Hair Cut

I've always known that a hair cut is a regional thing....and now I know it is global as well! So I finally got a hair cut today and it was about freakin time! I think my hair was about to fall out! Southern gals have big hair...it is just what we do right?! My two hair cuts in Ireland took out about 60% of my hair...it is just a bit of a different style...not one way is right or wrong...its just different! I now have a nice blunt cut and hopefully it will grow back nice and full again!  I know Richy will be thrilled I got a cut cause I have been confused about my hair for months! see before and after pics! pics from my fun filled weekend in LR to follow....in the morning!

The Boys!

So Friday I went over to Rachel's to visit and catch up!  I was amazed at how big McCoy is getting!  He was so happy and just really lights up the room with his cute personality!  Leanne and Holden came over too, which was fabulous cause I hadn't met Holden yet!  He is a sweet sweet baby too!  Love him!  We had a few glasses of wine and just had a great time catching up! I do miss these girls, but it is so nice to be together and it seems nothing has really changed!  You know you have good friends when it is like this I believe!  It does make me sad I don't get to see these little guys on a regular basis, so I've very thankful for blogs!  I feel more in the loop this way!  Rachel have a nice time in Eldorado and thanks again for the fun afternoon!

Fun at the McCuskers!

What a fun weekend at the McCusker household! We kind of had a mini Christmas with Richy's Mom and Dad, Sister Andrea and her husband John, Brother Steven and his girlfriend Lisa.  We had a great night and a fabulous dinner the next day!  It is really so nice to have such a wonderful family away from home! Miss you all!

We watched the last X-Factor which is like the Uk American Idol.  I loved it and was happy with the end results!  The girl band on the TV is Girls Aloud!  I think I may be a fan! After the show we stayed up singing and listening to Steven play the guitar!

What a Saturday night!

So fun pics to come!  Too tired to upload them all now, and I need to be designing this dreaded website I have due!  Late night at the McCusker house though!  Think it was about 4 in the morning before all the singing and laughing ended! 

p.s. I need to learn some good songs over the break that I can sing. So far I have embarrassed myself with the Arkansas fight song and the state song...ya know the one where you name the states in alphabetical order...oh and I sang some girl scout song about the Titanic.  Being such a musical family, I'm lucky the McCuskers let me in their house!  Mom and Dad are probably rolling their eyes cause the Morton's in general are quite musical as well...Leah and I just missed out on this talent! 

I miss my Sunday School Class!

One of the things I miss the most about being away from home is my church (First Christian Church).  The last few years I was in a Sunday bible study called Focus.  Well Focus had a tacky Christmas sweater party the other night and I was sad I was missing out!  It made my day when I opened up this email from Brandy today to see they missed me too! : ) Glad you had fun guys!  Rev Ryan, I'm really looking forward to the Christmas eve service as well as a Sunday Sermon. See everyone soon! Glad the party was a hit!

Well I wish I had something interesting to blog about but clearly I do not.  Just trying to get school finished for the semester while thinking about Christmas shopping and packing for my trip home!  The one annoying and totally "Joanna thing to do" is I finished up my Documentary today.  Spent an hour getting it off the computer and onto a DVD.  When I turned it on for Richy to view .he watched the whole thing and after it was finished he said "that was brilliant, is it too late to change anything?"  My stomach dropped...stupid me misspelled the word DESIGNER on the opening credit!  MAJOR MISTAKE!  Just when you think your finished with something......

Hopefully more entertaining blogs in the next few weeks! woohoo!

Christmas Tree!

Here is a lovely picture of my Christmas tree from last year.  I just loved it.  Since we haven't had time to decorate here in Dublin (probably won't since we're both going home...shhhh) this pic will have to do for now! Mom has the house all decorated at home I hear and Miss Mary has their house decorated all pretty as well!  

Just trying to finish up my semester!  Lots of hard work still to come.  Home on the 18th!  How fun?! 

Thanksgiving in Ireland?

                                  Richy trying to break the egg! The things that entertain us! : )
                                   The hosts and Darren!
                                   Lucy and Eoin!
                                   Turned out great!  And I thought cooking a turkey would be hard! ha!
                                   The Portobello Pub
                                   Richy the daredevil!
                                  To feed the swans...Has anyone seen gray swans before? Reason I ask is                                         cause I hadn't and I told Richy someone had put ashes on some of the                                                   swans..haha
                                          Richy got the fun job of cleaning and stuffing the bird!
                                   Mom sent me cute napkins and other Thanksgiving treats!  (don't think I found these in Dublin)
                                  A 13 lb turkey should do the trick!
                                               The day always starts with a mimosa if you are a Morton!

