Blurry Times

The story begins a mere two weeks ago...

A dull Saturday morning, There I was in my kitchen making a fry up when I felt a 'pop!' sound on my face. My tummy was rumbling so I paid little heed to it until a matter of minutes later when my glasses came apart and fell from my face. A pretty strange thing to happen even with my unlucky history! Inspecting the remunants, showed the frame had cracked completely and was beyond repair. Pretty random and pretty fuppin' annoying!!

I've worn glasses since I was 10 years old and wear then pretty much all the time as without them everything's pretty much a blur! On occasion, over the years, I've chosen to go glasses free for social events because I got it into my head that I looked better without them. It didn't take long to admit defeat in this and realise the dazed and squinting look I was sporting during this time looked worse than any pair of specs would!

Anyone who wears glasses on a regular basis knows the vital importance of choosing a frame. 'Just go into an opticians and pick a frame - easy peasy!!' is the attitude of many but these people are usually non glasses wearing folk! The fact is glasses are bloody expensive and you will probably have to wear them every day. While many could disagree - my experience is that your glasses can define you and make or break your appearance at times. Not to mention they can affect outfit choices and make up looks so choosing your new specs can be a serious decision.

Once this task is done, you'd think it'd be plain sailing wouldn't you? But the life of glasses wearer is a constant battle!

Smudge 'n' Smear

From the moment you put on your glasses for the very first time, the lenses will never be as clean. Ever. Daily life will ensure that they are smudged forever. That anti glare/protective coating you got on them? Great idea in theory but not so great in practice as no matter how much you try to polish them - they will remain foggy and forever annoying!

The weather is your enemy!
While there are officially 4 seasons in a calendar year - in Ireland there's usually two!

Winter: Fogged up lenses as you enter any buildings with a heat source and will leave you red faced as you stumble through the door. Rain has a similar affect with added 'drowned rat' appearance!

Summer:  On the off chance the sun finds its way to our shores, if you happen to wear glasses, you have 2 choices. Squint through your regular sunglasses or invest a small fortune in a prescription pair which you will get little use of for a couple of months at the most.

'OMG You're blind!!!'
For some reason, non glasses wearers find glasses fascinating. Honestly they can't keep their hands off them! Even if they are residing on your face. If they aren't grabbed off your face, then the question is asked: 'Can I try on your glasses?!' The next step is usually a jokey comment about you're lens strength and how 'totally blind!' you are as if wearing glasses is such a crazy rare thing.
Newsflash: it's not and this is an annoyingly regular occurrence. Just for the fact alone that it means you'll have to clean your glasses for the 84th time that day after they're handed back to you.

My history with glasses has always been a love/hate affair. Would I not just get lazer eye surgery?! (I can hear ye all thinking this!) but a combination of ommetaphobia (that's an odjious fear of eye damage - seriously it freaks me out!) and lack of eligibility means the the future looks smudged for me!

Forever in the Sky,
Lucy x

(Ignore the crazy hair/pose but here's an absolutely delighted non blurry Lucy after she collected her new glasses last week!)

Burnin' up!

Well there's no denying it. That glowing round thing that miraculously (on occasion!) appeared in our skies the past few weeks confirmed it. Traditionally the Leaving Cert brings good weather and this year (while being a wee bit slow to start!) was no different with the onset of non-Artic temperatures. It was official: Summer in Ireland had (kind of!) arrived! And as always not one of us was really in any way prepared for it - thank god for Penneys right?!

Of course in our defense, Ireland with actual sunshine and vaguely warm temperatures is a rare sight even during our so called 'summers'. A fact of life that comes with living in Ireland means that a day without rain is a novelty. A day with actual sunshine and leaving the house without a jacket? Well that's a cause for national celebration! And boy do we celebrate, flocking to any source of water with our sun cream in hand - all the while knowing that the second miracle of an actual tan is probably unlikely, but hey, god loves a trier doesn't he?!

via Buzzfeed.com

It was announced late last week that a heat wave was a'comin to our shores this week And as I type this, it's hard to deny: the temperatures have been upped and we might actually experiencing the elusive 'Irish Summer!'

via Her.ie

It won't take long for the results to begin to take affect. It usually becomes pretty clear after the initial day or two of an Irish heat wave that, while we are delighted when it actually happens, years of rain and damp weather has meant we simply aren't prepared for it. The appearance of actual sunshine tends to send people outside in a flurry to bask in the heat but it's usually not long before we need to retreat back inside after we realise how hot it actually is. And us Irish are simply not built for heat.

