Everyone Loves Leftovers

Well, hell. It's back to school and back to full-time school-mode. It was Year 10 parents evening tonight and, after a long and somewhat stressful day, I was more than ready to head home and medicate myself with Glee re-runs.

I've put up a fraction of my Ireland pictures on Facebook. It was so fun to go through them and re-live the memories. Yes, I realize I've only been home for less than a week. I don't care. Ireland is tied with Norway for ultimate happy place now. And, looking back on my Dublin entry, I left out some funny little stories that I'd like to share now...everyone loves leftovers!

--On our very first night in Dublin...actually about 5 minutes into our very first night...we were walking toward Temple Bar, down an alley, when a voice came from a doorway: "Oh! Watch it there love...don't step in..." and I realized this sweet man was warning me to watch my step and not step in the puddle of urine he was creating. How sweet. (PS--Public urination? Rather common in Temple Bar so it would seem.)

--While waiting for the bus to take us to Kilmainhem (which never came...), Angela & I saw a man that looked exactly like Winston Churchill. If you know anything, anything, about me at all, you would realize just how much this would excite me. I whispered to Angela (I was so excited that I probably spit a little...sexy, I know) and I debated on whether or not to try and surreptitiously take his picture. Then I realized that little Winston seemed to be having a very intense conversation with himself so I left it alone.

--At Temple Bar one evening, Angela went to get drinks and, about 45 seconds after she left her seat, a guy with long, dirty and manky-looking dreadlocks (some guys can pull them off and look hot...this gentleman could not) took her place, sitting down and giving me the "How you doin'?" smile. I said that I was with someone and he said "oh you're f**kin killin me!" and got up. After he got up, a middle-aged man walked over and said "well, you can't really blame him can you..." and then winked in a certified creeper way (for further explanation, see here). I gave an uncomfortable laugh and said something about going to find my friend and bachelor #2 walked away. I sat back in my chair and someone put their hand on my shoulder. I jumped and turned around to find bachelor #3 giving me the up and down look and saying "well, you can't blame them can you...I wouldn't be able to help it." Angela then came back and I had to relate the entire thing to her. Just as I finished, the couple sitting at the table next to us leaned over and the husband said, "good thing you came back! You wouldn't believe how many times your mate got hit on!" ...Good thing it was dark in there, I was blushing to my hairline.

--Creepers aside, everyone was so genuinely nice in Dublin. Angela & I were looking at our little guide map, figuring out where to go, when a worker from a pub came outside and asked if we needed help or needed directions. Being me, I said that we were fine and I thought we were just going for a wander...I didn't realize Angela actually wanted directions...whoops. Anyone we met was so friendly and willing to talk to us and offer us suggestions for tourist spots or give us directions.

--The cab driver who was taking us to the airport to catch our flight home thought it was extremely hilarious that I was still hung-over from the night before and swapped stories with me on the drive.

I'm sure there are so many more stories and tales that I could write about...but that would get old real quick for most of you out there (anyone out there...?). To sum it up...go to Ireland. Get on a plane and go. The weather will be wet, the welcome will be warm and the cider will be deliciously cold.

Annnd, it's back to school again...no more drinking on Monday nights. Well...I could. It would just make for a long-ass day on Tuesday. And, to end, a couple odd questions to add to the list of things my students have asked:

--Miss? Do you bleach your teeth? (This is from the same student who asked what kind of toothpaste I used. This question was asked when I was explaining their writing assessment piece. How the two are related? I never thought to ask.)
--Miss? You know the Canadian army, right? Well...is it, like, the American army? Does it belong to America?
--Miss? You know, in Canadiana-- "That's Canada." --Well, yeah. Do you hate all Americans?
--Isn't Arnold Schwarzenegger your president or something?

Ah yes. It's good to be back.