Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka
Copyright 2007 Siane Ní Mhóráin
June 2007
Time passes and it's already well into the summer. Life is busy as usual and visitors continue to pass over our doorstep on a frequent basis. Those of you who still haven't made the trip - start planning!
For those of you with an interest in business, take a look at Business Sri Lanka. It's a business social network (the modern version of the 'old buys network thing....) to drive business opportunities.
I've just uploaded a few recent pictures. As you will see, the children are growing fast and I'm sure I'll soon be referred to as the 'little old lady with the big children'.
January 2007
I've been lazy here for a long time. But not because of boredom or lack of interest. Just one of those things you put off. Then you put it off again, and then again. And the months fly by before you realise.
It's now 2007. I'm older, a little wiser and the children are growing fast.
No, I'm not going to cram huge amounts of here about the past year. Suffice to say that all's well and life is good at the moment.
This year Maybe I should get others to write here (easier for me!). So if you know me and what to stake your claim to fame then what about a guest appearance?
Hope all of you out there are well and do stay in touch!
April 2006
I really must scan a few photos of my sister-in-law, Carmel and put them somewhere here. This is my well-travelled in-law with a small Irish family of just six children......
Carmel has finally invested in a computer and is busy preparing for her broadband connection and gearing up for a mad dash into the electronic world.
Stand aside or be knocked down as she whizzes around the Internet! Oh, and as I mention on my home page, her first port of call is right here!.
Yes, I am honoured and my website may never recover as I am sure there will be a global stampede to follow where she goes and my poor site is about to be deluged!
13th March
Another weekend over. The past week has been tough with all three children down with a bug. Doris, the Godmother of Treasa visited for the weekend. For all of you single males out there, this is a very pretty and unattached German girl! See the photo at the bottom right in my gallery.
The children experienced a 'second Christmas' with Doris pulling one present after another from her bag.
So we had an enjoyable weekend and some nice chats and meals - and lots of catching up.
This morning, though, poor Doris emailed to say that the childrens bug has travelled back to Germany with her..... and we are feeling a little guilty!
4th March
I spoke to Pól’s aunt, Martha, in the far off wilds of the West of Ireland this evening and she reminded me what wonderful, happy and good-natured people the Irish are.
Martha had her first glance of this site during our conversation and promised to return en-mass with her sisters Frankie and Margaret - so Welcome! And don't forget to send a few pictures.....
24th February
It's been over a month since I last updated here. Since then, Treasa has passed her 2nd birthday, Mother has escaped once more to visit my sister in Bahrain and my brother and sister in Colombo have installed broadband and Skype - so we can now chat for free (sorry telephone company) and see each other live by video.
So we are all moving fast into the 21st Century!
Good to see the peace talks have finally restarted. Let's hope they produce some long term benefits for Sri Lanka. Surprisingly the Sri Lankan currency has remained relatively stable during all the recent political upheaval......
My very sad news in the past month was that Karuna, a gentle woman who had looked after Anishvarya in her first years and who had become a companion in so many ways to my mother passed away. I shall always remember Karuna as the single least self-centred person I have ever met. Shy and unassuming, she selflessly gave every penny she earned to her family.
I used to criticise her for that and encourage her to keep money for herself. I used to encourage her to buy even basic things for herself. She always resisted. Following her death I spoke to her sister and realised, perhaps for the first time, how meaningful Karuna's actions have been. She gave dignity and hope to not a small number of people.
For those of you who know this lady, do please remember her in your prayers.
London seems so far away from Sri Lanka. The weather turned cold this week - freezing, actually. Yesterday there was some snow in the morning.
Daithi goes happily to nursery school for three hours per day now. He's a little joy and I constantly hear his little voice singing around the house. Anishvarya seems to have grown taller even in the last month and we find ourselves constantly having to update her wardrobe. She will have her First Communion this year, so I must be getting on in years somewhat (though, of course I don't show it!!). And the little one is still Treasa. Always joyful and still very cute.
Those of you who know me will be surprised to hear I regularly dart around London in a car these days. I can be seen nimbly weaving my way in the London traffic amongst the trucks, the red busses and the black taxi's and expertly avoiding all those aggressive drivers and pedestrians who seem glued to their mobile phones and fail to even look before wondering out into the path of this Sri Lankan girl with lightening reflexes. And, no, my hand never strays to the horn......!
