Fiacre Banks

@xFiacre (14540)

Ireland

Joined myLot 10 years ago

An Irishman who has called many places home, enjoys whiskey in moderation and reads Dostoyevsky frequently.

Discussions (297)

Fiacre Banks's Discussions

I’m a disappointed oenophile this evening.

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 23 Oct

This afternoon, as I was readying myself to prepare dinner, I bethought to myself to open a bottle of wine so that once the dinner is in the oven my wife and I could share an aperitif as we waited. Tonight I’m proposing chicken...

7 responses •

9 people

A call from the past.

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 22 Oct

There’s a smell of decay and nostalgia floating in the night air here. Someone’s been burning the autumn leaves they’ve raked up in their garden and I’m loving it. Smells like this take me back to various times in my life, happy...

10 responses •

11 people

Old and cold, apparently.

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 22 Oct

A lovely letter from the government was waiting for me when I arrived home this afternoon. At first I was reluctant to open it because government agencies usually only write letters when they think you owe them money, but not this...

7 responses •

9 people

I love internet banking - in some ways.

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 22 Oct

The evils of the internet, like many inventions, are legion: we all know what they are. However one of the inestimable benefits for me is internet banking, and it’s because of it that I have been able to squirrel away a...

4 responses •

6 people

Dignified fairy lights.

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 22 Oct

We all have our own ways of handling bereavement and none of us (not even me) ought to stand in judgement upon anyone’s death-related foibles and coping mechanisms. However I did find myself unintentionally but unavoidably...

5 responses •

7 people

What’s your tipple?

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 15 Oct

My wine guy dropped off a case of 6 bottles at my house today while I was out. Six reds from Italy, Australia and Argentina - I’m so promiscuous. Once dinner was in the oven I decided to treat myself to a pre-dinner quaff, but I...

8 responses •

8 people

What is your gut telling you today?

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 14 Oct

I’m sure I’m not the only person whose inward parts sing songs and play tunes at the most inappropriate times. You know how embarrassing it can be when your digestive system gurgles and growls and there’s no disguising it. But...

4 responses •

4 people

Eccentric or downright rude?

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 12 Oct

When I started courting the young lady I was subsequently to wed, I took silent, unexpressed umbrage at how I was treated. It was only a small thing but it irked me no end and I’ve never mentioned it in over 40 years - I may be a...

7 responses •

6 people

Bulbs - it’s that time of year.

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 9 Oct

I planted bulbs today. Perhaps I ought to have waited a few weeks, but I’ll be away a few times and since we are having fine, dry, autumn weather I decided to take advantage off it. As well as planting some in the garden I’ve...

4 responses •

4 people

Quack.

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 7 Oct

So duck is on the menu tonight. The type of duck associated with magret de canard is unobtainable here - that’s the moulard duck, a hybrid originating in south west France where the Muscovy was crossed with the Mallard. What I’m...

7 responses •

7 people

Transformations.

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 7 Oct

I’ve surprised myself with my handiwork. We had a small pine chest of drawers that had been relegated to the garage before being donated - I’ve mentioned it before. But instead of off-loading it I decided to transform it, just...

3 responses •

4 people

No bucket list here.

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 6 Oct

I don’t have a bucket list. I know many of you do, but no judgement. I just feel that if I had such a list I might purposely try to not achieve some of the goals because to achieve them all would mean that the time was approaching...

8 responses •

8 people

Patriotism - virtue or selfish arrogance?

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 4 Oct

Such a sad, arrogant, destructive attitude to have, to consider one’s own country to be better than everyone else’s. I don’t have a patriotic bone in my body thankfully. I love Ireland and it’s a great place to be, but it’s no...

4 responses •

6 people

Blow the wind southerly.

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 3 Oct

It seems to me that tonight someone removed the cork from the devil’s fundament letting out the turbulent furies of a most windy hell. Storm Amy has been blowing since lunch time and she blew my Lady Veronica clean across the...

7 responses •

8 people

Disruptive wind.

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 3 Oct

I am reliably informed that this afternoon we will have wind. Schools and public parks will close at noon, something that would have made my day if it had happened during my own school days. Back then my school suffered many...

5 responses •

6 people

Noise, noise, noise.

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 2 Oct

It seems that most of my neighbours were having work done on their houses today - driveways being paved, new windows, roof repairs and of course gardeners with their whiny mowers and strimmers and clippers. Noise, noise, noise....

7 responses •

9 people

Lavatorial distress.

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 29 Sep

So my toilet guy has been and gone and relieved me of £75 for unblocking my facilities - again. Before we went to Scotland we thought that we might be experiencing lavatorial sluggishness, but that was on a Saturday night and we...

2 responses •

3 people

Scottish rain - it’s not purple.

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 28 Sep

Mist rolled in from the sea yesterday morning and hid the bonny lough under its swirling. It settled like a thick cloud on the waters and then more mist tumbled down from the hills obliterating them from my view. Within minutes...

3 responses •

6 people

Hoots the noo Morag.

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 26 Sep

Today’s treat was a bimble around what’s left of Dunollie castle in Oban. It’s the home of the clan McDougall and the 31st McDougall chief (a woman) lives next door to the ruin. It was a serendipitous find for us - we just...

4 responses •

7 people

Highland cabin.

Fiacre Banks @xFiacre (14540) • Ireland 25 Sep

The cabin that my brother owns here in the Scottish Highlands, and its location, are well worth a mention. Towards the end of a hot afternoon we sat on the veranda looking down the lough towards the sea. All was quiet except for...

13 responses •

11 people