After a great night's sleep I was treated to a hearty breakfast. Turns out that was good fortification for the cold day. It was bright and sunny, and absolutely frigid and windy. I do have appropriate clothing so once attired, I was quite warm.
Ann drove me to Kathy's place to have a short visit and get the key to her car. It's a VW Polo and perfect for what I need. It has been a while since I'd driven a standard, but it's kind of like riding a bicycle, except in traffic, on the wrong side of the road, shifting with the wrong hand.
The car worked fine and I didn't strip the gears. What took me a while was figuring out how to shut off the wipers – both front and back. Every car has slight differences, so I likely amused any drivers who passed because the wipers were working nicely at intervals on the (then) perfectly dry and sunny day. A little time behind the wheel after arriving at Minmore Mews and I had them shut off.
I had stopped for groceries en route so had all that to put away and I did. Then I unpacked and put away my clothes. Then I got out the laptop. Then the heating system quit. It kept getting colder and colder in the cottage. Some further investigation, not by me, resulted in a diagnosis of a broken something or other. It was of course not available by the time the problem was diagnosed. This is Saturday. No way I'm going to spend the weekend wrapped in a duvet until sometime on Monday.
The owner was contacted - having just left a short time before the heating died. He returned and moved me to another cottage. So, I repacked everything, moved about 30 feet, and reversed the whole procedure.
That brings things up to date. There are no major plans for tomorrow but I expect there will be a brief excursion somewhere.
Saturday, February 29, 2020
Farewell Scotland, Hello Ireland
Friday morning dawned windy and cold. It didn't improve as the day went on, although I'd come to expect the sun to come out.
At 10 we joined our host at the Royal Troon Golf club. And we got the Royal tour. Everything about it oozes history. Even the carpet is special. It has the club crest - 5 golf clubs encircled by a snake. The carpet is laid in the same direction everywhere, except in one place which of course, I forget. There are so many trophies including the Claret Jug on display in the many trophy cases.
We ended the tour with coffee and scones in a club room from which the view was of the 18th green. This is a true links course and we could see players trudging into the wind approaching the green. The speed of the greens is slower than on the well-manicured courses on most of the LPGA and PGA tours. Otherwise, the wind would make it impossible to ever make a putt, or possibly to even reach your ball before it was blown away. I was very impressed that people were golfing when it was so cold, windy and threatening rain. Apparently, the cold and wind don't deter the hardy Scots. This wimpy Canadian was happy not to have a tee time.
This lovely interlude was followed by last-minute packing and preparations for the return flight to Dublin. The drive to Glasgow was on great roadways, but driving along I noted that the ground was white. Snow!!
There was an accident on the other side of the highway that slowed things down for a long way back. It looked like the car that caused the problem had had an engine fire. A number of firemen were gathered around the car but didn't seem to be doing much at that moment, other than continuing to impede traffic. Then again, we were just passing quite long after the initial event and I really have no notion of what actually happened.
Anyhow, we reached the airport where I said thank you and good-bye to my more-than-gracious and helpful hosts. Security procedures were pretty much as expected. What I didn't expect was the long winding walk to the departure gates through the duty-free stores. They seemed endless but eventually ended with an array of cafes, bookstores, etc. I had a look at the menu of one of the restaurants and nearly choked. A hamburger was £17. I don't care how delicious it might have been, any residual temptation vanished.
The flight from Glasgow to Dublin was quite short and bumpy but unremarkable. I managed to get the hotel shuttle, retrieve my suitcase and get back in plenty of time for the Wexford Bus.
Ann picked me up in Gorey and we headed back to the Rocktavern where I had a nice evening catching up with her family.
At 10 we joined our host at the Royal Troon Golf club. And we got the Royal tour. Everything about it oozes history. Even the carpet is special. It has the club crest - 5 golf clubs encircled by a snake. The carpet is laid in the same direction everywhere, except in one place which of course, I forget. There are so many trophies including the Claret Jug on display in the many trophy cases.
