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THE TANGNEY TIMES

Vol 1 No. 15 Dec 2010

The Year of the Big FREEZE

Hello to one and all,

Another epsiode from the Tangney family !! We have all been well in 2010 and enjoying life despite working hard. David is now included in that catergory as he is presently doing his probationary year in Montrose in the East coast of Scotland. He's enjoying it very much so its great to see him out and enjoying life.

James continues to be his own man and copes with extreme difficulty when called by myself to ensure he is out of bed for lectures !! He continues to have to work hard in his 3rd year of Chemical Engineering. But is rising to the challenge well this year and only another 2 to go.

Ronan who is now the tallest of the family by some way has survived his first term away from Fort William in Edinburgh also doing PE teaching. He can now shop and cook and party !! He is a bit skinny and for some reason has a shaved head which shall remain priviliged information "not for his mother ears" at any rate. It most be because the weather has been so balmy recently !!!


Ciaran is now the "main man" here in Zetland Avenue and was heard to mutter I am glad the boys are home as he won't be asked how the study is going despite being turfed out of his bed back to the top bunk by his big brother David. He did very well in his Standard grades (The Junior Cert for Irish folk) and in his development skiing course which he loves followed closely by basketball. He has just bought his own new skiis which have pride of place in his bedroom and so "do a bit of study and stop dreaming " is a common refrain.

Joseph continues to take part in a huge number of activities and this cold snap leaves him wondering what he should be doing with his time. His rugby has been off for a couple of weeks but they were doing great and won the midis tournament in May. They have a great group of lads and he really enjoys it. They were beaten in the final of the MacMaster cup in the Shinty. It was the curtain raiser for the Camanachd cup in September which was won by Fort William with a last minute winner. So the under 15s were still able to celebrate. He did well in his athletics also coming in 6th in the local cross country race. He is getting really tall and still looks like his Dad.

Aoife is now 12 and went to High School last August. The era of the Tangneys now finally finished in St Marys Primary School after 15 years.. It was with some sadness I said goodbye to a great school. However Aoife has taken like a duck to water to Lochaber High bouyed up no doubt by some of the teachers comments who having survived Tangney boys " feel that the best was saved for last". Lets hope so !!

She continues to have all her old friends and made many new ones. Dad believes that she also has his writing skills that means she too is prone to some slight exaggeration. Aoife is also enjoying her music,art and Hockey which she took up this year. Her swimming is on hold while they refurbish the swimming pool.

Joe and I continue to work in the NHS and despite ever increasing demands and still enjoy it very much. The constant study and CPD is ongoing and very time consuming but is probably good for us. Our families remain well and my Dad had his first great grandchild Ella in March who also came on holiday to Fort William which was lovely.

We wish you all a lovely Christmas and all the best for 2011.

Best wishes Liz

 

 

More news later .....from intensive care ...the haematoma(blood clot)is spreading as we speak !!

Sat June the 5th 2010 a day to remember or forget if possible.

It was almost my last day alive ....some of you may gasp with relief or disbelief.... others burst into tears knowing you were almost relieved of my company ... such is life the margins are thin !!

Anyway not to hold you in suspense as you hold your breath....the scene of the near fatal crime was just across the road , and most victims know their attackers very well !!

John Treasurer was having a friendly "hedge cutting day" and I was one (the only one )of the lucky neighbours to be specially invited to take part ie give John a hand cutting the leylandi hedge which is about  175 feet high. The Great Wall of China would have been easier to climb and once inside the branches it was like a spiders web. Decades of growth and out of reach branches everywhere it was definitely a task for a professional like me with years of experience living in the jungles of Africa, Burma, North Korea and Kerry.

