It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas Off Topic Chat

Norrie Rugger Head

Zero road gritting/salting today, as opposed to the cold weather recently.

Horrid trek in.

Thank christ for heated seats and de-icing windows

pigtail33

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121693444#Comment_121693444

I was surprised to see the frosty roof tops and cars this morning. Lovely and sunny out there now, I'll take that any day over yesterday's non-stop rain.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121694026#Comment_121694026

Oh 100% today is a beautiful day compared to yesterday. No complaints here, yesterday was rotten!!!

Posy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121693444#Comment_121693444

It's cold out there every day! What is this, Miami Beach?

CheerLouth

Had to go to Dublin this morning for a client visit. M50 is pure torture - was grand for one morning, but jeez, I couldn't do that every day.

Finally got something locked in for the midterm so looking forward to that now - think we are all due a change of scenery in our house!

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121695013#Comment_121695013

I must sit down this week and map out my annual leave for the rest of the year.

Loughc

Feeling giddy here using a €15 Bluetooth keyboard I got for my new iPad to type on boards.

I much rather typing on boards using an actual keyboard over the mobile keyboard any day. There’ll be no stopping me now haha.

I can go off on all the rants now haha.

gidget

The last few weeks when the temps dropped was absolutely fine for walking, this morning however, I definitely found a difference while walking the dog in the park found myself practically tip-toeing due to the icy pathways.

DvB

Bitter cold at training tonight, but dry thankfully. Give me that any day.

Loughc

Thinking of booking Center Parcs this April for a little break, think it'll be easier than going abroad with a toddler and a newborn. Has anyone been would ye recommend?

Also are there any other places ye would recommend for a family break, might do another one in Sept-Oct, can do off-peak this year with the OH being on maternity leave.

miamee

Both my brother and my sister have been to CP with their kids and really enjoyed it. My brother, his OH and their little boy have been there twice or three times now and are going back in April. He is now just turned 4 but it has been suitable for him each time. The others only went once but similar ages.

CheerLouth

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121698846#Comment_121698846

100%, you will love it! We've been four times, I just love it - got my family to give me vouchers for it at Christmas so that we can go either later this year or early next year. The only thing that lets it down are the food options - the restaurants are fairly poor. We tend to do our own dinners in the lodge.

If you do go, book Ms. Loughc into the spa for the three hour experience or whatever they call it - it is amazing!

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121698992#Comment_121698992

Oh god shout with the spa experience! That'll be a must do for her but a nice surprise and well deserved for her!

CheerLouth

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121699089#Comment_121699089

It's dear enough but worth every penny - it's bliss.

pigtail33

Just noticed that sunset in Dublin today isn't until 17:05, that's practically a full extra hour of daylight compared to the earliest sunset in December, which is at 16:06 for 10 days. It's so noticeable at this time of year and nice for it to be still bright after finishing work. I used to find it so hard trekking into and home from the office in the dark. We'll have nearly another hour of daylight by the end of February.

Leg End Reject

I think there's some Werewolf fans here. Necro is running a Traitors game which is WW based on the show if anyone wants to play.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058333348/the-traitors-boards-edition-starting-4-2-24

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121699789#Comment_121699789

Ah I would love to play but the timing doesn’t suit with work.

Posy

Less than 2 hours of winter left! 😁

DvB

Happy February y'all!!

Loughc

1st of February and 1st day of Spring!

1st Bank holiday this weekend (well I know Jan 1st was but that counts as Christmas to me)

Grand stretch in the evenings this week.

Alot to look forward to!

Loughc

That Jan didn't hang around at all, I was expecting it to go quick for me as I was off work for most of it on paternity leave but it seems to have gone by quickly across the board.

Hard to believe that outside of Feb there is only 8 more months of being "out of season" and to be honest the latter end of the year goes so quick it's scary seeing January fly by.

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121704319#Comment_121704319

Fastest January for me for as long as I can remember.

With my current workload can see February being a flyer too, even with it being a leap year. And especially now matches for my GAA team start back up again too so weekends will go even faster than before with Boys matches on Saturdays & girls on Sundays...

Loughc

Happy Friday everyone and hello 3 day weekend!

CheerLouth

Looking forward to the long weekend! Much milder out there today too, although very wet. Rugby on tonight too - looking forward to a takeaway & a glass of vino!

pigtail33

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121709849#Comment_121709849

Definitely milder today. I'm just back from walking around to the Post Office and I had a few too many layers on!

Looking forward to the rugby tonight. I don't remember Ireland having many Friday night games before, but I think it's a great time and a nice way to start the Bank Holiday weekend. That's hoping that they win, of course.

Cork Lass

Heading away tomorrow and not back until start of March so will hopefully miss the rest of our winter. Hope everyone has a lovely weekend.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121712966#Comment_121712966

Oh wow that’s a nice spell. You going anywhere nice?

