Sunday, January 15, 2006

Kilmeddan and Tayto...oh heaven away from the ol' sod

Good evening everybody, how are we all today? I think this will be a quick post as the week that has just slipped me by was pretty uneventful and mundane to be honest. Tues to Fri was work and it was a hard week. However a couple of events did cIear away the shroud that is work:
A) Kev brought me back 12 packets of Salt & Vinegar Tayto, a block of Kilmeaden Red Cheddar and a pack of McCambridge wholewheat bread (no artificial flavours, colour or preservatives); B) I had the pleasure of talking to my good friend Tikki, Kate McLoug as she is better known as, during the week however, and it was good to hear a familiar voice and I laughed a lot...which was nice. I was updated on the scene back home and by all accounts the Bodega has become another Reardon's!!! The shame of it all. In my day (go on Tommie the King) it was THE place to be seen and a great place to work. Such fun was had by all. The place us up for sale, still, but the nightclub and all others associated with the company are up for sale too. They are running from Cork!! Couldn't handle the pressure and high standards the pundits put them under. Dublin gobsheens the lot of 'em anyway. A few other bits and pieces moving and shaking on my old stomping grounds and it sounds pretty cool; C) My Mum sent over my winter coat for Hokkaido and a tin of Kimberley Chocolate biscuits!! Damn it all to hell but they were GOOODDDDDDD!!!!! My little sister is returning home to Spain, to bask in the splendour of her city. She is off to Italy though for 10 weeks then, ain't life grand??!! In fairness though, it will be 10 weeks of hard work. Somebody has to I guess.


I met up with Rob on Saturday to discuss our itinerary for Hokkaido and I am pumped about going. It should be a wonderful experience, regardless of the birds. I can't wait to show you all the photos of the landscapes and me frolicing in the snow. The sea should be frozen and as the country is having the hardest and coldest winter in living memory, it should make for an interesting test of my driving skills on the icy roads :) However, pack ice, frozen lakes, snow galore and ice cliffs are abegging....oh bliss. We are going to concentrate around the Nemuro penninsula and Kushiro. We will also head up North to Rausau aswell if we have the time. Oh, and then there's the onsen, outdoor thermal baths....I'm looking forward to that.

Today I just went for a casual birding walk along the Yodogawa but nothing out of the way to report. Some nice ducks, gulls, waders, buntings but no birds of prey. I was amazed. I decided to walk the 40 minutes into Umeda afterwards as I needed to purchase a couple of items. Socks for the trip were duly procured and finally, after searching for much of Saturday morning, a pair of walking boots that fit!!!! I nearly kissed the poor attendant as she asked me how they felt. It was pretty cool in the shop though. Mont-bell have everything for outdoor pursuits, ranging from ski gear, camping, rock climbing, serious climbing and hill walking. They measure your feet, length, width and arches, and suggest a pair of boots that should fit. Excellent service. I got the LAST pair of boots, size 29 (Japan sizes are in centimetres, makes sense), in the shop! Huzzah!! A dacent pair of gortex at a very good price.

Well, sin e for now. Not much else going on. A full week of work looms, so it's a couple of episodes of 24, editing the CBR, and then bed. Still chipping away at the 1000 page behemoth that is Robert Fisk's experience of the middle east of the last 30 years. It is grippin stuff...I shit you not!

Carmo's diet: This week I've mostly been eating McCambridge bread, Kilmeaden red cheddar and Salt & Vinegar Tayto...

Carmo's Birds: Kentish Plover, Dusky Thrush, Vega Gull, Common Gull, Scaup, Common Sandpiper, Reed Bunting and Oriental Turtle dove.

Carmo's Birds for Byrdy: Monica Bellucci...please

39 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

have you been making cheeserines fella? ah no, thats the wrong ad - seriously though, cheese is so versatile eh - there's sandwiches, toast, sandwiches.....

what are all dese hints about women and stuff? Have you got a birthday coming up or something? is it yer 40th?

January 15, 2006 8:18 PM  
Blogger Carmo said...

alright biy! cheese, you can do a lot with cheese...grill it, bake it, eat it straight from the packaging. So versatile. Nay hints about women biy, do they exist anymore?? Jazuz, what do they look like these days? I've lost it, lost it I tells ya! Well, approaching the age of Christ, you know, you've well passed that now, so it's all rosy...cheeky fecker!

January 15, 2006 9:56 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You can do a lot with women too - sandwiches, toast, sandwiches...!

And what's all these hints about cheese and stuff....

