Yesterday, I heard God say, “It’s in your blood”
And it struck me just like lightning
I’ve been fightin’, I’ve been strivin’
Yesterday, I heard God say, “You were born to be the one
To hold the hand of the man
Who flies too close to the sun”
Del Ray / Laird
This week has been odd.
I have been working at worky things.
I have not been running.
It all feels weird.
Maybe I’m a grown-up now ?
Hope not.
Last Saturday was a great day.
Jake came out to help Dominic and I set up Parkrun.
It was Mrs.Connolly’s birthday and I gave and got a birthday hug.
I introduced Jake to Pete Mohan and he has promised to carry on our feud if/when anything happens to me.
Jake ran in his first ever Parkrun.
Jake showed a complete lack of respect for his father by finishing 20 seconds ahead.
We had a great catch up with Bryony, our former and now re-installed Parkrun Capo di Tutti Capi, Fontaines DC, Lent, wine, and our horrible children were discussed.
The Mulhollands arrived in Lisbane for lunch. Michelle is my Soulmate’s cousin and our great friend. Her husband Mark is one of life’s gentlemen and he and I have had adventures. Chats simply carried on from their visit. They had their kids and an interloper with them. We were at both of the boys’ christenings, and now they are college graduates and fine young men …and no longer complain that we have poor broadband, no public transport, or access to Love Island livestreams.
We spent a luverly afternoon wandering around Rossmore Park and paying social visits to all of the Drumlin Giants. I told them the history of the castle and Camla across the road. Most of it was true.
Jake’s Sarah arrived from Belfast.
Our Elliott arrived from Maynooth.
We had a lovely dinner and natter together.
I had two large bottles of Morretti, ice cold from the freezer, several glasses of Rioja, and two cans of Guinness Nitrosurge.
On Sunday morning I met Ray and Dominic for a 10 mile run and very, very, very much regretted having had two large bottles of Morretti, ice cold from the freezer, several glasses of Rioja, and two cans of Guinness Nitrosurge.
We had a thoroughly wonderful lazy Sunday afternoon. Many Easter Eggs, gluten free, vegan, and honest to God milk chocolate with extra gluten ones were consumed.
The fire was lit.
I fell asleep twice watching Dune 2.
In between worky things I asked my friend Carol for help in tracking down the auction catalogue for the pre-demolition sale of Camla. Carol’s friend Theresa was able to get me a scanned copy. I wanted some details from it for three of the four novels I’m not writing at the moment.
In the catalogue, someone had written in fountain pen ‘Sic Transit Gloria’ , a truncated Latin phrase which means “thus passes the glory of the world”. I thought it a little sad, but apt.
In another wee break from worky things I followed up with my Yankee friend Josh. Josh is a friend I’ve never seen, like Stan, Patricia, Barbara, Gwen, Beverly, Jackie, Lisa, and Leanne. We were all in an on-line writing group together 12 years ago hosted by the Chris Brogan. And I’ve met John Baloney in real life three times ! Josh is a committed Deadhead and I have done my best over the years to broaden his musical horizons. He is on a health related magical mystery tour at the moment and received some ugly news this week. I messaged him :
“In Scotstown , a village near here, there is a small church , in the townland of Urbleshanny, St.Mary’s. The church is old, and unusual. The altar is in the middle of the church , against a side wall, with the congregation facing it, and there is a ‘C’ shaped balcony above. It’s unusual for a Catholic Church, it’s style more similar to old local Presbyterian churches in lay out. To the left as you enter from the north gable entrance is a small shrine which features an unusual old carved statue of a minstrel. It is said that if you think of someone and light a candle there for them in that moment that they will receive a blessing and finally appreciate Radiohead…”
What I actually did as a prayer/wish for Josh was …I…struggling to commit this to permanent record…I….listened to The Grateful Dead…a whole album ! ‘From the Mars Hotel’.
I gave our Stephen a copy of the Camla catalogue and he wondered out loud if any of the items had remained in Monaghan. I said that at a party years ago Ingrid Flack had told me an old uncle of theirs had bought a piano in the auction.
That was two days ago and I have been busy at worky things since.
This morning ( Friday) I went into The Screaming Bean to meet Stephen for breakfast. John normally joins us but he’s away eating fish and chips with mushy peas in Lou Macari’s Take Away this week. Stephen and I were chatting when a couple sat at the table next to us. It took me a while to remember who it was….Ingrid Flack ! I haven’t seen her in 8 years and having mentioned her two days ago she appears. I introduced her and her partner George to Stephen and we all spent the next half hour chatting about bric-a-brac , auctions and Camla.
Ingrid mentioned that when living in Canada a friend raved about jewellery she’d bought on line and it turned out to have been made by a Monaghan artist. Stephen mentioned buying a walking stick at an auction in London and subsequently discovered that it had come from Glaslough, and where it has been returned to.
It’s funny how everything is fleeting, and yet connected somehow.
And everything finds it’s way.
Sic transit gloria…as they say in Monaghan.
Toodles,
Paul
P.S. This is the divine Lana Del Ray’s ‘Come on Henry‘ for Josh.