While accepting this fact is nothing to be ashamed of, there is always the ones who refuse to admit defeat and instead resort to staying put and fashioning their own air conditioning.
 Yep I'm talking about the strippers. 
Now chances are, you're going to spot at least one or ten this coming week. Whether it be walking down the street or in the local shop, they will be pretty hard to miss. Any self-consciousness or embarrassment has seemingly melted in the heat with these creatures as they stroll about the place.  

Now I completely understand the surprise a heat wave in Ireland can bring. Much like most of the population, I too stood in front of my wardrobe this morning, desperately looking for something or anything to wear in the heat. The fact that we spend the majority of the year in jumpers and jeans means panic stations when actual decent weather appears. Trips to Dunnes and Penneys are hastily planned as Jean Byrne tells us the next few days will be 'warm and pleasant'. The strippers are sometimes amongst these people too. But instead of shorts and t-shirts, they are buying bikinis and hot pants with no imminent beach plans. While this is grand for your garden, nobody really needs to see that much flesh on show when they're popping to the shop for milk, do they?

via Entertainment.ie

I'm pretty sure the goal of a tan is in mind here, along with cooling off of course, and to each of them I say good luck. Achieving an actual tan in Ireland is an achievement in itself based on our weather history and our pasty skin. However more often than not, red raw sunburn is the result. This can be from misjudged sun cream application to lack of any thought of protection, but chances are both strippers and the regular Joe/Josephine are going to have a painful nights sleep at one point or another this week!

I, myself, hope to miraculously escape this pain. My plan? I'm relying on the fact that in any type of heat, I refuse to spend more than a few minutes outside. Yep, while heat can bring a smile to our little country, it tends to make me supremely uncomfortable and generally a cranky cow. Being sweaty is a serious pet peeve of mine too along with the fact that I burn on a cloudy day meant that once I heard about this weeks forecast - a hibernation was swiftly planned!

Of course, like any miracle, it probably won't last but even as the clouds start to roll in, an entire week of a rare summer in Ireland will be talked about for the rest of the year. Because as cheesy as it sounds, there's really no better place on earth than Ireland on a summers day.

Forever in the Sky (although temporarily indoors!!),

Lucy x

The ways of an Irish Daddy

Let's face it: Daddies are awesome. Most people reckon Irish Mammies are the bees knees (and rightly so!) but a lot of times, Daddies get forgotten about but are equally deserving of praise. Each one is unique but some traits are unavoidable and while they may vary in places. Irish Daddy is a simple man of simple tastes (including my own!) but they usually follow a standard pattern:

The Roast
Ah this is what Irish Daddy lives for on a Sunday. In fact, if you ask Irish Daddy what his favourite day of the week is - it's probably Sunday just for the fact that the odds of a roast dinner being served is at their best. Even during a heatwave when everybody is scoffing salads and BBQ's - Irish Daddy will still be yearning for a roast dinner.

D.I.Y
While we've become a generation of 'if it's broken, buy a new one', Irish Daddy does NOT believe this. Even if it's completely fallen apart and looks beyond repair, Irish Daddy will find a way to fix it. Or put it aside with the intention of finding another use for it. Years may pass while it lies in the corner gathering dust but if any suggestion is made about throwing the thing out, Irish Daddy will put his foot down. (To this effect: hoarders and Irish Daddies are a similar species)

Short Sleeved Shirts
A.K.A the uniform of Irish Daddy! Match with chino/corduroy trousers and Irish Daddy is ready to go anywhere - no matter the occasion or season. The pattern/design combination is usually a sure fire choice made by Irish Mammy.

