Musings on a Life Quite Ordinary

My daughter is almost six, a birthday party is expected. We’ll pull it together but last week she gave us a list of 41 children that she wishes to attend, not counting herself and her little brother. This causes it’s own set of problems, logistical and whatnot, our house is not big and with those numbers one of those indoor play places that do it all for you is ruled out completely. We did that last year, 13 RSVP’d and 17 showed up.   The Party/Events Organiser was not a happy camper.   Neither was I, as I hadn’t expected to spend most of my daughters 5 th birthday in the loos with the little ones whose parents had employed the drop and run tactic.   Smart people, very smart people. Nor had I anticipated the pretty little Klingon attached to my right thigh for the entire event which meant I couldn’t use the toilet as I have issues in that department.   It’s nothing serious; I just can’t perform with an audience. A couple of years ago for my daughters fourth birthda...

Last week, I saw someone I never thought I would see, well not in my country at least. It was the Queen of England, Elizabeth II, she drove past our house in her big black range rover with an impressive cavalcade.   Not to mention helicopters, army & Gardaí (the Irish police force) present all along the route. She smiled brightly, her car slowed and she looked warmly at our children. It was quiet, which was a relief as we had watched television reports of anti-royalist republicans and dissidents rioting in Dublin city over the previous two days.   I was born in 1971, so my memory of “The Troubles” is very clear and I have no doubt of what havoc could have been wreaked had certain people decided on it.   Thankfully, they chose the high road. I was born in the Republic, I was born a free person, so were my parents, but my grandparents were not.   They were born subjects of a royal family who reigned over a nation that invaded our country, so the history of what hap...