Way Back Then....Back Then.... and Now! Before & After Photos

I just love to compare old photos with the same scene today and so....while in Ballinamore, Leitrim for a holiday last week I was delighted to find these old pictures of the town in Smyth's Pub in High Street. They show part of High Street, Ballinamore in early 1900's and in 1994. I then I took the same scene in 2009. If you like this kind of thing you are going to love these!

1900's...look at the Garda (policeman) on right, as he passes the row of small cottages to get your bearings.

 

..and a close up of him in front of the cottages

Now we have the same scene taken in 1994 showing the street and cottages again

 

...and a close up of the cottages in 1994

 

Now, here is the same street taken last week....showing the same cottages!

 

If that is not interesting enough...well, you know my fellow Ballinamore blogger...Lizbiz??? Well she lives in the pink one in the foreground! I have been in that one and it is gorgeous and cosy. Check out her blog for more info and pics.  You can click on her on my sidebar or click on her name in blue above (She taught me how to put that in!)

Blogging Workshop Ballinamore

Now for the rest of our lovely, restful and healing holiday....Well, we mixed buisness with pleasure 'cos we went to a fabulous workshop given by the said LizBiz - Liz Lennon, in Shaylyn Centre, High Street, Ballinamore...Here is a pic of herself and Paul getting ready to get down to business...

 

It was a wonderful relaxed and informative workshop -with Liz teaching us how to blog via Wordpress.com (yeah, I know I can already blog via Typepad but I needed one that is free to use for work and Paul knew nothing!)

 We were joined by father and son team - Phil and Dennis,  from the new Kidscafé Youth Centre, Ballinamore, and we all learned how to set up (and indeed we did set up) a blog each! Liz is a deadly teacher and made it all so easy and answered all our questions. Well done Liz and thanks for a super afternoon. We learned loads and will be sharing it all with our students come September. Thank you!

Also, this came as a great escape from our worries - as just the day before Paul got a call from the hospital to say his operation has been brought forward to next Tues 14th July instead of beginning of August. We had to cut short our hols for it but are glad to be getting it over a bit sooner.

Please keep us in your thoughts on that day. Thanks

We are nearly out of the woods re this aweful cancer episode. Just this operation and a spell in St Luke's Hospital for radio iodine therapy. The prognosis is good so we just have to be grateful for that, but it's not been easy.

What I bought on holidays!

We took a trip to Carrick on Shannon for a car boot sale and drove over the border to Enniskillen in Northern Ireland to do a bit of shopping and this is what we found...

I have a lovely young English couple and their son -  (Twiggy, Branch and Twiglet!) coming to stay in White O'Morn Cottage in August and so I had to have some gorgeous new teatowels for them. Three doty cotton ones for the tiny sum of three yoyo! (Euro) at the car boot sale.

Here they are draped elegantly at my Belfast sink and looking so lovely.

 

..and a close up of them.

  

Now, Twiggy...don't be afraid to use these. That's what they are for!

We also bought some delicious free range duck eggs and I had to take a pic of the beautiful duck egg blue colour for you...and.....then I ate them!

I then crushed the shells and put them around my sunflowers in the garden to keep the slugs away as they don't like to crawl over them 'cos they is sharp.

Ever Seen An Invisible Dog?

We couldn't find our dog, Chewie anywhere...but eventually we did. She was well hidden (in her own mind) under our bed. Her mind may have been well hidden but her behind, however was not well hidden!

That's our Chewbacca, part terrier/part ostrich!

 

Working Holiday!

Oh yes, I also did a bit of trench digging on me hols! We needed to do one for the bathwater to run into a drain and it needed a trench dug and pipe run and....and...and...Paul just had an operation and...and well...who else but lil' ol' me to do it?

Well, I did it and here is the pic to prove it!

 

That's me swinging a mattock (a thingy a bit like a pickaxe but with a flat edge) at the back of the cottage making a drain for the bath water to run off.

I am so glad he did not take it from the other side as I was showing a bit of "Builder's Cleavage"  Not for the fainthearted!

I also had a go at strimming the acre at the front...(I only got a little of it done - have you ever seen the size of an actual acre???..no? Not strimmable -at least not by this little chick!) However, our lovely friend, neighbour and former owner of our cottage came along and did a great bit of strimmimg for us. Thanks so much Michael Duignan! You did a great job and are such a great support at this time. We really appreciate it Michael.

He is also going to gravel the front of the cottage for us. He is a treasure and we appreciate his help so much especially at this difficult time. Michael and his  lovely wife, Helen lost their precious daughter, Fiona,  to leukemia nine years ago. It was her 21st birthday last week and he gave her friends a party for it in Prior's and made a beautiful wreath of peach roses in the shape of 21 and placed it on her lovely resting place which he keeps so beautifully at all times.

What do you think of my nearly gray hair? Cool eh?...and yes, I have lost weight...(I have been on the stress diet - I can't recommend it though)

Take note....Kimme and Co... you no longer have to pump out your bathwater!

Pretty Gets Her Beauty Sleep!

Paul and I have this agreement..."Paul, if you take a picture of me asleep with my mouth hanging open and snoring I will kill you"

He is not guilty -as he waited until I closed my mouth and stopped snoring ...He caught me napping but......, I did spend the day digging a trench!

 

Aw...look. Pretty is curled up under my wing having a snooze too.

 

 

Comments

[Lorraine]

Love the photos - how wonderful to see the differences, but also to see that the cottages are still there!

[Twiggy]

oooo they are far too nice to use :) I like being called young, kind lady. Glad you had a lovely,restful and informative break. Great photos !!!
twiggy x

[Liz]

Hi Pam
It was a pleasure having you and Paul at the blog design workshop ... the time just flew past ... you were exceptional students and it was lovely watching you two work so well together.

Sending you and Paul big wishes for Tuesday and a happy recovery.

See you real soon.

xxx Liz

[AngelMc]

enjoyed the pictures. and i admire you for digging the trench, i'm totally out of shape and basically don't do anything outside anymore--and this summer it is way to hot to be outside anyway (good excuse)
i love the picture of you and your doggie cuddled up. my girls cici and gingin (priscilla and ginger--named after Elvis' wife and last girlfriend) cuddle up right under me when i'm sleeping.

[kimme]

Hi ya Pam :)

Loved all the pics. Chewy looks so cute hiding under
the bed and I loved the pic of you and Pretty snoozing :)
Your grey hair is fab!!

My thoughts and prayers are with you all today for
Paul's surgery. When it is all done, he will soon be back
to fighting form :0)

No more pumping water? ah, that was the fun of it! LOL!

hugs xoxox ~kimme

P.S. I was just about to post about slugs eating my basil!! Little
sh*ts ate 2 plants!! .. I am off to put egg shells on my beds. Wish me luck!

[Val]

Great photos, been there, done that with the trench digging.
I love the Carrick on Shannon car boot sale. We had a stall at the Collooney one on Sunday but it was vey quiet.
Hope Paul is doing well.