Warning: Constant ABSPATH already defined in /home/seanco/public_html/wp-config.php on line 27
Sean D – Page 22 – Instant Sean

Instant Sean

Author: Sean D

  • Been gone..

    Have been busy working on some projects and taunting the girlfriend.

    I may have to keep this one.

    Forever.

    And I like it.

  • Is that a Dingle Berry?

    It was the best of times, it was the worst, of times, it was the time that children toiled, it was the adventure to Dingle.  We started at Heuston Station later than usual due to the limited bus/tram/train schedule, which to me seemed stupid.  You have a major holiday and most of the transit workers are off. Never the less, we headed from the hotel to Dublin in a taxi once again trying to get to there well in advance.

    When we got to the station there was plenty of time to relax and get breakfast. Unfortunately I predicted Tragedy with Kaila’s unfortunate timing of spilling Hot Chocolate over herself.  Dad and I moved away before the spillage.  We knew it was going to happen and we decided to look at the newsstand.  Fortunately for us nothing was spilled on anything else just Kaila. 

    So after a change of clothes, we got on the FIRST CLASS train, which meant comfortable seats. Nothing else, just comfortable seats and we headed to Mallow.  We had to change trains in Mallow to head to Tralee where we had to take a bus to Dingle.  Our bus arrived in Dingle at 3p as it took 6 hours to get to Dingle. 

    Now during the trip I had to deal with fighting nieces, screaming because one 6 year old had something the 4 year old NEEDED to have.

    I watched a movie and tried to sleep. Tried, because it wasnt going to happen. Everytime I felt comfortable…

    “MOMMY, DADDY, UNCLE SEAN!!!!”

    It was funny the first 30 times of the trip , now it was ANNOYING.  I think the singing of High School Musical 3 was the straw that broke the camels back. 

    We headed off the bus and started up the hill to the Bed and Breakfast.  This was the longest 500 Meters EVER.

    “I don’t want to go up the hill, why do we have to go up the hill?”

    “Carry me Uncle Sean.”

    Now I’ve been telling everyone that I knew thatI would be the pack mule of the trip.  And I was right OOOOOo so right.   I was carrying my Mom’s bag, as well as my stuff up the hill. I’ve been really worried about Mom lately because I think she’s torn something in her left knee.  I’ve tried the entire trip to help her as much as I can, but I think she doesn’t want anyone to know how much pain she is in.  I am trying to do the best I can but she’s being a pain.

    We arrived at Greenmount House and what a view it had of Dingle Bay, so beautiful, so Wonderful.  I was ticked that it took so much time to get there, but loved the end result. 

    We went to the linen shop that Mom and Kiri visited ten years ago and between the two of them, they nearly bought out the store.  You know that you are spending a ton, when the shopkeeper throws things in for free. I got some stuff and I thought of some people I could get stuff for, but I couldn’t find the “Right Gift”.

    We then went to Ashe’s for dinner and planned out how we could spend the next day.

    I really hadn’t gotten anything for me this trip, but I had planned to change that the next day.

    After a delicious Salmon meal with bread, veggies and mussels and two bottles of wine between Mom, Todd, Kiri and I . I headed back up the hill with kids in tow. Kiri and Dad spent the time argung who would pay for the meal, and I was just trying to leave the restaraunt after we almost had a nuclear winter with Kaitlin breaking her water glass “cause it slipped”.  When the bartender brought Kaitlin a new glass with two straws, a shamrock stirrer and a handle I counted to four in my head.  Kaila looked and looked then started to WAIL! “WHERE’S MY GLASS?”  After going to the bar and getting her an equivilent set, Kaila was mollified for a short time but had reached her tired end.

    As she melted down, we walked up the hill, Mom in pain, Todd following, and the kids wanting to be carried up the hill.

    When we almost reached the top of the hill I had the kids look for the cows in the dark, since on the way down we saw three cows.  Then as we approached the B&B last 30 meters I had the kids run. They weren’t allowed to run all day, but now, RUN! So as I ran and they chased me Mom followed with a semi forced smile.  I knew then we were in trouble.

    We got the kids in the bath and Mom and I waited for Dad.  We talked about Joanna and what our plans are. 

    That nightmare over I headed to the room and while everyone got changed, I just watched the water. The dark skies and the incredible stars everywhere was amazing, I thought I was in a planetarium, but in the end it was just Dingle.

  • It Don’t Come Easy

    As a father of a Tween and a kid that lives over 1000 miles away from me, it is hard to discuss anything with my kids that I would normally be able to do when they are right in front of me.  I’ve had to have a gentle touch in my discussions.

    Unfortunately my tween Shelby, who is ten, hates giving me bad news over the phone. She is a wonderfully smart young lady.  But her teachers don’t challenge her enough and because of this, she is bored constantly.  So when she gets in trouble she hates calling me because a. she doesn’t want to disappoint me, and b. she doesn’t want to hear the “SHELBY!!!” that comes from my mouth.

    Now I think tone is the most important thing you can do as a parent to declare your anger, disgust, etc.  There are some that use corporal punishment as the first action. I disagree with this and only use it as a last resort.

    My solution, sentences.  Long, boring, painful for your hands sentences.

    “I will not attempt to flush my brothers toys down the toilet.”
    “I will respect my father and mother even if I know better or the one that I knew she hated to write,

    “I will not bite my classmate even though he pushed me.”

    After 50 times of writing this, she is willing to do anything to avoid her hand hurting.  You might say, what keeps her from blowing off the sentences and just doing whatever? Everything she has to play, enjoy is removed and she is to finish them before anything. Play, dinner etc.

