AuthorHugh

The weather has improved today. Over the holidays, a couple of packages were delivered to Mail Boxes Etc. for me, so I take this as an opportunity to get out of the apartment for a short walk. The streets of Dublin are subdued, with noticeably less traffic and pedestrians out and about. On the way back I cut to the River Liffey and walk along City Quay (pronounced “key”) to snap a few...

It’s a drizzly, wet day. I get up relatively early (compared to last week) with a determination to be more productive. The top priorities on my agenda are career development / job search and health insurance. But first… I just read a headline in The Guardian that Ireland surges to worst infection rate in the world with 10,100 cases per million over the seven days up to this past Sunday...

It’s been a grey, cold Sunday, and as a result I’ve had low energy all day. I haven’t seen apple fritters anywhere in Dublin, and this morning I decide to try making some in the air fryer using a recipe that only uses self-rising flour, cinnamon, sugar, an apple and greek yogurt (plus milk and confectioners sugar for the icing). They turn out decent on the outside (thanks to...

Apparently today is the coldest morning Ireland has had in three years, with lows dropping below freezing in the 20s F. I get up and have a leisurely breakfast of bacon, egg and cheese bagel sandwiches, which I usually only do on weekends. I decide it’s time for the Christmas tree and other holiday decorations to come down, and this inspires me to do a New Year’s cleaning of the...

It’s been a low energy day. I sleep in late and take my time going through my usual routines. I don’t have anything scheduled for today, other than working on some job applications. There have been a few new job postings that might be worth pursuing, and I make some progress on previous ones. There were some items missing in my SuperValu grocery delivery on Wednesday… not just out of stock, but...

Here’s a catch-up from yesterday’s flurry of activity… New lockdown restrictions (from this article): Taoiseach Micheal Martin confirmed a number of changes to lockdown rules for the entire country on Wednesday: • Schools and constructions sites will be forced to stay closed for at least the month of January, with some exceptions • Shops can no longer run “click...

It’s been a busy day with lots of activity for me in Dublin, and I had lots of updates to share, but given the circumstances I’ll keep this post short. I’m watching CNN’s live coverage of the events unfolding in the U.S. Capitol relating to the electoral vote count. I just opened a bottle of wine and sat down to dinner — homemade turkey pot pie (using the leftover frozen Thanksgiving turkey). I...

Today I sleep in a bit, having nothing pressing to launch me out of bed. I turn on RTÉ Radio as I make coffee and prepare a breakfast of yogurt, granola and some berry preserves. Throughout the day, the various news segments and talk shows address a range of topics relating to COVID — whether schools should remain closed, whether construction workers should continue to be considered “essential...

The alarm siren from a restaurant across the street has been going off every since I got back yesterday. Thankfully, it’s on the living room side of the apartment, and with the bedroom door shut it was barely audible so I was able to sleep fine last night. I think the alarm in question belongs to the FX Buckley steakhouse directly across from my apartment. I decide to take action (and no...

My last morning in Strasbourg, I awake to a wet snowfall that gives the city a magical winter feel. The shuttle bus to the Frankfurt airport is scheduled for 9:15, and my gracious hosts not only drive me to the stop but wait until the bus arrives and I’m settled aboard. There are a handful of other passengers on the bus, and the ride is uneventful. By the time we arrive to the Frankfurt Airport...