We have just had three full days of heat.
Two scorchers and one blissfully pleasant Bank Holiday Monday, with a mild breeze.
Halcyon days where we get to be outside and bask.
Picture taking is vital in days like this as everything you knew so well changes tone. Shades from the colour spectrum come to visit that you may not see again for a long, long time.
Gigi, having just turned four, was waiting patiently for her birthday party (and if you believe that you will believe anything). We held it on Monday. In the Irish Sun. A rare, unique beast of beauty and magic. An insanity of people, baby wipes, playdoh, cake, crispie buns and Tayto crumbs- Gigi had a wonderful time.
I cannot believe she is four.
Her little pink cuteness swaddled sweetly in handknit crochet, cheek nestled onto a zebra snuggly is as fresh a memory to me as if it were today.
Now she can run. Talk. Tell me things.
On Friday she told me all about her friend’s dog.
Annie got a lovely doggy Mammy.
Aww- he sounds sweet.
Yes Mammy. Then he crashed into the car and got deaded.
Gulp. That took a turn.
Gigi thinks heaven is naughty- sometimes- as you go there when you are deaded. She thinks dead means sleep.
What do you say to those pearls?
Betsy asked Mr Paper to marry her the other day as they are best friends.
Both my little girls wore ‘wedding dresses’ for two days in our summer blitz. Gender is a strange thing. It takes a handle early and seems to buy into certain colours and toys. They spent the whole time playing in the garden, making me think of our home as a version of Petit Trianon. Josy at A Walk and a Lark you will be proud of my cherry blossoms!
We go to Birr and have lunch. A town with a real lived-in castle ( Lord Ross and family). We only have small hair pulling moments in the beautiful period restaurant nestled within an old family home called The Stables Emporium.
We tell the owner our lunch was ‘deelishus’ and we remind the server that she has orange hair (it was clearly a funky dye) just in case she didn’t know.
We have parties. There is cake and there are sparkly shoes. Marie Antoinette would be proud.
My girls are getting bigger. So fast. The cliche is cliche for a reason.
Happy birthday to my beautiful first born, our gift.
So beautiful.
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When the sun shines here, I am always mesmerised by the beauty of the place. Fab cake btw!
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The cake was pretty special 😎
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Beautiful post and a special birthday. Hurrah for sunshine days and the innocence of children.
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Exactly!!
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It’s fun having children and not knowing what they are going to say or when. Love the word deaded.
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It is my new favourite nelogism
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An absolutely gorgeous piece of writing mixing astute and poignant observation with sweet anecdotes. I enjoyed every word.
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Thank you! You are very kind. I didn’t consider it particularly exciting writing but printed it anyway as it was all true. 🍒
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Sometimes the best writing is just the kind we don’t think too much about. The kind that’s straight from the heart.
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A lovely post, Orla and written from the hear…t your enjoyment of those 3 days of sun laid bare so lovely 🙂 x
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Thank you Carol!
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I love the cake Orla!!!
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That cake is amazing!
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That is some cake! I’m just back from a week and a bit on the island of ireland – Enniskillen, Donegal and Portstewart and the weather was great (mostly)!
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They are gorgeous places. Great accents!
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What a lovely post! I can imagine how happy you are with those days of sun. I have lived and worked in Ireland and it rained more that 200 days in a year. I counted;-))) Beautiful cake you have there.
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Ha!! We don’t count It- too depressing!!
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Aah lovely. Happy Birthday Gigi.
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This is such a sweet read Orla! It sounds like you had a beautiful time and happy 4th birthday to your baby girl.
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Thanks Debbie. She is sweet and always my baby xx
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I love the cake and the cute picture of them prancing around. A very happy birthday to your daughter. Oh yes, they grow up too fast. My son recently turned 16! And their conversations are so adorable at this age.
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So cute x time is flying
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Sounds like a wonderful couple of days. If only all Bank Holidays wee sunny with sparkly shoes!
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Wouldn’t That be heavenly!
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Love the cake! Most of the ones I’ve seen been made from that movie have been absolutely awful so it was a surprise to see an actual good one x
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My friend has skill!!
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Wow! I had a cake with a doll in it when I was four! (I can’t believe I remember that, but I do). Thank you for triggering a lovely memory. xoxo
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That sounds like a wonderful memory! Glad to have done that x
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Thank you Gemma😎
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That Elsa cake is amazing 😍😍😍 I love seeing my nephew explore more, now that he is 3 and the weather is better- he can find fun and adventure anywhere he goes! Puddles are currently his favourite haha
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Puddles rock 😎
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Love this piece. Poignant and thoughtful little glimpse into a Fancy Paper life.
Death is such a difficult thing to comprehend. The longer the innocence lasts the better!
Here’s to more sunshine! ☀️
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Thank you Gemma!! I cannot believe we are talking about these philosophical issues do quickly
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Times go fast.
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She must have been too excited over that cake! WOW. The days/months/years go by so fast – great that you are capturing them.
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Crazy excited over the cake. It was sweet!
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Four is such a magical age, the conversations that come with all they have spinning in their little minds about the world. I’m glad the weather behaved for her special day, Orla!
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Too funny! Thank you x it was lovely
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I always wonder why people in Europe talk so much about sunshine? Then someone told me that sunshine is not easy to get, most days are dark and gloomy! And out here we get so much sun! we celebrate rain!
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We are obsessed with weather 🙂
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😃 I guess it must be unpredictable.
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I’m so glad you had a great day for your daughter’s birthday! And that cake is awesome. Whoever made it is very talented!
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My super talented friend 🙂
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I really do love those blossoms! It’s really good that they were still in bloom when the sun came out! I totally agree that a sunny day does really change the way the whole world looks!
It also sounds like Gigi was lucky to have her party postponed so now she can celebrate in the sun!
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Very true!
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What a lovely day!
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What a beautiful cake! Sounds like you had a lovely time in the sunshine! Happy birthday to your little one, and thanks for sharing with #fortheloveofBLOG
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