With the weather still giving us very little comfort, our columnist has taken to the sofa and binge-watched the new version of the Tom Ripley classic. She’s also taken by Richard Hogan’s show featuring young Irish teens
• I SWORE I wouldn’t talk about how wrecked I am but lads ... I’m absolutely wrecked after just about making it through the first full week of school in what seems like forever.
• Of course, now the realisation has hit that we have to do it all again next week, and the week after (and so on) with no sweetener of a bank holiday to look forward to for ages yet. On top of that, my body clock still hasn’t adjusted to the change in the time (yes, I’m old, things take me a while), and I’m not doing myself any favours by staying up far too late to watch Ripley on Netflix (more on that later) so I’m properly banjaxed!
• And next to the weather, something else I swore I wouldn’t mention. I was feeling so fed up one miserable evening last week that I declared we should all up sticks and move to Australia. My husband pointed out we’d have to deal with wildfires there (and snakes); and then there was the earthquake in New York and so on, so in the scheme of things, I suppose a bit of rain and wind aren’t that bad unless you’re a farmer with hungry animals to feed, or crops to plant.
• I’m fortunate in that my biggest challenge with Storm Kathleen was securing the trampoline. That was one spring in the air I definitely didn’t need. The windows are also absolutely filthy but these are all little things, and more positively forecasters say warmer days are coming, so we’ll keep the faith.
• More serious challenges face our hospitality sector and many will have read this week the pleas from owners of local cafés and restaurants for the reinstatement of the 9% vat rate for food led hospitality businesses. Running a café can look very seductive, almost easy, but it’s flipping hard work, I can tell you from personal experience. Years ago, my husband had a café/wine bar and I helped out when I wasn’t in my ‘real’ job ... and even the free wine didn’t make it any easier!
• Two social media posts that resonated with me particularly this week were by Monk’s Lane in my village of Timoleague and Revel in Clonakilty. ‘How many cosy cafés, neighbourhood restaurants, buzzy brunch spots and delicious delis have to close before the penny drops. And how will our towns and villages look with hundreds more shuttered premises,’ read the post from Monk’s Lane. We can’t control the government, but we can control where we spend our money. I get that most people’s discretionary spending is down as the cost of living continues to spiral, but every coffee counts, so let’s support local and help keep doors open.
• I’m full of the joys this week aren’t I? Staying on my whining streak I’m going to take a pop at Gwyneth Paltrow. She’s turning 50 soon and has declared that she no longer ‘gives a f***’ about anything including her wrinkles. Because you know, she has so many. In one interview she gave (she’s given lots to mark her half-century birthday) she’s quoted as saying: ‘I love on a Sunday to not do anything, watch rubbish TV and not make dinner and order in food.’ I don’t know why, but that made me wildly angry – I think it was because I was reading it on a Sunday, when I was more than likely making the dinner. I mean who doesn’t have to make dinner on a Sunday? What a royal pain in the hoop (or Goop?). I prefer more relatable women. Ones who have a few wrinkles, maybe a double chin ... and who watch rubbish TV.
• Anyway, what’s not rubbish is Ripley which, as I mentioned, kept me up far too late as I binged my way through it this week. It’s shot in black and white and is very slow moving, two things which I’d usually hate, but I adored it. Irish actor Andrew Scott stars as Ripley and is superb. Dakota Fanning stars as Marge, a role played by Gwyneth Paltrow in the 1999 film The Talented Mr Ripley, and not turning the knife or anything but Ms Fanning leaves her very much in the shade (c’mon, I had an open goal!).
I’m also really enjoying the new series of Raised by the Village on RTÉ 1 on Sunday. Under the guidance of Cork psychotherapist Dr Richard Hogan, the parenting series sees urban families who need major help with their teens move them to the heart of the countryside where they are raised by a village.
I adore Richard Hogan anyway, so am a little biased, but this is decent family viewing. The common finding is that everyone does better with a sense of purpose, so now that I think about it, I’ll stop complaining about being back to routine, and instead throw myself into it with gusto and maybe even some glee (I’ll certainly try). Sure time is going so fast it will be the summer holidays before we know it and then I’ll really have something to complain about.
