Balm for my soul

Walking for hours (not quite knowing where the path would lead) in fabulous surroundings, taking a few pictures, soaking up the fresh air and the sun… it does not get much better for the soul than that. This weekend gone by was like balm for my soul. Last week a very good friend and I [...]

Curveballs

This is turning out to be quite an expensive week so far. First the charges that I made on my VISA card while on my holiday are starting to show up on my statement. How did it add up so fast? Then we discovered that we need to re-tile the en-suite shower as we have [...]

Grin factor

Dublin has been quite icy and cold the last few weeks. As most people here are not used to this weather it has meant that traffic has been pretty horrid. Driving has been interesting to say the least… ice-rink conditions mostly as the sand and grit obviously still is on-route from the Gobi dessert or [...]

Slowly back on (icy)track?

I dared the elements and ventured out in the ice and snow among the deserted streets of Dublin to go the extra mile, to make the effort to, to make it to the club for a training class. OK… slight exaggeration… it wasn’t that dramatic really. I drove to the dojo…it was a bit icy [...]

A moment in the present

How many times do you find yourself being in the present? Really just existing in that present moment without remembering the past or thinking about the future? I believe that it is very rare. Most of us are either preoccupied with what has happened or with what will happen. Our lives are busy and many [...]

The joy of driving

Here I am, having had a driving license for the last 14 years and only very recently have I discovered that I absolutely love driving in my car. I have had a car before, it was nothing special. Well to be honest, it was a very boring car. It got me from A to B [...]