15th January
Christmas has faded from recent memory already as the momentum of the New Year builds up. The London weather remains mild, though a little rainly at night.
The situation in Sri Lanka continues to be shaky. Though I have to say that the new President seems intent on developing the country outside Colombo. Hopefully the political situation eases off and the peace process gets a well deserved chance to resume.
You may have noticed the links to Sri Lanka news on my home page. Both give good coverage.
Daithi has started at a local nursery this month, and enjoys the experience. Treasa will start at the same nursery school after the summer holidays and I will suddenly find myself with time for me once again!
Pol is already planning his first paragliding trip of the year to the French Alps. But weather means a wait until March. As usual we shall all accompany him, though I have still not convinced myself I should try this sport......
Our friends Michael and Stephanie have announced they are moving to the US - Florida. London seems to be a place people come to and then move on from later on - particularly those with children. Many of our friends have taken this route over the past few years - though not many to the US.
The rule, it seems, is to come here - make your money and run! Though it seems not all who do the first part follow through with the second. The royal family are still here - as are many many others and for a very long time! We haven't gotten around to the decision to dig in for the long run or depart to sunnier shores.
But no rush. Life is fine as it is!
January 2006!
Another year over and another Christmas coming to an abrupt end. Festivities almost over and 'life' beckons once more.
We spent Christmas day 'Greek style' this year as the guests of our friends, Simon and Stacie - experts in fine dining and ghost stories! We spent the rest of Christmas in Ireland - that land of warm-blooded people in a not so warm country (at least in winter). If you want to experience biting winds and a chill factor that negates the need for ice in your glass of Whiskey (or Baileys) - I can recommend a visit to this Fair Isle.
We are now back in 'the big smoke' - London. Except all those images of London rain, fog and smog are noticeably absent, and have been for many years. Strangely, it seems mostly to rain at night and not day.
The London congestion charge has reduced traffic substantially - so the vehicle element of airborn particulates has been reduced.
And no smoking chimneys to be seen anywhere in this vast city (though, as I've previously mentioned, we do have two 'functional' (but unused in recent years) chimneys in the house here which occasionally deposit historical soot onto the hearth.
As to the fog - it seems to keep itself beyond the City limits, except for the smoke from office smokers banished to the sidewalk and furtively puffing in groups out of sight of their office entrance. Fear obviously has not been banished from this country yet - though I still haven't figured out what exactly it is that these wretched smokers fear.......
......Cancer suddenly about to pounce from the sky or perhaps the accurate aim of birds overhead? Or maybe the 'Boss' flicking large spoonfuls of natural yoghurt out the window to fool the staff into believing they are under attack from high-flying Canadian geese suffering bad tummies. All to hurry those errant workers back to their desks and to work, work, work (via the rest room, of course!).
Though I have to point out that bird droppings are a lessor evil than what dogs, cows and elephants deposit on the streets of Colombo! Not a pleasant experience for hurried shoes on the way to the office - and not a pleasant experience for those in the vicinity of those shoes in the office!
Such 'deposits' are strangely absent in this City of London - though for those of you who miss that aspect of Sri Lanka I can recommend you visit France where the sidewalks and just about everywhere you can walk is an obstacle course of such deposits (how many poodles do they have in France?). France, where the worst curse must be to be blind and where 'heaven' must certainly be losing your sense of smell.
This page of ramblings seems to be getting long and maybe too long! I may well decide to create multiple rambling pages on this site. Then you and I can ramble from page to page and I can ramble and ramble, if you get my meaning.........
So here's to 2006!
__________________________________
Nearing Christmas and I haven't written anything here for ages. December has been a month of; colds; sometimes cold weather; birthdays (Anishvarya and Dáithí share the same birth day); Christmas shopping; visit by my mother-in-law (Renee); my wedding anniversary; friends coming from afar to London (Ru, Roshani and others); all the usual Christmas preparations; and, of course, school holidays.
Sri Lanka seems both progressive and unstable since the elections. Difficult to know what will happen over the coming months, but at least this seems to be a government with 'people oriented' policies.