    After a couple of having to write sentences she will do whatever it takes to never have to write sentences ever again.

    So when I am 1000 miles away, tone and the thought of hearing me say “Shelby, go get a pad of paper, a pencil and your mother,” causes chills to run down her spine.

    Now that being said, I spoil my kids when I do see them, I take time off from work so we can have 100% time together.

    We go to games, museums, anything that makes their eyes go wide with excitement.

    Normally I get them for a week every summer. I wish I could take them the entire summer, but its hard to find someone to watch the kids for the summer that doesn’t suck every last cent from me.

    BUT ever dollar spent on the kids is well worth it.

    I just watch them sleep some nights when they are here. They are so peaceful , so innocent.  I miss them each and every day.  There are many days, I want them to talk to me, tell me about there bad day, good day anything.  But some days they are busy doing something or they just don’t want to talk.

    Being a long distance dad sucks.  There is nothing I can do 300+ days a year.  I can’t change behavior or prevent it before it starts.  There are some days that I feel that even though they are my kids, I’m just a bystander as my ex-wife’s new fiance has the responsibility to defend them because I’m not there.

    Why not move up there?  It’s a good question and I only have one answer, my late friend Janice.

    You see Janice had a dad and a mom who went through divorce and I watched her manipulate both of those parents with guilt trips and angry fights to get her way.  She did whatever it took to bounce the 20 miles between them. It was easy for the one parent to drop her off so  they wouldn’t have to deal with her outbreaks.

    And Janice continued to play them off on each other.  Then Janice got caught up in drugs, both parents blamed the other and neither got Janice the help she needed.

    And she od’ed.

    It was the other parents problem.  Not theirs.

    With my ex and I so far apart, it makes it harder for us to be played off on, even though we both have to communicate with each other as a PARTNERSHIP to benefit OUR children.

    Is it a perfect arrangement, probably not.  Is it best for me, hell no. I wish I could hold my kids nightly.

    But that’s life. It don’t come easy.

  • Trip Report Continued…

    Dearest Joanna,

    I’m doing well, been having fun playing poker with the free internet from the hotel, oh , the trip report.  OK, since you asked…

    We all loaded into the plane to Ireland and my heart started to race as when the call went out that the plane was ready to leave the gate and all the green clothed Irishman and wanna be Irishmen all cheered.

    I was able to get some sleep on the flight, I was happy because on the flight DFW-ORD, I was “forced” to let a family sit together since she was in my seat when I got to there, I was “reallocated” to a seat that I enjoyed alot.  It was between two middle aged women who were as excited as I was to get to Chicago as I was to get to Ireland.  Luck was on my side because the other person in the window had a baby that cried the entire flight.   KARMA SCORE GOAAAALLLLL!!!

    But let’s return to the Chicago – Dublin flight.  I was so excited and then terrified, since we would arrive at 7:45 in the morning.  I know my parents and family, it’s not relax after the trip, it’s let’s get a ton of stuff done.

    And we did.

    But first, I had to check into my room.  Pictures of room #1 and everything else when I return.

    The converter that I brought on the trip was broken enroute and TSA removed a tube of toothpaste from my checked bag with the “We’ve been in your luggage and you just found about it now SUCKER” card in my bag.  So I’m conserving battery until I can get a new one. And for the record, the hotel lobby doesn’t have any “Too often they are stolen,” my front desk woman Jessica told me.

    So after I walked into my non smoking room, I discovered that someone HAD been smoking in it. So back to the lobby again where I was able to get to another room. My sister who wasn’t until the last minute was going to be able to go had to wait to get a room. I was happy because I really don’t need a great room, just somewhere to hang my stuff while I’m discovering the Emerald Isle.

    Then it was taxi to the train and train into Dublin.

    I will mention here that Dublin-Bray Ramada is nowhere near Dublin, 20 min away and that the concept of the Euro just sucks.  Everything is overpriced here.  4 Euros for a freaking Big Mac.  NEVER MIND!

    I have been amused by the Euro-trash that the Irish have to put up with.  I have also been amazed at the total friendliness of the Irish people.  Directions? Sure.  Taxi Stand? Let me show you.  It makes the trip amazing!!!

    We went and did the Hop On, Hop Off tour today and I got to see the Guiness Storehouse, the Book of Kells and the outside of St. Patrick’s Cathedral.  Picking Sunday for the Hopping probably was a bad idea, especially since my brother in law couldn’t keep his eyes open for more than 5 min.

    We came back to the hotel and I’ve gotten you and Ryan something to remember Ireland by.  Now Shelby, that’s my challenge.  I’m probably getting her something in Dingle.

    Well, even though its 4p there, I’m going to sign off.

    5A wake up call for Blarney and Cork tomorrow.

    I am so glad I was able to talk to you today.  Even though it was for  5 min, it was the best 1.5 Euros I’ve ever spent.

    I’ll see you soon and I Love You!

    Your love,

    Sean

  • An ongoing trip report…

    My Dearest Joanna,

    The drive to Ft. Worth was easier since I talked to you a majority of the ride.  I finally fell asleep at 3:30 in the morning and I miss your smell and your touch.

    When I woke up this morning I was filled with excitement and dread.

    Excitement for I am about to embark on a journey that I thought would never ever happen. Dread as I was trying to live seven days without communication with work, no computer, no internet, no telephone contact with you.

    This will be the test of my life.

    I’m writing you from the Admirals Club and would like to thank American Airlines for the free way to talk to you.

    I’m thinking of and loving you.

    Your boyfriend,

    Sean