Well horse, off to the rolling seas on wednesday - can't wait, hmmm. Should be back by late April/May, that is if I last more than a few days this time! Will be in touch soon kid, lokoing forward to it.
C

January 15, 2006 10:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Dude,
Jaysus what i wouldnt give for some taytos..They had em in auckland but they were $4 a pop and tasted like shite to be quite frank.Had a good weekend down in christchurch,got some waves,scored with a particularly cool french chick,and got physically removed from the Irish bar.All up,a good weekend.Tickets home are finally booked,will be touching down in Shannon on May 2nd.Cant wait to be quite honest.Glad to hear you were talking to your old "friend" ( a hur hur hur) the Mac .Enjoy the snow.

P
PW

January 16, 2006 1:02 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi...

found this blog via Surfbirds, where I also noticed a guy called 'hokkaido Stu' blogging... might be worth you checking it out, look at www.surfbirds.co.uk and click on the birding blogs link - you'll see him on the right hand side list.

good luck with the birding !

January 16, 2006 6:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Monica bellucci huh?...good choice!
Definitely would.Would be inpolite not to.
Toasted mrs mc cambridge smothered in butter is the business.
Pariah

January 16, 2006 6:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Mark,
Get the birdy news out of the way: Caspian seen again yesterday, so I (and a few others) went down...it was flushed by a bait-digger and not seen again all afternoon.
Of course, you can then guess what has just been seen at 1.30pm Irish time (10 mins ago or so)....
Cronin found an adult Bony's at the camber, by the way.
What's all this talk about cheese? Don't they make any in Nippon?
Had to Google Monica Bellucci (ooer!): no idea who she is, or what she is famous for, but can see what you mean alright....
H

January 16, 2006 10:41 PM  
Blogger Carmo said...

C, first of all..YOUR SOME LANGER BIY for finding another Bonaparte's. I suppose you were sitting on the jax downstairs and decided that you could see an adult through the frosted glass...eagle eyes biy! Well done sham. Women in sandwiches...hmmm. Interesting. Ok, tried to call you TWICE tonight but no joy. Will try again in a bit.

PW, sounds like a blast in Christchurch, physically removed eh?? What were you doin... Jeez dude, May 2nd is not far away at all and your two years of travelling comes to an end. It's going to be VERY WEIRD when you get back. But good too. Will mail you during the week. You get onto Der by the way?

Annonymous..have checked him out but he's on the west coast of hokkaido and we are going to the east...thank you anyway and drop in again...

H, so did you get the Casper? Your note was ambiguous. Cronin is a langer but thankfully he's a good birder :) THey make cheese here but it's not as nice as home biy.

Pariah, ooohhh yeaahhhhhh

January 16, 2006 11:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Apologies for ambiguity, was unsuccessful in my objective...or, in plain English, I dipped!
H

January 17, 2006 12:01 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

fella - just out of interest, how much cheese would you need to make a cheeserine of this monica belucky? I'm tinking of sending you enuff to make a life size cheeserine - thing is though, we'll really have to send charleville, as its the best for ornamental cheese carving, as opposed to Kilmeaden, which is just the fillet of cheese. Charleville is more versatile too, being suitable for sandwiches, toast, women, etc.....

cheesy peas mate!

January 17, 2006 1:51 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You would have to be insane to put some manky irish cheese on a woman as foine as Monica Bellucci.
Jam or honey or chocolate spread yeah, no bother, but not cheese.
Someone should warn your missus col.Tell her to watch out for you buying an inordinate amount of charleville. I know they say it can be used on anything but jaysus there are limits!!

Pariah

January 17, 2006 2:29 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This bog is mad ! I'm a Dubliner fan myself, cheese-wise ya know, - Monica....hmmm, bit o ham, few tomatoes, black pepper - but she'd have to toast it just right!

January 17, 2006 7:51 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why is it Tayto tastes so much better when you're abroad? Cheese and onion girl myself!

January 17, 2006 12:18 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

the dubliners eh? i prefer their early stuff. No actually thats a lie!

pariah - exactly biy, thats why i specified charleville - you can't be using manky cheese for such artwork! its too crumbly!

as for travelling tayto's - ain't had much experience, but peewee didn't rate the NZ ones so mebbe there's a limit on how far a packet should travel? jeez, this blog is really beginning to tackle the hard questions now eh? Keep it up lads!

January 17, 2006 5:15 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sure king crisps were always better.

January 17, 2006 6:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

never had king crisps but johnnie onion rings are pretty good - and surprisingly good for you as well, containing a whole suite of much needed vitamins and minerals.