Ma is set to escape Colombo in January for Bahrain in January. She'll be pampered by my sister and friends for a few months. The plan then is onward travel to London where the three children will ensure a busy and interactive time.
Cousin Rhonda is currently in Colombo with new hubby and last week witnessed the very lucky man (hope he appreciates just how lucky) wedding this beautiful girl in the church ceremony. And a wonderful time was had by all at the celebrations that followed (still awaiting more stories from those of you lucky enough to be there).
Now we are into the last week before Christmas and still lots of preparations to do and things to get done. More shopping, of course. But then we are here in the midst of this great shopping capital and it can be quite fun!
This year Oxford Street looks a little more Christmassy - but still falling behind (way behind) the Christmas decorations of equivalent streets in other European capitals......
Regent Street, on the other hand, is a joy of blue lights imbuing a true Christmas spirit.
Here in the house we finally (!) got around today to putting up the Christmas tree - with three willing helpers. Though Treasa is still convinced the tree and it's decorations are a new toy to be spread around the house........
I've written off to Santa with my usual long list of what I want for Christmas. No bag of soot, thank you very much. I've been a good girl this year!
We have two ancient chimneys in this house and I would not wish anyone a journey down either! But I hear Santa is a brave man. I often wonder if he secretly likes naughty girls!
Slumber awaits and I cannot promise when I shall get back to write more. But I do manage to put new pictures up more regularly than I ramble here. So continue to visit and browse.
__________________________________
Politics and Husbands
On the Sri Lankan front I read yesterday that the Government has decided that all shops that sell alcohol will shut for four days during the presidential election. On the surface this is to help limit any violence during the election - but it also seems a cynical attempt to lay claim to the fact that voting preferences might be different from a sober population......
.....and will likely lead to the losing candidates claiming the elections were unfair because the voting was influenced by the lack of alcohol. I shall refrain from further political comment here.
For those of you with dogs who chase sheep - or who have errant husbands, I recently came across a solution. A device to prevent dogs worrying sheep - and awarded a US patent in the early 1900's.
Click on the icon named 'DOG' beside this column and you'll get my meaning. The general idea (for the dog) is that the hook is attached to the dogs nose and, in the event that he 'worries a sheep' it gets caught in the wool. The sheep gets frightened and runs like crazy (as sheep do) and the dog gets dragged after - thus learning a lesson.
I guess I don't have to explain how it could be applicable to errant husbands..... except to say that instead of wool......
__________________________________
The Beginning.....
Well, I haven't discovered the joys (or value) of blogging as it seems somehow perverse to publish what is, in effect, a diary of the private thoughts and happenings in one's life. Self voyeurism in the extreme!
And I bet bloggers don't really get down to their dirty little secrets anyway. So I thought I'd better just create a space where I can write about notions, news and views.
So where am I to start? Should I put my life story here and bore, shock or amaze all of you? No, that might prove to be too much (reading....!) and too timely both for me to write and you to read.
I could write about the Presidential elections in Sri Lanka. But then I can say all that needs to be said in a few short words. I hope things change. That's all.
So now that we have politics out of the way what else is there? Well there's the BIG and WONDERFUL news of the birth of my first niece in Sri Lanka. Soraya. Look at my family gallery to see just how gorgeous she is! Of course I have to say those looks must come from the mother, my darling sister Soni. Lucky baby!
We (me plus 4...... yes, you read that right. We are a family of FIVE now, for those of you behind on the news) spent most of August in Sri Lanka. We stayed with my dear friend Nandini, or Nandi as Dáithí insists on calling her. My Friends Gallery - will shortly include a picture of this lovely person.
Whilst there (yes, back to politics) the Foreign Minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar, was killed. Pól (husband) had met him a few months previously in London and described him at the time as 'the only Sri Lankan politician who is capable of not speaking politics' and was quite taken by him. Better not to publish his view of the Foreign Minister who replaced him - whom he has also met.....
Life and home for me is now London. Took some getting used to but but life here is good and interesting. We travel a lot and I'm still enjoying getting to know Europe - and Ireland (which is that mystical isle where folklore was invented). Many stories to tell and share. But better you come and visit and we'll do the telling over the kitchen table - where most conversations in our house seem to happen.
But enough ramblings for now. Have to think about the 'what happens next'.
