The walking path on Greystones Beach, looking north towards Dublin.A lot of people are not working, the banks are being guaranteed by the government as people panic about their savings, and there are still a lot of "For Sale" signs around as people jump ship from mortgages that they can't afford.
And the Budget, brought forward to shore up an ailing exchequer, went after the very people civilised society is supposed to protect; The Elderly, Children, The Disabled and People with Special Needs, and they threw in a 1% levy on People on Low Incomes.
But I talked about that already in my post about Joe Behan. All I will add is that Joe called me tonight on my mobile to say thank you for the blog and all your comments. In his own words he was "gobsmacked" at our support.
So, I have decided to have a think about what we can still enjoy without risking penury.
No 1, is to go for a walk with my Mr Hammie. We head out at about 5 o'clock when our Angel arrives to mind Boo and Bratty; and we walk all the way down to the beach, along the sea wall and up to what used to be our Harbour. (developers are building a marina but we won't talk about that)
Speaking of foods you wouldn't normally justify:
2.Plain Chocolate Brownie from The Butler's Pantry: €2.50
Before I started working again I used to go out for a walk during the day and buy one of these little beauties as a treat. You have a choice of plain or with walnuts and I always go for plain. As you can see the counter is covered in single serve treats and Free Samples. I actually order a Mocha latte at the coffee shop across the road (or Mocha Frappethingie in Summer) and eschewing their brownies, run over to Butler's while they are making it to buy the superior version.
It is a lovely open and airy shop, the staff are very friendly and the cakes are super. And If you need a to buy a present for a hard to choose for person, A Butler's cake in a pretty box with a ribbon is a winner, every time.
3. Towel Hugs
Another thing that I am truly grateful for each day is my kids. But since they do cost quite a lot to run, and earn nothing (so far) I cannot really count them as "free".
However, everyday I get to do something that reminds me how much I love being a Mum, Bath time. Not the bath itself which involves a great risk of flooding and, as they get older, a lot of prompting to "wash this, wash that, don't do that, What Are You Doing?!!!" type stuff.
But afterwards, no matter how big they are growing, I get to wrap them up in a super sized bath sheet and hold them like a little swaddled baby on my lap. With Boo I get a bonus "drying of a small boy's wet hair", so it ends up all spikey. But with Bratty I just hold her like the little Eskimo baby she was on Day 1.
So there you go, three things for under 3 bucks to make you smile in these troubled times.
I am waiting for Number 4 (child sleeping peacefully) to materialise.
But since neither Boo nor Bratty is obliging me with a kodak opportunity I will post that another time, check back later if I succeed.
More "steps" another day.
Have a great weekend!
xx
Comments
Towel hugs sound nice too.
Hope you have a lovely weekend!
As we are under similar financial circumstances, I plan to shamelessly steal your idea and post something similar.
They're always great treats ;)
Towel hugs seem so great!!!!!!
There are, however, many wonderful things that are free. In other words, don't cost us any time or money. The first kiss... priceless. Your dog's wagging tail...priceless. Love that is unconditional, that is there waiting for you always...priceless. Watching the sunset with “the” loved person...priceless. Making both crazy things and feel like the song “Still crazy after all these years”...priceless.
In our lives we have "needs" and "wants". Our "needs" generally come with a price tag, as do our "wants". But our memories have no price tag.
They just are.
Sometimes they are wonderful memories and sometimes they are painful. But these memories, they are ours. For us to pull out and look at when we need to, without cost. Even the painful memories are free, for we hope that as we were going through the pain, we were learning from it, we were growing.
If we leave this world packed with memories...I guess "The Best Things In Life Are Free"!
Have a wonderful weekend, my dear.
Love (free)
xoxo
Being a parent is the hardest and most rewarding thing one could have and that's what everybody tells me. Now I just have this huge respect for you and all other parents out there.
well must admit I can't say no to brownies.
And I do hope you get your free brownie!
A truly precious moment!
