Six weeks in Mullingar

“A craven can be as brave as any man, when there is nothing to fear. And we all do our duty, when there is no cost to it. How easy it seems then, to walk the path of honour. Yet soon or late in every man's life comes a day when it is not easy, a day when he must choose.” 

As you can see it has been a while since by last update and you probably thing a lot of things have happened since I haven’t had the time to update my blog. Well a few things have happened, but I am afraid the main reason has been because I’ve been too lazy or uninspired. Believe it or not, but I write best if I am inspired by something and it doesn’t matter if it’s my blog I have to update or an assignment I have to write.

First off all Thursday (November 21) I received a package from my parents. I didn’t know they were sending me one but it had all sorts of things in it. Sweets, cakes, Christmas stuff, my hairdryer and my hand bag. It was such a great surprise. Having had two packages delivered to my address I have realised that it’s kind of hard to get packages delivered out in Walshestown. Both times the delivering company have called me and I have had to give them directions. And I can only give them directions if they come through Irishtown from the right road and drive by the Texaco gas station. The real problem here is that the house doesn’t have a number and the road doesn’t have a name. If the road has a name it’s L1801 or something like that and you can’t even find that on google maps. In fact if you find my road on Google Maps it says it’s called Grange South, which I have learnt is not really accurate. Another problem is that they don’t have postcodes in Ireland yet, though they are coming. All this means that you pretty much have to know who lives where. So I’ve learnt that it is important that you give them your phone number if you have to have something delivered by someone that is not the local postman, because at least they do not hesitate to call you if they can’t find you.

The goods my parents sent me.

Christmas around the mirror

Thursday evening (November 20) around 2030 I decided that I wanted to go to John Daly’s. So I jumped on my bike, rode it into town in the darkness and coldness. When I came to John Daly’s no one was in. I was a bit surprised about that because Thursday is ‘little Friday’ as we say in Denmark. I’ve been told that most people go to college in Dublin or Athlone, because they don’t have one in Mullingar so they are away from Monday to Friday. Which might explain the missing people on a Thursday night. I had M, the bartender, take my bike out in the back so it wouldn’t go missing again. I just sat in there with a pint of the black stuff and talked a bit to M, and we had a game of Jenga. I lost twice out of three times. Around 2300 people started coming to the pub. Just 30 minutes before closing time. I guess all of a sudden there were around 20 people in there. The reason for that I learnt is because a nightclub across the road called The Lane Club opens at 2330. Anyway I met some guys at John Daly’s and I decided to keep my bike locked in at John Daly’s and pick it up in the afternoon the next day. I went to the nightclub with the guys. Even though I wasn’t supposed to go out to party I just had to grab the opportunity. If I want to meet people I just have to jump at my opportunities even though it’s Thursday. Anyway I had a great time and a pint of Heineken was only €3.00. THAT IS BLOODY RIDICULOUS!!

Friday (November 21) J asked me if I wanted a ride into town just as I was about to head out. It’s like she can read my mind and knew that my bike was in Mullingar. She gave me a ride and dropped me off on the main street. I had a few minutes before John Daly’s would open so I went to Dunnes Store, a shopping centre. I found a pair of winter boots. I have been looking for a pair of shoes for a while, and now I finally found some to a reasonable price on sale! I went to John Daly’s, had a coke, talked to M a bit and went Lifestyle Sports afterwards to buy a shirt to run in. I’ve been planning on starting to run again, but I guess we’ll see. I still haven’t been out.

In the Weekend (November 22 +23) I saw a lot of Christmas films. I think my Christmas mood started somewhere in the beginning of November.

Saturday (November 30) I decided to go out and have a few drinks. John Daly’s had live music and I still hadn’t been out on a Saturday or been at John Daly’s while there’s been live music. Even though I was only supposed to go into town to buy a bottle of red wine and then head back to the cottage to have a glass of wine and enjoy my Saturday night I was convinced that I had to go out as I called in to John Daly’s before picking up my bottle of wine. I ended up talking to a small person (to be honest he was a tiny cripple, but that is not really a nice word, so I’m going for small person). He ended up telling me that he had a foot fetish which I found quite ironic since he had some “troubles” with his legs. And when he began telling me that he was going to open up my shoes it became a bit freaky. But luckily he left not long after that and to be honest I don’t hope I ever meet him again.

Then I met Billy at John Daly’s after the small person had left. He’s a really nice old man, who I have spoken to before. I don’t mind talking to old people, I kind of enjoy their company and I think it’s nice to hear what they have to say. Especially over here where Ireland’s history is quite young and I believe a lot has change in the last 100 years which means that a man like Billy most likely has experienced something interesting. I mean the Great Famine ain’t more than 160 years ago and Ireland got their independence from Britain somewhere around 1900.

Billy and me. I'm trying on his hat.

When Billy had left I met some other people. They were a mixed group and I sat with them for the most of the time at John Daly’s. When they closed I took a taxi with another group of people to a house where we could drink. When I came to the house I immediately knew that I should just have got home. It wasn’t because they were stupid or anything. The ones I spoke to were nice, but I was actually just really tired. So I had one call me a taxi and then I was back home at around 0400 I think.

December has finally arrived and I have started eating my chocolate in my advent calendars. I decided to do it a bit differently though. Since my parents are coming on December 19^th I decided to start eating my chocolate behind door 18 and then count down. I don’t know if I should have started with the 19^th though. I can’t wait for my parents to get here and I can’t wait to go to Dublin but most of all I can’t wait to go back to Denmark for Christmas. I miss everyone at home, but the one that I miss the most seems to be Bianca, the dog. I don’t know why – I have my theory though and it is because I cannot speak to her like I can to everyone else. I just want to pet her.

As for right now I am working on my last assignment before Christmas. It is due on Friday and I am finishing my part tonight. So at least I won’t have to worry that much about it. I have also got a head cold which is so annoying. J drove my into Tesco today so I could buy some Lemsip and nasal drops. My nose is SO BLOCKED! It was also the first time in fourteen days that I did grocery shopping, which I am quite proud of. I believe in the next few weeks I’ll be doing my Christmas shopping and on Sunday I’m going to the Cathedral with J. She sings in a choir and they have a Christmas concert, so she asked me if I wanted to come. I think it’ll be nice and I have also been quite curious about what is inside the cathedral.

Since this was quite long I guess I’ve made up from the lack of updates. Also if anyone find/walk into Kit Harington please send him to me. I know a good hiding spot. No one will ever know where he is.