We ended the tour with coffee and scones in a club room from which the view was of the 18th green. This is a true links course and we could see players trudging into the wind approaching the green. The speed of the greens is slower than on the well-manicured courses on most of the LPGA and PGA tours. Otherwise, the wind would make it impossible to ever make a putt, or possibly to even reach your ball before it was blown away. I was very impressed that people were golfing when it was so cold, windy and threatening rain. Apparently, the cold and wind don't deter the hardy Scots. This wimpy Canadian was happy not to have a tee time.
This lovely interlude was followed by last-minute packing and preparations for the return flight to Dublin. The drive to Glasgow was on great roadways, but driving along I noted that the ground was white. Snow!!
There was an accident on the other side of the highway that slowed things down for a long way back. It looked like the car that caused the problem had had an engine fire. A number of firemen were gathered around the car but didn't seem to be doing much at that moment, other than continuing to impede traffic. Then again, we were just passing quite long after the initial event and I really have no notion of what actually happened.
Anyhow, we reached the airport where I said thank you and good-bye to my more-than-gracious and helpful hosts. Security procedures were pretty much as expected. What I didn't expect was the long winding walk to the departure gates through the duty-free stores. They seemed endless but eventually ended with an array of cafes, bookstores, etc. I had a look at the menu of one of the restaurants and nearly choked. A hamburger was £17. I don't care how delicious it might have been, any residual temptation vanished.
The flight from Glasgow to Dublin was quite short and bumpy but unremarkable. I managed to get the hotel shuttle, retrieve my suitcase and get back in plenty of time for the Wexford Bus.
Ann picked me up in Gorey and we headed back to the Rocktavern where I had a nice evening catching up with her family.
Magical Thursday in Ayrshire
It would be hard to match the tour of Glasgow, but the Roddies managed to do it with the tour of Ayrshire.
We began with a drive around Troon and a compulsory stop for me, to take a few photos of the Royal Troon golf course clubhouse. One goal on this trip was to visit the pro shop to possibly purchase a wee souvenir. Indeed I did visit, and indeed I did make a purchase, and indeed the price was far from "wee". But I am now the proud owner and (given the weather,) a perpetual wearer, of a cosy navy blue vest with the Royal Troon insignia. I've hardly had it off since then as the weather has been, to be kind, suitable for adding an extra layer of warmth. And then we were off again.
Arguably the most famous name associated with Ayrshire is Robert Burns. I can claim no connection. However, Dorothy is a volunteer with the National Trust at the Robert Burns Memorial and Museum. She, of course, knows all of the other volunteers there and we had a few chats as we toured. On arrival, we made for the cafe to sample the coffee. During our pit stop, it began to rain - as promised in the forecast. However, as we put cups down on saucers in preparation for touring the grounds, the rain stopped and the sun came out again.
The Burns' memorial has been recently restored. It's quite magnificent and has a great deal of symbolism incorporated in the design. Having had inside connections during the restoration, Dorothy was able to climb the scaffolding and see for herself the minute detail of the original carvers. From the ground, nobody will ever see the fine carving on the tops of the pillars. There are a lot of Masonic symbols also. Water had done a lot of damage over the years and restoration took about 18 months. The local granite is nicely showcased in the finished work. We climbed to the viewing platform and had some lovely views of the surrounding countryside.
From the memorial, we wandered through the gardens to Brig' O Doon - a small steeply arched stone bridge over the Doon river. There is no connection to the movie.
From there it was on to the old graveyard in Alloway, the name of the village. Right at the entrance is the grave of William Burns, father of Robert. Not far away are a few very old headstones that instead of words carved on the face, have representations of the person's life. The vertical hourglass means a natural death, a horizontal version means the occupant of the grave met an untimely end.
A visit to the Burns' cottage was not possible as it is closed while the roof is re-thatched. With the recent terribly cold and wet weather it is a painstakingly slow task, but we were able to watch the thatcher at work for a while.
