Norrie's Musings

The Robin...

2011-05-13T19:16:00.003+01:00

A little bit of Heaven came to visit me today.

It hopped around the garden,

In its fascinating way.

It ate the food I placed for it

And sang a cheerful song,

This feisty little robin,

How I wished that it would stay,

But it left a simple message,

As it gaily flew away.

It’s the little things in life that count.

They bring us the most joy,

And happiness comes from within,

It's something you cannot buy.

Wisha when I wrote this poem I was thinking about the little robin I used to have myself. Well he was wild you know but he used to come over to me when I was putting out the food and things - not always mind you, but sometimes he used come to me. And when I'd talk to him he'd turn his head you know, a lovely little thing he was and fine and fat too. Well there was one time I was talking to him and he showing off to me with a worm when around the corner came my old boss Mr Casey. Didn't the robin hop away under a bush. So there I was talking and he looking and there's no one there! Sure, I was very embarressed first, him thinking I was talking to a bush. I was there thinking 'will ya come out or he'll think I've gone banannas'. Well the robin flew back out anyway and Mr Casey couldn't get over how tame he was, hopping over to me. They can be very friendly you know, them and the wren.

wisha—def : an irish idiom used as an intensive or to express surprise.

Something Rash...

2011-05-09T11:07:00.001+01:00

Onetime, when we lived in Drimoleague, my Mam had a rash on her face and somebody told her to put zinc ointment on it, which is white you know, and someone else told her to put tar ointment on it, which is black. Well she put white ointment where 'twas a bit mild and the tar where it was more severe. She forgot all about it then and went cleaning. Well later didn't she answer the door to someone who was looking for my father. He didn't say anything to her but I suppose he didn't know what to make of her. She came in anyway and when she saw herself in the mirror in the hall she left a wail out of her. You could just imagine it. She gave out to us all for letting her out like that. That was the end of the cleaning for that day!

Irish baby food...

2011-05-07T09:43:00.016+01:00

In my time children used to have this as a meal, it's called Goodie. They're usen't be so many baby foods long ago and they'd be expensive, people just had the plain things I suppose. I've had it a few times; it's alright, at least you knew what you had. People had to make do I suppose.
Recipe:
You just heat some milk, break up a bit of bread and throw it on it with a bit of sugar. You couldn't go wrong with that.

It won't do you any harm anyway. I wonder why they called it goodie? A funny name for it.

The Carpenter...

2011-05-06T08:56:00.003+01:00

My sister Kitty got a chest of drawers made and when she went into the carpenter she said;
"You never put the knobs on my chest since...Oh no!...I meant my drawers."
He was in stitches.

Chewing On A Bone...

2011-05-05T10:11:00.007+01:00

When I was going to school Nanny told me to call into the butchers on the way home for a bone for the dog. When I got there, instead of asking for a bone for the dog, I asked for a bone for my Aunt. He gave it to me and said;
"Here, that should keep her going for a while."
And there were people in the shop too of course. They had a good laugh. You could imagine my aunt then chewing a bone like.

The Shoe Factory...

2011-05-04T12:38:00.001+01:00

When I was in the shoe factory in Bantry I remember Miss Anton, the supervisor, coming in to me and she said; "There's hardly any sewing being done in that room, they're sleeping with open eyes!" And she meant it. I thought that it was comical. Hardly any sewing being done in that room...heh.
The owner, a Mr Frick was German and was not too impressed with the Irish work ethic either. One time a young fella came in and said he wouldn't be at work the next week as he had to bring the sheep down from the mountain. "Oh right" said Mr. Frick "Well I'll close the whole factory so we can get your sheep off the mountain!" He used to complain the Irish were lazy and that German women would be up at 6 o'clock in the morning to go shopping before work, by the way we would still be in bed. We were in bed when they were up and up too late when they were in bed.
The factory didn't last long.

Real Wealth...

2011-05-03T14:53:00.000+01:00

There was a man in bandon who was very poor, with no family you know, but popular with people. They used to call him 'Tol-ol'. He died anyway and when I went up to the chapel a year later I saw his grave and t'was very well kept, with a beautiful headstone with his name and date and everything and underneath it said; 'Erected by his friends'. T'would tell you how well liked he was.
So he was poor in money but rich in friendship.

A Witty Telegram...

2011-05-01T12:54:00.001+01:00

My father was an inspector on the railway and he had this story. It happened somewhere on what used to be the Great Southern Railway. I don't know where exactly but my father had it anyway. There was an engine driver named Gilligan and his engine came off the rails. They worked hard to get it back on in time before the next train came around. He sent a telegram to head office reporting the accident...

"Off again. On again. Gone again. Gilligan."

They were laughing at it of course.

A Quick Wit...

2011-04-30T13:08:00.001+01:00

One time in Bandon, the priest was near Jack at the funeral saying prayers, when the bell went and the priest noticed that Jack had finished well before him.
"You were quick at saying the Angelus Jack."
said the priest suspiciously,
and yer man said
"That's practice father."
He was very quick with his answers.
Jack Ahearne was his name. He used to work in Reilly's funeral home in north main street in Bandon, that's how the priest knew him so well. He' dead years now.

Stout and Milk...

2011-04-30T00:29:00.005+01:00

This is an old Irish tonic - I used to have it especially if I felt run down or had the flu; it's a pick-me-up-after. It used to be given in hospitals and places as a tonic. Up in Gurranebraher, a hospital near Cork, there was a girl there for a year and she wasn't able to stand at all. She was on raw eggs every morning with a drop of sherry in them and stout and milk at eleven or half past and she had her ordinary meals as well. There was a Doctor O'Connell who ordered it for her. Well, she went home fine.
Here's the recipe...
Just a glass or a cup; you wouldn't want a big heap of it. I suppose half and half roughly, half milk and half Guinness with a bit of sugar in it and stir it up. It's supposed to be good for the blood and you can have it every day if you want, just a glass of it like. These are the glasses I use, they're nice old vintage ones.
That's it then. Some of those old things would be better than any of that packet stuff.
And it gives you an appetite too....

Welcome...

2011-04-27T00:11:00.001+01:00

Hello,
Welcome to my new blog.
My new book has taken very well and I hope to further expand on it's themes here.
I hope you'll find a few moments to read, relax and enjoy my various musings!