Deirdre Spillane first featured in the Office Mum interview series in May 2015 - almost five years ago! - you can read her original interview here. Back then, Deirdre was working in commercial finance in the telecommunications sector, doing a busy four-day-week job, and taking parental leave on Fridays. She had two children at the time. ...
"This week is crazy," I said to my husband. "It'll calm down next week," he said, and I nodded. "Who are you kidding," said the little voice inside my head. "You've been saying it'll calm down next week since 2007, and it still hasn't." This is true. I've even blogged about it before I think (here) and I've ...
This time last year, as I unwrapped the snowman and put him on the mantlepiece, I wondered where he'd be going next time round. We were Sale Agreed on our old house but hadn't found somewhere new yet. I tried to picture what the new mantlepiece might look like, in the new living room, in ...
The smell of wood-fire smoke. The curl of blue from the chimney. Will Santa be able to come down? Don't light the fire on Christmas Eve, okay, Dad? The sparkle of frost on grass. The shine from the holly bush. The clipped branches strewn in corners, on hearths. The crisp, bright mornings. The walks in the ...
Last year I put together a list of 28 books or series my kids love. This year, I'm adding their favourite books of 2019, along with the original 28, so if you're buying books for kids, this list of 50 may be of use. For reference, at time of posting, my kids are 12, 10 and almost 8. ...
I am glum. I have no excuse. No reason to be glum. I mean, yes, it's been raining for 457 days solid now, so that might have something to do with it. This morning, for the first time this week, we could walk to school again. Such joy in that walk. And then back came the ...
Maria Rushe is a Donegal Mammy of two little girls. She is married to Emmet, teaches English in Letterkenny and is also a Fitness Instructor in their family business. She blogs as The award-winning ‘The S-Mum Blog’ where she writes honest and funny memoir of her life as she tries to keep everyone between the ditches. ...
One day, when I was eight, my teacher asked each of us to stand up and sing solo, one by one. I still remember the fear, standing up to sing the song. And I still remember the sting of humiliation when the girl beside me burst out laughing at my terrible singing. I still remember resenting Ms ...
I remember it so clearly. I was driving down the Quays, towards the Samuel Beckett Bridge, heading home from work, wishing for an email. Not any email - one particular (in my head, at least) life-changing email. Begging the universe. If I could have just this one email, everything would come good. If this person who held ...
We made it to mid-term! So, short and sweet, here are a few things that got me through Septober relatively unscathed - or at least less scathed than usual: Slow Cooker My slow cooker changed my life. I'm kidding, it totally didn't. But it's great for that one day each week when we get home later than usual. I ...