White O'Morn Cottage

A Nice Cup of Tea!

This one is specially for Therese, our third of four sisters. We have just persuaded her to start a blog of her own. It is on the sidebar called Beadiva. Her thing is handmade jewelery and she is amazing at it. I will be posting pictures of her creations in the next few days. She is coming home soon and asked us what we would like her to make for us (from Swarovski as she is big into that at the mo') So I said "A vintage style hat pin!" and she said "Can do" and Angie said "Miniature perfume bottle for my dolls's house" and she said "Can do" Is there anything she can't do? She made my website too!

Anyway, this is for you Teeda - to give you a laugh...Here is a postcard Angie found and bought it for me as she thought it was the image of me! I don't know what made her think that - as I'm a real rock chick!

Happy St Patrick's Day! & Gaelge 101

Having a fabulous Saint Patrick's Day here in the emerald  isle. Even Barbie is doing Riverdance! Cailín maith a Bharbaí!!! (Pronounced: coll-een -maw-a-warby!)..and means good girl Barbie!

The party started on Fri last and will go on till Tues morning. We like to make sure it is well marked. There will be a grand ol' hooly all over the country on the exact day -17th  March. ..just like Mardi Gras but with rain. Not that rain is allowed to dampen the spirits. Noooo, nooo way!

The country is full of tourists from all over the world and everyone is in great humour. They get an extra warm welcome at this time - especially the Americans who all seem to have some Irish in them! There is a big "Cead Mile Failte" for all. It means - literally "A hundred thousand welcomes" in our beautiful native language - Gaelge. I think it is a really lovely greeting.

You will be able to see some of the shenanigans on www.rte.ie/stpatricks

Want some more Irish? OK- here is Gaelge 101

Grá =love (pronounced graw)

Grá mo crói = love of my heart (graw-maw-cree)

Is maith liom = I like (iss-maw-lum)

Go raibh maith agat =thank you (guh-rev-maw-a-gut)

Slán = bye bye (slawn)

Sláinte! =cheers! (slawn-teh)

Cailín = young girl (Coll-een)

Búachail =young boy (boo-a-coll)

Are you all wondering how I got the fada on to the letters?  No??? Ok then, are some of you wondering? No? ...is anyone wondering how I..... Please, someone wonder...'Cos I'm going to tell you anyway - so give in now.

Fada is the little slanted dash over some of the vowels to give them emphasis. If you hold down the control and alt then tap the vowel you want it on.

Beanachtaí le féile Pádraig! Happy St Patrick's Day! (ban-awk-tee... leh-fay-leh... pawd-rig)  So, off ye' go now and say that to all and sundry. Slán!!!

Dublineese 101 or how to speak English in two different languages...

I recently got a message from Cheapdiva at Cottage Living telling me that when she was in Ireland and she loved the way we did not pronounce our "th"  in words. It's true -we don't - at  least not in Dublin. She said she used to go into the pub every day from three to four just to ask people the time every few minutes, just to hear them say ..."It's tree turty tree"

So let's have a little fun. Here we go...

Dublineese 101. Repeat after me...deez dat dem and doze. Very good -you have mastered: These That Them and Those. The trick is not to stick your tongue out between your teet every time you want to say a "th" word. Sticking your tongue out is very rude anyway and I tink de rest of de world should give it up . Nutting can stop you now!

Here's a little story I wrote meself  (we also have changed my to me) in me native Dublineese. (wit deepest apologies to de English nation whose native language was hurt during de making of dis story)

                                                  De Tale of Tree Trees

...Once upon a time der were tree trees in a ticket of woods. Two trees were quite tick and the udder, turd tree was tin. One day dey decided to go for a walk (HUH??) It happened like dis...one tree said to the udder two trees "Now don't be lookin' at me in dat tone of voice! But I tink I'm after gettin' worms!"

"Ahh sufferin' heart!" said the tin tree and the udder tick tree  said "Sure dat's only wojis - let's get ou'ra here"

So dey uprooted demselves and off dey went saying "If we stay here any longer widout moving we'll all get roomatizzim (or should dat be room-attic fever?")

...to be continued as I have only taut up a beginning, it has no middle or end which does not matter as it has no rhyme or reason eeder!

Happy St Patrick's Day from White O'Morn Cottage and De Old Schoolhouse 

Things an Irish Mother Might Say...

We here in Ireland have a great way with words. It is known as "The Gift of the Gab" ...We didn't kiss the Blarney Stone - we took a bite out of it!

We are also blessed (?) with strange logic. When the two come together we come out with the oddest things.  Things like ...and these were actually said to me..."I'm an atheist - thank God!" and "Ask the back of me arse!" (Is there a front????) (Arse means butt by the way and is in no way an offensive word here so don't be gettin' upset you people above beyond in America)

Or, how about these humdingers..."Do you know what I'm going to tell ye'?" and " Are you reading that paper you're sitting on?"

The worst offenders (or best deliverers) are Irish Mothers. I have one - and I am one - so I am a world expert in this country.

My mother once said to me "I'll take your sacred life!" and " Don't come running to me if you fall and break your leg!"  and "I'll put that smile on the other side of your face!" ...(where is the other side of your face? ...is it anywhere near the back of your arse???)

It is reported that I once said the following spoke to  my teenage sons, on the occasion of their coming home late, this piece of strangled English...(and they understood every word!)...

"You's three are a right pair! You didn't come home last night 'til this morning. If you want to stay here you'll have to get out!"

Now, figure all that out! Happy St Patrick's Day to all Irish Mothers!!!

To greatly improve your life - carefully follow these detailed instructions...

Delight in the little things.