Labels

7up (1) aero (1) agrarian outrage (1) amy chua (1) Artemis Fowl (2) Asterix (1) Astrid Lindgren (1) astroturf boots (1) bakugan cards (1) batwing top (1) bikini wax (2) birthday party (4) biscuity (1) books (3) bronze (1) camping (2) car (1) childrens books (1) chocolate (2) Christmas (1) Cork (1) crafty (1) cringe (5) crisps (1) daft (1) David Roberts (1) disbelief (1) dog (1) doll (1) doorbell (1) Dublin (1) ebay (1) Emil (1) Eoin Colfor (1) family life (5) ferry (1) first communion (2) food flasks (1) football (1) Four Tales (1) funny (1) garland fluffing (1) Gertie (1) git (1) glamour (1) glass (1) goldeneye (1) goose pimples (1) Goscinny and Sempe (1) gossip (1) graphic novel (1) heels (1) His Dark Materials (1) HMV (1) hockey (1) holiday (2) homework vouchers (1) hotel (1) humor (2) humour (4) husband (2) iphone (1) Irish authors (1) Ivor the engine (1) journey (1) Kenneth Grahame (1) Laksa soup (1) Lego (3) Little Golden Books (1) map (1) Mary Muphy (1) massage (1) me (2) meatballs (1) medal (1) Mole (1) moron (1) mother (2) movies for kids (1) Mrs Beazley (1) Muckross Park (1) Mum (2) mummy blog (1) music lessons (1) mutha (1) My name is Luka (1) Nicholas (1) nightlife (1) nintendo ds (1) Noodles (1) nursing home (2) online shopping (1) parenting (4) parking (1) Parrot Park (1) penance (1) Philip Pullman (1) pizza (1) pool (1) pores (1) postman (2) rain (3) rainbows (1) Ratty (1) recorder (1) Robert Ingpen (1) rock and roll (1) rugger hugger (1) salespeople (1) San Diego (1) school (2) Scooby Doo (1) scoop (1) Secondary School (1) self-conscious (1) shampoo (1) Skulduggery Pleasant (1) Smile (1) Smyths (1) Snapp and Snurr (1) Snipp (1) snob (1) soft play area (1) southside (1) space hopper (1) speech therapy (1) speedos (1) spiderman (1) Spongebob (1) sports (1) sports day (2) surf (1) Suzanne Vega (1) swimming (2) swimming lessons (3) tent (1) The Legend of Spud Murphy (1) The London Eye Mystery (1) The Wind in the Willows (1) The Wire (2) thong (1) tiger mother (1) tired (1) Toad (1) toes (1) togs (1) toilet (1) tracksuit (1) travel (1) Under the Hawthorn Tree (1) upper arms (1) walking (1) wave (1) Wicklow (1) wind (1) Wrath of the Titans (1) young adult fiction (1)

Thursday, May 17, 2012

not very bright


I don’t think I inspire confidence. Yesterday, I was coming home from the school drop off and stopped at a little park on the way. My toddler was straining at the straps on the buggy and I had his wellies with me so it made sense to stop for a bit of a run. There are a few benches to sit on and the nearest one to me was occupied by a familiar woman. I think I knew her from school. So I perched on the end of it, got the boots on him and said hello. She smiled and said “I’m just waiting for my dog to go to the toilet.” I smiled back and said nothing. God, people and their dogs. 

My little boy mooched around and started heading towards home so I stood and got the buggy.
“Do you know the name of that road over there? Is it Ashfield Park?” she asked me. I thought for a second, “No, it’s Ashdale Road.”
“I know it’s something like Ashfield Park.” She went on.
“Yes it is.” I said “It’s Ashdale Road.”
She smiled blankly and said “Hmmm, I wonder if it is Ashfield Park? Anyway, it’s ok, I’ll ring my friend, she’ll know.”

And so, I left, walking home past the sign that said Ashdale Road.
“Yo, shorty!” I yelled back (I watch The Wire a lot) “Read this Bee Atch!”
I didn’t of course. But I nearly wish I had.

And then, on the same day, in a different park, with a different son, we met a man, with his dog. My little boy asked if he could pet the dog, the man obliged by showing us how the dog could shake hands and, for politeness sake I asked the dogs breed.
“He’s a Labradoodle.” He said, and then kindly elaborating “That means he’s half Labrador, half poodle.”
Maybe I just don’t have a clever face?

No comments:

Post a Comment