Then it was off on another little drive to the grounds of Culzean Castle. (pronounced culleen). Wowser what a beauty. The grounds seem endless and there are lots of areas to explore. The castle itself was closed so no tour was possible. Below the castle are caves connected to the building above by an interior staircase. These caves, with access also to the sea, proved to be the feature that made "rum-running" possible and undoubtedly built, or helped to build, the fortune of the Kennedy family who owned the estate.
While on the grounds we met a friend of Robert's who happens to be a member at Royal Troon. I was introduced as a golfer and this lovely chap invited us to join him for coffee at the golf club the next day. What a wonderful coincidence, being at the right place at the right time. Oh yes, we accepted the invitation.
After our various tours, we stopped at a small cafe in Alloway for a bowl of soup and another view of the Burns cottage.
From there we headed back to Troon for a bit of a respite from walking and the rain began again. It was impossibly amazing that whenever we were sightseeing on foot, the rain stopped and the sun shone.
We caught sight of Ailsa Craig a couple of times along the way and had a good view of Arran Island. It is said that if you can see Arran, it's going to rain. If you can't see it, it's already raining. In my experience that is absolutely true.
That evening we picked up some freshly caught and cooked "on the spot" fish and chips at the Wee Hurrie at Troon Harbour. I chose the sea bass and it was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. It was the perfect ending of another wonderful day in Scotland.
We began with a drive around Troon and a compulsory stop for me, to take a few photos of the Royal Troon golf course clubhouse. One goal on this trip was to visit the pro shop to possibly purchase a wee souvenir. Indeed I did visit, and indeed I did make a purchase, and indeed the price was far from "wee". But I am now the proud owner and (given the weather,) a perpetual wearer, of a cosy navy blue vest with the Royal Troon insignia. I've hardly had it off since then as the weather has been, to be kind, suitable for adding an extra layer of warmth. And then we were off again.
 |
| Clubhouse at Royal Troon |
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| We entered here the next day |
Arguably the most famous name associated with Ayrshire is Robert Burns. I can claim no connection. However, Dorothy is a volunteer with the National Trust at the Robert Burns Memorial and Museum. She, of course, knows all of the other volunteers there and we had a few chats as we toured. On arrival, we made for the cafe to sample the coffee. During our pit stop, it began to rain - as promised in the forecast. However, as we put cups down on saucers in preparation for touring the grounds, the rain stopped and the sun came out again.
The Burns' memorial has been recently restored. It's quite magnificent and has a great deal of symbolism incorporated in the design. Having had inside connections during the restoration, Dorothy was able to climb the scaffolding and see for herself the minute detail of the original carvers. From the ground, nobody will ever see the fine carving on the tops of the pillars. There are a lot of Masonic symbols also. Water had done a lot of damage over the years and restoration took about 18 months. The local granite is nicely showcased in the finished work. We climbed to the viewing platform and had some lovely views of the surrounding countryside.
From there it was on to the old graveyard in Alloway, the name of the village. Right at the entrance is the grave of William Burns, father of Robert. Not far away are a few very old headstones that instead of words carved on the face, have representations of the person's life. The vertical hourglass means a natural death, a horizontal version means the occupant of the grave met an untimely end.
A visit to the Burns' cottage was not possible as it is closed while the roof is re-thatched. With the recent terribly cold and wet weather it is a painstakingly slow task, but we were able to watch the thatcher at work for a while.
Then it was off on another little drive to the grounds of Culzean Castle. (pronounced culleen). Wowser what a beauty. The grounds seem endless and there are lots of areas to explore. The castle itself was closed so no tour was possible. Below the castle are caves connected to the building above by an interior staircase. These caves, with access also to the sea, proved to be the feature that made "rum-running" possible and undoubtedly built, or helped to build, the fortune of the Kennedy family who owned the estate.
 |
| Culzen Castle |
 |
| On the castle grounds |
While on the grounds we met a friend of Robert's who happens to be a member at Royal Troon. I was introduced as a golfer and this lovely chap invited us to join him for coffee at the golf club the next day. What a wonderful coincidence, being at the right place at the right time. Oh yes, we accepted the invitation.
