About

First things first: I’m 200% Irish. Always have been, always will be. Heart, head, belly, guts.

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Moved to the Netherlands many moons ago, intent on having fun for six months before returning home to take on proper, adult challenges as defined by my parents: education/career/blablabla.

Didn’t quite work out that way! Met my husband in those months, who’s still my best friend in the whole world and has (hehe) even agreed to sketch the odd image for this new, blog adventure. Got married (in Ireland, of course) and before I knew it the old adult challenges had upped and found me, in still-too-far-away-from-Ireland land, all of their own accord.

It’s not been easy, without my parents/sister and those I loved most, around the corner. But it’s been pretty great all the same. I’m proud of what I now have: two beautiful (almost grown) “kids” who keep me young(ish); one (drama-queen) golden retriever who eats toast with me every morning and knows better than most how to manipulate our emotions by raising his eyebrows or drooping his huge, chocolate brown eyes; a camper-van that chugs us up and down mountains every summer in la belle France…and some amazing friends.

A damn, good life when all is said and done. And that’s about it for now.

25 thoughts on “About

  1. Yep… 200% you are. I’m about 200% Saffer in your green land… sometimes I love it… other days it’s just a big drag. Anyhow… thanks for following OMBH… maybe your visits will easy your desire to see more of Ireland!! 😉

    1. 🙂 I’ll take that as a compliment! and I feel the same about Holland, sometimes fab, sometimes very annoying. Such is life when you live abroad, right? Your photos are great, keep it up. Happy to follow.

  2. Wow, you have had a very interesting life! I’m so glad that you are married to your best friend but I’m also sad that you don’t have the rest of your family living close by. I also love the description of your dog as a drama queen, that was funny!

    And your blog title makes me laugh, I love it! Sometimes I like to say that I have a B.S. in B.S. (A Bachelor of Science degree in Bullshitology).

    As far as I’m concerned a damn good life is a life well-lived, well-loved and worn well. And I think you are a great example 😀

    Slainte Gus Saol Agat!

    1. haha! Yes, I guess so – and indeed, I’ve been lucky in many ways but always miss ‘my Irish’. Still, we make the best of the situation and sometimes I think we’re even closer because of the distance than people who live around the corner from each other. You cram in as much as you can, each visit… a B.S. in B.S.!! haha. Wonderful. “Like minds”. 🙂 Thanks for the lovely compliment, now you make MY day!

      1. I was thinking the same thing as I read your funny, funny story: wow, I like how this gal’s mind works! 😀

    1. Thanks! Long time no hear, hope all well with you 🙂

      1. It’s been a rough few months and I’m barely keeping up. Reading blogs has been low on my list of priorities–when it’s on it at all. But it’s good to drop in. I’m going to hit Subscribe so I don’t loose track of your entirely.

        1. Thx. Very sorry to hear that! I understand, I took a few weeks break myself, lost the energy for a bit (health) but picking up again now. Share if u want, helps sometimes. But wishing u better days in any case.

  3. Nirodaigh, I am delighted to have you following me. What makes it better is I just noticed your going to follow my blog too. How can I lose. But seriously—and sincerely—I’m very happy to have you among my clan (P.S. I’m 200% Irish too!), and I hope to make you roll around with laughter. Just try not to be around too many people when I do it to you. Otherwise, they might think you’ve gone into convulsions or something. Well, I better take a look around your blog now—always looking to steal…uh, I mean borrow good ideas. 😀

    1. Haha… There we go! 🙂 please do take a look around, delighted if u do! I started in August, so far so good… Having lots of fun with it, really nice chats with interesting people (such as urself) and paying no attention whatsoever to the “freshly-pressed-gloom-corner” because I’ve looked a few times and from what I saw so far most of it is really just not my thing. So. Happy days.

  4. Sounds wonderful.! I can’t wait to read more of your blog.! And thank you for the blog follow too 🙂

    1. My pleasure! I have visited a few times, time to take the plunge haha. Very enjoyable reading! 🙂

      1. Hahaha…Thanks for jumping 🙂

  5. Sweetie, I have been meaning to ask you, but I keep forgetting because I have C.R.S. Syndrome (Can’t Remember Shit Syndrome), anyway, how is your name pronounced? It is a lovely looking name but when I talk about you to friends and family, I know I am probably mispronouncing it 🙁

    1. Haha, no worries! The name I use here is an Irish translation of my maiden name, in fact. My first name ‘normal’ is actually Gerie, from Geraldine, but no one has called me that since I left convent school many, many moons ago, haha. When I started a blog I was a bit wary of using my real name, but have chilled out now as I realise how very nice the blogging community is ! 😀😉 So, just so u know how to pronounce my blog name, it would be, phonetically: nee-rud-ig.

      1. Oh thank you for letting me know your ‘last’ name’s correct pronounciation! I was a bit leery too about attaching my real name to my blogs, but then I said to myself, screw it, these are my truthful tales, that my primary audience are my girls (Tara and my 3 granddaughters) and I wanted them to always be able to find my blogs…and my true tales oft told 🙂
        So can I call you Gerie? That is funny, my childhood nickname was Jeannie but I found that cool ‘Genie’ logo several years ago and so I adopted it. Gerie is one letter away from Genie; isn’t that funny?

        1. That is funny!! And I love that u used the word ‘leery’, so right, haha!! Of course not a problem to use each other’s proper names, all the more fun. Good night from a tired but happy me, from over the pond! 🌺😴

          1. Nighty night from an equally tired me as well on da other side of da pond lol! XXX OOO

  6. Hi there! I came to the Netherlands for three years…. thirteen years ago… It seems you kind of get stuck in this country 😉
    There are moments when I miss the Austrian mountains, but then again I love taking walks on the beach… (NOT when it is full of people). And it is a great country to raise kids in. So yes, mostly happy here! 🙂

  7. I love this page and your voice. I, too, have a lovely Golden and two nearly-grown stepkids. 🙂

    1. Thanks so much, delighted to have you on board! Ah, a Golden too? They really are the best, right? So adorable and loving. As for the kids… Haha. Couldn’t be without them. 😉

  8. Thanks for the like about my coming published book at 82. By now I’ve learned that life is what happens when you’ve planned something else, so i just go with the flow and enjoy it.

    1. Wonderful! You are so right, and what a fantastic achievement! Well done.

  9. It’s lovely to read about you and find out where in the world you’re located. I gathered from one of your posts you were in the Netherlands, but it’s interesting to know that you hail from Ireland. I love Ireland, but haven’t visited Holland yet. It’s on the cards for sometime soon, though. Best wishes to you. Millie

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