John Keyes – Journal
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An update on those ash trees
I had a good chat with Peter Donegan about removing the ash trees. The short version is remove as much of the taproot, as you can without driving yourself mad. The taproot is the main root of the tree, from which lateral roots sprout.
Don’t go chasing the lateral (or surface) roots as the benefit may be minimal. The lateral roots are the ones that fan out to provide support for the tree. These are unlikely to result in new growth so you can leave them in the ground and they should decompose eventually.
If new growth does occur, it won’t matter as the trees I’ve removed were in an area that will be mowed regularly. Any new shoots that appear will be removed before they have a chance to gain much mass.
Don’t take any of this as gospel, it’s what I interpreted/remembered from the chat. All I know is that I’m happy to have them removed.
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Protecting my Kindle
Lady luck was sitting on my shoulder recently when I won a Kindle 3. Like a new parent worrying about all the awful mishaps that could befall my child, I immediately started looking at cases to provide some protection for the svelte device.
I narrowed the choices down to an Otterbox or a DODOcase.
When it comes to wrapping up electronics in a protective outer-garment I usually chose protection over aesthetics. In this case though I’ve decided to plump for a DODOcase.
Sensible John is saying “Cop on lad will ya!”, but book-lover John doesn’t want to make reading a cold robotic experience. By using a DODOcase I am introducing a level of warmth that will hopefully allow me to better connect with my reading.
Another reason for this choice is the fact that DODOcases are handmade. I’m a great admirer of craftsmanship, and a handmade cover like this, appeals to me. I know that each time I pick it up, my hands will appreciate this fact.
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Removing Ash Trees
There are some ash trees that are growing in some unwanted places. I asked Peter Donegan about the best way for me to remove these (in the case of the smaller ones I might be able to move them).
To better inform Peter of the problem at hand he asked I send him some photos of the trees in question.
The first one here is the biggest one which I needed to remove. I tackled it with the gruffán tonight and removed most of it (I think).
This is the biggest root and I’ve removed most of this. The remaining roots are probably less than ⅛” thick.
There are numerous saplings I need to (re)move too. These are much smaller than the one above.
So Peter, how much of the root system do I need to remove to prevent regrowth? Is it even possible with ash that it would regrow?
I’ll update this post with Peter’s advice.
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Endwise Seven
Knees creak like great gates made fast.
Weekly domestic bazaar trade cease.
Embers orange blinking sleep at last.
No light remains dark table peace.Recollect no pure faculty habit.
Tarnished garment taunting abut.
Never before now rudimentary facet.
Humiliation and shame cannot chance it.Peace and heaving silence woven pact.
Younglings wrapped up wardshipped.
Elders lay in content cogitation.
Doubts drowned up smothered. -
Plumbing Supplies in Dublin City Centre
I recently had need to acquire two ¾” flexible compression pipes. I was in Smithfield and the thought of having to get in the car to go get them wasn’t very appealing.
My usual port of call for such hardware requirements is to call into Lenehans on Capel Street. Unfortunately they only stocked ½” but they gave me the name of somewhere else I could try; Unit Supplies and Services, Dorset Street. I gave them a call and they had them in stock.
I cycled along Dorset Street for the guts of a year on my way to work and I’d never noticed this shop.
Image from Google StreetviewThey have everything you could need plumbing wise, and the lads working in there are lovely gentlemen. After handing over the cash for the pipes (which were very reasonably priced), I thought I’d try my luck and see if they stocked the Triton T40i booster pump.
I had tried three Triton stockists in Kilkenny, and none of them stocked it. One did say they could order it, the other two told me they don’t sell them. Unit had it in stock, so I decided to give these independent traders my business.
It saddens me that shops like this are not the norm anymore. In Portlaw, where I grew up, we had a great hardware store, Phil Fogarty’s. You could get anything you needed in there (or so it seemed to a young me anyway). If a room was being repainted, we’d head down there, and Phil would mix the colour you needed. If you needed a handful of nails or screws, they’d be wrapped in newspaper for you. It’s a shame that the current crop of superstores like Woodies, B&Q, and Atlantic are making it so hard for small shops like this to survive.
Here’s hoping that Lenehans and Unit Supplies and Services remain in business for a long time to come.
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Ireland vs Wales — RWC 2011
Five point summary:
- Warburton
- Roberts
- Warburton
- Roberts
- Gatland
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Televisual Treats
My new season of television includes the following:
- Terra Nova — meh
- Breaking Bad — excellent finale to a drawn out series.
- Dexter — potential to be a decent series.
- Pan Am — fluff with a bit of added steel in latest episode.
- Downton Abbey — I really want all of those girls to be happy (except O’Brien), they’re all lovely.
- Homeland — building up nicely, would like if Danes character was a little bit less on edge.
- Fades — the beeb continue their recent run of good shows (Sherlock, The Shadow Line)
- Boardwalk Empire — the battle for Atlantic City (and the entire East coast) is hotting up. Love the feel of this show.
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Ireland vs Italy — RWC 2011
Five point summary:
- Castrogiovanni’s injury destroyed Italy’s game-plan.
- Murray and O’Gara justified their positions, their replacements were excellent when they came on too.
- Mike Ross is the silent scrum assassin.
- Ferris, and O’Brien: battering rams (with finesse) carrying the ball, and tackle magnets without it.
- Donnacha Ryan impressed again for his short period on the pitch.
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Sexton Class
When you have the responsibility for place-kicking on a team you have to take the rough with the smooth. You get the kudos when things go well and when they don’t you have to take it on the chin. Everyone wants to play from the start but you have to respect the decisions that are made for the right reasons. It’s about the team, not the individual.
(Source: o2online.ie)
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When is tall enough?
The Kingdom Tower will be 173 metres taller than the Burj Khalifa.
To put that into an Irish context, Liberty Hall is 60 metres tall, and the spire is 120 metres tall.
Unsurprisingly, 50 of the 100 tallest buildings have been constructed since 2000, a tall legacy of the property boom.
(Source: archidose.blogspot.com)
