The Store

what's in the store, or what is in store for us all, well if you are in Ennis right now, you will be enjoying the sun, the cafe filled streets and lots of individual and interesting people, and I just happened to find one, in a book store of all places. Imagine it, your walking down the street, a little tired, seeking a sit down and a read, and there it is, wow, would you believe it, an old fashioned book store, old, long, a set of chairs at the end of a long hall, a stove a fire place, and great smelling coffee, and a store owner who likes books more than money. Yes folks, it's all happening in Ennis and its not even fashion week, or stiletto's at dawn time as some would call it.
Anyway, there I am, lazy, easy thinking, and I find this store, full of second hand books, friends if you like to call it, waiting to be picked up, and read. I agree to a coffee, it's on the house, not up on the roof as James Taylor might say, but you get the picture, easy no rush no mobile phones, just myself a good coffee and a read, and sunshine waiting outside to greet me, when I leave. Ennis is looking up! And no one mentioned Enda and the budget once, times they are a changing, amen!

The Siege of Ennis

This is not a war cry, the siege of Ennis is an old Irish dance, don’t be alarmed, but I was coming around the corner, where's katy daly, it's a song by the way, but if you read on you'll get it, anyway, someone just stole my coffee,  anyway, sun shine on my shoulder as usual, don’t it sound casual, but Ennis is that sort of town, easy going, but there I was, another joe, striding along, and I hear this music, the time early in the afternoon, it made me want to sing, even if I sound worse than a cat in heat, boy does a cat in heat sound bad, enough of that, there I was, the sun thing too, when the sweet tune of Irish playing instruments greeted me, made me feel so comfortable and was so warming too. Anyway, I got to do the biz as they say, and went on my way, the same sweet sound rolling around in my head. Half an hour later, with a very good friend, I found myself in a small off street café, outside eating a freshly made tasty sambo, and in great company I might add as well. So far so good, 100% for friendliness.

It’s fashion time in Ennis very soon, and I expect to see many new people in this pretty little town, lots of well dressed, well, lots of well behaved people I prefer. Oh I forgot, just saw a poster for irish dancing classes, Fred Astaire move over, you might have competition yet. Just hope the fashion crowd don’t come with the usual attitude, noses high in the air, I’m better dressed than you, don’t have time for that rubbish, neither do right behaving people everywhere, ah so long as the weather holds, wont they be a fine spectacle, shorten the day as they say, while they strut around, must be so time consuming, imagine, spending hours getting yourself propped up in the fineries, only to find yourself worn out before you go all out, how’s my hem monica, there’s a thread hanging down there, really,  rip tear screams, you’ve turned my dress into a mini, bitch, wait till I get you, your tan is a spray on, your hair is a disgrace, two women arrested for screaming and roaring,  on the friendliest of streets. I’m not getting in the car officer, please answers the officer trying to be polite, my husband is a friend of enda’s, he’ll have you sent to a new precinct. The siege of Ennis town, amen.

