The castle

The only part still standing

About two weeks ago on a Sunday, my sister and I wanted to visit Antrim Castle. So, we drove up to Antrim, only found Antrim Castle gardens (with a full car park) and eventually made our way to the blue and yellow Swedish shop. As you do...

Six Mile River

However, I still wanted to visit the castle and while working last night (waiting really), I looked up the castle and its gardens. Today I made my way over there. I did find the castle eventually. Well, what was left of it anyway, after a fire destroyed most of it during the 1920's and the remainder was mostly torn down in the 1970's.

Not quite a duckling, not quite a duck

The gardens however were still there and they were quite lovely to spend an afternoon in. I saw part of the ruins as I said, but I also saw old trees, teenage ducks, Six Mile River (so named because it is six miles long. Whodathunkit?) and flowers. I did not make my way over to the largest lake of the British Isles: Lough Neagh. Mind you, I live quite close to it anyway. 

The wolfhound that saved one of the owners from a wolf back in the day

It was definitely worth a visit and next time I will drag my sister along as well. Just to show her the 'castle'!

I want to you know!

My sister and I on our way to the choir competition

I really do. I want to write something today, but somehow inspiration has fled. Meaning I don't really have anything to write about. Really. 

But, let's start with the essential things: I am fine. After finally airing my feelings and even talking to my boss about them, I have become a bit easier within myself. Not great, but fine. The teary outburst I had at work probably helped as well: they had been sitting very high for about two weeks already!

Castle Ward in May

I have not heard from the other company as yet, well apart from an email by the person I was in touch with back in January/February saying he had moved on to another function within the company, but that he was going to pass my details on to the relevant person. 

As for the current job, the tears helped and the fact that they seem to be giving me fewer hours of late. Today for example I start in about an hour (5 pm) and finish around 10 I would say. Mind you, in the four days I did work last week, I still managed to accrue over 55 hours! There might be more hours coming my way this week as well, since this and next week are apparently quite busy. 

After our visit to the Marble Arch Caves in June

I scared myself and Miss Oswin today, by getting the vacuum cleaner out. Third time in a month of living here! Plus, I did the dishes and everything looks tidy. Not sure what has come over me, but I will 'enjoy' it will it lasts! It took Miss Oswin an hour of hiding under my bed before she deemed it safe to come out again though. 

Oh, something else: I have lost weight. I don't see it so much, but I definitely notice it: I keep having to pull up my work trousers. The stress of late plus a bad eating habit means that I have probably lost several kilos. Nothing like a bit of stress and loneliness eh?

Belfast Zoo in June

That's it! I have nothing more to say for the moment. I will leave you with some photos from my time here in Northern Ireland...

Photo on Sunday 2018-19

I put this photo on Facebook of an itty bitty spider I found in the sink in the garage. It didn't bother me, it didn't jump out at me, it just sat there. So, I took the photo and left it in peace! 

All things medical

To prevent this, I need medication

Today was a medical day. I had tried to register at my local GP on Wednesday and had been given a mountain of paperwork to fill out. I handed it in again today and this afternoon one of the GP's called me about some medication (ie the birth control pill) I use to combat endometriosis. I had run out in early July, thinking I had another batch at home and realising I hadn't. 

Anyway, he didn't recognise the type of pill I used in Norway and had to consult with both the pharmacist and another pill-type person to find out if they had something similar here in NI. Which they did. My sister is picking it up as we speak, since I had taken another pill today (yep, the H) which prevents me from driving today.

Back in 2015 at the little cottage in the Norwegian countryside

However, before that, I had been driving. To the vet. With a howling Miss O beside me, who hid the minute I came up with the crate in my hand. She knows it's bad news! Not sure about this vet though. I guess she was nice enough, but she never even looked at Miss O, just gave her the shot. Oh, and at my request checked the chip number. That's it. She didn't ask about Miss O, she didn't look at her, she didn't check her over or anything. I know it was busy, but still... 

The three month mark

Full of hope

I had a little look back at what I did within my first three months in Norway. A country where I hardly spoke the language, barely understood anybody and where everything was completely new to me.

Here goes: a union meeting, dentist, accident & emergency (not necessary wanted, but hey), union party, an interview for the paper, another union meeting, a staff meeting. I went on walks and met a lot of colleagues at work.

What did you do?

So, what have I been doing in my first three months in Northern Ireland? Where I speak the language and understood most people most of the time.

I have worked. Worked. Worked. Worked. Worked. Worked. Been to some caves. Worked. Worked. Worked. Worked. Worked. Moved. Worked. Worked. Worked. Worked. Butterfly garden. Worked. Worked. Worked. Got the car MOT'ed. Worked. Worked. Worked. Worked. Worked. Oh, and I worked.

My head is nowhere near the sand!

Needless to say, something has to give. And as I don't want it to be me, I have decided it has to be the job. I am on an average of over 55 hours a week and I am tired and lonely, even with my sister so close. I have had no chance to meet anybody at all or join a club or something like that.

I will keep you posted, but let's just say, I hope the next three months will be better than the first three. 