Time passes and it's already well into the summer. Life is busy as usual and visitors continue to pass over our doorstep on a frequent basis. Those of you who still haven't made the trip - start planning!
For those of you with an interest in business, take a look at Business Sri Lanka. It's a business social network (the modern version of the 'old buys network thing....) to drive business opportunities.
I've just uploaded a few recent pictures. As you will see, the children are growing fast and I'm sure I'll soon be referred to as the 'little old lady with the big children'.
January 2007
I've been lazy here for a long time. But not because of boredom or lack of interest. Just one of those things you put off. Then you put it off again, and then again. And the months fly by before you realise.
It's now 2007. I'm older, a little wiser and the children are growing fast.
No, I'm not going to cram huge amounts of here about the past year. Suffice to say that all's well and life is good at the moment.
This year Maybe I should get others to write here (easier for me!). So if you know me and what to stake your claim to fame then what about a guest appearance?
Hope all of you out there are well and do stay in touch!
April 2006
I really must scan a few photos of my sister-in-law, Carmel and put them somewhere here. This is my well-travelled in-law with a small Irish family of just six children......
Carmel has finally invested in a computer and is busy preparing for her broadband connection and gearing up for a mad dash into the electronic world.
Stand aside or be knocked down as she whizzes around the Internet! Oh, and as I mention on my home page, her first port of call is right here!.
Yes, I am honoured and my website may never recover as I am sure there will be a global stampede to follow where she goes and my poor site is about to be deluged!
13th March
Another weekend over. The past week has been tough with all three children down with a bug. Doris, the Godmother of Treasa visited for the weekend. For all of you single males out there, this is a very pretty and unattached German girl! See the photo at the bottom right in my gallery.
The children experienced a 'second Christmas' with Doris pulling one present after another from her bag.
So we had an enjoyable weekend and some nice chats and meals - and lots of catching up.
This morning, though, poor Doris emailed to say that the childrens bug has travelled back to Germany with her..... and we are feeling a little guilty!
4th March
I spoke to Pól’s aunt, Martha, in the far off wilds of the West of Ireland this evening and she reminded me what wonderful, happy and good-natured people the Irish are.
Martha had her first glance of this site during our conversation and promised to return en-mass with her sisters Frankie and Margaret - so Welcome! And don't forget to send a few pictures.....
24th February
It's been over a month since I last updated here. Since then, Treasa has passed her 2nd birthday, Mother has escaped once more to visit my sister in Bahrain and my brother and sister in Colombo have installed broadband and Skype - so we can now chat for free (sorry telephone company) and see each other live by video.
So we are all moving fast into the 21st Century!
Good to see the peace talks have finally restarted. Let's hope they produce some long term benefits for Sri Lanka. Surprisingly the Sri Lankan currency has remained relatively stable during all the recent political upheaval......
My very sad news in the past month was that Karuna, a gentle woman who had looked after Anishvarya in her first years and who had become a companion in so many ways to my mother passed away. I shall always remember Karuna as the single least self-centred person I have ever met. Shy and unassuming, she selflessly gave every penny she earned to her family.
I used to criticise her for that and encourage her to keep money for herself. I used to encourage her to buy even basic things for herself. She always resisted. Following her death I spoke to her sister and realised, perhaps for the first time, how meaningful Karuna's actions have been. She gave dignity and hope to not a small number of people.
For those of you who know this lady, do please remember her in your prayers.
London seems so far away from Sri Lanka. The weather turned cold this week - freezing, actually. Yesterday there was some snow in the morning.
Daithi goes happily to nursery school for three hours per day now. He's a little joy and I constantly hear his little voice singing around the house. Anishvarya seems to have grown taller even in the last month and we find ourselves constantly having to update her wardrobe. She will have her First Communion this year, so I must be getting on in years somewhat (though, of course I don't show it!!). And the little one is still Treasa. Always joyful and still very cute.
Those of you who know me will be surprised to hear I regularly dart around London in a car these days. I can be seen nimbly weaving my way in the London traffic amongst the trucks, the red busses and the black taxi's and expertly avoiding all those aggressive drivers and pedestrians who seem glued to their mobile phones and fail to even look before wondering out into the path of this Sri Lankan girl with lightening reflexes. And, no, my hand never strays to the horn......!