After our various tours, we stopped at a small cafe in Alloway for a bowl of soup and another view of the Burns cottage.
From there we headed back to Troon for a bit of a respite from walking and the rain began again. It was impossibly amazing that whenever we were sightseeing on foot, the rain stopped and the sun shone.
That evening we picked up some freshly caught and cooked "on the spot" fish and chips at the Wee Hurrie at Troon Harbour. I chose the sea bass and it was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. It was the perfect ending of another wonderful day in Scotland.
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Glasgow the beautiful
This morning Dorothy and I boarded the train at Barassi Station near their home, met her sister and friends on the train, and had a lovely, warm, trouble-free ride into Glasgow's Central Station. I mention "warm" because that didn't figure highly into much of the rest of the day.
We had the full gamut of weather today. It was mostly bright and sunny, after an early-morning greeting of hail lashing against my window. Along with the sun was a very fresh (read 'cold') breeze. There were some scattered showers and in fact a bit of hail as we approached Kelvingrove Gallery, but thankfully it was short-lived.
So to back up, we began our exploration of Merchant City.(https://peoplemakeglasgow.com/neighbourhoods/city-centre/merchant-city)
The architecture is wondrous to behold. No column has been left unadorned, no window top left without a garland or gargoyle, no view in any direction without another reason to look up and admire. Old factories have been re-purposed into offices, flats, businesses. Many had sadly been demolished but so many still remain.
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| Exterior of Prince's Square - a shopping centre |
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| The Duke of Wellington with his traffic cone hat https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equestrian_statue_of_the_Duke_of_Wellington,_Glasgow |
There is a saying that you must look up in Glasgow. Indeed! If you don't, you'll miss a lot. Inside and outside the buildings. On the inside you'll find ornate ceilings and mouldings, cupolas of glass, and many stained glass windows. Chandeliers and plaster decorations abound. More eye candy.
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| Inside City Hall |
We did such wonderful things as lunching at https://www.mackintoshatthewillow.com/ where we enjoyed quiche and salad along with warm beverages.
Browsing at https://www.hotelchocolat.com/uk/chocolate-shops/glasgow-buchanan-st.html where we had no choice but to sample the chocolate caramel miniature bunnies, um, twice. Well we made a return visit and had to repeat the sampling. On the second visit we enjoyed scrumptious hot chocolate as we were quite chilled and had to warm up. I was also forced, by cravings, to purchase some of the delights. With luck, some will make it home at the end of the trip.
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| We declined to have the extra whipped chocolate |
We took the subway (known as the Clockwork Orange) to the West end and wandered around the beautiful campus of Glasgow University. The buildings have a lovely similarity yet original adornments. Every building, green space and the cloisters caught my attention. It was hard to know where to let the eyes rest.
We managed to see a city view from the Lighthouse, arriving 5 minutes before closing. The kind gentleman allowed us to take the elevator for a very fast view. Here are some of the chimneys of central Glasgow.
Returning to Barassi/Troon on the 6 pm train, we again enjoyed 40 minutes of warmth, only to be startled back to reality when we de-trained for the short walk back home. A few minutes later we drove to Highgrove for a lovely dinner.
Subsequently Dorothy and I learned, all because I asked her to send my one of her photos, that Whatsapp doesn't care what new SIM card you have. If the app was installed with a SIM, which is later swapped out for another (so I have a local phone in Ireland), you still use the original phone number for this app. Figuring that out only took the better part of an hour but we prevailed. Well, that and a missing 0, kept us cross-eyed and determined, and in the end we accomplished our purpose.