'Resting His Eyes'
First of all, I'll be clear: this is not a nap. Well, certainly not to Irish Daddy anyway! He has the ability to 'rest his eyes' almost anywhere and at any time. However on a Sunday afternoon after his weekly roast dinner is a common reason as well as when he has had a few pints!

A Good Deal
Apart from the smiles on his little angels faces, nothing makes Irish Daddy happier than getting a good deal on something. Whether it's a car, holiday or an offer in Aldi - Irish Daddy finds nothing more satisfying than getting something for a good price!

They're truly a unique and special bunch! And tomorrow their awesomeness gets celebrated. So if you're lucky enough to have one in your life - let them know. Or just don't wake him up after he's had his dinner.

Forever in the Sky,
Lucy x


(Happy Father's Day Mondo xxx)



  

Sunshine, ice cream, blue skies...and 100 Denier tights

Ah summertime! The sun is (on occasion!) shining, the breeze is blowing. It's the perfect time to unearth those skirts and shorts that are buried at the bottom of your wardrobe, isn't it? Get a bit of colour and revitalise your legs with some old Vitamin D! Luckily the shame of pasty Irish legs can be tackled with some fake tan, can't it Ladies? Our old friend Sally Hansen to the rescue! Easy Peasy!

Well, not always I'm afraid. In fact there are actually scenarios that Sally is utterly useless.

It's time to see if you can face the ultimate fashion challenge and get away with your trusty black tights in a heat wave.
Because you can't let people see what lies beneath those Penney's black tights...

Only another sufferer can really understand the anxiety summer can bring. Another day, another bruise. Or a scrape, cut or graze. Before you jump to assumptions, I'm not referring to injuries inflicted as a result of abuse. These babies are all badges of the daily struggle of being a walking liability.

This is the life under Murphy's Law.

image via Tumblr

And not the beautiful and inspirational one in the movie Interstellar (shown above).

It's actually more like this:

Many outsiders look at clumsiness as being a little endearing at times and kind of cute. Like watching a baby deer take it's first steps. Even as the little guy stumbles and falls over, it's adorable and nice to watch. Fergie once even sang about being clumsy. But it was also the dumb, cute, hapless kind. And only because she was 'falling' in love (geddit?!). I can confidently say that this song was almost definitely written by somebody who has never experienced real life clumsiness in the entire lives. Like not even a little bit.

Because being clumsy and 'unlucky' is not cute. It's not endearing. It's a pain in the arse.

From the moment I took my first steps, Little Lucy was a hazard. Bumping and knocking into everything and anything that surrounded me. I'm sure my parents concerns were reassured with the idea that I would grow out of it. Because all kids are clumsy. Throw in the fact I was a tomboy meant my clumsiness wasn't a big deal. It was completely normal as it wasn't just me covered in bruises, most of my friends were too. When you're playing rounders at school all day and on your bike playing 'Cops and Robbers', it was pretty normal to come home with a scrape on the knee or various bruises.

But like any part of childhood, you inevitably grow out of it, don't you? And this is exactly what happened with my friends too. Their cuts and bruises becomes less and less until over time they disappeared completely. I, on the other hand, continued the way I had always been, collecting knocks and bruises wherever I went. Counting bumps was such a natural part of my life that I never questioned why I was the way I was.

Adulthood and daily life as a 'Grown Up' (or at least pretending to be!) brought new and unusual ways of achieving scars. I mean, hoovering should be pretty simple. Until you step barefoot on the Hoover plug and need a tetanus trip to the doctor. Even filling a hot water bottle for period pains, that leads to third degree burns and weeks of treatment.
My crowning glory? That was probably the Friday 13th that I got knocked down by a car (for the SECON|D time that year!) and breaking my 4 bones in my foot. A sort of clumsiness Academy Award, if you will, where instead of a gold statute - I got a plaster cast and crutches for 8 weeks!

By now, these stories have become anecdotes and prime examples of my hap hazard life While I can chuckle along now when I tell these stories, these episodes (while being funny to the listener) were also pretty painful and embarrassing. Leaving the house shouldn't require a helmet or stitches. But this is the silent suffering of our kind. Our lives are the example of 'Murphy's Law'. Hazard and strife are attracted to us and in our case, what can go wrong, WILL go wrong.