Photo on Sunday 2018-18

What do you mean? I needed the room to stretch and that bear was in my way!

Lost and (hopefully) found

Yesterday I had to work. Nothing new in that. I do that on occasion. I had to pick up a group to take to a racecourse. Now, when I hear racecourse, I think cars or motorbikes, but here in Northern Ireland it means horses (or possibly dogs). 

Anyway, it was horse racing we were going to see and I wondered whether I would get any look in. Usually I don't, but this time I got the chance to see as I was parked within the course. I took photos, I filmed it and after three races I was a bit bored and headed back to my coach to read. 

Instead of reading though, I decided to phone a friend and me and Yamini spoke for nearly 45 minutes. It was lovely hearing a friendly voice and as we usually e-mail, this was a bit of a novelty for the both of us. 

After that I got back to my reading until it was about 10, at which point I drove to where I would pick my group up, because nature called. I took the keys to the coach, I took my phone and went to answer. 

I got back to the coach and after about five minutes I realised something was missing. My phone!!!! I had left it in the toilet. Well, not in it itself of course, but you know! I ran back, looked inside, but the only thing I saw was a handbag. I asked the bar staff and the bouncers, but no phone had been handed in. 

I went back to the coach, looked in my bag, just in case and I tried phoning my phone with somebody else's phone, but it went straight to voicemail (it will do that after 10pm, just so you know). I ran back to the bar again, asking again, and then leaving my email address just in case.

As I got home last night though, I realised about the voicemail thingy and also realised, I might have more luck during the day time. This morning, I located my Norwegian phone, rang my number and somebody answered! He had to go back to that bar anyway and was willing to drop my phone off. And then I got an email as well, saying they might have located my phone!

Now I just have to go and get it again, so I can get all the other horse racing photos!

Ehm...

Also at the Seaforde butterfly park

Do you know, with a full working week, you would think there would be enough to write about, yet I seem to have difficulties finding anything. Unless you want to hear about the fuzzy slipper phenomenon, which seems to grip a lot of women nowadays. I see them everywhere and they just look like they should be in the bedroom!

I did have a question to the city of Glasgow (in my mind) about their lovely sign. Apparently they are the proud hosts of the European Championships! Brilliant!! In what though? Nose picking? Can't see that becoming a very popular spectator sport. Cherry pit spitting? A bit better, but still not something that will draw the large crowds. Football? Oh no, it was the world championships this year and they have those alternately. 

Fortunately somebody on the bus knew it was athletics, which made sense as they were going to close some roads in the center because of some running race. I just hope I won't have to work on either of the days they close the road!

And this one too!

I nearly gave a coach load of people a heart attack the other day. I told them we would be back in Belfast by about 10.15 at night, which I thought was good going! Until I realised I was doing the early run (I usually do the late one) and should be back at around 6.15 in the evening. Whoops. 

At work there is a day by day calendar with quotes and fun facts. For Monday, July 16th the fun fact was: 1965-The Mont Blanc road tunnel, linking France with Italy, was opened. Not that remarkable really, but it was the quote that stuck with me. 

To err is human, but to really foul things up requires a computer. Which says it all really doesn't it? 

Anyway, hope you have a good weekend. I should be off. Both Saturday and Sunday! Bliss...

PS: Miss Oswin is back to her old self fortunately. All weeds gone, no whiff anymore and the puncture seems to be healing fine. Pfew!

AWOL

While settling in a week or so ago

On Sunday I was off and I spent it sorting through my yarn, doing the laundry and calling for Miss Oswin.

Early in the morning I had let her out for the first time. The previous two times she had moved to a new place, I had followed her every step of her way around the property, before scooping her up and bringing her inside again. This time I didn't. 

I guess she went outside at around 11 in the morning and I started calling for her from about 2 in the afternoon. Nothing. Not a peep, a miaow or anything! I figured she was busy chasing swallows and such, and gave her another hour. 

The silly puss!

And another and another and yet another. By the time I went to bed at 9.30, she still wasn't home. She could be lost: not able to find her way to the new house again. She could be dead, hit by a car. She could be drowning in the marshes that surround us. I fell into an anxious sleep. 

At around 2.30 I woke of the noise of fighting cats. The neighbours have several outside cats and they all know each other and don't fight. Which meant: a strange cat, ie Miss O! I didn't fall asleep again, but about an hour later, another fight broke out. 

When my alarm sounded at 4.15, the first thing I did was open the front door and there she was: hiding under the car, feeling sorry for herself! She had tufts of hair sticking out everywhere, those awful round sticky weed things all over her fur and there was a slight whiff of something. 

Still feeling a bit on the down side...

After giving her some extra food, I left for work and when I came back, she was still feeling a bit sorry for herself. It will be a while before she goes out again!!

Photo on Sunday 2018-17

Well, it might be my dirty mind, but I found this image to be quite disturbing (in a very funny way). Which meant I had to take a photo of it. When the place had the audacity to close (at 8pm already, while I had to wait until at least 10.30), I told one of the people who worked there. He looked, saw, realised and moved the offending items. 

I was the first to ever comment on it.