From www.nevergoeswithoutsaying.blogspot.com written by MummyMaps writer, Sarah F.

I’m 26, just finishing a late night’s work in London. I set the office alarm, slam the door, walk the 10 minutes to the tube station…and realise I’ve left my wallet, my house keys, my tube pass and my reason at my desk. No way back into the office tonight, and this being the pre-mobilithic era, no cell phone to call for help. Home is 6 miles away.

I do what I always do – I find someone to talk to about the situation. It’s the compulsive habit formed by a small-town upbringing and, not for the first time, I’m glad of it. I look as small and pathetic as I can (yeah, yeah, not difficult even under the best of circumstances) and approach the station guard (is that what they’re called? The men in the luminous jackets who hang out at the Tube snarling at tourists).

At first, the conversation goes as you would expect:

“I don’t have my ticket”

“Buy a new one”

“I don’t have my wallet”

“How are you going to get home, then?”

but then something changes. Maybe the station guard thinks I’m actually going to cry on him. I’m shaking, sure, but that’s because I’d last eaten at midday and now it was 9:30 at night.File under: jobs I’m dead glad I no longer do. Also: stupidity of youth.

“Perhaps you could let me through without a ticket, just this once?” I ask in my nicest poor-idiotic-overwhelmed-no-threat-to-anyone guise.

More….

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Hitting the slopes with the kiddos? Check out the great recommendations from Whatshewears.ie for the finest attire for the tots.

Ski Wear for Kids: Today’s episode of Ski Wear for Kids is inspired by my nephews and nieces Luca, Finn, Oscar, Anna, Molly and Chiara who were skiing in Austria earlier this month.

I wish I could be as fearless on the slopes as them (there’s no helping my technique at this stage) so instead I’m sticking to looking good on the slopes, catching up with friends over gluwein and participating in the après ski shenanigans.

I don’t know much about this subject as children’s wear is not a WhatSheWears.ie specialty, so I turned to my sister Carmel, who is an expert in the field.

Firstly, Carmel highly recommends Eskeez’ base layers (for tops, shorts and trousers) for her kids ski essentials. Eskeez use very fine wicking fleece-lined material which is used base layer for under a snow suit. The great thing about these base layers is that you can double-up on their use and wear under rugby or football shirts during winter. More…

*Content courtesy of Whatshewears.ie

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From www.nevergoeswithoutsaying.blogspot.com written by MummyMaps writer, Sarah F.

The vicar called round unexpectedly last Thursday afternoon. The vicar was never going to call round expectedly to this house, since we’re not in the habit of expecting vicars here. And anyway, in uber-Catholic Ireland, a protestant minister at the door is only slightly less unlikely than a vampire at the door (and that’s only because we all know vampires come in through the windows. D’oh).

Anyway, imagine the scene. The vicar rings the doorbell. A man answers the door.

“Is this the Franklin household?” asks the vicar.

“Yes”, says the man, clearly at home here. “I’m not a Franklin, though. Sarah’s upstairs showering”

Sarah (why yes, I am in third person this evening; does my bum look big in it?) isn’t quite in the shower yet, so she belts down the stairs to see who’s in the hallway. She is dishevelled (OK, even more than usual) and panting, her hair plastered becomingly to her cheeks with a winning mixture of sweat and rain.

(I’d been out running, OK? And our neighbour friend was watching the kids as part of our weekly swap. Honestly).

“Hello, vicar,” she says, trying to look as if this sort of thing happens every day. More….

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Beer and babies? Pints and pip-squeaks? Where do you stand?

Again, The New York Times gives us some fodder for contemplation. Granted, a New York bar and an Irish pub are different, right?

Here’s the link: Baby Barflies

I did have a little guilty chuckle at the comment by reader, Emily S. who writes, “Until you have a child, you remain a child, and complain, complain, complain!”

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