Brain food

I've been eating a lot of fish lately - I'm told it's food for the brain but it has a few nasty side effects.

Family history

There is great excitement about family history in our house right now. The Family Search on the Road travelling ancestor fest will be arriving in a couple of days and Gillian has been drawing up ever larger family trees as she tries to fit everyone in.

Googling for Ballyadams brings up a somewhat disturbing feature of our past -

"In 1549 a Welsh man John Thomas a p Owen, later called John Thomas Bowen, was constable of Ballyadams In 1551 John Thomas Bowen obtained a twenty- one years lease of the Castle of Ballyadams.

This John Bowen was a cruel and brutal man and was called John of the Pike, by the Irish because he always carried a pike when he ventured out."

He did have a rather unique way of protecting his castle walls from being shot down - he threatened to hang his beautiful daughters on chairs in front of the walls so that the besiegers would have to kill them first. Here's the legend:

The Romance of Ballyadams
"Herald! be a trumpet blown, I would speak with Sir John Bowen ! " Thus cried Castlebaven's lord, and the parley soon was heard.
Soon the answering trumpets sound; quick the drawbridge strikes the ground;
O'er it comes the Senesehal, and thus spakes before them all-
Castlehaven's noble lord, Sir John Bowen sends thee word,
Dinner 's on the Castle board, feast thee first, then draw the sword."
To Ballyadams, all alone, Castlehaven's lord is gone;
High at board is placed his chair, 'twixt Sir John's two daughters fair.
Lovely as the budding rose, each young blushing maiden shows;
Sweeter than the song of bird are their gentle voices heard. -
When the feast had gaily sped, thus Lord Castlehaven said-
"Good Sir .John, thou hast not here culverin nor cannoneer;
Yield, then, Ballyadams' tower to the high Confederates' power; Yield, my friend,. and will take the terms that thou thyself shalt make,
Now, my Lord, to me attend; thou bast been my early friend; Didst thou ever know me break oath that ever I did, take?"
Stainless has thine honour been," cried the Earl, "well I ween;
Whatsoe' er thou say'st to me, with my life I'll guarantee."
"Then, my lord, on oath I make; if this tower you seek to take, If my walls by shot be riven, thus I'll do, so help me Heaven- "I shall hang my daughters fair, fastened each upon a chair,
right in front of the wide breach, though their breasts thy shot must
- reach."
Started Castlehaven's lord, wondering at that desperate word; Then, to the pale maids he turned, deeply for their fate he mourned.
Took he then each maiden's hand, as beside the board they stand; Kissed he then each maiden's cheek, and thus gallantly he spake- 'God be with thee, stout Sir John, I shall let thy fort alone; Though for this I lose my head. Harm I will not either maid
"Though my life the Council take, for that I their orders break
Death from them I'd rather dree than that these should die by me."
Then ho marched his troops away, far they were ere close of day;
Thus was Ballyadams tower saved by beauty's gentle power.

My body is finally resolving the 37 years of inconsistency in Christmas. The eurocentric carols and cards featuring warm coats, red cheeks and frosty snowmen never quite reflected the realities of previous years gathered around a swimming pool avoiding sunburn. This year the wreath on the door has real red berries, holly grows in every hedge and the nippy mornings make the thought of snowmen more credible.

We visited the Continental Market at the Belfast City Hall yesterday. A food fest where the German salami was served in a German accent, Dutchmen make chocolate waffles and miniture pancakes instead of koeksisters and bad english teachers and the Swiss hot chocolate was served by a real Swiss Miss.

We ate our way around the market: Frankfurters, pancakes and my personal favourite - a wild boar burger!

Zeek talked in church today. I was amazed by his confidence as he calmly faced the congregation and delivered his message flawlessly. If he can do this at 10 years old what will he be doing at 20?

Autumn is here

We walked in the Cairn Wood this afternoon. A centuries old broadleaf and pine forest not far from where we live. The ground was carpeted with the rich reds and browns of autumn. The kids ran wild, free of everything except their imaginations as sticks became bows, guns and magic wands and every bush and tree was a fort, a ship or a shelter.

Don, Eva and I in the picture



This morning I killed a polar bear in the bathroom. It's so cold you could freeze fish in the shower! The neatly tiled floor looks great but adds nothing to the temperature. The locals are still wandering about like it was summer and just laugh when I'm bundled up trying to keep warm.

Winter will be hell!

We watched the world cup final between England and South Africa at Ben's house on Saturday night. It was really fun to shout and cheer and sing the national anthem and feel all patriotic as we won.

Don and I traveled south of the border this week looking for new business. The Republic of Ireland seems newer and more prosperous with better highways and more energetic people.

The church put on a fantastic fun day for the kids. The abundance of everything is still surprising - food, drink, sweets, icecream etc. They had a great time for two hours while Gill and I went shopping for plates (it wasn't as boring as it sounds).

Black Berries on the beach

Yesterday we went for a walk along the coast line. We started at Ballyhome beach and walked to the next little town. Just over a 5km walk. As we crested one of the rises, we met a man who said we just missed the seals, wish we had seen them. There is a secret beach (so called by the kids) along the way, and we went there and watched them play for a while.

On the way back we stopped at almost every black berry bush and ate and ate. Rachel and Corbin had stains all down their hands and cheeks. I prefer the ones that are not totally ripe yet, but the kids say that they are too sour. It was a gorgeous day under the stark blue sky, feeling the sun on our faces and just being together as a family.

Gillian.

Gillian and several of her friends spent a few days at the Temple in England this week.

I found it quite hard being mother and father at the same time (again).

At least this time there was not a huge pile of washing anywhere, because apart from doing my normal job I also ended up working a couple of shifts at the ice cream shop. Washing didn't even feature on the agenda.

Well to top it off I've been as sick as a dog with the dreaded Irish flu. And to add insult to injury Rachel insisted on having me help her solve these complex mathematical equations in a feverish haze. I offered to write a letter to the school explaining that I was too sick to help her with homework but she wasn't taking no for an answer.