Who would have thought? Honestly I wasn't sure how it would go, but we had a fantastic and tasty Thanksgiving! We invited Eoin, Darren, and Lucy over for the holiday and cooked a feast!  It was really a nice day and it did feel like Thanksgiving even though life was going on as usual outside our flat!  While the turkey cooked we went and fed the swans and had a drink in the pub! After we pigged out our energy was drained, except we did have a debate about if you put an egg in your fingers and tried to break it would it?  The answer is NO!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Happy Thanksgiving y'all!  Will have a full update on my Irish Thanksgiving...only problem I've run into so far is Pumpkin for my pie can't be found anywhere...boo hoo! Oh wPublish Postell Jane can make me one at XMAS! : )

We Had a Ball!

This guy is famous.....so naturally we had our pic with him! : )
Richy's sis Andrea!
At the McCusker's before the ball!

This weekend we headed to Richy's home to attend a Gala Ball for the local football club's 75 birthday! This black tie wall was such a fun night out! Think this may have been my first black tie event.. Anyway we sat at a table with Richy's sister and husband John and some of Richy's cousin's! I even recycled a bridesmaid dress and added new some gloves and new jewelery.

My favorite part of the night was the dance! Richy and I are getting good thanks to our swing dance lessons! (at least WE think we're good) ha! could just look like a complete mess!

Now it is back to work for me! Lots of deadlines for my Master's! Happy Early Thanksgiving! Yes I will attempt to cook! Wish me luck!

Because I'm turning into a computer geek....

Most people use Internet Explorer as their web browser.  There are better and free options.  Google just came out with a new browser that is way faster and supposedly safer than the alternatives.  Google.."Google Chrome" and download for faster Internet! If you use a Mac you can't  get Chrome just yet, but FireFox is excellent as well...

My Internet Authoring teacher would be so proud! 

We knew I had a problem...

Well I found out last night...the nausea I get when I see blood or someone hurt in front of me..not only applies to real life but to Movies as well...

Last night Richy and I went to see the movie Hunger which is a movie based on the 1981 hunger strikers in Belfast.  I have to say the movie was brilliant and amazing acting...kinda doubt it will make the American market though which is too bad.  

However the last 30 minutes of the film we see the lead basically starving to death.  It was horrible and I got all hot and sweaty.  Had to peal off layers of clothes and take off my uggs.  I nearly fainted in the theatre and had to stop watching. If this actor could convince me that he was really starving enough for me to have my usual reaction to seeing pain then the man deserves an academy award.

 

This last weekend!

This weekend was a nice one!  Friends over Friday for drinks and dessert!  Saturday we just laid low for the day and watched the movie "Dan in Real Life" very funny!  Later that evening we had a wedding reception at Harvey Nicholls!  Great fun, great food and drink, and so nice to meet more of Richy's friends.   

Next weekend it is back to Richy's hometown for a fancy ball! Really looking forward to this one! :) And Jessica Zimmerman you would be proud....your bridesmaid dress is making a come back! 

Can't believe how close it is til Christmas!  Dublin is certainly ready for it!  Pictures from Grafton Street!  You wouldn't believe the windows!  I had to snap some shots!  

Bleeding Horse

Last weekend to celebrate a long week of research and a birthday some of my fellow grad students met up at the Bleeding Horse pub!  We are quite an eclectic group!  Out of about 20 or so there are only three Irish people.  The rest of us come from the fabulous US of A!  China, Luxembourg, Romania, India, and Brazil!  I enjoy learning about where everyone is from.  We all bring a different perspective!

Conversion Rates!

Who would have thought watching the conversion rates of the good ole US dollar to the Euro would cause me such joy!  I have watched the Euro drop or the Dollar gain strength (however you want to say it) since I arrived in July!  When i got here it was about one euro equal to 1.68 dollars.  Today it is one euro equal to 1.25 $!  Things just got cheaper!  

What does this mean to you......???time to come visit!!!! HURRY WHILE IT LASTS! yay!  Also watched my flight home for Xmas drop by $700.00 since arriving to the emerald isle!  

More Scotland!

View from the top of the royal mile!
The Royal Mile!  Such a cozy and old part of town!
Richy met Bob while going to College in Edinburgh!
two guesses what I was singing......???
Bob you're (thanks for the spellcheck mom!) the best singer I think.....
After our short night out it was back to Bob's for some karoke
Richy found Jesus at the pub....
At Bob's pad! Gordon couldn't resist!  A few drinks before heading out!
We had a fun Scottish welcoming party waiting for us! Bob and Gordon
Fly fly away!  Only a 45 minute flight from Dublin to Edinburgh!  We arrived to Edinburgh about 11 at night...

Hi there! More pics of our trip to Scotland!  Enjoy! Such a great weekend! 

Edinburgh!

Here are a couple Edinburgh pictures! Many more to follow when I finish the research paper that is consuming my life! Edinburgh is just stunning! It was really nice to be back five and half years later!