selling our house

After several frantic and, it has to be said, largely unpleasant weeks, we finally have our house packaged and ready for the Dublin market. Every aspect is unreal and painful, with the possible exception of the space clearing. This part is achieved by the simple expedient of renting storage and moving as much unnecessary, space-consuming stuff as is humanly possible. We've also touched up the decor and made the place what it should have been while we were actively engaged in living there. It's a really wonderful home. No matter: a new age is dawning for both of us as we look forward to new directions, and we have every faith in the attraction of our beautiful house in its gorgeous location next to Phoenix Park and the Liffey.

the astonishing stupidity of motorists

The road on which I live has cars parked on both sides: the houses are terraced so there are no drives. Recently, Dublin parking officials banned people from part-parking on the pavement, so the road has become very narrow for cars passing through. As I approach the road last night, I noticed the headlights of two cars coming in the opposite direction, so I pulled into the kerb to let them pass. Another motorist coming round the corner came up behind me and starting blasting her horn. Unmoved, I held my ground, so the idiot overtook me and almost collided with the oncoming cars. It took them several minutes to find room to pass each other and she had to back up. Horns were heard ...

I never cease to be astonished at the impatience, crass stupidity, and selfishness of people when they get behind the wheel. This one was classic case. If she had waited just thirty seconds we would all have passed through without a hitch. (I notice she drove into the housing estate on our road, so she could well be local.)