Snow fell early this morning here after a lapse of 10 years. It was a beautiful scene with everything covered in white, the trees were etched against a grey sky.

Lovely while it lasted but the sun appeared after 10.00a.m. & by lunch time all had gone again. It is still is very cold so later may tell another story.

Finn ran out early & romped like a new lamb in the snow, racing round & round, kicking up sprays of snow. He must have wondered what it was all over the fields. He enjoyed it anyway.

Bronagh was telling us that 1 foot of snow fell in Shelburne Canada on Sunday, closing all the roads, schools & transport facilities. The next day the roads were opened again, all back to normal but the snow remains.

Winter is still with us even tho' the bulbs are well budded.


Pat

I got out of bed this morning at 2.30 am for a wee wee (old folks' eternal problem). Better than wetting the bed. Anyhow, on my way back to our room, I had a look outside, just to see what, if anything, was going on. What I saw was the most beautiful bright moon in a clear sky, full of stars. I thought to myself it's a pity we miss this lovely picture while we are asleep. I actually spoke out loud to myself and said how beautiful it all was. Then I climbed back into the warm bed and fell fast asleep.

I didn't waken until 9.30 am this morning. When I looked out this time, the place was white with a keen frost, caused by freezing fog. My greenhouse was completely frosted up and the whole landscape was a mass of frozen bushes, trees, lawns and even the spring shoots didn't escape. It was like being frozen in time. Later this afternoon we had a thaw and I took Tess out for a walk. However, it's still icy cold. I sumpathise with the people who live in Canada because I don't know how they manage with the severe cold, icy roads and all the rest. I'm in for the day now and I'm not complaining. Forgot to say I went down to Tescos earlier for some bits and pieces.

I am originally from Lisburn and very proud of being so. I log on to the forum on Lisburn.com in order to keep in touch with my roots. But I have to say that reading postings such as this does not encourage me to want to join in any of the discussions. It is so sad that the forum brainchild set up by the late Jim Collins is now a sad reflection of what it once was .....


Having said that, my best wishes to all those of you who endeavour to keep the forum going and obviously enjoy keeping in touch.

Daphne,

So sorry we do not meet your standards, feel free to improve the Forum with your own superior input.

Jim founded it for Exiles & to keep his memory alive we all must do our best with what we have, some of us may not please everyone, but with constructive critism we can try to come up to your standards in future.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon with your input of interest. We can then learn where we are going wrong.

Pat

now now children this is getting too intense. for goodness sake somebody start talking about pubs again. yes im still lurking in the background waiting for my upper/lower case button to be fixed.

Daphne, at my age, I feel lucky to read the stories. Jim once asked if I would like to get rid of a contributor. What a cheek if I had said yes!!!
My own posts show no great newsworthy stuff; nor am I a literary talent. I believe, yet I understand that others may not, that my lower-working-class stories are worth telling.
I left at eighteen to try to make my fortune. I left Ireland. Ireland never left me.

Do you know what irks me? Lurkers, with nothing to offer but criticism. If anyone feels they have something of great importance or wit to convey, don't be hiding in the shadows like a spectre. Join in the debates or else just go away.

In a way beyond the understanding of those 'lurkers' I sit here, trapped by circumstances, thinking of a baby brother I picked out of the pram and kissed over half a century ago. That brother sits in a wheelchair in Lisburn, ravaged by Early Onset Dementia.
LIFE!

o.k you lot leave poor daphne alone. your all ganging up on her. I like her. I feel a certain kinship for her. us lower case lurkers need acceptance too. go and pick on someone your own size. do not be intimidated daphne theyre all *****cats really. eamon lowercase. be carefull you are not allowed to use the word ***** here. meeaaw.

eamon headcase - plenty of room for everybody, AND foul language - on Facebook.

Time to go home !Dabbler

Am I a lurker or contributor?, I'm not really sure. Having come down with some sort of bug over the weekend which laid me out on the living room floor for several hours I'm just glad to be able to sit down again at the computer.

Daphene wake up and smell the roses, we all have different attitudes, feelings etc so lighten up and join in the fun, whereabouts do you live now by the way?, I too come from Lisburn but unlike you I can't say I am proud of it to me its just the place I was born and glad to get away from at the ripe old age of 15.and although I have been back many times visiting I am now at the age where I doubt if I will ever sit foot in it again much as I would like too especilly to meet up with members of the Forum including yourself though I don't know you from Adam. Anyway have a great day and in fact have a great week or whats left of it. Mauri

Mauri, you are definitely one of the more interesting contributors without question. As if you need to ask!!!!! Sorry to hear that you have been ill. However, I'm so glad you're now feeling better and back again to regale us with more adventures. Wrap up warmly.

Dabbler, I was touched by the comments you made about your "baby brother", now suffering from dementia. That's a very sad memory indeed, and more vivid for you if you haven't seen him since that time. Sorry to hear about that.

Hi Mauri Good to hear you are up and about !like your self I spent almost all of last weekend in bed because of some bug that just left the legs with no strength however I have got over it now but for some reason the cold gets to me more now and I find I am not inclined to go out as much .in the mean time I sence a bit of input coming back into the forum that was absent before and let's hope it matures Regards Ted

Ann, I agree about Mauri. Good stories and few moans; AND he's even older than me.
As I believe I have previously said, part of my reason for writing is therapeutic. As DH Lawrence said in the poem Snake: I have something to expiate.
I saw my bother once since he was a baby. That was when I paid a final visit to another brother, dying of cancer.
My English sons would not understand my Irish angst over a family I left so long ago.

Dabbler, you're absolutely right when you compare the difference in Irish and English bonding of family ties. I'm speaking in general as I know there are exceptions to everything. Dabbler, you are going back to how it was here years ago when families lived almost in each other's houses on a daily basis. They were the good old days. Things have changed here too over the years. However, compared to England, we are still a very closely knit community.

Ann, I am well aware things have changed in Ireland too. But in the deep eye of my mind, I am the same - bring on the counsellors.

Dabs & All,

Blood is thicker than water & Irish blood is a bonding for life. We are a family in the old Irish way, one for all & all for one........Until the big row!!!!!!! [

Then the other Irish way kicks in, we never forget. Forgive, but never forget, at your peril. We are a people apart.
Irish & proud of it, no race to touch us...well dare they.!


Pat

Pat
I have noticed how thick I can be.
I am awaiting results of a blood test.