Friday Folk Museum

Things were hopping at the Folk Museum this morning. Tomorrow is the ploughing and country skills day so there was whitewash (I reckon that is what bags of lime are for) and paint galore, as well as tree doctors and utility vehicles (alas, with motors) here there and everywhere. Oh, and painters with an Antrim accent. If you haven't got a clue about that, go google it because it is a lovely thing to hear. Especially the male version. You could also come and visit us and I could try to hook you up with someone to talk paint or farming.

The donkey is pregnant. Kids had fun trying to guess when the baby would be born. Like, right now, was pretty much what they were hoping for. Alex thought maybe the donkey was a foal but he was convinced when I pointed out how a foal wouldn't have a baby.

The chatty docent in the rectory sent them packing when they beat me to the door. Open fires, you know. But that gravel path isn't for wheels so I had to take the longcut to get Baby A E near enough to park. Soda farls were on the fire but I couldn't wait. Alex and Tate had to move on once they saw the main events: the open fire, the abacus, the ancient bowls. We are talking pins for bowling here, not to be confused with the ancient bread bowls which had contained the soda dough. Alex knocked a pin on the floor and I replaced so we could flee in case docent wasn't decent about kids in a hands-on museum.

The Loooooooong Walk Home

Octavia and I hoofed it home from Lorcan's house on Wednesday. She had gone tumbling at Salto, the gymnasium, with Alex earlier so by the time we had done about .9 of the 1.2 miles home, she was definitely flagging. And less than pleasant. My coping method was to observe the effect on passers-by when they heard a 3-year old shouting "I HATE YOU!" at her mother and baby brother while dragging her little croc boots along the pavements.

We made it! I baked a chocolate chip cookie for her and for Noah who'd returned home as well. Yes, just 1 cookie. I felt a bit Martha Stewart as I'd made the dough earlier in the week and was able to just whip it out of the freezer and throw it in the oven while making a gorgeous dinner, changing a baby, and having elegant arguments with a 9-year old whether one can read and watch a DVD at the same time.

A. E. in Action

Erin and Colby sent Aodh a gorgeous green gown. And you can see how happy he is wearing it. Last Sunday was a jammy day--he put it on early in the morning and wore it until a fresh PJ was required at bedtime! We hope that Erin got it in a much, much larger size for my next birthday.

Massage Bridge with Susan and Alex

A good walk, a nice snack. And all on the path from "Massage Bridge", otherwise known to the general public as Shaw's Bridge.

1904

You might not know that the Ulster Folk Museum is my refuge. Loads of space, quiet, few cars, people who smile at children. I go there about 3 times a month just to feel at home away from home. There is a lot less clutter at the Folk Museum than in our house. To be expected since the era is the early years of the 1900s--before electricity, before plastic, before blogs. They had whitewash, though, and lead paint (I think). Here it is shown to best advantage by the snowy-day light and my beautiful children.

Dear Grandpa Big Mike, I love you when it is spring time.

So time has been passing with no blog entries. You know why. Too busy to fire up the computer, download photos, etc. Sometimes too busy even to push the shutter button on the camera, or 'picturer' as my friend Pierse, age 5, recently called it.

But we've got a couple Valentine pics. And when Octavia heard that I was going to put them up for the grandparents to read, she said I would write "Dear Grandpa Big Mike..." as you see in the title of this post. Clearly, she is a romantic at heart. This week, she has been contemplating marriage. Since it has been explained that Aodh is not a possible spouse, her best friend Alex is next on her list. I told her a fiance would be a good friend outside the family. She told me that Alex is outside a lot so he'd do.

Since everyone in the family, excepting Aodh, made a card for everyone else, we could have also made those valentine boxes that were a feature in elementary school this time of year. Maybe next year when we add another Val maker to the celebrations.

Here's my baby A.E. with the valentine I gave him. As you can see he is well-pleased.

Octavia documented our Valentine breakfast. I'm not sure why Scott didn't make any of the photos--he was there!

Aodh is smiling loads now. Especially at Noah.