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Archive for May, 2009

dramatic apartment

Friday, May 29th, 2009

Gemma Ahern, sister of Abigail Ahern of Artelier Abigail Ahern and her boyfriend live in a dramatically painted apartment. It was featured in the New York Times. My current obsession is with white tongue and groove cottage interiors, so I was amazed to find myself extremely drawn to the images of these interiors. I’m not sure I could live with a whole apartment painted in Down Pipe, a colour described as A colour appropriate to imitate lead on exterior ironwork and to help ‘lose’ plumbing against brickwork. but certainly, I think it would work well in a small space, like a shower room, the fact that I want to paint our en-suite in a dramatic colour has nothing to do with posting these images.

oven baked prawns

Friday, May 29th, 2009

A few weeks ago, when in Cork, I purchased prawns from O’Connells in the English Market. O’Connells is the best place to buy fish I have ever come across in Ireland. They are beyond helpful.

Some of the praws were shelled and others were left whole. During the week, we had them for dinner. They were defrosted in the fridge and then, trying to decide how to cook them, I decided to bake them. They duly were doused in olive oil and lemon juice with some chilli flakes thrown in. Then I put them in a two hundred degrees centigrade fan assisted oven. I left them in there until they had turned prawn colour, i.e. pinked up.

I have to say, I have never in my life tasted such delicious, soft, tender prawns. I will never again fry a prawn unless there is no oven to hand. I highly recommend this method.

cori u-turn

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

From the Irish Times is the breaking news that Cori have signalled a u-turn on their redress payments stance. This is good news, but why have they taken so long? Last night, I watched Brian Cowen’s speech and his acceptance of apologies from the various congregations. I don’t think the apologies are enough. I think that there should be no statute of limitations for crimes of a sexual, physical, abusive nature perpetrated against small, innocent children. Those who are still alive should face criminal proceedings. The religious orders who en-slaved children should face criminal proceedings or the seizure of their assets if they claim to have none.

I cannot understand what went on in this country with regard to small children being removed from their parents’ care and placed in institutions. I cannot understand how they survived the abuse they received at the hands of those who were supposed to care for them. It is horrific. Anyone who survived and lived to tell the tale is amazing. The letters page of the Irish Times tells its own story regarding the feeling in the country. The only subject today is the response to the report on abuse in State institutions.