Laxie through the Looking Glass

[Laxie]

Life lesson # 531 - Never bitch about the quiet.

I'm not a very religious girl, but AMEN to that ^^^!!

[Laxie]

Don't know what it's like in your part of the world, but Ireland has a nip in the air with the past few days.  So much so, that I finally caved and fired up the sitting room stove on Saturday.  It gives a whole different feel to the room at night watching the glow of a fire.  I love it!

[Laxie]

Through the summer months Lily and Cassie worked out an agreement.  Cassie tucked in alongside the stove for her kip and Lily would give her space by throwing down next to me.  She had no choice really.  Since Cassie was injured, she doesn't trust Lily to be careful when she's sleeping.  And she's not totally wrong there.

Lily means well, but she's a bit clumsy.  Between age and arthritis, she does all sorts of flip flopping around just trying to walk sometimes.  If Lily gets anywhere near Cassie during her slumber, Cassie lets out a wee growl at Lilly.  Then she gives me this look as if to say, "I'm sorry man, but you know what she's like."

On Saturday I was a bit worried as I know both love to tuck in next to the fire.  But Cassie surprised me.  Without blinking, she's changed her sleeping position so that her legs are facing away from the fire (and away from Lily) so they can share the space.  They spent the rest of the day with their heads touching, but all danger bits (legs) facing opposite directions.  And Lily wouldn't budge until Cassie decided to get up.  Almost like she knew she had to be careful.  

They've started another new thing lately too.  Every now and then (usually after a round of play time) they sit down next to me and the pair tip their noses off each other.  This is  followed by a wee lick of the other's face before they settle in next to the fire again. 

[Laxie]

With all the extra sleeping by the fire, they seem to have even more energy during play time too.  Cassie's turned our entire house into a racetrack...and Sarah is the overgrown rabbit for the chase.  Only she doesn't have to worry about being killed when she's caught.  lol 

Winter in Ireland is great.  We're all forced to stay indoors as the weather is so rubbish...which means we spend more time with each other.  Remind me of this post in January when I've lost me mind from being stuck indoors for so long, please and thank you. 

[Laxie]

I'd great intentions of heading to Dublin this week-end.  Was really looking forward to meeting up with the APAT crew.  All was in place.  I'd been given a free rail pass so I could hit the train as and when I liked without paying a cent.  I'd sussed out what sounded to be a good wee self catering place right across the road that didn't break the bank.  Just had to wait and see what the crew here wanted to do for their week-end. 

By Friday, I'd made up my mind I'd skip the tourney and head up either Saturday evening or Sunday morning so I could spend time with Brian.  If I sensed Brian had no notion of being around, Saturday evening was looking the more likely option.  Except that he made no plans Friday.  Or Saturday.  Or even Sunday for that matter.  He waited til 6:00pm on Sunday to head back up.  By then there was no point in hitting the train to Dublin as everyone was already either 'well on' and heading in the morning...or gone home already. 

While I missed meeting up with everyone in Dublin, I had such a great time just hanging with the kids.  They were in mighty form.  We tossed jokes and digs around all week-end and had a great laugh.  Catching all three teens in that kind of form at the same time doesn't happen often.  There's usually one in a pissy mood.  So I took advantage of the good form and we enjoyed every minute of it. 

There's always going to be another poker tourney.  But week-ends like this past one can't be replaced and should very definitely be treasured.

[boldie]

Funny, that lick of the face thing....that's what MrsB and I do after play-time as well.



Seriously though, great updates

[Laxie]

What a week-end!!!  Apologies for the radio silence, but I've not been home much since last Thursday.  The Ladbrokes Irish Poker Festival was in Killarney and I was asked to work it.  Not unusual as I've worked all of them with a couple of years now.  No big deal, just covering the reg desk for the tourneys when they land in town.  Won't get rich doing it, but good fun all the same.  As an added bonus, they book out apartments for all the staff so I didn't have to drive home each night after the long shifts.  The downside being I could head to the hotel bar with everyone else when I clocked out and just throw down in the apartments for the couple of hours kip after.  Up at 9:00, tear road home for shower, change and to check on the troops before heading back to work again by 11am.