weekend clare

 having a friend call, particularly when your new to a town, and a little bit on your own,  lifts the heart, in a nutshell i had my first out of towners visit me, in dear old ennis town, and they were not disappointed. Eyes moist with tears, it's guey i know to be emotive, the feeling so many parents feel when a loved one comes home from afar, an emotion too often felt these days with so many forced to emigrate just to live, i had that feeling when my pals came to visit, i'm human after all. My little friend mr moo, his brother, mum and too pals decided that i needed cheering up, and came at the earliest possibility to visit me, and without further adieu we headed out for dinner. Ennis is a bit of a foodies town, well they claim this title, one of Irelands fab foodie places.
Renowned for music, irish of course, a wide assortment of food places, and old buildings, Ennis has this reputation, but when did you  get to know the neighbour looking over the wall, very poorly actually. it's why spin doctors get away with so much. the weather, gee, i forgot to mention the weather, feck, i must have thought i was in spain for a moment, the weather by the way was great. Lets get to the story. The irish are famous for talking about the weather, famous for drinking too, i'm Irish i know this already. get to the story, hurry up, okay, for god's sake will you be patient a minute. just kicked the dog. stick to the story.
we meandered up and down the street, criss crossing the statue of Big Dan many times, ( Daniel O'Connell) before our feet gave up and our tummies gave out. There, over there i said, well it looked like a bar with a restaurant, they had a menu outside, said they served food, but it had a stairs that went all the way to heaven, well if your hips are arthritic, you'll know about it, ( anyone over 50 who climbs those stairs deserves a discount), i'll call it the 39 step restaurant, anyway we made it up, not knowing if there would be  even room for us all, it was a busy saturday night. sorry granny but the hips mightn't make it up the long flight, there it was, a large open plan multi floor, actually, one large floor with a further stairs on the return, full mostly of chatty diners, and it smelt good. We were quickly seated, and served within a reasonable time, even if the menu was limited,  importantly, the food was great, and looked as good as it tasted. Mr Moo, my little friend, busied himself with some drawing, children love to do, children are not supposed to be patient, adults are supposed to be patient, we'll learn one day.
overall, eating out in small town Ennis, there was heart aplenty. i have written this on the cuff before you start giving out and complaining. and there are some bits i'd like to add, like the Guy the girls met in the elevator, the old man who kept telling us how bright Mr Moo looked, and lots more, but we got our heads down safely when it mattered. The Girls promised me they'd return, without the little baggage, for another weekend in clare, but as first impressions go, this is beginning to look real good. as i said to a friend of mine, as Bob Dylan would say, it was all good, and it's going to be all good, if we keep going positively in the direction we are heading. to the stairway to heaven, does this guy ever give up, do children need example, of course they do.

weather oh weather

if day one was good, day two was hard to beat, found myself in the french quarter, blew me right off my feet. can you imagine it, well please try to, but i'll give you a little background. I was coming from the local help office, and was walking, met a few of the local souls, we chatted and then we moved on, reached a cross roads, well, there was traffic lights, so i had a decision to make and it's, right left straight ahead, or back from where i came, i tock the adventurers route and kept on straight ahead. Sun was blazing, the sky was an amazing blue one, i traipsed on, came around a corner, when mont martre appeared before me. Yes, in rural Ireland, well Clare people are old Irish, but there before me, a french styled restaurant and another in the corner, chairs and tables on the street, a thin guy dressed as a waiter, the napkin apron just like you see, in those small french cafe's i was wondering if I was dreaming, i just could never have imagined it. Taking the load off my feet, the smell of the coffee, people smiling and talking, it gets to you, if you know what I mean. Pierre comes to my table, man was the apron impressionable, it was like a scene from a movie, but i was totally at ease.
My first thought was coffee, a ciggie, i'm going to give them up by the way, nothing cool about having brown coloured lungs, but the food he held on the tray, smelled real good too. I ordered something, on a baguette of course, and relaxed as i observed the surrounds. In the moment, i could not find a light, pierre was on the scene, he obviously thought i looked like a lighter stealer, or had given it away too often. sparked up, i read a paper, just like those in those french cafe's of old. Voices chatted to one another, i wasn't eave's dropping, i don't spy either, but pierre was busy, even placed a table near me, just ..when a local lady sat down. We spoke a few words, that's what country people do, they chat, it's the nature of Ireland, we are chatty. And when i asked her if i could have a real cigarette, she graciously offered me one. Off she went, I sat on, had a second coffee, before i was gone. The moment over, I went on to enjoy the rest of the day, and the brightest sunshine, and everyone looked good. We shine, but first impressions are sometimes very believing. There is a lot of God in this town, and today it showed .God Most High, I know your looking on, thanks.

New Island Living

someone threw me out of basket, i was in mid air, flying with the stars, and I landed in Ennis, in the county of Clare, have no idea what will happen next, i do, but it's a great secret.. I have committed my life, for a while, to this ancient and historical town, for reasons good, and it's sunny beyond belief on my first day, well, it's going fine, keep you posted.