Would My Granny Manage A Laptop?

Sitting here, feet up on stool, mobile phone at arms length, blogging on my laptop.  It just occurred to me that we have moved on so much since my grandmother was living, thirty one years ago. At my age she was just on the verge of being presented with her dozenth grandchild.  She was living with my family helping to rear us, her grandchildren.  Actually I think she did a pretty damn good job, ha ha ha.

At this time on a sunday evening we would have been finishing up a lovely sunday tea.  Complete with white dmask starched tablecloth and all matching china tableware.  She would have been appalled at the odd coffee mugs which are perched on the arms of our armchairs here with the discarded papers from our biscuit bars.  No saucers, spoons or plates.

Saturdays would have been spent preparing an array of vegetables for the Sunday dinner.  Huge pot of peeled potatoes would be standing on cooker and the roast would be prepared, stuffed if needed, and covered in fridge all in readiness the following day.  Where would she have found the time to go on her laptop and surf the net.  Follow friends on facebook and twitter.

She met her friends at seven o clock mass each weekday, eleven o clock on saturday morn or eight o clock on sunday morn.  That was it, when she was not doing house work or ironing she was sitting in her armchair knitting dozens of jumpers and cardigans, mittens and hats for us, her grandchildren.  She also used a singer sewing machine to mend anything that needed mending.  She was a fantastic cook and baker.  I often wonder what she would make of my life.

As for the mobile phone no way would she entertain that.  When we got the telephone in our home she even found that hard to contend with and often held the  receiver upside down. Once  having failed to reach the phone on time, and hearing it beep, we heard her shout in exasperation into the receiver....Ah   Bip Off With Yourself.....

When I think of the way I rely on my mobile so much and love using my laptop to keep in touch with friends and family. And basically to manage my life in many different ways.  My granny did not have any of these aids and yet she managed to have a full and interesting life.  She kept in touch with her extended family through letters which she wrote by hand and posted in the post office. She travelled to the country and spent weeks with them visiting various relations around the place.  She also managed to get to Lourdes in France, several times and England, by plane and boat respectively.

No the lalptop would be a step too far. U tube, I hate to think.......What would she e mail about anyway.....perhaps that she was brushing her black coat for mass and that she was going to wear the new hat pin that she had bought in Frawleys in Thomas Street in the front of her best hat. Maybe she would blog about the beautiful queeen of pudding or egg custard that she made at the weekend or the new tin of Mentholatum that she got in the chemist for her arthritic knees. I could just see her Facebooking her friends saying........Roll on bedtime and a delicious cup of Complan girls.....   

I Have Been To Edinburgh!

I Have Been To Edinburgh, Finally.

Well I have heard so many positive reports about Edinburgh that I decided to head over there for a well deserved break.

It is true.  Edinburgh is an amazing place. The buildings have a real WOW factor.  They are enourmous.  The brick is fantastic in them too. My friend and I went from Monday to Friday and spent all our waking hours walking the city and saw some sights.   Edinburgh Castle is fantastic and takes a couple of hours or more to get round.  Everything in the city is accesable on foot which is great.  There are also great tour buses which go every twenty mins or so, hop on and hop off.  They go to all the attractions, Hollyrood House, Botanic Gardens, The fantastic now decommissioned Royal yacht, The Britannia.

We walked the Royal Mile everyday.  The little shops are so inviting and even found a lovely Christmas Shop, ha ha the poor woman inside has to listen to Christmas Carols all year long, but I must add they were being played by a fantastic scottish band and really jissed up. Yes I have to admit it, we both bought something christmassy in the shop...... well it was very inviting and we kinda got into the Christmas spirit as soon as we entered.

We were blessed with the weather.  While our familes and countrymen drowned in the good old irish rain, (my garden looks like a jungle now), we walked Edinburgh in lovely sunshine.  We even were lucky enough to be there for the olympic flame. We were given free ice cold cokes in lovely colourful memoriable bottles and oodles of flags to wave as the flame carrier ran past us on the Royal  Mile.

Another highlight for us both was the visit to Grayfriar's Cemetery, where Grayfriar's Bobby is buried.  The faithful little terrier dog who kept guard on his master's grave for fourteen years.  He was adopted and looked after by men attending the graveyard and when he died they were given special dispensation to bury Bobby near his master.  We also discovered a lovely welcoming Edwardian Tea Room on Chalmers Close.  It is run by a wonderful lady called Christine.  Definitely worth a visit or two or three, the chat and the delicious food and cakes keep you coming back.....

I for one give Edinburgh the thumbs up and will be paying more visits there in time.  Three cheers for Edinburgh.