But that's the consequence of being clumsy. And if your lucky enough to grow out of it, be grateful. After all, the ability to go bare legged in shorts or a skirt on a hot summers day, is one that's denied to many.

Forever in the Sky
Lucy x

IPhone; Therefore I am - My life as an IPhone's bitch

Last week, my IPhone got sick. The result of using a cheap Penney's charger caused my battery to explode (Yep - I said explode - never a good thing!) The internal components swelled and the front of my phone started to come apart!

Turns out paying €4 for a charger wasn't quite the bargain I had thought it was when I had to pay to get the whole thing repaired and seen how lucky I was not to have been injured by it.

So off my darling Betty (my phone's name) went to the iPhone hospital while I sat like a worried mammy waiting to hear about how her little reconstructive surgery went. I had always been quite lucky with phones and never had a many a problem with them but that afternoon, I began reminiscing about my first experience as an IMammy and I dug out my harrowing account (written a year ago) of how I felt at the time...

'There is a saying that echoes in my mind today. 'Never underestimate the pain of a person, because in all honesty, everyone is struggling with something. Some people are just better at hiding it than others'. There's no denying this is a pretty profound and truthful statement. A simple fact of life is everybody has problems, both big and small, and dealing with these issues can demand strength, courage and determination. My own was tested beyond my imagination recently when I woke up last Thursday morning to make a horrifying discovery that would shake me to my very core. My iPhone was dead.

To say I had a heart attack would be a gross exaggeration. To say I had a panic attack would have been probably more accurate. I ran like a mad women to locate my charger to shock my phone into life again, but it was no use. The blank screen stared back at my confused panicked expression, taunting me.

'What will you do without me?', I could hear it smirk at me. 

And more annoyingly it was true. I was officially lost.

In all honesty, if this had happened six months previously, I wouldn't have batted an eyelid. But that was probably because six months ago I was a functioning human being. I led a simple, happy life with my old Nokia phone which was a healthy 3years old and had, wait for it, actual buttons! Yep no swiping screens and double tapping for me! I thought Viber was a sex toy and WhatsApp was a type of spot cream. Facebook was my only weakness and that was accessed solely through my laptop.

My phone (affectionately known as 'The Brick') had survived holidays, festivals and countless nights out. Okay it was ugly as feck and truthfully nobody in their right mind would want to rob it but it's strength was undeniable - seriously, a car could roll over it and It would have been grand. As a girl who had an acute shopping problem and rent to pay, it did the job.

Of course one by one my friends began acquiring iPhones. It wasn't until last year that I had come to the conclusion that I just didn't understand what the hype was about. I mean yeah, they could do a few things but they're hardly that great! I had also observed a pattern amongst iPhone users. This was when an iPhone was produced during a conversation, said conversation would die almost immediately. This was frustrating in a one on one situation but in a group scenario it was beyond annoying. It was around that time that I decided that while I was a dinosaur, it was better than being an iPhone robot.

Now, in all honesty, I used a different word at the time to describe this generation of phone addicts (it rhymes with 'tanker'!) but in order not to offend, I'll stick to robot! 

How I ended up becoming a robot myself was a fairly simple road of a pretty generous donation from a kind soul to a girl who obviously needed to be brought into touch with the modern world. At first I was reluctant, afraid of being a hypocrite after years of moaning to my friends about them being robots but there's no denying, only an eejit it would have said no.
You can probably guess what happened but to summarise it: I became a robot. My daily schedule, emails, Facebook, and life revolved around this little gadget.

Six-month-ago-Lucy would have been frankly appalled to see me last week as I ran around looking for help for my unconscious phone but there was no hiding that I had become a total 'Tanker/Robot'.

The true realisation of my new status was crystal clear when two hours later, after a stressful bus journey, the girl in my local phone shop resuscitated my phone.

And I hugged her'.

Yes I actually hugged the girl, like a mother would thank a doctor that cured her sick child. It was official.

