T-shirts

I think this might be a somewhat 'bitty' post, but we will see how it goes.

First of all, thanks to those who texted or left messages on facebook or here to welcome back the blog. Let me say again, that both of us are surprised but appreciative of the support shown for our venture. Speaking for myself, it is really helping with the commitment to training (despite the ragged nature of the last two weeks) knowing that I must answer, so to speak, to you guys. It is also strangely pleasurable to talk/write about running. A friend, who completed the marathon some years ago, said to me recently that while he was running he could have talked endlessly about it, even to the point of boring himself. He is no longer running, at least to that extent; and I think he may have been giving me a gentle hint to ... well, shall we say, desist!

Next, I would like to thank customprint.ie whose two t-shirts I picked up this morning. They are fab! I look forward to wearing them. As coincidence would have it, customprint.ie were on Ireland AM this morning advertising some of the products they can do for special occasions like Mother's Day (alerted to this because otherwise I would not have seen it) and so, I have put up the link under Sponsors.

Speaking of sponsorship, the mycharity.ie link is nearly ready, I am told. It is only 11 weeks to the event ... to the June Bank Holiday folks, (the start of Summer) so I am keen to get that side of things flowing too.

Other than that, all is well. I have not yet had a proper chat with Etty to know how they are settling in. In fact, I have not spoken to my mother or father, for that matter, since my return. Yet, I have been on Facebook quite a bit, even instant messaged UAE brother! How odd is that!? It has just dawned on me ... apologies to both. I have the strangest most familiar feeling of running after myself again (no pun intended) despite a well-ordered start to the day and the fact that it is only Monday. It all went really until the point that I could not get into my Yoga class this evening, scheduled for 7. I'm not sure what happened, but I think that the doorbell was not working and I was about 2 minutes late (literally, honestly) and normally the teacher is most accommodating. I came home, discomfited and disorientated. I was keen to get photos of the t-shirts up and out there (and to forward holiday shots to my fellow travellers who forgot their cameras or ran out of battery) so I sat down to the computer and then I forgot time, messing on Facebook! And here I am blogging when I should be sleeping and so it goes, the domino effect.

Anyway, more positively, I did get in my run this morning. The short run is now increased to 4 miles, about an extra 9 or 10 minutes and it seemly means running past Mount Anville School to turn left onto South Avenue instead. This still brings me to Deer Park, but more circuitously. A robin and a thrush came out to welcome me back. The seagulls were also about, pretending not to notice, but I know they had their beady eyes on me too! Spring sprung over the past week. The cherry blossom, forsythia(?), willow trees, not to mention the Daffodils and tulips were all on show. People are losing their winter scarves and woolly hats too. It was mild, an easy return from the last few sunny days in Spain. Here I did not feel milky white, but a bit more tanned than my surrounding Irish compatriots. I enjoyed that, I admit it. Although, I was a bit embarrassed at work. I do not have the 'I-am-working-myself-to-death look'.   (Some of this is 'tongue in cheek', you understand.) I enjoyed my run, although my legs grumbled a bit, enough to make me worry about actually running a marathon. Hopefully, they will be rejoicing in another day or two. My time was ok too, I was just over the 6minutes per kilometre. 

I did speak to Etty before I left on Thursday the 10th and was struck by their aloneness in moving, and particularly Etty's energy levels, so it was good to read of the neighbourly welcome in her post. As she spoke, I was reminded of childhood cinecamera images of our move from Silverdale to Ballinlough when I was 4. Uncles Murty and Seán, Granny and Granda P are all busily helping us. There's a shot of Café Java brother and myself running in and out carrying little things and Etty is the bump in my Mother's tummy. Mam and Dad are little more than 'young ones' themselves. But these are the images that came to mind as Etty and I spoke quickly the night before their actual move into the house.  I have visited her on previous Spring breaks. This year, we had Spain booked before we knew of the Boston move.  Still, I was more than a little conflicted as I set off in the opposite direction.  That said, while away, and chatting and planning as you do, we spoke frequently of our hope to get to Boston for this coming Christmas. We both thought of it coming through Dublin airport too on Sunday ... probably our next trip together.  I have also begun to play around with lastminute deals. Who knows, I might get lucky?

I'll stop now, although I do want to write more, not least about my reading over the last week. But, I must sleep now.

Again, oíche mhaith, codladh sámh!