Belfast

I have been getting out and about recently and have used my rail card three times in nine days. 

My first outing was to Portrush with Bert, Hannah and the girls. That would be the annual trip to Barry's Amusements, which is now known as Curry's Amusements. As Martha and Evie are now taller than everyone except Bert they no longer go on the tamer rides. Instead, it is all the scary ones like The Beast and The Waltzer. They may have gone on The Beast five times. 

Of course, Bert and I refused to go on anything as we don't like having our bones shaken about. Instead, we strolled around Portrush like the oldsters we are and looked after the incredibly well-behaved Chico for Hannah. It was, while doing this, that we decided that it was time to lead-train Cleo so that she too could enjoy excursions to the Port. She is, after all, more than 15 months old.

The girls and Chico

My second train journey was a jaunt to Belfast with Vee. We went to the Botanic Gardens to visit the Palm House, the Tropical Ravine, the Medicine Garden and the Museum. It was an enjoyable outing, especially as Vee had never been there before. My favourite parts were the Medicinal Garden (which is new) and the Carravaggios, which are currently on display at the Museum.

Then today, Bert and I took the train to Belfast to visit Smithfield and St George's Market. I knew there was to be an anti-immigration (racist and anti-Islam) protest but did not really expect it to amount to much. But on our way back from Smithfield we found ourselves amid the protest. There were protestors flying  British, Irish and Israeli flags at the top of Royal Avenue. There didn't seem like that many people and most of them seemed to be onlookers. There was a long line of PSNI land-rovers parked bumper to bumper across the road, each with at least one officer in riot gear standing beside them. On the far side of the police vehicles were the counter-protestors. We went to that side.  Both sides were chanting at the other with the counter-protestors making the most noise. There were more of them. Yet, they seemed less threatening. Maybe that was because I agreed with their stance.  

After all that we headed in the direction of St George's Market. I re-upped my Cordyceps Tincture at Spore Shore and we had a coffee and a delicious (shared) brownie. We were joined at our table by a lovely woman who asked us what was happening in town. She was waiting for her daughter to collect her and was concerned that there would be disruptions. We chatted. Our companion was an artist, of Armenian descent and had been born in Haifa. Her family had suffered turmoil both in Israel and Cyprus. I wish we could have spoken to her longer but there was a train to catch. I could not help but think that if the Irish people who are so nationalistic and anti-immigration had any idea how lucky they are to live here at this time of relative stability we might have more compassion for those who have had to uproot their lives and go elsewhere.

Back home I heard that things had turned ugly in Belfast when the anti-immigration crowd headed to South Belfast to protest outside the Belfast Islamic Centre. On the way a Turkish Cafe was attacked, windows broken, outdoor furniture smashed to pieces. Vee and I had walked past both places on Wednesday. I was telling her how much I loved the diversity of the area never dreaming that a couple of days later both places would be attacked. At the time of writing I don't know what will have happened other than that the mosque is under police protection.

Anyone who visits this house in the coming weeks had better not utter one word of support for the racists or they might find the welcome mat pulled from right under their expensive trainers.  

Wee Catch Up

 Where did summer go? These past few days we have been lighting fires in the evening and I'm in bed right now wearing a fleece it's that nippy. 

Since I last blogged I have -

Watched The Sixth Commandment. Which is very good indeed and Anne Reid and Timothy Spall are brilliant.

Had a day out in Portrush with Jazzer. It was Pearlie's ninth anniversary so we went to The White House which was her favourite shop. Lord it was awful. Full of over-priced tat. No wonder Pearlie liked it.

Booked my flight for Norfolk and London for the last week in October. So looking forward to seeing Katy and her family and the London siblings.

Thought very hard about my Twitter addiction.

Bought another pair of shoes for Naoise's wedding. That's two outfits I have now. Someone else might need to get married.

Portrush Again

There was a stiff sea breeze in Portrush yesterday and it was lovely. Blew away the cobwebs, and blew away my boredom. Or it could have been Curry's (formerly Barry's) that elevated my mood. The general air of excitement in the air was catching. Personally, I had no intention of participating in any of the rides on offer - don't fancy being all shaken up at this stage of my life. Still, I did enjoy watching Martha, Evie and Hannah thrill-seeking and having fun.

Not that Bert and I spent our entire time watching other people go on rides - we had coffee, wandered around, people-watched, went to the pub for half an hour then wandered around some more. Then back to Curry's to take some pictures just to prove that we were there.

And what of our dogs? They were going to be home alone and this had been a little worrying. Bert had put out a few feelers for someone to call in on them and Locky was the one who stepped up, went beyond the call of duty, and walked the extra mile. He called out at 2pm and stayed until we got home just after five. When we got back all dogs plus Locky and Phoenix were pretty chilled. That was nice.

It was a great outing, enjoyed by us all. I wonder how many more there will be. Martha reckons we'll still be taking them for a fun day out in Curry's when she's twenty. I'm not sure about that. She might have something else she wants to be at when she's not a teenager any more. Who knows?

Martha's first visit to Barry's. Not many tokens were needed in those days.

2015 - the first big fun day out.

2016 - the year Ben came

Tamer rides back then

2018

2022 - Riding the carousel for old times sake

The Day We Went To Portrush

 

The (not so) little monsters are in Connemara camping and I hope they get fine weather. Just before they left, we went on the traditional trip to Barry’s (now Curry’s) in Portrush. We missed the last two years due to Covid and during that time we heard worrying news. Barry’s was to be sold! It was such a shame as Evie had gotten almost tall enough to ride the Big Dipper and now it seemed she'd never get the chance.

Barry's went on the market in 2019. The Trufelli family who'd started the business in 1928 had hoped that it would continue as an amusement park but it seemed that might not happen. There was even talk of the site being used for apartments. If life was ever going to get back to normal just where were we going to find a decent roller coaster that didn't involve a lengthy car ride?