I am Lucy and I am basically an iPhone's bitch.

Anybody who knows any local support groups please, please get in contact. Until then if you need me, I'll be on Instagram...

Forever in the Sky,

Lucy x

(Oh and thanks to the lovely peeps in FixMyi in Tullamore for helping a very anxious Lucy with a rather swollen looking IPhone last week!) 

My Weekend Upcyclin'

To some a weekend without plans is a dreaded prospect, with nothing but time on your hands and no major social plans to focus on, this can be a nightmare for many people.
But for others, a weekend of 'me time' is a truly delicious prospect.
The passing weekend, I found myself in this position. What's a gal to do when she's broke and bored?

My answer? Start a project!

To say my domesticated skills are lacking is a serious understatement. But since relocating, Pinterest has become a new found love for me as I try and de-boy my boyfriend's apartment and prettify the place a little. Over the past few months my DIY to-do list has grown but with little or no experience in DIY, the task seemed pretty difficult!

Last weekend, I decided that starting small would be a wise idea, so I chose an upcycling project to test my abilities (or lack of!)

This was a small bedside locker that I had gotten in Argos a few years ago. It was a standard flat pack piece put together by my Dad (I didn't even try and construct it - I was having a 'Lazy Lucy' day!!) It was a typical cheap piece of wood furniture with a veneer finish.

Before I purchased paint, I had gotten some rough sandpaper from my Dad's hardware shop because while I knew nothing about furniture painting, a quick Google search told me sanding a piece before painting is essential as well as to 'age' paint finishes.

Next stop was to scour for an easy paint to use that wouldn't require too much work and stress for a total rookie like me. I knew I wanted to vintage up my locker but I had no idea what I needed. Turns out, there was an upcycling queen and her name was Annie Sloan. Every blog I read about these projects mentioned this lady and her amazing chalk paint for restoring and renovating furniture. This stuff can be painted on pretty much anything (Wood, metal, glass) and doesn't require sanding or priming! Lazy Lucy was only delighted as I skipped down to my local interior shop Woodgrove Interiors in Tullamore to purchase some.

I had looked online and decided 'Paris Grey' was the colour I wanted and while there, I was advised a 100ml pot of chalk paint would be enough for my little project because some water is often added to Annie Sloan chalk paint as it's quite thick and you don't need much for good coverage.
The 100ml pot's were €8.95 however I decided to get a 1 litre pot instead (€27.95) as I loved the colour and have a few more things I would use it on so it worked out better value for money I think!

The process was fairly straight forward after that! After wiping down my locker with a damp cloth, I mixed a small amount of chalk paint with a dash of water and mixed it up. Then I got my paintbrush and started painting!

I applied one coat (enough to cover the wood & old colour) to both the main body and drawers of the locker (after I removed the drawer handles) and I left to dry. Because I didn't want a thick even colour rather a more distressed look, I figured one coat was enough!

The paint took a matter of hours to dry however as I was a newbie upcycler and a bit nervous, I left it overnight.

The following morning, I used sandpaper to slightly scour all surfaces on the locker and its edges in order to give it a more 'distressed' look. I was nervous about overdoing it so I only sanded the paint slightly.

Annie Sloan paint experts say that waxing is the last step in sealing the paint onto a piece of furniture. However after reading some reviews of people who've used it and found out that, although the special buffing wax seals the paint, it's only temporary and needs to be reapplied every few months! Lazy Lucy did NOT like the sound of that! Also if I ever wanted to repaint my locker another shade, I would have to remove all the wax and apparently this is a seriously time consuming job!

The alternative?  Polyurethane varnish! A thin layer of this baby seals the paint and is considered much easier to remove before repainting by those 'in the know'!

A trip to Woodies DIY for the varnish and a previous purchase of new handles in Heatons (Pack of 2 were €4) finished the job!

So what do ye think? It's not perfect by any means but it's Monday, I have a brand new addition to my bedroom and I discovered that I'm not entirely crap at a bit of DIY!

