# The Positive Thread



## Firefly (3 Dec 2012)

Hi all,
It's quite easy for us all to get caught up in the economic mess that the country is facing, so I thought a "good news" thread is called for. It can be anything that you think might bring a smile to someone.

As an aside, I see that Letting of Steam (sad) now has 4,204 threads with 106,318 posts compared to Shooting the Breeze (happy) which has 3,760 threads with only 47,592 posts. Perhaps, a mod could put the monthly totals for each in a table - might be interesting to see how the totals correlate to the state of the general economy.

Anyway, I'll start with a something my eldest said to me yesterday (she's 4). We have this thing now where, when I'm giving her a treat or a toy I'll say "close your eyes, put out your handy" and I give her the treat/toy. Anyway, putting her to bed last night, she needed to go to the bathroom first. When we were inside, all excitedly, she says "close your eyes, put out your handy". I opened my eyes and what had she given me?....her toilet seat! And there she was jumping up & down in front of me with the excitement of it!


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## Purple (3 Dec 2012)

Good news; Manufacturing output is up again this month in Ireland. That's 7 months in a row. We are the only Euro-zone state to report a positive output this month.
The services sector is also reporting positive output figures.


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## TarfHead (3 Dec 2012)

Photos taken in the past week of humpback whales off Baltimore & Hook Head have lifted my heart.


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## delgirl (3 Dec 2012)

TarfHead said:


> Photos taken in the past week of humpback whales off Baltimore & Hook Head have lifted my heart.


+1 if they stay there much longer, I'm going to head down there to see them!


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## Latrade (3 Dec 2012)

Nothing tangible, but the Spotify Heavy Metal Radio channel today has been making outstanding choices. 


Well it made me happy.


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## Newbie! (3 Dec 2012)

Our 27 week baby is delighting us both at the moment with regular dancing and somersaults  Surely this must be the second best feeling in the world? (assuming the best is when it arrives and dances for real in front of us!)


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## Liamos (4 Dec 2012)

Newbie! said:


> Our 27 week baby is delighting us both at the moment with regular dancing and somersaults  Surely this must be the second best feeling in the world? (assuming the best is when it arrives and dances for real in front of us!)


 
Nothing comes close to enjoying your kids when they arrive and as they grow. Our 3 yr old is currently in the habit of coming into us in the mornings and asking "Mammy, Daddy, Whats the plan? (for the day)". 
Repeats everything he hears us say!


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## Boyd (4 Dec 2012)

Newbie! said:


> Our 27 week baby is delighting us both at the moment with regular dancing and somersaults  Surely this must be the second best feeling in the world? (assuming the best is when it arrives and dances for real in front of us!)



Surely the feeling of making the baby would be in there too


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## Kine (4 Dec 2012)

Latrade said:


> Nothing tangible, but the Spotify Heavy Metal Radio channel today has been making outstanding choices.
> 
> 
> Well it made me happy.


 
I did not know Spotify did radio stations...do you need a sub? If not then you have just made me happy! 

RAWK


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## Latrade (4 Dec 2012)

Kine said:


> I did not know Spotify did radio stations...do you need a sub? If not then you have just made me happy!
> 
> RAWK


 
think it's only premium membership, but they are doing 30 days free at the moment so you can try.

very much like the Pandora one where the more you 'like' and 'dislike' tracks the better it gets.


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## TarfHead (4 Dec 2012)

And there's a Royal Baby on the way !

I'll get my coat


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## MrMan (4 Dec 2012)

I helped save a kitten, and now it is the master of my house, but the wife is happy!


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## delgirl (4 Dec 2012)

The [broken link removed] has returned home!


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## truthseeker (4 Dec 2012)

MrMan said:


> I helped save a kitten, and now it is the master of my house, but the wife is happy!



Do tell! 

Its always an honour to be a servant for a cat.


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## Leper (4 Dec 2012)

Just received a tin of Irish Rose.  I know it cost only €6.00 but hours of munching chocolate ahead tonight Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


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## Newbie! (4 Dec 2012)

Leper said:


> Just received a tin of Irish Rose.  I know it cost only €6.00 but hours of munching chocolate ahead tonight Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm



Received or bought for yourself??????  I 'received' two boxes of after eights....went down a treat!


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## MrMan (5 Dec 2012)

truthseeker said:


> Do tell!
> 
> Its always an honour to be a servant for a cat.




A kitten was left at the door of my mother in laws house in the country; someone rang the bell and did a runner. Her dog didn't take kindly to the new arrival, so seeing as my wife treats animals better than humans (she actually put a destressed swan into her car boot and drove him to a vet!) we decided to give the kitten a home, temporarily, and now that has led to permenant residency.


