Diary of a busyish woman

Hi, Every so often, I get a niggle of discomfort or even a few and I wonder if anyone else has the same problem: I'm finding it harder and harder to have a chat with family and friends on the telephone. I want to see faces and expressions; to watch the body language; to hear the inflection and emphasis. In other words, I want to know that as we talk, we're focused on each other's conversation and not distracted by anything including the computer. I'm using the phone for the business conversation; the impersonal chat; the connection with family members that doesn't last more than two minutes, but anything personal & I steer clear. It's as easy to have the spoken word interpreted incorrectly as the written especially in social media. Now I know that there's another computer programme I need to work on: Skype or something similar, but I need time. Time to sit down and learn a lot more about it and in peace and quiet. This morning, I had my plans made: t...

Hi, You probably don't know a couple of things about me: 1. I've been a serial or professional spectator all my life; 2. I tried to join a gym in Cork City about 30 years ago, and as soon as I listed my physical difficulties, I was politely shown the door... 2. I joined a Crossfit Club in April 2016. If you'd like to know more about the change in me, please read this link: www.guerillafitnessclonakilty.com/2016/12/15/avril-allshire-howe-from-couch-to-crossfit/ Drawing breath for a Burpee! I haven't written in the past couple of weeks due to a lack of time to sit and write and a general feeling of being on a treadwheel. You know the mouse who runs but can't see the endline. Well, that even extended to my attendance at Guerilla Crossfit Club , so I've got a lot to catch up on..... As a prelude, on Christmas Eve, I enjoyed a measure of the new West Cork Blended Irish Whiskey - Bourbon Cask . Really, really smooth, this whiskey slips down easily but real...

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 -...

SuperValu Ireland have developed a programme for the small, and not so small, food producers in collaboration with Bord Bia and the Local Enterprise Offices . William has completed the Basic Food Academy and now the opportunity is there for our business to grow as we can approach a number of SuperValu shops where we don't have a presence and see how we get on. For some people this is the first step in bringing their product to national and international supermarket shelves, and for others it will be an opportunity to identify exactly how far they want to go. It's led me to thinking of what being successful means. On many programmes like the RTE Radio 1 Countrywide programme, we hear of those who are showcasing Irish products nationally and internationally, but not of the small producer who is more than happy doing a local farmers' or Country market as well as perhaps a local shop or SuperValu. These producers are successful too in my opinion - they know the value of the...

Last night, I enjoyed a lovely few hours in my sister, Elizabeth's home, where we celebrated my eldest niece, Victoria's 21st birthday party. Elizabeth & Ger produced the core dishes, but we all brought something to the party in terms of food, because that's what we do; and the birthday cakes (yes, there were two) were produced by Granny H. & granddaughter, Ingrid - Made & served with love and pride. Coming home and reflecting (I always find driving gives me that 'me' time), I had to finally give in and utter the words: 'where have all the years gone?' For many, reflecting can be a stick with which to beat oneself or another person. However what has gone can never be relived and regrets should be parked firmly. Ok, I confess I'm one of those 'glass half full' people and look at life as an opportunity not to be missed. My sisters and I have produced a total of 11 grandchildren and what a diverse bunch they are too, but so interesti...

 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 ...

I'm clueless when it comes to looking under the hood of any mechanical vehicle. As long as it drives, I'm good to go. Radio on in the background, an open road and I can drive, enjoy the countryside where possible and just think. It's therapy for me. Unfortunately yesterday was one of those days when a little knowledge and indeed awareness would have been useful. Halfway through my deliveries, I found I had no brakes! I didn't hit anyone, do any further damage to the van or to myself. Parking at the garage - Brian Powell Motors - & being given the bad news that I could go no further, I was thankful for two things - cold, cold weather helped keep our products cold in the van, and when a replacement refrigerated van arrived from home, my van was still reading -1°C; the second thing was our customers' sympathy and help in the circumstances, so my thanks to S.V. Midleton ; Ballymaloe ; Castlemartyr and Market Lane Restaurant . At this, my final port of call for ...