15th January
Christmas has faded from recent memory already as the momentum of the New Year builds up. The London weather remains mild, though a little rainly at night.
The situation in Sri Lanka continues to be shaky. Though I have to say that the new President seems intent on developing the country outside Colombo. Hopefully the political situation eases off and the peace process gets a well deserved chance to resume.
You may have noticed the links to Sri Lanka news on my home page. Both give good coverage.
Daithi has started at a local nursery this month, and enjoys the experience. Treasa will start at the same nursery school after the summer holidays and I will suddenly find myself with time for me once again!
Pol is already planning his first paragliding trip of the year to the French Alps. But weather means a wait until March. As usual we shall all accompany him, though I have still not convinced myself I should try this sport......
Our friends Michael and Stephanie have announced they are moving to the US - Florida. London seems to be a place people come to and then move on from later on - particularly those with children. Many of our friends have taken this route over the past few years - though not many to the US.
The rule, it seems, is to come here - make your money and run! Though it seems not all who do the first part follow through with the second. The royal family are still here - as are many many others and for a very long time! We haven't gotten around to the decision to dig in for the long run or depart to sunnier shores.
But no rush. Life is fine as it is!
January 2006!
Another year over and another Christmas coming to an abrupt end. Festivities almost over and 'life' beckons once more.
We spent Christmas day 'Greek style' this year as the guests of our friends, Simon and Stacie - experts in fine dining and ghost stories! We spent the rest of Christmas in Ireland - that land of warm-blooded people in a not so warm country (at least in winter). If you want to experience biting winds and a chill factor that negates the need for ice in your glass of Whiskey (or Baileys) - I can recommend a visit to this Fair Isle.
We are now back in 'the big smoke' - London. Except all those images of London rain, fog and smog are noticeably absent, and have been for many years. Strangely, it seems mostly to rain at night and not day.
The London congestion charge has reduced traffic substantially - so the vehicle element of airborn particulates has been reduced.
And no smoking chimneys to be seen anywhere in this vast city (though, as I've previously mentioned, we do have two 'functional' (but unused in recent years) chimneys in the house here which occasionally deposit historical soot onto the hearth.
As to the fog - it seems to keep itself beyond the City limits, except for the smoke from office smokers banished to the sidewalk and furtively puffing in groups out of sight of their office entrance. Fear obviously has not been banished from this country yet - though I still haven't figured out what exactly it is that these wretched smokers fear.......
......Cancer suddenly about to pounce from the sky or perhaps the accurate aim of birds overhead? Or maybe the 'Boss' flicking large spoonfuls of natural yoghurt out the window to fool the staff into believing they are under attack from high-flying Canadian geese suffering bad tummies. All to hurry those errant workers back to their desks and to work, work, work (via the rest room, of course!).
Though I have to point out that bird droppings are a lessor evil than what dogs, cows and elephants deposit on the streets of Colombo! Not a pleasant experience for hurried shoes on the way to the office - and not a pleasant experience for those in the vicinity of those shoes in the office!
Such 'deposits' are strangely absent in this City of London - though for those of you who miss that aspect of Sri Lanka I can recommend you visit France where the sidewalks and just about everywhere you can walk is an obstacle course of such deposits (how many poodles do they have in France?). France, where the worst curse must be to be blind and where 'heaven' must certainly be losing your sense of smell.
This page of ramblings seems to be getting long and maybe too long! I may well decide to create multiple rambling pages on this site. Then you and I can ramble from page to page and I can ramble and ramble, if you get my meaning.........
So here's to 2006!
__________________________________
Nearing Christmas and I haven't written anything here for ages. December has been a month of; colds; sometimes cold weather; birthdays (Anishvarya and Dáithí share the same birth day); Christmas shopping; visit by my mother-in-law (Renee); my wedding anniversary; friends coming from afar to London (Ru, Roshani and others); all the usual Christmas preparations; and, of course, school holidays.
Sri Lanka seems both progressive and unstable since the elections. Difficult to know what will happen over the coming months, but at least this seems to be a government with 'people oriented' policies.
Ma is set to escape Colombo in January for Bahrain in January. She'll be pampered by my sister and friends for a few months. The plan then is onward travel to London where the three children will ensure a busy and interactive time.