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## truthseeker (5 Dec 2012)

MrMan said:


> A kitten was left at the door of my mother in laws house in the country; someone rang the bell and did a runner. Her dog didn't take kindly to the new arrival, so seeing as my wife treats animals better than humans (she actually put a destressed swan into her car boot and drove him to a vet!) we decided to give the kitten a home, temporarily, and now that has led to permenant residency.



Aw, lovely story. Failed fosterers - the best way to gain a new friend.


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## Firefly (6 Dec 2012)

Came home last night to a letter from Revenue. "Great" I thought, but when I opened it, it contained a cheque for the over payment of income tax for last year. Won't be changing the car with it, but it'll take care of Christmas


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## Vanilla (6 Dec 2012)

Got my cheque too from the Revenue yesterday, actually opened it in the car while listening to the opening of the budget speech. The Lord giveth, the Lord taketh...


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## micmclo (8 Dec 2012)

delgirl said:


> The [broken link removed] has returned home!





> This image posted by RTÉ's Will Goodbody shows the snowman back where he belongs with a simple note saying: 'Sorry.'



Hurray 

*puts away pitchfork, flaming torch and tells the angry mob to go home*


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## delgirl (8 Dec 2012)

micmclo said:


> Hurray
> 
> *puts away pitchfork, flaming torch and tells the angry mob to go home*


Quite a few people I know were kind of hoping that he was going to do a Shergar - he's just a weeee bit on the tacky side!


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## DrMoriarty (8 Dec 2012)

Speaking of which, look who I found under the Christmas tree! 

[broken link removed]


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## bullbars (12 Dec 2012)

This time next week I'll be back on home soil. Family wedding, christmas with friends & family. Can't wait.


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## Firefly (20 Dec 2012)

Had a fantastic few beers with my Dad last night. A great catch up and super fun. After all these years I thought he had passed me all his wisdom but it was fascinating hearing his version of "Men are from Mars" regarding my mother! What a laugh!

We came back to my place, put on some Tony Bennet and each had a nice, big glass of Crested Ten. Bliss.


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## TarfHead (20 Dec 2012)

24 hours 30 minutes to the Christmas break. Not back 'til Thu 03 Jan.

24 hours and 29 minutes


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## Newbie! (21 Dec 2012)

TarfHead said:


> 24 hours 30 minutes to the Christmas break. Not back 'til Thu 03 Jan.
> 
> 24 hours and 29 minutes



Need to brush up those typing skills


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## Firefly (11 Feb 2013)

Out for a walk at lunchtime today and it starts to rain. 20 yards ahead of me a girl about 13 years old takes out an umbrella from her bag and gives it to her younger brother (about 7 or 8). She then resumes holding his hand keeping him on the inside of the footpath as the cars fly past her. Heart filled with joy.


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## callybags (11 Feb 2013)

Firefly said:


> Out for a walk at lunchtime today and it starts to rain. 20 yards ahead of me a girl about 13 years old takes out an umbrella from her bag and gives it to her younger brother (about 7 or 8). She then resumes holding his hand keeping him on the inside of the footpath as the cars fly past her. Heart filled with joy.


 
It wasn't Finn and Derval Dove?


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## Locke (19 Feb 2013)

For those on Twitter, follow @AstroMarshburn & @Cmdr_Hadfield - you may have seen the picture of Dublin the last few days.

They are up in the ISS snapping pictures of places on Earth and tweeting them. Some of the pictures are astonishing.


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## Firefly (28 Feb 2013)

Today I had an encounter with the best salesman I've ever met! He nabbed me in the supermarket (which isn't easy) and we had a great chat. The young man is a full-time athlete representing Ireland in the paralympics. He had so much pride & passion it was unreal.


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## Betsy Og (28 Feb 2013)

Numbers in employment rises for the first time since 2008 (from lower levels of course, but right direction)


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## Purple (1 Mar 2013)

I woke up this morning... always a good start to the day.


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## Sue Ellen (1 Mar 2013)

Story that lifted my heart this week was where two maltese yorkie x males were surrendered to pound because of change in owner's circumstances.  Father and son were lost looking in photos in pound.

Family adopted son from pound and left poor Daddy behind on his own    Son cried all night long so the family went back next day and took Daddy home too where they both look very happy now.

There are still plenty of good kind people out there


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## Firefly (8 Apr 2013)

Mrs Firefly's business is 18 months up & running. All initial costs have been recouped and she's drawing a modest salary. After 4 years, we're now a 2 income family again 

Our eldest started swimming lessons recently and it's amazing how they just get in the pool with the others and take to it like a duck to water (boom boom).

Passed a tough certification exam a few weeks ago which took a fair bit of work

US Masters week


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