Back on nights

The clock at Mount Temple school 2 faces each with the wrong time


Grafton Streets a wonderland.


Wiped out after the all night Saturday, lucky night.

I drove 226 Kms.
avge speed 22.30

max 67 all in Kilomoters

19 journeys.

2 long journeys one to Naas and one to Maynooth.

Just lucky really there was little enough work out there.

There was a few fancy dress parties and some people were having their Christmas parties, they were the people who had to work during Christmas.

I had a strange one early on in the shift, one of these streets that when you do find
them are really alleyways so narrow that you wouldn't fit a decent car down them.
Even the sat nav was stopping me on the wrong road.
Half way down Bloomfield Ave.
It said I had arrived on Avenue Road.
I parked up,customer gone off in disgust.

I met an elderly Jewish man who said, "Just around this corner, its just an alleyway not a road at all"
He was right. Its important to look until you find these streets, so that you can add them to your lexicon.
If they are found the hard way you seldom forget them.

One day a while ago I had a Chinese couple were looking for such a place off the North Circular Road.I turned off the meter and looked for it.
No one had the slightest clue where it was, then we found it and up we went.
"Is it property to rent you are looking for?" It was and If I was being PAID e1,000 a week I would not stay there.
I pointed out the blocked up windows and the 2 junkies hanging around what looked like crack house.
Everything fell on deaf ears."The rent is really cheap"
Yes cheap for a reason.
All that I can say is they had better be good at Kung Foo.

A rogue Garda is up in court it is alleged he accepted bribes from Chinese students.
Its a fiddle thats as old as the hills.
Wong goes into the immigration department to get his student visa renewed.
You have'nt been to enough English classes says the official.

What can I do says poor Wong.

Go to this English school and pay them e1200 they will give you a fully stamped up attendance card. The "Language school" then tells Wong that he must give the official a one off present of e400 to thank him.(He doesn't ask for the bribe)
The guy in the dock lives in one of the best addresses in Dublin and sure if I had 15 or 20 or so people like Wong giving me money every week I would live there too.

Perhaps this is the effect of the new American Police woman who was brought over to straighten out our boys in blue.

That was gas how another rogue trader ripped off his bank for e5 Billion.
He must have had a very big lunch box!
They will really have to build in proper checks to stop these guys carrying over their losses and accumulating a tidal wave of bad debts.
Its a bit worse than not managing your credit cards correctly.

I had one guy in the car the other day who is a financial forecaster, writes books, newspaper articles and advises clients.
Wow he had his finger on the pulse.
Commercial property is on a slide at present and certain banks who are offering over the rate interest should be watched.He mentioned Irish Life and I see in the Sunday Times that investors are cashing in their investments early and taking losses, rather than holding on. He also told me of 2 Irish banks which will have a run soon.

I should have asked him if he had the winner for the Grand National.

Finishing up my shift at 6 AM in Naas I had to buy fuel and I noticed lights on in a place called the Loft, gentlemans card club.I could see 6 or 7 heads around the table. This would not be 20c a hand,wages, homes,farms and businesses are lost every week around card tables and bookies shops.
Gambling is every bit addictive as drugs are.

On the road back to Dublin I noticed that a lot of women were driving on the road and as we approached Crumlin Children's hospital, Jamess St hospital and the Coombe the nurses were going in to start their days work.

I gave a silent prayer for the man who was knocked down at the AIB at Annsley bridge.
"He has been paralysed now for nearly 10 years, fed through a tube. The person who struck drove away to let him die like an animal" said his mother

I let her talk, then I told her that this trip was on the house.
I had to explain to her that I could nothing for her except giving her a lift home for free,It was little enough to do and I hoped it would be of help to her.

So boys and girls .
SLOW DOWN AND KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD.


One thing we must remember is when you are driving JUST DRIVE



I am sure you saw all the clips about women parking


Well here is another

Oh yes Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus
The difference goes on and on

But sometimes you just can't tell

Yes the war goes on

Sometimes you can't take your eyes off them

OK Never cross a woman