Whew! The first couple of days of first grade is under our belt and the Munchkin is in heaven. She loves her teacher and in addition to meeting some new friends, she is able to spend some time with her BFF's from last year.
A month or so ago the husband and I had a conversation with her about what after school/extra curricular activity she would like to do (while gently guiding her away from all things cheer and gymnastics. No offense but the thought of sitting through that several days a week makes me want to gouge my eyes with something sharp... or dull. Either way. Gouge my eyes.) She settled on swim team. I'm thrilled. She loves the water, it's something we can all be interested in and it's something she could actually do long term, if she likes it. Unlike gymnastics.
This week they are doing evaluations and it's every day after school. Not only have we been thrown into the reality of getting up and out every morning by 7:45, but now right after school we're changing, snacking and heading to the pool. Nothing like diving right in.. Ha!
Tonight, I accidentally put the twinlets to bed at 6:00, instead of 7:00. They were so tired at the dinner table I assumed it was later than it actually was. They didn't fight me, and were both asleep within 10 minutes. Poor little puppies aren't used to such a busy schedule.
Work on a new balcony garden for our Hostel residents is coming along nicely. A huge thank you to the Community Foundation for Ireland in helping to purchase a range of garden furniture, pots and plants and to one of our green-fingered Hostel residents for making it such a colourful and welcoming space.
We hope to keep improving the garden over the months and years ahead to transform the balcony into a real oasis for the 196 residents of the Iveagh Hostel.
Time to get shipshape for the regatta season with these luxury sailing watches | The Jewellery Editor
Luxury men’s watches made specifically for competitive sailing, with a regatta countdown function, will appeal to sea dogs and landlubbers alike.
If you’ve been following the America’s Cup World Series, you will have spotted the presence of Louis Vuitton watches - a brand that has been actively involved with the sport since 1983. The America’s Cup is the most famous sailing event in the world. First staged in 1851 off the Isle of Wight, it is also the oldest international sports competition and a trophy no British boat has been able to claim.
Sir Ben Ainslie, Britain’s four-time Olympic sailing champion, is determined to bring back the coveted trophy, and following the exceptional qualification performance last weekend in Portsmouth with his Land Rover BAR hydrofoiling catamaran, Ainslie’s team stands in excellent stead to accomplish his mission during the 2017 America’s Cup in Bermuda.
Ainslie or any professional skipper will tell you that the start of a regatta is a crucial moment, fraught with tension as yachts try and hold their positions on an imaginary start line while being buffeted by the wind. In the distance, a series of signal flags and horn blasts from the judges’ boat indicate how many minutes - five minutes are standard - remain before the start of the race. Timing is of the essence and these three men’s watches have therefore been designed to time these vital minutes before the race.
Although many associate Louis Vuitton with luxury travel goods and accessories, it has cemented its status as a first-class watchmaker ever since it acquired the specialist Genevan watch manufacture La Fabrique du Temps in 2011. The Tambour Spin Time Regatta watch was developed specifically for the exciting world of regattas, and features a countdown mechanism that indicates the elapsed time, with five red rotating cubes on the right side of the smokey sapphire crystal dial revealing the movement. The handsome 45.5mm white gold case of these Louis Vuitton watches is equipped with an automatic chronograph movement and the large pushers, covered in rubber, provide you with extra grip. Water-resistant to 100 metres, the watch has the LV America’s Cup logo engraved on the caseback.
It is only natural that Rolex, inventor of the world’s first waterproof watch tested on a cross-channel swim in 1927, would be actively involved with nautical sports. The Sydney Hobart yacht race, the Swan Cup and Maxi Yacht Cup off the coast of Sardinia, and the Fastnet Race are just a few of the many high-profile yachting events the Swiss brand supports. The distinctive Rolex Yacht-Master II chronograph was especially rigged as a professional regatta chronograph. These sailing watches house a unique countdown feature that can be programmed from 1 to 10 minutes and set using just one hand, thanks to the rotating command ring on the bezel. This ingenious system is dead easy to use and belies the complex mechanism inside the case that works in conjunction with the bezel. The smart sea-blue bezel is made from Rolex's very own ceramic alloy, known as Cerachrom, designed to resist corrosion, sea water, sunlight (and chlorine) and keep its vibrant colour for years. The 44mm Oyster case, which is water-resistant to 100 metres, comes in a variety of metals, with models in resilient stainless steel, a combination of steel and Everose gold, full yellow gold, and a luxury white gold and platinum version.
Panerai resurfaced as a civilian watch brand in the late 1990s. For years it held a top-secret status as the official purveyor of underwater instruments, timing devices and Panerai watches that glowed in the dark, to the Italian Navy and its stealth frogmen. The brand's strong association with the sea has taken a more recreational turn and, in 2006, Officine Panerai bought and restored Eilean, a 1936 Bermudan ketch. She now competes in the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge - the largest international circuit of regattas reserved for vintage and classic yachts.
Another watch specifically developed for the exciting world of regattas, the Panerai Luminor 1950 Regatta 3 Days Chrono Flyback Titanio (not the most shipshape of names), combines the unmistakeable sandwich case and protective crown lever of the classic Luminor watch with a professional regatta countdown function. By activating the pusher with an orange cap just underneath the crown, the central orange chronograph hand moves back one minute at a time - up to 15 minutes can be programmed with the final all-important five minutes marked in orange. The chronograph pusher at 10 o’clock starts the countdown and can continue to record the elapsed time from the start of the race. If you want to gauge your sailing speed, a tachymetre in knots is provided on the flange. Given the impressive 47mm diameter of these Panerai watches, titanium has been chosen to lighten the instrument, which will keep impeccable track of your seafaring adventures for three days.
