Maeves Madness (Inch Beach, Ireland): June 2009

Monday, June 22, 2009

Neda

Neda Agha Soltan (1992-2009)
A Voice of a People - A Call to Freedom

After VV did her post, I had to go out and find out more info on this beautiful young woman called Neda, It has been reported that the name Neda means voice or call in Farsi... Her name was Neda... and she is the voice of the people. She is a call to freedom.

It is rapidly becoming the most galvanizing image in a week of drama and tragedy - perhaps the most image-saturated week in the history of the internet. I am talking about the unbelievable and heartbreaking events in Iran, a week of human drama captured in TwitPics, Flikr photos, YouTube videos, cellphone camera pics and blogs and hi-def video and...

Despite the billions upon billions of megapixels of imagery that have been captured to characterize this clash -- seas of greens, motorcyle thugs, clouds of tear gas, masked protesters -- one image is starting to make an impression above all the others, even in the short-attention-span universe of Twitter.

Early today, a beautiful young woman was demonstrating in Tehran, along with her father. When friction between the Basiji - the brutal packs of militia that patrol the streets of Tehran, beating women and children and students -- and the demonstrators broke out, it was her ill-fortune to become one of the first victims of Basiji homicide, though she was doing nothing more than standing by innocently, watching.

It is said that a Basij sniper shot her through the heart, simply to see her die.

The final moments of her tender young life leaked into the pavement of Karegeh Street today, captured by cell phone cameras. And not long after, took on new life, flickering across computer screens around the world on YouTube, and even CNN.

The words of her fellow students, her fellow Iranians are already burning an indelible message into cyberspace. Within minutes of her name being identified, it became the fastest-rising 'trending topic' on Twitter.

Her name was Neda, an innocent bystander shot dead just for watching.

Warning this is graffic

8:53 PM ET -- "Sister, have a short sleep, your last dream be sweet." Yesterday we printed a touching letter from an Iranian woman that began with these ominous lines: "I will participate in the demonstrations tomorrow. Maybe they will turn violent. Maybe I will be one of the people who is going to get killed..."
Story continues below

Tonight, she posted a second letter, passed along and translated by two readers. She writes about her "sister" in this cause who was killed today, referring to Neda.

Yesterday I wrote a note, with the subject line "tomorrow is a great day perhaps tomorrow I'll be killed." I'm here to let you know I'm alive but my sister was killed...

I'm here to tell you my sister died while in her father's hands
I'm here to tell you my sister had big dreams...
I'm here to tell you my sister who died was a decent person... and like me yearned for a day when her hair would be swept by the wind... and like me read "Forough" ... and longed to live free and equal... and she longed to hold her head up and announce, "I'm Iranian"... and she longed to one day fall in love to a man with a shaggy hair... and she longed for a daughter to braid her hair and sing lullaby by her crib...

my sister died from not having life... my sister died as injustice has no end... my sister died since she loved life too much... and my sister died since she lovingly cared for people...

my loving sister, I wish you had closed your eyes when your time had come... the very end of your last glance burns my soul....

sister have a short sleep. your last dream be sweet.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Fathers Day - Memories of Dad

Memories of Dad

I would like to take a few special moments and turn my thoughts to my dad on this Fathers Day.

He dwells among the angels now and left way too soon.

I envy folks who have such vivid early childhood memories, although I do have one, I was very little and he use to take my down to the corner bar with him in Brooklyn, called John’s Tavren and give me quarters to play the games, and I use to drink yummy “Shirley Temples” with lots of cherries. I do remember going with him to the “old House” that is what we called it. I don’t think I ever said we were going to see grandma and grandpa – it was always going to the “old house!” Seeing that the house was erected appox. In 1650, it was the OLD house in Brooklyn!

Here we are out side John's Tavern in Brooklyn, he always carried this picture in his wallet

As years passed and young adulthood meet me, so did the forming of my “own” personality, and it was one that had a tendency to clash with dads. Let us just say that we did not agree on the way “I should live my life.” I was a bit of a rebel, and he very often fought me like a true combatant. Those years of my Iife were in true turmoil. I truly struggled with the “reasoning” and not “understanding” why my father hated me with such tenacity.

As my teens years left, and I presented dad with a new granddaughter, the man really changed once again, He became a wonderful grandfather, and a pretty nice dad too. He at one time had said to my mom, that helping raise is grand-daughter was sort of trying to make up for the things that were bad between us (so mom says).
Picture of dad, me and grand-daughter Regina
dad with his granddaughter Regina

Dad LOVED to bar-b-q, he would cook all summer long, well into the fall. Leg of lamb, roast beefs, hens, steaks, ribs, everything. Dad always planned the “opening season bar-b-q” which was held every Memorial Day and “closing season bar-b-q, held each Labor Day". The whole block would come out for it, lobsters, salads, steaks, corn-on-the-cob, potatoes thrown into the fire, lots of beer and cocktails. It was the street event!

