It started with a Kimono

While getting dressed this morning l looked for something light to throw on over my black dress and pants. I reached for a grey floral short kimono. it comes to the waist and hides my least favourite fleshy wobbly parts of myself.  its so light, and pretty and as l love black clothes it goes with pretty much everything.
l thought  to myself how  great it would be to have a short kimono jacket  in every colour.
Within a minute l was daydreaming of having my own market stall, selling simple kimonos, short to waist, three quarter length sleeve, in every colour. i can see my stall in my minds eye with the kimonos lined up on hangers in order of colour running from dark to warm to light and bright.
I imagined the bags i would put the sold kimonos in and the logo on the side.
My mind quickly  jumped to accessorising. Some might wear the kimono jacket open, but others like me might like to fasten them at the waist with a ribbon, or a belt. Others might opt for a brooch fastening it at the empire line. I could sell ribbons and fabric belts, as well as felt brooches. I could also sell bangles and beads and baubles.  These too are a few of my favourite things.
.I imagined dropping my kids to school every morning  and then heading onto to a market. I could set up my stall for the day and wind it down after lunch in time to collect the kids from school. Maybe at weekends  I'd be taking the kids with me to help out, visiting festivals and events with our own trailer and stall.

..beep beep. there goes the washing machine to jolt me out of my reverie, but as day dreams go, it was lovely.

Tuesday dreaming

Well here l am. Its Tuesday morning, kids are at school. the house is silent.
After two weeks off school on their EAster Break, l do appreciate the silence.
I had a great time while they were off and l like to think they had a great break, we did lots of things. I took my daughter to England for a surprise weekend break, her dad took her for her first hike.
i had lots of quality time cuddling with my son. Its what he really enjoys. We went for nice walks around the neighbourhood, well me on foot, the kids on bikes/scooters.  We planted flowers, went to garden centres, visited family.
I had lots of play dates for them, school friends and cousins over to visit. The weather was great so they got to have picnics outside in garden with their friends.
I  have to admit though, by  Sunday night l absolutely tanked. the energy that had carried me through the holidays seemed to evaporate.  Im glad to say that instead of battling it, l just went with it and embraced it. There is nothing quite like laying down on sofa with a blanket, lights out and candles going. that lovely state of not sleeping but not fully awake either.
I did the same last night after the kids had gone to bed and l must say that it is such a nice way to wind down after a busy few weeks.

 l had a busy start this morning, same as every other mum: school run, putting on wash, making beds, tidying up after breakfast, loading and unloading dishwasher nd washing machine, folding and putting away laundry.
BUT now, its time for tea and toast and some nice music playing in background.
MAGIC

Why bad radio is rewarded and the good shows are shoved aside

I do enjoy listening to radio. Good radio that is.   Over the years myself and my husband had some favourite radio shows which we preferred to tune into weekly rather than watch television.  Many years ago our favourite thing to listen to was the Fionn O'LEary Show on Radio One on Sunday nights. It wasnt just that he played classical and opera music, but that Fionn would transport you to the country of the performer but he would give an insight into the performers life. We would be in raptures as he transported us to Modena , hometown of Luciano Pavarotti.  He would regale us with stories of the Modena Choir, which featured Pavarotti's father, performing in Cork.  Sadly, this show was discontinued and replaced with a much more bland version, without the wonderful Fionn O' Leary with his enchanting voice.
In more recent years we really enjoyed the Cormac Battle Show on sunday nights.  A wonderful blend of rock anthems.  A wonderfully enthusiasitic presenter with a great affinity with his listeners.  Again sadly, this show was taken off the air, a victim of the radio station- 2FM doing a big reshuffle

Then the ultimate insult. the Tom Dunne show gets moved from its morning slot. A warm, witty, intelligent, presenter with a show that was very enjoyable morning listening gets shoved to a later night slot. WHY? WHY?

.What l do not like are Talk Shows. The Talk Shows that are hosted by arrogant,opinionated and thoughtless presenters.  I avoid them completely but am aware how many people are hooked on them and treat the presenters with a reverance as if they were an authority on pretty much everything.

Late,Last night l had to take a very sick child to a medical centre  .  As we sat in the waiting room, my little woman lay across me, listless, we had the misfortune to be subjected to a talk show on the radio being played out loud.
It was Classic Hits 4FM. Not a station l have ever even heard of to be honest.  The presenter, Niall Boylan, one of these arrogant, obnoxious presenters with a Guy Hollywood accent.  l cannot abide this calibre of presentler.
Obviously these presenters are cherry picked for their personalitys, their opinions, and their ability to shock, be controversial and to antagonise listeners so it encourages dialogue.  I understand this.

What l cannot tolerate is the deliberate intent to offend, to antagonise, to distress. In addition to this, there is the lack of consistent opinion or view but a constant contradiction of opinions.

Last night i had to endure this guy discussing the amount of money the HSE spends on cosmetic operations for members of the public.  The total spend for last year was quoted as €3.2 million.  It obviously covered a whole range of surgical proceedures. However, Mr. Boylan chose to specifically focus on breast surgeries.
HE went on to say that the women of Ireland were telling their sob stories to the HSE about their unhappinness with the size of their breasts, be it too large , or too small, and then the HSE were paying for the surgeries.

What l found hugely offensive, and unsettling was the following :
Mr. Boylan focused specifically on women who have breast enlargement surgery. He said "We pay for these surgeries so to be far we should all get a feel off them ".  All these women are benefitting from operations we paid for so "why shouldn't we all get a feel off them".

I was horrified. Who the hell is this guy? What radio station manager thinks its ok to say something like this.
Worst of all my seven year old daughter is looking up at me, wide eyed, saying, why is that man saying those things about women. Thats not very appropriate is it?
 I looked at her and said l was sorry she had heard it, l had tried to keep talking quietly to her so she wouldnt hear it.  I explained to her that he was just saying crazy things to try to get more people listen to his show.

I have never done this before but l actually texted the show and said
"You should be ashamed. Shameful lack of respect for women. Am at hospital with a sick child and your show is on the air. Its hard to explain your thoughtless comments to my child."

A few minutes later, Mr. Boylan read my text out on the air and instead of focusing on my comments about lack of respect for women, he chose to target me as a bad parent for letting my child listen to what is clearly an ADULT SHOW, eventhough l had explained it was on air in hospital waiting room.

I sent a brief reply to the show saying " The show is on in the hospital A&E. I cannot control that.I wasted a text on you. I do know it is an adult show".

Obviously Mr. Boylan is not the only radio show of its sort on Irish radio, but for me, it was the one l had the misfortune to be subjected to.  And while l can ensure l never have to listen to it again EVER, its upsetting to think that presenters  are paid to ridicule women and make throwaway comments that are rude, incredible offensive and disrespectful to women. Especially when quality shows seem to be cast aside.  what does that say about audiences?