Cousin Rhonda is currently in Colombo with new hubby and last week witnessed the very lucky man (hope he appreciates just how lucky) wedding this beautiful girl in the church ceremony. And a wonderful time was had by all at the celebrations that followed (still awaiting more stories from those of you lucky enough to be there).
Now we are into the last week before Christmas and still lots of preparations to do and things to get done. More shopping, of course. But then we are here in the midst of this great shopping capital and it can be quite fun!
This year Oxford Street looks a little more Christmassy - but still falling behind (way behind) the Christmas decorations of equivalent streets in other European capitals......
Regent Street, on the other hand, is a joy of blue lights imbuing a true Christmas spirit.
Here in the house we finally (!) got around today to putting up the Christmas tree - with three willing helpers. Though Treasa is still convinced the tree and it's decorations are a new toy to be spread around the house........
I've written off to Santa with my usual long list of what I want for Christmas. No bag of soot, thank you very much. I've been a good girl this year!
We have two ancient chimneys in this house and I would not wish anyone a journey down either! But I hear Santa is a brave man. I often wonder if he secretly likes naughty girls!
Slumber awaits and I cannot promise when I shall get back to write more. But I do manage to put new pictures up more regularly than I ramble here. So continue to visit and browse.
__________________________________
Politics and Husbands
On the Sri Lankan front I read yesterday that the Government has decided that all shops that sell alcohol will shut for four days during the presidential election. On the surface this is to help limit any violence during the election - but it also seems a cynical attempt to lay claim to the fact that voting preferences might be different from a sober population......
.....and will likely lead to the losing candidates claiming the elections were unfair because the voting was influenced by the lack of alcohol. I shall refrain from further political comment here.
For those of you with dogs who chase sheep - or who have errant husbands, I recently came across a solution. A device to prevent dogs worrying sheep - and awarded a US patent in the early 1900's.
Click on the icon named 'DOG' beside this column and you'll get my meaning. The general idea (for the dog) is that the hook is attached to the dogs nose and, in the event that he 'worries a sheep' it gets caught in the wool. The sheep gets frightened and runs like crazy (as sheep do) and the dog gets dragged after - thus learning a lesson.
I guess I don't have to explain how it could be applicable to errant husbands..... except to say that instead of wool......
__________________________________
The Beginning.....
Well, I haven't discovered the joys (or value) of blogging as it seems somehow perverse to publish what is, in effect, a diary of the private thoughts and happenings in one's life. Self voyeurism in the extreme!
And I bet bloggers don't really get down to their dirty little secrets anyway. So I thought I'd better just create a space where I can write about notions, news and views.
So where am I to start? Should I put my life story here and bore, shock or amaze all of you? No, that might prove to be too much (reading....!) and too timely both for me to write and you to read.
I could write about the Presidential elections in Sri Lanka. But then I can say all that needs to be said in a few short words. I hope things change. That's all.
So now that we have politics out of the way what else is there? Well there's the BIG and WONDERFUL news of the birth of my first niece in Sri Lanka. Soraya. Look at my family gallery to see just how gorgeous she is! Of course I have to say those looks must come from the mother, my darling sister Soni. Lucky baby!
We (me plus 4...... yes, you read that right. We are a family of FIVE now, for those of you behind on the news) spent most of August in Sri Lanka. We stayed with my dear friend Nandini, or Nandi as Dáithí insists on calling her. My Friends Gallery - will shortly include a picture of this lovely person.
Whilst there (yes, back to politics) the Foreign Minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar, was killed. Pól (husband) had met him a few months previously in London and described him at the time as 'the only Sri Lankan politician who is capable of not speaking politics' and was quite taken by him. Better not to publish his view of the Foreign Minister who replaced him - whom he has also met.....
Life and home for me is now London. Took some getting used to but but life here is good and interesting. We travel a lot and I'm still enjoying getting to know Europe - and Ireland (which is that mystical isle where folklore was invented). Many stories to tell and share. But better you come and visit and we'll do the telling over the kitchen table - where most conversations in our house seem to happen.
But enough ramblings for now. Have to think about the 'what happens next'.
___________________
Ramblings
Ramblings
DOG
