There's always time for a pint...or three

Here we are in February and I still owe you a couple more posts about NYC.

I got sidetracked by a sojourn in the land of rain, sheep, more rain and green landscapes, where delicious deep, dark brew floweth.

There's nothing like a Guinness poured in the land of Guinness...


Breweries and all things brewing hold a very special place in my heart, for the brewing industry is where I found the man I would eventually marry (awwwww, so saccharine, I know, but really, it is where it all started...).

Seriously, though, if you ever get to Dublin, you must visit the Guinness storehouse. It is quite the experience.

This was my second trip to Dublin since September and this time I caught up with an old friend. Don't know if I've ever mentioned that a high school pal of mine has lived in Bermuda for about 20 years. And despite many conversations during which I discussed that I woulda, shoulda, coulda stayed with him and his family while he was a bonafide Bermudian resident ...do you think that I ever made it there?

Sigh.

But I did hook up with him in cold, wet, rainy Dublin where he relocated about a year ago. Oh well, it's the friendship that counts, right? It still amazes me sometimes these bonds that we have in life, and some relationships that last so long despite where life takes us. I can still see us bopping around to Rick James' Superfreak during our suburban high school dances (which was so heavily sampled in MC Hammer's "Can't Touch this", that I can't even remember which came first sometimes). And here we were, having coffee in Dublin, talking about kids, widowed mothers, company downsizes and job changes. We didn't realize it at the time, but life was really quite simple when we were teenagers. Where were we again?

Oh, yeah, Dublin.

Here are some shots of lovely Dublin doors...




Pretty Dublin garden...


Shopping Grafton street (and yes, I did buy a couple of cute outfits)


Not a lot of time to do much outside of work, but I always make time for shopping!


Hopefully if there is a next time for me to go again, it will be a wee bit warmer.


*****

Update on recent obsessions:

1/ Downton Abbey. Love. Managed to watch all of Season 1 on the flight, 3 episodes there, 4 episodes back. Mary and Matthew ("Rachel and Ross" of Masterpiece theatre); Anna and Bates - the drama, the suspense! Season 2 doesn't start in Canada until April. Gaccckkk! Cannot. Wait.

2/ Fitness. Despite feeling a little silly, my latest gym obsession has gotten me pumped enough to purchase these...


Yes, indeed I went there. And my husband is now afraid, very afraid.

Losing my religion

I put my gym membership on hold. Due to freakin' stupid knee medical reasons.

Now what?

Well, despite the fact that gall bladder issues should dictate a lower fat diet with subsequent bonus weight loss, just sitting around doing nothing will only add to the jelly roll six pack that has now invaded my mid-section. So perhaps it's a good thing that we're not going anywhere remotely "beach" this winter break.

So a girl must do what a girl must do.

Let's check out Wii Fit!!!

Oh how tempting it would have been to just use my 8 year old son's profile; but I had to be honest here and set up my own. Okay.

After standing on the board, entering my stats (they get pretty personal, height, weight, birthday, etc...I must admit it is a pretty sophisticated technology to be able to calculate my BMI and all)...I was ready to do the balance tests. And with the encouragement of my children around me, I figured I didn't do too badly.

So I waited with eager anticipation to see my Wii Fit age...

TA - DAHHHHHHH:

59

WHATTTTT????!!!!

Good Lord.

So what's a girl to do?

Why, do the Body Test again. TA-DAHHHHHHH:

58

So what's a dejected girl to do? Well, after following a couple of toning exercises led by my male and then female trainers, we needed a break:

But I did go back in the evening, 1.8 additional pounds later, and tried the Body Test again (I never said I wasn't a cheater)...


Whoooppeeee!!!!

Thank goodness we have sites like this.

(It's amazing what a hat, glasses and a beer will do for you...)

Enjoy some additional vintage:

Thursday Thirteen - What a f?????

Okay, so this is that "wild and crazy" thing that I did on my 43rd birthday. It's probably nowhere near as exciting as I suggested it might be. But I figured I would capture this before my knees (and back, and hips, and ankles) gave out on me one day. And since I've already shared my ass with the blogosphere...

Thirteen reasons why posting the following probably wasn't such a good idea...

1/ My son thought I was joking, and I did it because he didn't think I would. Don't do this sort of thing on a dare. Especially not from an 8 year old.

2/ This is nowhere near as cute as a video of my daughter potty training.

3/ My kids may not speak to me once they're old enough to REALLY know what embarrassment is.

4/ My husband doesn't see me move my hips like that very often. Ahem.

5/ It proves that I'm a nutcase because I did this while sober. Cannot blame the pomtini.

6/ It shows my nice gut, lack-o-rack and my flat butt.

7/ It'll be out there. Forever.

8/ People who know me read this. Oy.

9/ So You Think You Can Dance Suburbia... here I come ?!! Uh, not likely.

10/ Desperate Housewives? Yeah, probably more like it.

11/ Despite my fervent wish, the men of Lipstick Jungle still won't notice me.

12/ Even Jennifer Beals has moved on.

13/ It may turn more people off of Bodyjam than onto it.

But it's a testament of my love for all things Bodyjam.

Hello, my name is Karen and I'm a Bodyjam addict.

Well, it was either this or pole-dancing... which I haven't attempted yet, by the way.

Nor should I.

Let me preface:
a) This was the first bodyjam routine I was exposed to. An oldie but a goodie. Most of the kids in my Saturday class probably weren't even born when the movie came out.
b) This was about the 10th time I did the routine before the video took. Because I am so technically challenged I didn't even realize that I didn't hit the "on" button the first several times. Which also explains the long intro where I'm debating whether I'm really going to do this, and the long pause of exhaustion in between .. and the big "L" in the middle of my forehead.
c) It's probably over a minute too long. I can't edit either. Torturous, I know.
d) The sound is not exactly wonderful, because the only version of the song I could find was on Youtube.
e) At least the lighting is dim; thank goodness for small mercies.
f) I DID have a stiff drink before I hit "publish post". Yeah, it was before noon, so sue me.
g) Those of you who want a live repeat performance at Blogher '09 will have to show me the booze... and then I'll think about it.
h) Okay, I'll friggin' get on with it already...



And I ain't no Hollaback girl either...