So after almost 22 hours of total hardship ,hanging onto ladders, climbing like monkeys, sweating profusely, severely dehydrated, lots of little sticky  fingers  from the endless sap, arms lacerated like a gladiator in the coliseum  , eyes blood shot, close to delirium dazzed by the sun on the baldy head ......I spotted two spikes of leylandi that we had missed,  so I in a final assault .....staggered towards the enemy .... and before I knew it while on autopilot  I was up on the ladder near the top when....... suddenly ......my life flashed before me.....needless to say it was extremely brief in view of my eternal youth.....in a millisecond ….a big thump…with the speed of light …I  was on the ground ,ladder on top of me still clutching to the hedge clipper !!!  It was definitely a near death experience as I barely missed a pointed rock  by 2-3 millimetres  and hit my left thigh and hip a real wallop off the ground.....As I wondered how  the Lochaber News headline would depict my sudden demise ."The Tangney Tree Surgeon's Final Cut " or " GP goes back to his his Roots....in a hurry " ..... I was gobsmacked for a nanosecond. and tried to move my legs ....the signals were going down but no response ..when they both moved was I glad to have not broken my hip and I crawled out from under the tree in what seemed like eternity ....I eventually got up and I am still limping around the place . The damage ..... A large haematoma (bleeding under the skin) in my thigh which will take a few weeks to clear !!! Mama Mia !!!  Liz noticed me limping in the house and .....called me a "BIG EEJITT""    .........these nurses are heartless !!

I forgot to mention while I was on top of the ladder , JohnT and Liz Treasurer (the witnesses)were sitting on their own "Henmans Hill" in the garden having lollipops (a twister and a solero respectively )  waiting for me do a real live “twister “in the bushes. Liz t went into policewoman's mode immediately sealing off the crime scene with metres of police tape. She eventually came towards me wearing a white astronaut suit and me in a half dazzled state thought I was about to be abducted by an alien....... John immediately asked me "Joe do you want to purchase accident insurance?"  I replied "Do you have the phone number of the "No win No fee solicitors ?"   John ran immediately to get his video camera as I was seen racing limp and all across the road to a place of safety .....I had to make a run for it as John insisted I get back up the ladder immediately as it was the best thing to do if you had a fright on (or off in my case ) a ladder.....he must be watching too much of Franki Detorrie jumping off the fillies !!!  I  was having none of it and fled the crime scene while still alive ..... 

I am still "serving my time" as Liz  has got me hoovering , ironing , polishing , sewing, knitting, tidying up, all because of my new limp......I wish I had stayed at the crime scene ......hypothermia would have been quicker !!!


David Graduates ...at long last !!

David and his sponsors
Usain Bolt Again
David and his new flatmate Ali

Fri 2 July 2010

Sunshine in Edinburgh for the long awaited day David's graduation. Finally after four years of endless nights out, numerous girlfriends , last minute essays, countless requests for more money, blood, sweat and tears it finally pays off and David is off the Tangney payroll !!

The graduation was held in the McEwen hall and it was a bit like the House of Lords with all the pomp and ceremony. All the graduates in their gowns looked great and there were several hundred graduates in the hall. Each family waited patiently for the brief moment when their son/daughter was tapped on the head by the "felt hat ". (Made from John Knox's boxer shorts). I was amazed when the announcer pronounced "Tangney" correctly…very rare indeed ….. Afterwards all the proud parents and family members wandered about outside in the sunshine with a dazzed look and fixed smiles The photos were fast, plentiful and generally cheerful. (some parents obviously had botox or rigor mortis of the facial muscles or perhaps just frowned too much as a baby leading to a permanent "sour face".)
We met Stu's parents who incidentally were very cheerful probably buoyed by the fact that Big Stu was off to South America the next day and David was his travel companion. They knew it was highly likely that the two of them would be kidnapped by some tribe of pygmies and a ransom would be needed to free Gulliver MacPherson(Little Stu). Hopefully it will take a few years to sort out so they were ecstatic at the thought of peace and quiet as Stu and David are held captive. Paying a ransom is out of the question ! We also met Ali who is Davids new flatmate, I felt obliged morally to at least warn her that David is ALWAYS in bed sound asleep by 10pm at the very latest and not to make too much noise around the house !! Also he is obesssively tidy, extemely frugal, non drinker, hates to travel and is very silent and painfully shy in the company of girls ...... That was all I told Ali as she went deathly pale and her eyes began to repeatedly roll back in her head, then got violently sick so I had to stop ....after her collapse I did't think it was wise to continue my story as her entire family were now staring at me ..................

in fact more glaring than staring ....wondering what had I said to the poor girl to cause her such distress !! She has been sobbing ever since that day .

