Auf Wiedersehen, Weekend!

That was a weekend!

Friday's two parties didn't leave me with much yen to show two German tourists around our fair city, but that's just what I did on Saturday. They were quite taken with the place. And though Sonya was too exhausted to stay out past 12, I was obliged to sit through another hour and a half of traditional music for Rebecca. Next morning some proper sightseeing, before I left them to their shopping to go do the Mothers' Day thing. Back in to join the girls who were Bono-spotting in the Clarence. More live music ensued in Templebar (a place I tried to get them out of, but they just wouldn't leave). I made my apologies late and headed home.

Monday was a flexi-day or I would have died, but I had my mother dropping by so it was mopping, washing and polishing that morning. She came in and said, 'There's an awful smell of detergent in this place.'

Several of my old relatives are pretty ill at the moment, so out I went visiting. Walking from Dundrum to Vincent's Hospital, I took the opportunity to walk through my Alma Mater, UCD. Wish I was still there; good memories. Narrowly missed the sleet.

My grandfather had been awoken at 12 last night to be moved from one ward to another. While I was there they moved him again, to the bed and ward he had originally been in. I'm sure there's a good reason, though I don't see it.

He's as crochety as a deaf old man who feels helpless and who has just been told he's diabetic and that his liver's shot, but they still don't know what's really wrong, could be. I sat by him trying through inane smiling to overcome the fact that he couldn't hear me and I couldn't shout that loud. Still I think he appreciated the effort.

Take a day off work and they'll find a way to crucify you. They found many ways to do just that today. Heading off to a conference for the next three days didn't help. I was trying hard not to smash my f****** keyboard by the two hours past home time it took me to escape.