I'm already eyeing more bits for a Lucy up cycle  - I think I've caught the bug!
Any questions? Please comment & I'll answer any/all I can!


Forever in the Sky

Lucy x

A little introduction!

Getting to know somebody is normally a combination of nerves and excitement. After the initial introduction, there's always the limbo time where you learn about the other person and what they're like. It's usually then you decide if you want this person in your life on a regular basis. To me, this pretty much sounds like a typical first date of a friendship or relationship and blogging is exactly the same I think.

I introduced myself  to you a month ago and while I've been posting various tidbits ever since but I think establishing a connection with any readers of my blog is going to be pretty difficult when you don't know a thing about me!

So I decided to compile a few fun facts about lil' old me...

1) My name's not Lucy
She's not my imaginary friend in case you're wondering! Louise is my birth name but I somehow picked up the nickname Lucy as a teenager and now it's all I'm known as to my friends and family. The only time I get called 'Louise' by them is when I'm in trouble with them!

2) Cavan 4eva!
I'm Cavan born and bred and up until recently, I had lived there all my life (28 years!). Last January, I relocated to Tullamore, Co. Offaly to move in together with my other half. Big adjustment and so far we haven't killed each other but I'll always be a Cavan gal at heart (simply for my accent!)

3) "I shop therefore I am"
When Carrie Bradshaw said 'Shopping is my cardio', I completely agreed. For me, retail therapy is my actual therapy. Anytime I feel overwhelmed or go through tough times - I go shopping. I can't explain the satisfaction I get from it but it calms me like nothing else (even tea!) I'm currently on a spending ban as I'm trying to save yoyo's for a reunion with my bestie in NYC in October so it's Penneys and the occasional Oxfam visit that's keeping me sane at the moment!

4) Accident-ly in A&E
There's a running joke amongst my friends that I should not leave the house on any Friday 13th. I've been a clumsy disaster my whole life. Bumps and bruises are pretty regular for me but the fact that a car crossed my foot 6 years ago on Friday 13th and left me with a broken foot, is a source of laughs for anybody who knows me!

5) Pesto on anything & I'm happy
I have pretty basic cooking skills. My Home Ec. teacher was visibly shocked when I told her I had passed my Leaving Cert exam and to this day I don't know how it happened. I lived on toast and super noodles in college. I'm a little better now but no expert! If I'm eating anywhere and there's pesto on the menu I order it - I'm addicted to the stuff!

6) Just call me Baby
I'm the youngest in my family. After they completed their goal of making the most perfect child, my parents stopped once I was born! I've an older sister who, after trying to murder me on several occasions growing up, is now my best friend and caretaker of my head for listening to my problems (and doing my hair as my hairdresser!)

7) Drama, Drama, Drama
A bit of drama always makes life a little interesting but a little theatre makes it amazing! After I did my Leaving Cert (11 years ago!), I studied theatre in college and taught drama to kids. I loved every minute of it and I think nothing beats the thrill of doing something you love but unfortunately my circumstances changed when I was 25 and I had to take a step back from the theatre world and start again because...

8) I'm (newly) Deaf
I know it's a pretty big thing to leave last on my list but I figured it's good to leave the juicier bits until last isn't it?! I also struggled for awhile to even say those words out loud to people. It's not really something you can hide if you're interacting with the outside world on a daily basis but since I only lost my hearing less than 4 years ago, I'm still adjusting - not living in a hearing world but not comfortable in a deaf world - I'm in limbo a bit but I'm slowly trying to find my place between both worlds. I lost a lot in the changeover but I gained a lot too including finding my love for writing so for that and the awesome people in my life, I'm forever grateful.

(Oh and in case you were wondering, upon hearing my diagnosis, I did the only thing I knew would  help me: I cleared out my bank account and went shopping!)

9) Oh & I hate a Pity Party...
They're not much craic at all and frankly we all have better things to be doing don't we?! Everyone's got 99 problems & hearing just happens to be one of mine along with shopping, being stubborn, drinking tea, overthinking, clumsiness, procrastination.....oh and an odjious pesto addiction.


Forever in the Sky,
Lucy x