Apart from the Ali convulsion episode the graduation was a very enjoyable day and we had a good night out in the cellar restaurant. Needless to say the lads hit the drink with great gusto. They were probably getting withdrawal symptoms as almost 12 hours with out alcohol and George was shaking , sweating, seeing spiders everywhere!! We all had a lively night with plenty of banter. Unsurpringly we were sectioned off from the other customers with a big electric fence as a preventive measure as they knew of the PE boys reputation....ie making a run for it !! Unfortunatley I had to stay sober as I was minding Brodie's parents George and Louise , (George's 90 year old carer broke her hip so I got stuck with the job, I sedated them both with a monologue of endless circular chat about nothing in particular for 4 hours (a useful trick in the carer industry) and soon the glazed vacant look in their eyes meant they were glued to their seats in a trance like state.They struggled to stay awake with the jaw supported by elbow on table in order not yawn incessantly was the give away sign that they were now safe in my capable hands !!) Gareth's parents Neil and Debbie. ….were looked after by Gareth's granny aged 107 (she went clubbing with the lads later). Liz and all the Tangneys were under the watchful eye of Ms Aoife....a force to be reckoned with to say the least.Anyway to cut a long story short the boys hit the drink, ate a little then hit for the night clubs. They were insistent that I went with them to show David a few new moves or throw a few shapes. I knew they were trying to get me into trouble with Liz so I gracefully declined their kind offer of a tour of the Edinburgh nighclubs !! Ronan was keen to go but we dragged Ronan back with us ….sullen VERY SULLEN but saved him a hangover and hassle no doubt for all of us.
We went to Ireland next morning and David /Stu hit for London on the train. Then off to South America for the lads ......what I don't know won't trouble me !!

The Chemical Brothers ????

 

Aoife Hits the High School

 

Then there were just three ..back to school Aug 2010

Aoife wins the Alaister Martin Cup
At home on the slopes

Our Trip to Rome!!!! By Aoife age 12

We were in the airport on Tuesday and I just couldn't wait! It was a great thought that in a couple of hours I would be in ROME!!!! The time went slowly by as we were waiting to get on the plane. It was finally time get on we all lined up to get our bags checked to see if they were the right weight and size. I dreaded the time it came to me and my bag wouldn't fit in. They had to put the bags into this box thing that had the right measurements. When it came to my go they didn't even ask me to put it in the box but I did have to put it on the scales but that was okay because we had weighed them at home and mine was well under weight. When we got on the plane I was ready for my favourite part….. The TAKE OFF!!!! I braced myself as the engines began to roar we were gradually getting faster and faster until we hit full speed. The front wheels lifted off the runway and within in minutes we were soaring high above the clouds. The night was getting darker and darker. When we were almost there I looked out the window and saw the sun setting on the horizon. The colours were beautiful. The reds and oranges stood out against the black sky.

Wednesday
I woke early on Wednesday morning because of all the city traffic and the fact I wasn't used to the bed! We headed out early and went to the market that was right across the street from our apartment. It was a typical Roman market with loads of fruit, vegetables, meat and bread. We got all we needed for breakfast for under a fiver! We headed out to the shops after breakfast to keep Ciaran happy. Aunty Ann Marie, nana and our cousin Cian were coming later that day so we had to stock up on wine for the adults and coke for the kids. We went to all these big brand shops like Adidas and Nike etc. We were looking for somewhere to have our lunch and we had just found a MacDonald's so we were just waiting outside because mum and dad were looking at a stall selling calendars with the famous landmarks of Rome on them. There was a band playing across the street looking for money so I gave them the only change I had in my pocket a 10 cent piece. I was walking back across the street over to Joseph and Ciaran when a man dressed up in a white cloak/dress thing with a cane and gold beads around his neck. As I was walking past the man thrust his hand at me. I thought he just wanted to shake my hand. So I went to shake his hand but he grabbed my hand tightly and yanked me forward he pushed the cane into my hand and stuck the beads around me! I started to laugh nervously as his grip tightened around my shoulders. I frantically looked around for Joseph and Ciaran and I spotted them just day dreaming into the distance! I tried to give the man back the cane and beads but he wouldn't take them until I put money in the box at his feet. Finally Joseph saw me but all he did was laugh! The thing was that I didn't have any money to give the guy and he wouldn't let me go until I put money in the box!! So I opened my purse and found a Sterling 10 pence piece which I quickly put into the box and ran for my life !!