January 17, 2006 6:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi lads,
So many varieties of cheese, so little time! Gives me mind for some now!
Hope to get down for the Caspo again tomorrow or Thursday, but the bus times are really the pits: no matter where I get the bus to, or even if I stay the night in Waterford city, it seems to be just as hard to get to Duncannon before midday!
Tayto's are far better than King, though I eat neither nowadays. Tayto's, red lemonade and ham sandwiches seemed to be staples 'back in the day'...never had to resort to shite like 'rasa' either!
H

January 17, 2006 10:36 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Cheese and onion king crisp sambo.
The ultimate gap filler!
Pariah

January 17, 2006 11:18 PM  
Blogger Carmo said...

my word, we're all gone barking mad...don't you just love January....

C, be talking to you when you get back mate.

Col, just home but will be on MSN tomorrow night I reckon if you're knocking about the office "working".

January 17, 2006 11:26 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

shurely you mean hang sangwiches?

jeez, some people just cannae spell!

January 17, 2006 11:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Never in my life did i come across such an array of crude and really woeful jokes about cheese, crisps and women. You boys should be comedians, no no really you should (said in the most unbelieveably sarcastic tone possible, dull eyes and all) Who votes mark should move to dublin!

January 18, 2006 1:49 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ya mean we could have voted him back all this time?!!!!
Ah jaysus!We wouldnt have had to read all that blog if we had known that!

Pariah

January 18, 2006 1:52 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dearest Mark

I just had to write and tell you just how much I want you and all your cheese and crisps - please show me your cheeserines, please!

Love, always xxx

January 18, 2006 2:07 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I smell a rat here...as if anyone who looks like Miss Bellucci would have nothing better to do with her time than surf the net and come across this blog by chance: sure wouldn't she be out enjoyin' herself instead, like any good-looking young wan?
H

January 18, 2006 2:16 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Mark.This is Davina.
The public has spoken.
You have been ejected from Big Brother Japan.

January 18, 2006 2:17 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Harry,
Monica Bellucci is older than you!
...so whats your excuse!?;)
Pariah

January 18, 2006 2:17 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Owen,
Is she older than me? She's wearing well for her age, then....
As for my excuse: well, the elements are taking their toll on the aul' skin: bet she never sat at the Bridges, getting salt spray on to her lovely face, licking her lips as she beckons....
...sorry, what was I saying again?
My excuse to not being out enjoying myself? I'm a morose bollix!
H

January 18, 2006 3:11 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

27 comments i think thats a record! Dont be getting a big head mark!

January 18, 2006 4:59 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Cilla,
We're just all bored, it being January and all, and spending time making inane posts on here...well, except for mine, which are witty!
H

January 18, 2006 5:37 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Monica bellucci is 42!
She is a bit of an exception from my usual target age of 19....but i would make that exception.Oh yes!
Pariah

January 18, 2006 6:35 PM  
Blogger Carmo said...

Monica, I shall never delete this page nor write anything else ever again...I am blessed by your presence...

As for getting voted out of Big Brother Japan, damn it all to hell!!!

I guess things must be pretty boring back in the ol' sod if youse lot are obsessing about Cheeserines and my Monica...mind you, I would be obessessing about my Monica regardless of what was going on in the world....LONG MAY SHE REMAIN BEAUTIFUL!!

SO, what news pussycats??

Cilla, it's 31 comments now baby!!

...and then, while I was out walking the dog, Moncia drove by and we went for coffee...which was nice

January 18, 2006 10:01 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Huh...too much wasabi DOES induce hallucinations!
Pariah

January 18, 2006 11:09 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Mark,
Yeah, it's pretty boring here alright at the moment, however did you guess...?
H

January 19, 2006 5:50 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

...ok ok ok..this is all going a bit off the rails here.....I've landed on Catalan soil...with my kilmedan the fillet of cheddar....four loaves of Mary Carmo's finest brown bread, smokey bacon...that is bacon..not crisps..but you all have forgotten the Tomato Ballymaloe relish mmmmmhhh!!!!

ps. didn't vote ya out...sweeeeaaar!

January 19, 2006 11:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Now if we are gonna talk bout relish,food and cork food at that then a special mention has to be given to UCC's very own Green Kiwi cafe and the spicy chicken with cajun sauce baguette that they do there.
Oh the fair maidens of the kiwi, how i relish their their shrill cork accents asking of me
"D'yee want butter on that like biy?"

Pariah

January 20, 2006 12:57 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

mark, Isn't it lovely to know that all our lives are so boring that all we do is check up on you 2 see if you're doing anything exciting!!! At least you know you're not forgotten!!

January 20, 2006 1:27 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

but you don't have a dog!!!

January 20, 2006 3:49 AM  
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