And our boating. I can not begin to tell you how many fish I caught on our boats! Fluke, Flounder, Porky’s, Whiting, Blues, Mackerel, and occasional eel, and sand shark. We spent many hours fishing and clamming, and not an ounce of sun-block was ever used!
Here is dad in the Captains Seat

I took this after we got done closing the boat up for the winter and dry docking it

I remember the last time I spent with my dad, I had flown down to Florida to see mom and dad, my father wanted to take me to some pier in Clearwater to see the pelicans, who flock there in droves, or what ever you call a bunch of pelicans! These birds are of pretty good size too and in a large group they can be a wee bit intimidating! Dad handed me a container of small smelt like fish, word got quickly in bird squak terms, and the pelicans came from everywhere!! I was trying feed them but they were so overwhelming I was dropping the fish and they were biting my toes, jumping up on the railings behind me, trying to land on my arm, well finally I just threw all the fish off to the side and quickly dashed away from the pelican mob scene. I remember how hard dad was laughed at me. Dad died early the next year, and when I went down to Florida for the funeral mom handed me this pelican holding a fish in it’s mouth. Dad had seen it at a fair and got it to give to me, it reminded him of the day on the pier. It surly does not fit into my décor, but the pelican holds a special place on a shelf in my home. Here is a picture taken that day

Dad has been gone 26 years, he died young, and I miss the things he never got to share with his grandchildren, and I miss him too, he would have liked the woman I became, after those teenage years! So dad no matter what plane you may roam on, Happy Father’s Day dad!!

Here are some pictures I have of dad:

Here is my grand-father and dad

Dad with his grand-daughters all five

Dad doing the "Paco Dance" with his grand-daughter Maureen

HAPPY FATHERS DAY TO ALL YOU DADS!!!!

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Babies Feet

Well VV you asked for babies feet and here they are!

I took this pic of my grandsons toes when he was two weeks old ....

Then I found this pics a few weeks ago, don't you just love the toes and mom and dad's wedding rings!! What a great idea!!

Friday, June 19, 2009

Feet

This is kinda how I feel today!!

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Castle For Rent

OK I know I already did a post today but I came across this DEAL and wanted to share it with others!!

A romantic cottage for two for in Ireland can be €320 a week, or a castle that sleeps 14 for €5,000 - why not rent the castle!! (that is 6975.95 in USD or divide among 14 friends less then $500) - what a party that would be!

THERE IS no place like home when the sun shines: but sun or rain, Luckily, values has never been better.

"Customers are haggling over prices wildly and driving a hard bargain.” The result is that there is a glut of decent properties at never-before-seen value and quality in terms of what’s on offer in Ireland.

“A lot of our owners have reduced their prices this year by a minimum of 10 per cent with many offering deals of up to 50 per cent off,” says Suzanne Quinn of Holidayhomesdirect.ie.

At Selfcatering.ie the average year-on-year reduction is markedly higher – between 20 and 30 per cent less than last year’s prices, says CEO Mary Power.

The best value is in parts of the country that don’t get a lot of tourism. The hotspots are, say holiday homeowners, holding their own.

Even so, places like the white collar playground of Roundstone in Connemara 4 have been adversely affected by the downturn. Previously, trying to find accommodation in this beautiful place was like trying to find a needle in a hay stack. This year there are still cottages offering luxey extras like wi-fi and satellite TV available from connemaracottages.net. (I love Roundstone - got my first Bodhran there and was crowned Sheil-Na-gig"!! - long story *giggle*)

So you may want to think Ireland this year!!

The History of Father's Day

My health and life of been in a bit if a turmoil lately so the Blog was placed on the back burner. Today I was thinking about my dad and the upcoming father's Day weekend, and got wondering how it started, so off to investigate she did go...

The History of Father's Day
The first known celebration of Father's Day was on July 5, 1908 in Fairmont, West Virginia, where it was commemorated at William Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South – now known as Central United Methodist Church. Grace Golden Clayton is believed to have suggested it to her pastor after a deadly explosion in nearby Monongah in December, killing 361 men

It was also during a sermon in 1909 that Sonora Smart Dodd became inspired by Mother's Day. After the death of her mother, Sonora and her siblings were raised by their father William Jackson Smart, a Civil War veteran. Sonora wanted to show how thankful she was to her father and, because William was born in June, she worked to have the first Father's Day celebrated on June 19, 1910.
In 1924, President Coolidge recommended that Father's Day become a national holiday. President Johnson designated the third Sunday of June to be Father's Day in 1966. It was not until 1972 that President Nixon instituted Father's Day as a national observance.
Did You Know – Roses are the official flower on Father's Day, red for fathers who were still living and white for those who have passed on.

Here are some famous dads you may recognize ...

I leave you with some Fathers Day Laughs!!

FATHER'S DAY LAUGHS
Little Susan was mother's helper. She helped set the table when guests were due for dinner. Presently everything was on, the guest came in, and everyone sat down. Then mother noticed something was missing.
"Susan," she said, "You didn't put a knife and fork at Mr. Smith's place."
"I thought he wouldn't need them," explained Susan. "Daddy says he always eats like a horse!"
_____________________
The little girl was sitting in her grandfather's lap as he read her a story. From time to time, she would take her eye's off the book and reach up to touch his wrinkled cheek. By and by she was alternately stroking her own cheek, then his again.
Finally she spoke, "Granddaddy, did God make you?"
"Yes, sweetheart," he answered, "God made me a long time ago."
"Oh," she said, "then Granddaddy, did God make me too?"
"Yes, indeed honey," he assured her. "God made you just a little while ago."
"Oh," she said. Feeling their respective faces again, she observed, "God's getting better at it now isn't he?"
_____________________
A father was at the beach with his children when his four-year-old son Bob ran up to him, grabbed his hand, and led him to the shore, where a seagull lay dead in the sand.
"Daddy, what happened to him?" Bob asked.
"He died and went to heaven," the dad replied.
Bob thought a moment and then said, "Did God throw him back down?" (i love this one)
_____________________
After the church service a little boy told the pastor, "When I grow up, I'm going to give you some money."
"Well, thank you," the pastor replied, "but why?"
"Because my daddy says you're one of the poorest preachers we've ever had."