One of the fluorescent tube lamps in the bathroom light fixture has started to flicker, creating an eerie strobe effect like in a horror movie. This gives me a pretext to leave the apartment, in spite of the more gloomy and rainy weather. I first stop into the Dunnes Stores a couple of blocks away, which has a small housewares section, but they don’t carry any fluorescent tube lamps. I also wanted to scope out available ingredients for possible Christmas Eve dinner ideas. I exit without buying anything. Dunnes is located in the large, red brick Victorian shopping complex that includes the Georges Street Arcade:
I search for a hardware store on my phone, and conveniently there’s one just another block down South George Street. It’s a small shop but has a wide selection of light bulbs and lamps, and after checking a few different boxes, I find one that seems to match the specifications I need. I do a quick loop around the shop, browsing for other things I might need and making mental notes, but only purchase the fluorescent lamps (I got two just in case).
On the way back towards the apartment, I’m drawn into a store I’ve passed by with curiousity but haven’t entered since the lockdown was lifted. Now it’s one of my favourite places! It’s called Søstrene Grene (“The Sisters Grene”), a Danish retail chain that is part IKEA, part Crate & Barrel, part arts and crafts shop, part candle shop, part candy shop. There’s a smell of pine throughout the place from all the wooden boxes used to display and store their wares. Although there are so many things I would love to buy, including all the cutesy Christmas decorations and knick-knacks, I show restraint and only purchase a vegetable peeler and rubber trivet from the kitchen section. As I meander through the shop’s labyrinth layout (which apparently is characteristic of all their locations), I take some discrete photos. Unbeknownst to me, at some point my wallet falls out of my pocket as I’m removing my phone. A woman who’s also shopping in the store picks it up, and seeing the photo on my new passport ID card that is now displayed in my wallet, approaches me to return it. Whew that was lucky!
New COVID cases in Ireland have been fluctuating 200-400 per day, which shockingly is comparable to the statistics for the city and county of San Francisco. The restrictions here are due to be eased even further on December 18, allowing people to travel outside their county and socialise with other households to a limited degree (although I’m sure many people have already been doing this).
Until next time…
