Back in action…!

Hello! How are you all? It’s been a while…as some of you know, I was on holidays during which I visited my family in Estonia and had a few extra days to spend with my Other Half as well… For the first time in a long while, years, I actually feel rested. I hardly read, didn’t blog, didn’t catch up on your posts nor work emails… all of which was a feat in itself but came easily any way!

Anyway, Irish summer being non existent this year, Estonia delivered a cosy +27 C on average for the week I was over. I actually got a tan and I haven’t had a tan for yonks! I chilled with mom, plenty BBQ and beers, met my 2 month old niece Arabella, shopped and ate tons of that lovely food I so miss having in Ireland. KGs were piling on and I couldn’t have been more relaxed! I didn’t even have to try and listen to the nature, because every day from noon onwards the grasshoppers were making so much lovely noise that always makes me nostalgic of those summer nights past, hiding in some old lady’s raspberry bushes with a boyfriend…

The main event of my Estonian visit was of course my long time friend’s wedding at which I was one of the bridesmaids which was a first for me!

And yeaha, that’s me on that pic… I dislike sitting and getting my hair done and I suck at taking selfies, but there’s my mug! Looking more or less presentable at least once a year! 😀

But let me tell you a fun story. Another bridesmaid, a girl I’ve known forever, had trouble with her platform shoes. She used to be a soldier, foreign peace keeping to Afghanistan included, and she’s always been a bit of a storm in a teacup so to say. Anyway, we drove to the church together to do some pre-wedding decorating and she told me one of her platform shoes broke right before leaving the house, the heavy sole came off. But no worries, her boyfriend got a screw and a power tool and problem solved. As we got to the church, she’s walking around and telling me- I hope the other shoe holds. Well, it didn’t. So she barged into the little room meant for the priest and caretaker and said: “Padre, do you have a screw so I can fix my shoe, please?” She actually called the priest ‘padre’… anyway, a screw was found and the groom used a pocketknife to fix the other shoe as well.

All fun and games! It was a great wedding, all pretty much centred around cornflower (which is Estonian national flower) and rye. The bridesmaids ‘bouquets‘ were made of ripe ryestalks tied off with a blue ribbon. It was very traditional, with the usual good belly-full of food, games, dancing… to the early hours of the morning! Of course no wedding party passes without a good dose of relationship dramas and a fight. We had it all 😀

A special mention should also go to my sister’s animals 😀 She has a whole big farm with sheep and dogs and horses. The lot…

I always love going to her house, it has such a good vibe to it. Hulk, the beagle on the below picture, is the 5th in the bunch of beagles who also go along for the hunts (moose, boar and bear, etc) was a truly adorable fellow. We sat solid, the two of us, me rubbing under his floppy ears, him just gazing into my eyes. Just cute!

Back in Ireland, I finally managed to paint a room that I’m planning to turn into a TV room. Besides that, I did sweet fuck all, other than chill out with the Hubby, eat and watch crap TV and put the washing machine to good use. That is one household ‘gadget’ himself is yet to master! 😀

It was all not bunnys and butterflies though, while getting my hair done by my aunt for the wedding, she told me I should visit the dermatologist and have the growths on my scalp get checked over. I knew of course that I had them. I am SO prone to birthmarks, moles and cherry angiomas that my skin looks like some odd canvas. I have had birthmarks removed before, thankfully all have come back clear this far. Anyway, the scalp ones I couldn’t really see myself due to their positioning so once I was back in Ireland I had my Hubs take a picture and I nearly shat myself. It did not look good. Next day I managed to get an apptointment with the doc right away and while he didn’t seem to be too concerned about them, I am going to have them removed and tested in September. Some days I really hate my skin… trouble and worry, is what it is!

But, back I am… terribly behind on my TBR pile and so many fantastic books waiting to be read and reviewed. I need to catch up on all of your posts yet! I truly am terribly sorry if I miss some of those, as there is a whole big pile of them and every time I manage to read a couple of them, another 20 have landed in my inbox 😀 You’re a bunch of busy minions! But it’s great to see how busy you all have been and there’s some great posts I look forward to reading.

So, for now, that’s it from me… I have a review to write for Faithless, so watch this space!