New Place, new people.

I have arrived to a new place. Like I mentioned, it is just up the road from the B&B about a 10 minute walk. Not to bad. Mary and Branny were sad to see me go, but told me that I could stop on by anytime I would like for a cup’a (cup of tea).

I am staying with a family for short term accommodation. Meaning, I can stay here for 2, 3, 6 weeks at a time and it won’t be a hassle. Hilda, an older lady, offered to do all the cleaning and cooking while I am staying here, and I thought that was very nice. They seem friendly enough. There is Hilda and her husband Joe, and then their son and daughter (both older- and never really home). 

Hilda is a sweet lady. Very reserved. Doesn’t make much eye contact. Quiet and only talks every now again. I think this will change, since I have noticed that the more I am around her, the more she is willing to talk. Much different from Mary, as in she listens very well and wants to hear what you are saying. 

Now, Joe. Ha ha, he makes me laugh. He just goes off and talks to himself all the time. Mumbling so much you really can’t hear him. Even their daughter agrees that sometimes it is hard to understand him, because he is either mumbling or talking way too fast. But then all of a sudden, he BURSTS into song! Yup, you heard me full fledge songs! Singing just for a short while and then starts working on something. I don’t know if he recognizes that he is singing aloud but he fills up the entire house. It’s something to smile about. 

They are both retired teachers. Hilda taught, what we would call elementary aged  students (5-12), and Joe, taught middle/high school students (13-17). By looking around my room that I am staying in, I am pretty sure he taught math, since there are tons of math books everywhere, and random papers with his notes on them. There are also a number of tests scattered throughout the closet and bookshelf. I only know that they are tests because he pointed them out, telling me that I should read them if I get lonely.. Quite a character that one is. 

One thing I have noticed about the speech patterns of the Irish, is that it is difficult to tell when a question is being asked because they always ask questions at the end of every statement. They say things like ‘Oh you know you brought the good days with ya, now haven’t ya?’ , this requires no response, as it is just a statement. Or, ‘Jolly good, good girl good girl, it’ll be grand, now won’t it?’ Again no response… whereas, ‘Safe journeys, now won’t chya?’ does require a response. What I have been doing is, I have been waiting for the break. If there is a break where they may be waiting for a response, then I will respond. 

Tonight, I was shown how to cook some Irish meals. Okay, not really Irish style, but by Irish women. Hilda was so funny, she saw that I was watching her cook and so she was all ‘Alright, girl, come over here had see what how I am doin.’ She made creamy vegetable soup, brown bread, quiche, pastries, and apple and berry tarts. It was all pretty much what you would expect, the ingredients aren’t much different, however, the style of how they cook everything is so relaxed. I don’t know how to explain it. She mainly had me pealing and cutting apples and washing the dishes (much of what a mother would make her children do). But it was fascinating to watch.