Blog ( August 06 | September 06 | October 06 )

Duck!

We were out at Oysterhaven near Kinsale (in Ireland) last Sunday, where my daughter wanted to try out her new roller blades because there's a good stretch of quiet road there. Along the way, she spotted a yellow rubber duck perched on a gate post facing the road. The only other person in sight hadn't noticed it, must have been found on the near-by seashore rocks and left there by someone...

On closer inspection, printed on the little yellow guy's chest was the following:

Could this be a genuine world record breaking duck? We took it with us and logged on to www.childrenslifeline.ie to find out. Sure enough, this was indeed a special world record breaking rubber duck - one of only 150000 that took part in the race! Most were netted immediately after the race, which took place on June 3rd, 2006 on the River Liffey in Dublin (on the east coast of Ireland), but some escaped and made their way out to sea and on to the Isle Of Man, England, Scotland, and even Sweden. It seems this one headed south, and spent maybe over three months at sea before landing at Oysterhaven (on the south coast).

Stamped on its rear end is the number 5608, as this less flattering view shows...

Other news... Speedy the llama, who lives near Madison WI (Wisconsin) in USA, is now up for a trade.

Posted by Andrew @ 5:25pm

Another Trade, Another Country (Trade 3)

Yes folks, Trade 3 took place last Saturday in Ireland.

It wasn't planned this way, but the first three trades have now taken place in three different countries: first Greece, then UK, then Ireland... and now I am wondering if Trade 4 will be for the llama in USA!!!

And some things don't seem to change... I now have another piece of glass!!

I had taken Fishy Fishy to Kinsale the previous weekend (covered in the September 12th, 2006 blog entry), and during that visit I took her not only to the Fishy Fishy restaurant to meet its owner Martin, but also to the Kinsale Crystal store, because in my mind a trade for a piece of Kinsale Crystal could make perfect sense to me.

And over the previous two years I had already been in the store a few times - I had even bought my sister's wedding present there - so I already knew this is amongst the finest crystal money can buy.

When I entered the store on Saturday September 9th, Alex (the senior cutter I understand) was on duty serving customers. Before I had time to explain fully what I was trying to do, he said "Are you the trading up guy?" I was a bit taken aback by this I must admit! I had called in two weeks previously and mentioned trading nothing to Ronan, and little did I know they had both taken a look at this site and liked what they saw (a smart Alex I reckon... and a smart Ronan of course!). It was immediately clear to me Alex was keen on Kinsale Crystal being part of this story. He also thought Fishy Fishy was a fine and interesting piece. But as keen as Alex was, a final decision by owner Anna Daly would be required... so we agreed to correspond by email with a view to making a trade the following weekend.

By the time the following weekend had arrived, I was already super-delighted with Anna's super-generous offer: a magnificent large vase or two smaller (but still good sized) pieces - either way, a great trade I thought!

I entered the store last Saturday, and again Alex was behind the counter. I studied the vase - a really impressive big piece, personally selected by Anna - and I looked at all the fine smaller pieces on offer... tough decision time!

I then noticed a similar large vase, complete with flowers and a display base... and it looked so good, my mind was made up!

Alex then made an executive decision and included a base ("I'm sure Anna won't mind" - nice one Alex! I hope you didn't get into too much trouble for that one!) and he also had the idea to put a commemorative plaque on the base (thanks again Alex - I'm definitely going to look into that), and then we made the trade (Alex doing the honours)...

Now, if you want to know why Kinsale Crystal is so special, why not stop by at their website? In short, they use a very high-angled wheel (90 degrees), making a much deeper cut (the old-fashioned, pre-mass production way), which results in a "magnificent silver sparkle" (to quote their website - and I'm not disagreeing!). Also the crystal is full (33%) lead. Alex told me that using a 90 degree wheel is about five times more time-consuming than using a 120 degree wheel, as a well-known mass-production brand who's-name-I-won't-mention would use.

This is the deep-cutting wheel at the back of the store (I understand they give demonstrations)...

Can you imagine the skill and patience involved?! Ronan was explaining to me on Monday how difficult the last cuts on a wine glass are to make, up at the top near the rim where the glass thins...

In fact Ronan and his brother Tomás are currently the only two apprentice glass cutters in Ireland, their mother (yes you've guessed right... Anna!) told me. It is very much a family business - I bet even Alex thinks his surname must be Daly sometimes!

Apologies, I'm out of time... news about the world record rubber duck will just have to wait! as will putting the llama up for a trade...

Posted by Andrew @ 11:55pm

To see how I got "Fishy Fishy" the glassware piece,  click here

Thursday September 14, 2006

Llama Up For A Trade!

Someone wants to trade me a one year old male llama (for probably "anything", but I hope I would have something not-too-shabby...).

"He’s from sought after bloodlines", I'm told. And "Could do work as a flock guardian, protecting sheep from canine predators". Sounds like a useful llama to me!

Problem is... the llama is on a farm somewhere in USA! (WI = Wisconsin I think, nearest airport is Madison...). For me to bring the llama back to UK is out of the question, eg. he would I am sure need to be quarantined for 6 months just for starters, so...

This is new territory, and I'm going to try to navigate it something like this... the llama stays on the farm with the current owner, I find someone to trade with me for the llama, and I go over to the farm and do two trades in one go! (I trade something for the llama, then immediately after someone trades me something for my llama, which can also be delivered by the current owner for a fee...).

Maybe a long shot, but I think this could work out! Going to try anyway, watch this space...

