fund the huge number of people who are either homeless or on the brink throughout Ireland and Cork & Kerry are no...

Still typing the ham labels and I've realised we've no more cooked spiced beef - not even enough for ourselves! I know we'll survive, but it's still a calamity. More ham orders last night, so William has to do a stocktake when he's finished picking everything this morning. Meanwhile I'll be heading to Cork to do a few extra deliveries. I might even take time out and get a cup of coffee - I hope. However until I return home and see what's left, I'm going to worry! I hate the idea of not being able to satisfy our customers. It's the nature of the job. In haste and until tomorrow Avril

No writing yesterday. On the road at 4.30am to attend The Ploughing . Yesterday, we were amonth the just over 124500 people who attended this amazing event. Europe's largest Outdoor Exhibition and Trade Show. One of my sisters-in-law had never been but took her son and friend. We arrived within 30 minutes of each other; left around the same time & I never saw her. Indeed I didn't see a glimpse of many other friends who were exhibiting either. I must be getting old as this year I studied the exhibitor list; noted those I wanted to see, and after that everything else was a bonus. I actually never saw a tractor & plough either. I really want to be able to go for 3 days but it's not happening in my foreseeable future & that's another story for another time. In the office since 7.30am but have only started my chores! Curing shortly and have to go to Carrigaline and possibly Cork to meet a chef. For sure I'll be back in the office this evening. Tomorrow wil...

I must be getting old. I love driving, but motorways with people cutting in and out as though creating a complicated pattern for material no longer excites me. Instead I find myself slowing down on minor roads to enjoy the different textures of trees; shrubs; grasses etc. When I see an obviously cultivated shrub just growing on a ditch with no indication of a man-made habitation, I wonder if it was just thrown out or did it last longer than the dwelling. Where did this musing start - in the RTE 1 Drivetime programme as Mary Wilson summarised Day 1 of the National Ploughing Championships . How many people in those queues yesterday morning cursed the roads, the NPA Organisers or even their own decision to leave a little later than planned & then were caught in the traffic over the last 5 miles? My own thoughts on the matter: relax and use the queue to mentally gird yourself to enjoy the whole event and be thankful the weather isn't too bad this year! Only 3 days until the Ross...