When the girls were little they were perfectly content to go on carousels, kiddy bumper cars and giant teacups. The Big Dipper, waltzers and the Ghost Train were far too scary and they wouldn't have met the height requirement for some rides. .

On the train to Portrush

Three years ago Martha was tall enough to go on the Big Dipper. Evie was hopeful that she would have grown enough the following year but was not to be. Coronavirus shut Barry's down at the same time as Evie gained those few needful centimetres.

When we first heard the news that Barry's Amusements was to become Curry's Fun Park we were so happy. It opened at Easter and Martha might have dropped a few hints about going then but the very beginning of the summer holidays is our time. There might have been concerns that the rides wouldn't be as good, or that the Big Dipper would be dismantled, and my own private worry - that the Big Dipper would still be there but the height requirement might have increased. We needn't have worried. 

2016 was the year Ben came with us.

On the waltzer with Ben. That was one of the rides where younger children had to be accompanied by an adult. Ben was not quite 18 but he passed muster. The previous year I'd almost thrown up after going on the waltzer.

I gave it a go this year and managed not to get queasy which was pleasing. But I don't seem to be as limber as I was six years ago. The seating was awfully low and as I said to Bert afterwards,

I thought I was going to have to get one of the attendants to pull me out but I managed it on my own.

Then Martha said,

Granny! You crawled out of it on your hands and knees!

Evie did ride the Big Dipper. She was rather pale when she alighted and said just the one time would be enough.

Aboard the Big Wheel in 2019.  

Martha's very first visit to Barry's Amusements. 

Return to the carousel, 2022

A Bit of a Scare

Friday was our annual day trip to Portrush and although it was tiring I think we all enjoyed the outing. It's a family tradition. The grandchildren take grandparents and Aunt Hannah to Barry's Amusements where they go on all the rides. This was our third year and we found that Miss Martha is an unrepentant thrill-seeker. In 2015 she did not disdain the teacup carousel, this year she was saddened that she is still not tall enough for the big dipper. She was just big enough for a very scary ride that practically turns a person upside down and which bears signs warning folk that the contents of their pockets will fall out. Poor Evie was far too small to go on it but at least she was standing handy when the pound coins started falling at her feet. An extra two quid to spend on sweets.

Hannah and I had a couple of gins and elderflower when we got home and a bit of good craic. I was just thinking what a good day it had been when Bert came in and told me that Rusty had had a "massive heart attack". I went out to see him convinced he'd be dead or dying before I got there. He wasn't but he did look a bit petered out and and was breathing really heavily.

Apparently they'd had the usual piggy row at supper-time and Rusty had been shoulder-charging Lily out of the way when he'd given a squeal and (so Bert said) leapt two feet into the air, then fell over on his side and started gurgling. Bert rolled him the right way up and he managed to get on the four trotters and stood there breathing noisily. I fetched him an orange (his favourite) and he ate it, then moved into his sleeping quarters. We left them to it and honestly, I thought he'd be dead in the morning.

It was the first thing I thought of when I woke at five a.m. and I went out to check. Both pigs were sleeping, breathing normally and I went to tell Bert. He said he'd been out at midnight and they were both settled.

Pigs are not early risers so it was after midday that we let them out. I thought they shouldn't go to their usual field as it's a bit of a walk. Instead I put them into a secure area behind the sheds. There's not much decent grass but there's is water, shelter and a pile of dung. They both had an orange. And fell asleep.

I checked on them later. It was such a lovely warm afternoon and they'd found a sweet spot on the edge of the dunghill. They are pigs after all.

He seems OK today. Ate more oranges. This evening Bert reported that they are back to fighting over food and that Rusty was shoulder-charging Lily again.

Yet I'm not sure that Rusty would have been capable of jumping two foot into the air. I wonder if Bert was exaggerating. He does have a tendency to make things seem worse than they are. Whatever came over Rusty on that evening he seems to have got over it and may live to fight another day.

Empty Streets and Dry Garages

When Lizzie was here yesterday we got talking about a photograph of Pearlie taken as she cycled through Cullybackey when she was in her early twenties. Lizzie claimed that it had been made into a postcard. No one could recall where we'd last seen it.  So today when Bert and I called in at the Cullybackey Historical Society Open Day we were pleased to see that very picture. We cannot be certain it was Pearlie but the timescale fits and it looks like her. According to Bert his father didn't own a car back then so cycling or walking would have been her only option. I'm sure that's not true. Johnny is bound to have owned a car in the 1950s. How else would he have got to Portrush? And he was always in Portrush. Bert asked me if my father had a car back then.

Of course he had a car! He might have had to share it with his six brothers but they always had cars. Sure they had a petrol pump. They'd have looked well walking or cycling when they had access to free petrol. And how could they have courted girls on the far side of Randalstown without wheels? Not like your lot who wouldn't have walked the length of themselves for a woman. Folk who thought three fields away was a big distance!

And speaking of modern day petrol stations I have sad news to report for one of the guys in the garage has been rather dry with me these past couple of weeks. Normally he's all friendly banter which  I thoroughly enjoy. The first time I noticed he was a bit 'off' with me I thought he was distracted, maybe having an off day. He's been 'off' with me for a couple of weeks now and I think I must have offended him in some way. Perhaps because a couple of weeks ago I couldn't recall receiving change and when I queried it, it turned out I had. I should have been embarrassed but I wasn't and maybe that is the problem. Ah well. I hope he gets over it soon. I miss his banter.

The Last Weekend...

...included a wonderful meal in Portrush, a horrendous scene with Pearlie Blue in which the H word was invoked, a day in the garden, a meeting with Maya, a close encounter with a bull and the theft of lilies. Back to work tomorrow.