Sunshine and S**t

This past weekend was absolutely beautiful in Dublin. The temperature was around 13 degrees, there was quite a bit of sun, and everyone was out enjoying the weather. I spent most of Saturday doing the housework thing and worked Saturday night, but after the clouds parted on Sunday morning, I decided to head into town and enjoy one of the city's parks. Merrion Square is very close to St Stephen's Green but I'd never been inside. It's located across from the National Art Gallery and Museum of Natural History. It's much smaller than Stephen's Green but is beautiful and very tranquil. It kind of reminded me of The Secret Garden. There were children running around on a scavenger hunt. The sun was shinning, the leaves were out on all the trees, everything was green and the air smelled of flowers. It was such a relaxing picture, which was only then destroyed by the sounds of the kids running around, screaming at each other. Apparently taking part in a scavenger hunt brought out undesirable behaviour in a few of the kids. The tranquility of the afternoon was shattered when I walked by a bench of teenage girls, only to hear one scream at a group of boys running by, "giv ovr ya greedy poxy bastard!" I'm pretty sure she was only 12, but her mouth helped to illustrate the lovely young lady she was morphing into. Ah Ireland, you never stop making me laugh. I love the quick wit over here. It's as though everyone is permanently ready with a joke to throw your way or some smart comment. I went into Reads on Nassau Street to buy the Sunday Times and when I picked it up, or heaved it up on my hip as it was so heavy, I made a comment to the older woman standing next to me about how big it was. She quickly replied, without missing a beat, "You'd need a hand cart for that one." You'd never get anything like that back home. I never want to leave.