Posted by Andrew @ 12:49am

Tuesday September 12, 2006

The Flying Fishy Fishy

Q) What do you call a fish with no eyes?
A) Fsh

Maybe it works better if you hear it rather than read it... or maybe I wrote it wrong... but enough of that - I now want to report to you on Fishy Fishy's first trip in an airplane!

We arrived at the airport in good time. Fishy Fishy was so excited, it was all so new to her...

She swam up to the window for a better view of the cool-looking machines outside.

"Are we going in that one?", she asked me. (And yes, I was very surprised to hear her talk!)

"No, not that one", I replied.

"Well it must be this one - is it? is it? is it?"

"No, not this one either." I was beginning to worry maybe Fishy Fishy was getting too excited!

Soon after, we made our way to our airplane and strapped in. Fishy Fishy was lucky - she had a window seat!

Thirty miles into our journey Fishy Fishy looked out the window and said "Oh look - there's the city of Liverpool on the other side of the River Mersey! And I think I can see Anfield, the home of 5-times Champions of Europe so-they-got-to-keep-the-trophy Liverpool FC! And Goodison Park, the home of... the team-who-beat-Liverpool-FC-three-nil-last-Saturday Everton FC! And the Cavern Club must be down there somewhere, where the Beatles appeared nearly 300 times!"

I hadn't known Fishy Fishy was so knowledgeable! But she was getting way too excitable, so I tickled her tummy and she had a nap.

When she woke up, she was in a different land... Ireland!

And although her reading skills weren't yet very advanced, the words looked familiar on the wall... and Martin the owner (and a world-renowned creator of fine fish dishes) was delighted to meet Fishy Fishy...

...who then contemplated for a while what life must be like beneath the waves...

...before she headed back to her guest house, where she found herself in good company...

Hanging out with her was a sea shell all the way from St. Andrews on the east coast of Canada, a little blue whale - maybe even the world's smallest blue whale! - from Dingle Oceanworld Aquarium in Ireland, and a priceless (to me) rock from Zakynthos in Greece.

Before heading back to the airport the next day, Fishy Fishy had a little time for some retail therapy...

"Is this a place where people swear?", Fishy Fishy enquired.

"No Fishy Fishy, I think this is a clothes shop", I replied.

And I still have no idea why she asked me that! And she hasn't said anything since.

The End.

Disclaimer: I made some of that stuff up, like Fishy Fishy talking... :oD

And other news... I was offered a one-year-old llama for GreenPiece yesterday! Seriously, I really was!

Posted by Andrew @ 12:01am

Friday September 8, 2006

Something Fishy Fishy going on...

And I got an earful yesterday for failing to mention Poland in my last entry. So... Poland. There, done, all better I hope. OK now Ela?!! Sigh. ;o)

Posted by Andrew @ 10:03pm

Monday September 4, 2006

Hundreds Of Daily Visitors!

That's first-time visitors, and the stats also tell me that the number of returning visitors is also on the increase. These are upward trends I hope will be maintained.

And I have been receiving some nice messages too, eg. two days ago by email...

"Hi, came across your page... and wanted to say your website was enjoyable and keep enjoying those travels. Best regards."

- Angela MN USA

Thanks again Angela! (and sorry I don't even know where MN is - is it Maine?) And thanks again for all the other encouraging messages sent my way :o)

All good stuff.

Just too bad Trade number 3 hasn't happened yet. But this is not a race and good offers are being made, I just haven't been tempted enough to accept one yet.

One I was hoping would work out over the weekend didn't. A drum kit found in an attic by the new house owner. Unfortunately, after he had taken all the pieces down he realised there were bits missing... maybe still a good renovation project there. Pity though, I thought a drum kit would be a cool item to put up for a trade...

And I can't sign off without mentioning Red Back, can I? She should be well-settled into a hotel somewhere in Boston by now, and I wonder if Sarah has taken her to the Cheers Bar already... I bet we'll find out the answer to that one soon enough :o)

Posted by Andrew @ 10:16pm

Friday September 1, 2006

Red Back On Tour 2006!

Her blog dedicated to Red Back is up and running - looks like where Sarah goes Red Back goes! - and I don't know if she'll do it in the States, but she's talking about swapping it on at some point. I know I for one will be following The Adventures of Red Back with a lot of interest, I think there is a lot more to come... (and I think it, sorry she should have a passport - I got her in Greece, brought her back to UK via Ireland where I took the display pic... America next week...)

Other than that I have been a bit pre-occupied with working on this website (eg. tonight made it more Firefox-friendly - didn't know so many people use it!). Also been receiving some good offers - please keep them coming, who knows you might surprise yourself! - and I think there is a reasonable chance I will make a trade this weekend, we'll see...

I did receive I think probably the funniest offer to date the other day - a twenty pence piece!

or maybe that's not so funny... I laughed anyway (thanks for that Lea) :o)

And I had a bottle thrown at me yesterday. Normal stuff, you know. Well actually it was a plastic bottle. And I'm not sure I was the target because it missed me by a country mile.

It was thrown towards me by a racing cyclist. Yes, you've guessed right - the Tour de UK was passing through, much much more commonly known as The Tour Of Britain 2006.

A little detective work has led me to believe the bottle was hurled by a member of the Belgian team Chocolade Jacques (well, the logo on the bottle was a bit of a give away!)

Mmmm belgian chocolates... why didn't he throw some of them instead!

So I don't know, it's a nice souvenir to keep but I might just swap it for something else one day. That's assuming the Belgian cycling team don't come asking for it back.

Posted by Andrew @ 11:29pm