40 days alone in the rain forest. How did a young 13 year old manage his three younger siblings, keep them fed and watered, their spirts from dropping to dispair and not giving up?
A few days in Donegal brings up all sorts of adventures, looking for a cyclist who’s going round Ireland and due in my part of the world, so everyone on a bike I was calling – Are you Podge? Missed him by a few minutes apparently which was an awful disappointment but I’ve left a lot of people wondering what on earth I was after shouting Podge out of the car window at anyone on wheels! Then there was the case of the car on the pier which had been there overnight with no sign of a driver. Word had it that he was a kayaker – but where was he? The locals swung into action, the Guards were there immediately, RNLI was called, Coast Guard alerted, Life Boat launched. Helicopter over head scaring the bay and the shore line, fishermen into their boats and out to look for anyone in trouble. News came through of an empty kayak and there was real concern. After a couple of hours searching it transpired that the young man was on shore all the time and quite safe. Rather than being annoyed at all the time and money spent on a possible rescue, there were smiles and real relief and had he come onto the pier there would have been a cheer. It was an impressive example how the rescue services act swiftly and with professionalism. Next time you are asked to donate, please do. You just never know when someone of yours might be in trouble. RNLI Go Fund Me details in comments.
Whatever are Donald Trump and Boris Johnston up to. You can’t but help thinking there’s method in their madness however, time will tell. And the terrible bombing of the dam in Ukraine and shelling the survivors as they try to escape to safety. It’s impossible to put yourself in their position, cold and wet, having lost everything except the clothes you are washed away in, then being bombarded from the air and the land as you grieve. Can it get any worse for them? All this and the empty shells taking umpteen court cases against newspapers or gazing into the camera to ask if I’m all right presumably meaning can I ever get over the fact that Philip Scholfield kept his business to himself and didn’t share it with dolly Holly?
If you are tearing your hair out thinking of summer school holidays and how to keep your children off their electronic devices and involved in family life, take a leaf out of Moya Sands book and play cards. Her idea is being taken up with orders from Ireland to Australia and Spain to Canada.
She comes from a large Co. Down family who are united in music, the Sands family are famous around the world, her father Tommy, aunts, uncles and the younger members too. She herself is a singer and fiddle player who now lives in Spain with her husband Areski and two children, nine year old Keián and Niya who is six. When she moved there, Moya took her music with her and formed Irish Corner, a traditional band with a fiddler from Sicily, banjo from Andalusia, the Basque Country provided the bodhran player and Warrenpoint the tradition – singer and musician Moya Sands.
Even in Barcelona, lockdown halted many things and families were thrown together to amuse themselves and with two small children Moya had to put on her thinking cap on how to keep them interested in learning; she came up with Happy Clan, a company to produce her card game and accompanying book, Happy Families – Exploring Ireland, which is launched this month. The idea is to introduce children and adults to exploring Ireland though seven ‘families’ made up of cities, landmarks, food, music, traditions, mythology and symbols. The reaction of a small research group was very heartening.
“This game is absolutely brilliant for social, environmental and scientific eduction. It was so easy to get the hang of with gorgeous imagery all about Ireland, such a fab game.” Primary school teacher from Donegal.
“My 5 year old daughter loves it. She’s very interested in Macha’s curse, it’s such a great introduction to all the mythological stories. My English husband has learned how to say camogie and bodhrán so everyone’s learning. The stickers were also very popular.” Irish born mother living in London.
INTERNATIONAL INTEREST
Like the old Happy Families game, cards are dealt and bargaining begins until one player ends up with all seven subjects within all six families – a full house. Along the way they learn various aspects of ireland whilst opening doors to research and projects children can enjoy over the holidays, visits to places highlighted on the cards, making potato bread, singing and storytelling. What better way to enjoy each other and learn about our beautiful island at the same time.
“I’ve had huge interest in terms of pre-orders from Ireland, the UK, France, Spain, USA, Canada and Australia,’ Moya tells me. “There has also been some really lovely feedback from parents and teachers who’ve received sets from the small pre-launch batch.”
The games are available from website www.happy-clan.com for £15.99.
A MUG OF HELPFULNESS
A few weeks ago I wrote about Patrick Finnegan who has dedicated his time to making flat pack carts and woven harnesses for donkeys in Africa. The founder of Finnegan’s Tools has worked tirelessly to build equipment to help villagers in South Africa make their daily living less backbreaking and much more efficient. He’s enlisting help from a number of local sources, women’s church groups have taken up his challenge and knitting groups all over Northern Ireland are putting down their needles and taking up weaving!
Supplying these much needed items to the townships in Tyume Valley in South Africa’s Eastern Cape takes money as well as practical support.
“We are working with our local facilitator there Michelle Griffith of Ama Trac Uluntu and her local technical school who will build up and finish the flat packs of carts, harnesses and wheels there with their girl and boy students helping the villages to use and maintain the carts as the main water and produce transport along the villages dirt roads.”
Recently Paddy came up with the idea of producing mugs carrying the pictures of two of his donkeys, Dennis aged 27 and Remus who is 23, both stars at the recent Balmoral Show, and they are selling well.
Helping him make his carts and kit are men and women at HM Prison Hydebank Wood and they have shown support again by making the mugs.
If you know of a group who would like to help making up the kits, Paddy is happy to run a workshop and teach the art of weaving.
Contact Paddy at pfinnegan44@gmail.com
THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS
Is it my imagination or are people getting nicer? I had occasion to try ordering perfume (my treat to me) and couldn’t work the website. Phoned customer services and a delightful lady called Jasmine talked me through the procedure. I have a very unhappy relationship with electronics and still nothing worked. After 20 minutes I apologised and said I’d try again myself. “No my dear we will work together on this.” OK. 30 minutes later still no joy. “Sorry Jasmine I just can’t seem to get this.” “You will Anne, don’t apologise, shopping should be a pleasure and I’m here to help you.” You can’t beat that for customer service.
After a full 40 minutes she and I struck gold, the right brand, the right price, the right order form – check out and all was well. She was as thrilled as I was or maybe relieved! I feel we met the challenge together and came out the other end as friends. This is happening more often than not these days, perhaps because everyone wants everyone’s custom or we’re coming out of the lockdowns anxious to be courteous and pleasant. Well most of us anyway!