Bluebell woods

Wait wait, please …

how does this kind of magic occur?

Cork Lass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121713017#Comment_121713017

Yes, Nerja in Spain. Lovely spot with a lovely winter climate, blue skies and warm days.

BK5

Have a great time @Cork Lass , I'm not jealous at all I swear 😊

Great win for Ireland last night, they really took the game away from France and broke them with their superior skill.

DvB

Still buzzing after the rugby... what a performance from Ireland.

Off to Glencullen for a friendly match soon so if nothing else will get some fresh air. Loads of our lads missing so can see us taking a bit of a tonking.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121714986#Comment_121714986

I really viewed that match last night as the championship decider it was such a big match. I really hope we push on now.

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121715056#Comment_121715056

If we play at 80% of that level for the remaining games we'll win another slam. Ireland and France mils ahead of the other 4. Only fear is England building momentum and the Twickenham game being a decider with us carrying injuries or suchlike.

We are the real deal.

Norrie Rugger Head

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121715358#Comment_121715358

We absolutely are. Made the WC all the more disappointing, first time I wholeheartedly say we choked.

Looks to be behind them now so the slam is definitely on

pigtail33

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121713841#Comment_121713841

Very jealous Cork Lass. I spent a week there two years ago, drinking a lot of sparkling Sangria from Esquina Paulina. I would love to be sipping one in the Spanish heat right now. Enjoy!

BK5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121715358#Comment_121715358

That's the thing that really annoyed me at the world cup. Us vs NZ and France vs S.A quarter finals looked like they were playing a different game to the ones that England and Argentina played in. Us and France are a least a level or two above the rest alright.

Be interesting to see what the other 4 teams bring to the table in today's games.

Loughc

Love this. Also the illustrations are great. Great IG page to follow. Her Christmas posts would make a stone weep.

Loughc

So it turns out my in-laws didn’t know it was a bank holiday weekend until we told them yesterday! 🙈🤷‍♂️

obviously not hanging onto it like the rest of us 😂

BK5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121718804#Comment_121718804

Are they retired? If not, can you tell me what jobs they have so I can apply. 😄

Absolutely snowed under in work lately, one of my colleagues has left for a month on stress leave and he needs it and fair play to him hope the break does him good. He's a good guy and very genuine but does think about everything too much so happy for him doing this. But unfortunately it does up my work load and I was shattered when I got home yesterday. Sorry for the post but don't exactly feel very seasonal at the moment.

Think this could be my last year where I am, am giving a lot of thought to start looking elsewhere later in the year.

But on the bright side I chilled for most of the day yesterday and am doing very little today, wife and I will go out for a bite to eat and a drink at about 5pm. Hope everyone is having a great bank holiday weekend.

DvB

Just back from the grocery shop, and whilst we knew it would be a big one as we ran out of everything this week we weren't expecting over €400!!! Even with vouchers it cost us €340! Cost of living with 2 hungry 13 yo's isn't coming down anytime soon in our house.

The last couple were about half that so we were due a biggie but still.... yowsa!

Princess Calla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121719399#Comment_121719399

There's a fair few items that have been steadily increasing. The breakfast cereal my kids like has increased by a euro , which is close to 30% on last year. Fruit is another thing I've noticed more expensive.

I'm lucky that we've an aldi, Lidl, Tesco and Dunnes all walking distance (obviously drive if doing a shop, but they are close) so I buy stuff when on offer especially if they are not going to go out of date.

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121719018#Comment_121719018

My father in law is self employed and if just happened his next job was booked in for Tuesday. He never even noticed no one booked him for the Monday. 😂🙈

SCOOP 64

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121719399#Comment_121719399

I would have loved to have seen your basket, I thought we were bad don't seem it now🙂

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121719685#Comment_121719685

Basket? Trolley was piled high!! Still shocked at the cost, the big Christmas shop was less.

The really shocking thing is there was nothing excessive or top name brands either. We get a lot of dunnes own brand stuff. But have noticed their meat, fish and fresh fruit and veg has gone up steadily.

BK5

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121719399#Comment_121719399

€400! 😮 That's a Christmas shop! 😊

Loughc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121719979#Comment_121719979

My Christmas shop wasn’t that big!! Grant it I wasn’t feeding two 13 year olds I’m sure they do some damage!!

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121720489#Comment_121720489

Same, the big Christmas one was a good bit smaller. Think we just hit a perfect storm and needed everything.

Posy

You need to lay off the Moët, DvB! 😂

DvB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121720788#Comment_121720788

Need to lay off the guinness... had a 'couple' last night and head isn't the best today.

Gloria10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/114682809#Comment_114682809

I love winter mornings so much, especially when the sky is blue, the sun is shining, and the snow is falling. Mmm, that winter atmosphere.