(no subject)
My fast was hard but meaningful, it being my first Yom Kippur in Dublin, as a grown-up-ish, with a big eventful year behind me. I didn't like the services at the progressive shul, though. There was no time for individual reflection; it was all readings, responsive readings, listenings, prayers- nothing silent and nothing skipped. Plus they had a four-person choir whose songs all sounded like hymns. I did make a lovely kugel for pre-fast and a bit of it carried over into break-fast at Michael's, which was amazing (as are all meals at his place, I'm starting to believe).
I met the boy's family yesterday. He says his dad definitely likes me and I can tell his mom's great. His sister's wonderful, too, and her baby is the most adorable thing in creation. His dad's nervous to speak, I think, but his mom has ze cutest Cherman accent! It actually reminds me a bit of our old family friend Trude.
Last night I dreamed about missing a flight from London, and buying French food, and saying goodbye to the Hills (and calling Ali Terry). Then I realized I didn't want to dream about thinking my 12pm flight was at 6 and missing it, and decided that dream was just a dream, and dreamed I was on my way to the airport and made it. And I woke up with a charleyhorse.
This morning I tried to go to the Gardai to extend my student visa, but I unexpectedly spent the night at J's last night so I didn't have the documents I needed and had to run home before I went there. This means I got there much too late to get a number, and after they give a certain number of numbers they tell the rest to go home because there's no chance they'll be served that day. I can go early Monday, or even late- they're open til 10 and Kimmy says that's the secret, because no one comes in late and no one's left waiting to be served from the morning. I don't know if that's still the case nearly a year later, but we'll see. I also don't know if they'll make me pay just to extend it, but the possibility is there, as my GNIB card will expire along with my student visa on the 31st.
After farmers' market with boy and fam (where I got to tell Brian the cheese boy and Declan at the fruit stand that I was done with the dissertation- Brian's never around these days so we actually just chatted for a couple minutes, but it was somehow awkward. I'm wondering if it's because normally I flirt a bit and this time J was there) I got to jump the Book of Kells queue and take J's parents, where I finally talked with his dad a bit. Then to saffron gnocchi at Dunne and Crescenzi, which is this Italian joint that serves almost solely tapas-size antipasti. They DARTed to Dun Laoghaire while Kim's colleague Daniela drove me and K and K (in her German, driver-on-the-correct-side car) to BLANCHARDSTOWN, which has a mall. a MALL! I felt so at home! I bought shoes and a bag and a black shawl-y thing to go with the dress for the wedding, for which I'm leaving on Weds. And ice cream, Kimmy and I got ice cream and I also found APPLES TO APPLES at Borders (they have a Borders in Ireland!)!
And then we got into a minor (defo minor) car accident. Two-lane road forked into four lanes and there's no rules on which cars go into which lanes. So Daniela assumes we go right, while the guy behind us assumed we were going to go left, sped up and swerved left into us. The local police were all "grounded" with prisoners, so they took each other's information and left. Here's hoping nothing awful happens.
tomorrow I think I'm going to see Maureen, an undergrad who was here first semester last year and is back for the weekend. And I'd like to see the boy's fam again, since I think it'll be the last time I get to see them until December.
I met the boy's family yesterday. He says his dad definitely likes me and I can tell his mom's great. His sister's wonderful, too, and her baby is the most adorable thing in creation. His dad's nervous to speak, I think, but his mom has ze cutest Cherman accent! It actually reminds me a bit of our old family friend Trude.
Last night I dreamed about missing a flight from London, and buying French food, and saying goodbye to the Hills (and calling Ali Terry). Then I realized I didn't want to dream about thinking my 12pm flight was at 6 and missing it, and decided that dream was just a dream, and dreamed I was on my way to the airport and made it. And I woke up with a charleyhorse.
This morning I tried to go to the Gardai to extend my student visa, but I unexpectedly spent the night at J's last night so I didn't have the documents I needed and had to run home before I went there. This means I got there much too late to get a number, and after they give a certain number of numbers they tell the rest to go home because there's no chance they'll be served that day. I can go early Monday, or even late- they're open til 10 and Kimmy says that's the secret, because no one comes in late and no one's left waiting to be served from the morning. I don't know if that's still the case nearly a year later, but we'll see. I also don't know if they'll make me pay just to extend it, but the possibility is there, as my GNIB card will expire along with my student visa on the 31st.
After farmers' market with boy and fam (where I got to tell Brian the cheese boy and Declan at the fruit stand that I was done with the dissertation- Brian's never around these days so we actually just chatted for a couple minutes, but it was somehow awkward. I'm wondering if it's because normally I flirt a bit and this time J was there) I got to jump the Book of Kells queue and take J's parents, where I finally talked with his dad a bit. Then to saffron gnocchi at Dunne and Crescenzi, which is this Italian joint that serves almost solely tapas-size antipasti. They DARTed to Dun Laoghaire while Kim's colleague Daniela drove me and K and K (in her German, driver-on-the-correct-side car) to BLANCHARDSTOWN, which has a mall. a MALL! I felt so at home! I bought shoes and a bag and a black shawl-y thing to go with the dress for the wedding, for which I'm leaving on Weds. And ice cream, Kimmy and I got ice cream and I also found APPLES TO APPLES at Borders (they have a Borders in Ireland!)!
And then we got into a minor (defo minor) car accident. Two-lane road forked into four lanes and there's no rules on which cars go into which lanes. So Daniela assumes we go right, while the guy behind us assumed we were going to go left, sped up and swerved left into us. The local police were all "grounded" with prisoners, so they took each other's information and left. Here's hoping nothing awful happens.
tomorrow I think I'm going to see Maureen, an undergrad who was here first semester last year and is back for the weekend. And I'd like to see the boy's fam again, since I think it'll be the last time I get to see them until December.