This year was a wee bit different.  I was asked to look after main event reg for Ladbrokes VIP's and online qualifiers.  Just over 200 of them.  I already knew more than half on the list, so it went pretty smooth and was great to catch up with so many.  That was Thursday and Friday covered.  Saturday I was back to the main registration desk for side events.  Ended up working a silly long shift on Saturday so they gave me Sunday off. 

Sunday I played the turbo side event along with 237 other people.  Was feeling pretty good about it and gathered a nice chunk of chips early days.  Managed treble average stack at one stage.  But lost every race later on (despite going in ahead) and went absolutely card dead towards the end when it mattered.  Didn't even managed a mini cash in the end.  Oh well.  Was still fun and got to meet a few more I'd not had time to say hello to all week-end.

Monday was staff night out.  Two local Lads had made final table of the main event so we had plenty to celebrate.  Only I was abso shattered!  lol  I'd had a total of 9 hours sleep since Thursday and the body wasn't keen on another late night.  Struggled through it anyway and finally saw sleep around 4:30am. 

Landed home yesterday around noon and basically slept the day away.  Tried to catch up on the forum stuff, but me eyes just weren't having it.  To add to the mix, I've come down with a case of man flu.  Knew it was threatening as this whole house had it over the past couple of weeks.  I'd swerved it up til now, but the body has officially packed in the fight after the abuse it got at the week-end.  Will mostly spend the rest of this week curled up on the sofa with the dogs and I enjoying the lovely glow of a fire...and loads of lemsip for me!

PS  Scandies are fecking INSANE!!!  Lovely people.  But trust me when I say...if there's a bar anywhere near them - run for the hills!  Your body will thank you for it later. 

[Laxie]

Paul Marrow rode his tri over from Liverpool for the week-end.  That's Mick McCloskey sat on it.  

Click to see full-size image.

Click to see full-size image.

[Laxie]

Normally I'd say, "How cool is that?"  But it was pissing down with rain a goodly bit of the week-end.  We got lucky to catch that couple of hours of sunshine on Sunday.  Otherwise it was cold and wet.  Making for a long damn journey from Liverpool imo.

[RED-DOG]

All the disadvantages of a car, none of the advantages of a bike, and vice versa.

[EvilPie]

All the disadvantages of a car, none of the advantages of a bike, and vice versa.

To anybody outside of the biking fraternity definitely.

If you're in to bikes, and I mean cruising bikes, not hyper sports bikes then this would be about as cool as it gets.

[RED-DOG]

All the disadvantages of a car, none of the advantages of a bike, and vice versa.

To anybody outside of the biking fraternity definitely.

If you're in to bikes, and I mean cruising bikes, not hyper sports bikes then this would be about as cool as it gets.

'specially in the winter.

[Laxie]

Paul is a proper character and wears some of the most unusual outfits I've ever seen on a poker player.  Yet to see him wearing the same thing twice, so I asked where he gets all the gear.  Turns out he and his friends are picking things up for him all the time in their travels. 

Not many could pull off wearing some of the gear he's been seen in, so just as well he doesn't mention the name of one particular shop.  Takes a special kind of person to wear those jeans and tops and still look 'cool'.

[Laxie]

I don't care what anybody says.  Child labour is a good thing.  The house is nearly back in order thanks to the teens who held a large part in trashing it in the first place.

Had intended to help out, but still trying to catch up on lost sleep from last week-end.  Should have it sorted by now you'd think.  But I've also managed to grab hold of a dose of man flu that's had me coughing me brains out...and kept me awake when I should be sleeping. 

Making a curry for the crew this evening and chicken noodle soup for me.  Tomorrow's menu is roast leg of lamb.  And chicken noodle soup for me.  Will get better if it kills me.  On the plus side, I tend to lose weight when I go on the chicken noodle soup diet.

[Laxie]

Think we've dealt with this before, but work with me here. 

Cooked lamb scraps - good or bad for dogs? 

I know the bone is a no-no.  Referring to the meat.

Lily can't as it doesn't agree with her, but having a brain freeze wondering if that's a general doggy thing or just a Lily thing.