Admittedly all three sports watches are high-end luxury models with refined mechanical movements, but a drop in the ocean for men who enjoy the adrenaline-packed sport of regattas.
The Rolex Yacht-Master II watch in a two-tone 44mm Everose gold and stainless steel case is equipped with a unique countdown timer on the ring command bezel.
The Panerai Luminor 1950 Regatta watch comes in a 47mm titanium case and features a countdown function to time the start of a race.
An orange pusher on the Panerai Luminor 1950 Regatta watch, located just below the crown, moves the orange chronograph hand to the correct position for the countdown.
After three consecutive away defeats, The Lambs returned home to face The Imps who had never won on their travels against Tamworth and featured former Lamb Jake Sheridan in their line up.
Dale Belford made two changes to the side that suffered defeat at Chester in midweek with Matthew Barnes-Homer returning back to Cambridge and Justin Richards taking a spot on the bench as David Morgan returned to the side along with Richard Baker.
Lincoln got the game underway with Tamworth attacking the Meadow Street End in the first half and an early freekick from Newton was headed away by Evans.
A long throw by the visitors from in front of the clubhouse on 11 was headed back past the near post by Foster.
A strong run by Peniket fed the ball to Morgan on 17 and a corner was the reward for the deflected shot but the flag kick was wasted. Morgan clipped the cross bar with a long range cross come shot that Townsend got a finger tip to but the corner failed to test the keeper.
On 30, Sheridan briefly got the better of Richards-Everton at the back and forced Belford into a point blank save at his near post to keep the scoreline at 0-0. Baker and Foster tussled on the floor and both received yellow cards for their efforts along with Newton for his protests directed towards the official. Imps captain Brown brought Baker down 35 yards from goal on 41 and Tamworth were given two chances to take the freekick but Thornton was booked for taking it too quickly and the second effort struck the wall.
A corner was forthcoming on 40 following a quick Lambs break up field but it was taken at height by Townsend and booted quickly down field for Belford to gather.
Foster pulled the trigger at the far post following a long throw from the right wing in two minutes added time but cleared the bar from 8 yards and Richards-Everton required treatment on the field shortly before the half time whistle blew.
Tamworth got the second half underway kicking towards the Castle End and there were encouraging early signs as The Lambs kept the ball heading in the direction of the visitors goal in the opening exchanges.
A corner on the right on 52 was headed down towards the far post by Peniket but Baker couldn’t divert the shot goalward and it went round the post for a goal kick.
Caprice got in the way of a shot from Newton on 54 and the long throw from Miller came back out to Newton who tried his luck from 25 yards but Belford was happy to watch it out over the bar.
At the other end Townsend collected a high ball after Evans got a glancing header to a right wing cross. Peniket struck from distance on 55 and the ball was well saved by Townsend but Kerry couldn’t mop up the rebound to give The Lambs the lead.
Evans forced a corner with a left sided low shot but the corner came to nothing and on the hour Forster appeared to tangled with Peniket in the area when The Lambs striker was shaping to shoot but the referee was having none of the appeals for a spot kick.
Belford saved well from Sheridan on 63 and Peniket’s header from a 66th minute corner was won well but directed over the bar.
The Lambs changed formation to 4-4-2 with Baker alongside Peniket for the remaining 20 minutes and there was an increased sense of urgency about the side and at the back Caprice worked hard to deny the run of Sheridan into the box.
Thornton made space and tried a chip from the right of the box on 74 but it cleared the bar. Lincoln put some pressure on the Labs defence around 75 and forced a left sided corner which was heralded by drums from the 385 travelling fans but Power’s shot is best left forgotten.
Baker’s tenacity in the bottom corner by the clubhouse won a corner on 79 and although the initial ball was cleared the ball back in was headed by Peniket straight at Townsend.
Thornton hit a low shot at the left corner on 80 but Townsend was equal to it again and on 87 Richards-Everton picked up a yellow card for a foul in front of the main stand. The Lambs pushed hard into the final third and Thornton forced yet another flag kick by the clubhouse but Peniket was unable to get anywhere near the ball.
Three minutes added time was shown at the end of the game and the visitors won a corner right at the death.
ANIMAL lovers are invited to be part of an emotional get-together, when over 100 ex-rescue dogs reunite at a charity event in aid of the organisation that saved them.
The Rescue Ramble event on July 3rd is giving national canine rescue charity Finding Furever Homes and dog owners the chance to stage an emotional reunion for over 100 dogs the charity has helped to rehome in the past two years. Supporters are travelling from up to 300 miles away to attend the event, which serves as both a celebration of the charity’s achievements as well as a chance to raise awareness and much needed funds.
Andrea Newton, Founder of Finding Furever Homes, said: “Getting so many of our re-homed rescue dogs together is bound to be emotional for all of us. It will show the amazing work that has been done by our volunteers and supporters – work that needs to continue!”
Tickets for the ramble cost £5, with free doggy bags given to all those who pre-book. As well as a guided dog walk, there will also be a fun dog show and a ‘have a go agility’ course under professional supervision for people to enjoy. There will also be a chance for dog owners to get free advice from a qualified behaviourist who will help them understand any issues they may be having with their pets.
In addition to the promise of an emotional reunion of dogs successfully re-homed by the charity, there will be the chance to meet a small number of dogs who are currently looking for homes, to serve as a reminder of the ongoing work the charity does – and why they need public support.
Andrea added: “This Rescue Ramble is our only event of the year, so to hear we have supporters travelling from so far away is incredible. Now we just need the public to show their support by buying a ticket and joining in the fun – everyone is welcome, whether you own a dog or not.”
“The Ramble is not only a great family day out – through buying a ticket you will help us to continue to rescue dogs, many of which would otherwise be put to sleep through no fault of their own.”