Do your kids like been wrapped tight in towels and other things. I just got a compression top and it's helping me with sleeping and just general anxiety
Vaklam: work away, the more we think about these things, the more we repel the fear. Which seems to be half the battle in the "downturn"
Seeker: While you may be younger than me., you are much more advanced in your spiritual journey as Buddha would say. I have only begun to have room to breathe and appreciate properly recently. I will work at it. The only certainty is change.
CM: See? I can do the shameless photo of a gorgeous looking child blog post too. Wait til I get my hands on a costume to rival that lion outfit on Cathal.
Songy: Thanks for that, but I think we all just have to find the balance between what is possible and what we have to work at. Towel hugs are easy for me. Getting children to sleep, well hmmmm.
Pearl: it's hard in the first years, you have to make so many adjustments to who you thought you were. I wonder was it easier for our Mothers who grew up expecting to be, well, Mothers?
NanP: you should meet The Seeker. You both have such a philosophical view on life. And I hate to wish it but maybe one day soon you will be able to stop to admire a rainbow. Because the roads are getting quieter, and maybe people will find time to smell the roses again?
Sal: a fellow thriftfrug speaks my language. I would have to give up a lot of Brownies (about 120 of them) to justify the over the knee black leather boots I saw and coveted today. Will wait and see if the downturn reduces them. (I might be eating cornflakes for lunch all winter until then)
Enc: thankyou.
KL: thanks for noticing that bit. Yes it is a joy to have some time to talk to each other each day. Now the darker nights are here I imagine Mr H will go back to the gym. And the job, too soon to tell! thanks for askin'
xx
Phillip: that is great feedback YES! We have been trying squeezy vests at school. I will investigate it further. And €25 for a year of Horse riding is Amazing. We pay that for one session!
MDS: thankyou, and yes, you are not the first person to wonder if the reduced means of many will see a return of culture and appreciation. A lot of the disposable "labelled", orange faced, statement bagged, BMW X5, GHD'd driven excess of the last 5 years has sickened me, to the point where I just dropped out and went thrift.
I hope we can start looking out for each other a bit better again, regain the village if you like?
xx
You are so wise to treasure each moment with your children.
If only I could get one of mine wrapped in a towel! Instead, I have to settle with stroking their hairy chins.
xoxoxo
towel hugs are the best. my mom used to wrap us up in our towels, hold us on her lap and sang "Rock a bye baby in the tree tops..." when she got to the part about the bough breaking she would let us slip down her knees and we would shriek with delight.
as for 'the seeker'....WOW
Sis: I am gonna keep buying bigger towels!
Cal: I do that but I rock them over the bed and then they fall. I do wonder about that nursery rhyme; like many it is kind of dark.
Sesame: go visit the Seeker and see for yourself. This is why she got my first BB award, for the comments. As for inspiration. The post wrote itself!
Emily and WendyB: thankyou, would send two but I don't think they would keep?
Thankyou all for the props for this post. I hope we can all keep thinking of the good things and stave off "the fear"
xx
Ro
xx
Ro
A friend said to me the other day that we (she and I and our families) will be fine because "we know how to live lean and we know how to be poor." Unlike a few of the orange-faced types you speak of, who are in for some tough surprises.
But not before I say a big YAY to towel hugs! Well ANY excuse to hug my child TBH...he's demented with me huggin him when I can! he loves it really! Also a walk on the beach does it for me too.
May you get as many Towel Hugs and beach walks as possible. XX J
I searched google and found nothing. Urban dictionary indicated you might be talking about people who get fake tans. Am I correct in assuming that or are some people orange faced in another way?
Yes I guess that is why I didnt notice the recession last time; in fact is was easier being poor when everyone else was too!
Jazzy: post away. more feel good posts the better.
HR: Yes, the orange faced people are those who use too much fake tan in the wrong shade for their skin, they also use excessive bronzer which is a brown powdery or cream makeup that looks awful when it is not blended properly and leaves a line on the chin.
The orange face in winter is meant to be a sign of wealth, but it made a lot of people with more money than taste stand out.They also wear expensive designer labels like Abercrombie and Hilfiger, and straighten their hair.
To see a parody of what I see in the Dundrum Town Centre, which has Harvey Nichols and House of Fraser stores, every weekend, try googling "Ganguru".
xx
Hugs at ya.