Derry Diary #13
10 July 2004
Rosemount neighborhood
Overcast, occasional rain ...periods of like, no rain even

For those of you who remember "Father Knows Best" "Leave it to Beaver" and shows of that kind would understand the neighborhoods here in Derry. Kids play ball in the streets instead of watching T. V. It isn't necessarily hanging out looking for trouble, but simple playing until late in the summer evening. I think I can remember doing that too, however when I was young there wasn't much to watch on the T. V. that's true. That was kinda what it was like today at the "International Fun Day." What made it international was our presence, since ask anyone, we aren't from around these parts, and two, I spotted one Romanian. So in a sense it was "international." Do you buy that explanation? It is pretty darn good.

After Mass at the Cathedral (The Bishop of Derry celebrated the mass and preached) we were off to the Rosemount neighborhood of Baldrick Crescent, to help set up for the day. Two bouncy castles were arriving, the lanes for the sprints needed setting up and the barbeque needed an awning to protect it from the drizzle. However, when we got there there was not a soul to be found except a wane walking his dog. (A dog by the way which looked akin to something from the Omen.)

Within 10 min mutes all sorts of kids and adults showed up and the activity began. Three in our group had the honor of dressing like Disney characters as you can see from the picture below, they were, how you say it in English, "interesting" Again they rose to the occasion.

Mel (left) was "Micky", Nora (center) was "Minnie", and Bobby was the "Hulk"

Oh the humanity! Later on Val played the "Hulk" and Patti endured "Micky" for the second half of the afternoon. Starting around 10 in the morning the kids worked until 6 pm non-stop. There was also a water slide, which in any other place would sound like someplace in an amusement park. This slide was carved out of the side of an embankment and headed almost straight down to a pool of water at the bottom surrounded by hay bales. The weather being what it was, freezing, the kids in the neighborhood took off their shoes and slid down the plastic to the bottom, often winding up side down against the covered straw bales.

Mel crashing into the bottom of the waterside.

A freezing Patti being a good sport

Our kids were very good sports about all the activities and engaged in many of them from cooking the hamburgers to supervising the Bouncy Castle. They we helpful in getting done what needed to be done quickly. Most of the day was pretty leisurely without the usual hecticness of a birthday party for your 6 year-old. Between the activities the burgers and the death slide, all went well.

The Group and the group

Dinner tonite was cooked by Nora and Matt. Toasties and vegetable soup. The toasties were ham and cheese or tuna and cheese. They were delightful on this cold wet evening. Of course the kids in the neighborhood were at the door half way through dinner and wanting our gang to come out and play, 50's style. All of them went out except Janelle who wanted to remove the face-painting she got Baldrick Crescent. It took her three washings to remove it. Half way through she looked sort of like a blueberry. Now she looks fine, the Smurf look is styling'

Good reflection/journaling tonite about the Fun Day and the opportunities and missed opportunities for connection with this community.

Tomorrow it is off to Coleraine to watch the Orange Parade as tourists from Londonderry rather than Derry.

More later,

paul and Cal