Thursday
On Thursday the whole family including nana, Ann Marie and Cian went to the Vatican City. We went to St Peters in the morning and the Spanish Steps in the afternoon. We climbed 551 steps at St Peters to get to the roof. If you wanted to you could have paid extra and got the elevator for the first 200 steps but I personally thought that the first 200 steps were the easiest! When you reached the top of the stairs you could see the whole of Rome!! In the afternoon we then went to the Spanish Steps and there were loads of people trying to sell you stuff!!

Friday
We went to the Colosseum which was really cool! We got a tour and it was full of interesting facts such as the word arena is the Latin for sand! The Romans back then were very gruesome because they watched people fight to their death just for their entertainment!! Then we did a open top bus tour which I had never been on before!!

Saturday
Saturday was my favourite day of all because we went to the Sistine Chapel we had to wait in the line for ages but it was well worth the wait!! Michelangelo was unbelievable!! They were really strict in the actual Sistine Chapel about taking photos. In the evening we went to Piazza Novona where we saw the Trevi Fountain. There were also loads of people here as well were trying to sell you things!

Sunday
We went to St Peters again for the canonisation of Mary MacKillop. There were 5 others getting canonised as well. Mary's parents were from Roy Bridge but Mary was born in Australia. I saw the Pope and got some bread that he had blessed!! We got the metro home which is really quick . We also went to the Hard Rock café but it was way expensive so we just got a wee desert to share between us!

When we were leaving I was sad and happy at the same time because we would finally be getting rid of the crazy and annoying mopeds that went speeding through red lights and nearly killed you!! But I loved our trip to Rome!!

Ps The ice cream in Rome is the best ever!!

 

Sun Aug 8
Ciaran creates a new Tangney family record as he climbs his first Ben in 4 ¾ hours... impressive !!

 

Ciaran shows off his aerial skills

James the Ness Negotiator !!

ROCKNESS June 11-13
Two out of three ain't bad. A long story yet again as Liz is summoned to collect Ronan and James from Rock Ness …….35,000 people and the two Tangney boys get kicked out for giving cheek to a large baldy security guard twice their size, Who said size does not matter ???? Ronan surrounded by 5 security guards and luckily James arrives as the chief hostage negotiator just in time……..James loves a tough situation like no other …years of experience .. .and the gift of the gab came in handy !!

James amazingly held his cool in the face of adversity, luckily he was stone cold sober and knew when to fold them !! Ronan needs to wise up and seems to be a fall guy for any antics !! At least he did not end up in Raigmore on a ventilator …. As the two boys headed for the gate they faced a certain death…the bouncers or their now angry mother who had driven all the way up from Fort William on a Sunday evening with 90min to get up a big head of steam... run boys run for you life !! The security guards did the dirty with the coin tossing game and then tearing up James' ticket was a low blow ….. Then Liz hammered the two boys ..all the way home !!

 


James meets his match as the security guard has heard enough crap !!
Rock Ness 2011 Dream on boys ????????

 

Rome


Liz has a migraine ...too many photos ???
Ciaran look happy you are on holiday !!

 

 

 

The Colosseum Tour Party
The Fort William reunion

Voyager Two now leaving all aboard ...

St Peters


 

Ronan leaves home ...at last !!

Ronan is going to follow David's footsteps and has started PE in Edindurgh. So on Sat 11 Sept Ronan heads off into the sunset ….smiling from ear to ear !! Liz brought him down to Edinburgh and checked out the flat etc Aoife and Joseph were inconsolable and floods of tears.The red car packed to the roof and Ronan looking forward to student life . They were barely gone down the driveway when Ciaran was moving his stuff into Ronans room…… The pecking order has changed instantly and Ciaran is the new man

Inconsolable
 

Ronan stop smiling . You are supposed to cry !! Joseph do something before Mum sees you sitting down!!

Croke Park March 2010 The posers !!



 

 

 
Joseph falls asleep while Ella minds him , Emily dont fall over ......Ella catch your Mum quick !!  
The January ski team are ready for action.
 
Theresa and Colin at the Rugby Dance  
Woody,Chris, nick hit the slopes
 

Chinese Lantern Released  
The Young Guns at the Highland trials
 
Polo snowed in Feb 2010  
PC Kim Lloyd Weber ready for a song !!
 
Joseph is that a hangover ??   David says"George when I click my fingers you will wake up and always be nice to my dad !!"


The Kellihers have moved in !
Take it easy on the Stella Artois Aoife !!

Rear Admiral Ted (Ever Cheerful) Carr
Liz says to herself "I really love to Party "

 

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