I'm now cross-eyed with fatigue, my legs are saying "it's so far over to the bed. It's almost a 5 foot walk" but I shall force them into a tiny bit more service before calling it a day. A fantastic day.
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| Near City Hall |
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| the "Glasgow walkers" before fatigue set in |
Bonnie Scotland
The day and evening in Dublin were fine and the weather was "the usual". That means rain, sun and wind - sometimes one at a time and sometimes all together. It was chilly or fine, depending on the time. It was different every half hour.
I got the phone sorted out. My SIM hadn't been topped up for so long that the number was not seemingly available but when I gently asked if they would look to see if it had been given out again, the clerk obliged. It was available and I'm back in business with the same Irish phone number.
It was a short bus ride to the shopping centre where the Vodaphone store was located. I'd thought of walking but there's a difference between a short bus ride and a very long walk.
Back at the hotel I relaxed and read and at dinner time went to the Crowne Plaza next door for a meal. It was outstanding - Onion and Cider Soup followed by a grilled salmon fillet with aubergine puree, lentils, some pretty (unfamiliar flowery) greens and a couple of teeny tiny zucchini buttons. Delicious. Oh yes, and the glass of sauvignon blanc was more than acceptable too.
I slept well - in two stages, broken up by reading the rest of my book and seem to have overcome any jet lag.
The small suitcase was repacked for the few days in Scotland and everything else was crammed into the other one which is now in the "left luggage" room at the Holiday Inn to be collected on my return.
The experience of using Ryanair was quite satisfactory, other than having to walk out to the plane and up the stairs carrying my little suitcase before wrestling it up and into the overhead bin. I had booked my seat and thus avoided the "non-priority" line of first-on first-seated. The only one unhappy was a toddler whose mode of communication was screeching. He just liked the sound it made. Personally, I did not care for that sound. He liked it so much he did it while waiting in the terminal and while in the air. His mother didn't even look frazzled.
Upon arrival in Glasgow, we didn't even go through any sort of customs or immigration despite Ireland being still in the EU and Scotland, as part of the UK, had recently Brexited. Dorothy and Robert were waiting and soon whisked me off to Troon.
Dorothy and I went for a short walk down to the sea - a few hundred yards away from their home. The recent heavy rains have the streams running very high and the footpath is partly underwater, so we halted our progress. It's still chilly now but quite bearable.
Today we girls are off to Glasgow where Dorothy is going to give me as grand a tour as we can manage in a day. I got a bit of an introduction last night and am looking forward to it. The morning started with rain lashing the window but the skies have cleared and the sun is out - at least for now. Robert is bowling. In accommodation of the climate, their lawn bowling is done indoors in winter. How nice is that!
We'll take the train into the city, the local station being between here and the sea. That will complete the trifecta of "Planes, Trains and Automobiles".
more on the morrow
Monday, February 24, 2020
Landed in Dublin
Greetings followers and anyone happening by.
The flight from Ottawa to Toronto turned out to be uneventful but for a few minutes I wasn't sure. As we approached Pearson airport the pilot lowered the landing gear - at least that's what it sounded like and I've heard my share of "wheels on the way down" over the years.
And then he retracted it and tried again. This was repeated another couple of times. I wonder was he teasing us, now somewhat fearful back in steerage? I kind of lost track of whether he was lowering or raising it. No announcement was made to the huddled masses.
In any event, it was a bit of a bumpy landing but after braking and following the taxiways for 15 minutes, we did arrive unscathed at the gate.
Making the connection was not a big deal. The signage has either improved, or my ability to read the markers has. Following the signs to section E for international flights was easy. It was only a 20 minute walk - and there I was trotting along without a fitbit to encourage me.
We were duly assigned Gate E78 and there the passengers assembled. There was a delay in the departure because of cargo-loading issues apparently, but despite taking off 30 minutes late, we arrived about 30 minutes early. Must have been a great tailwind as I didn't hear the engines screaming.
With a little bit of "better living through chemistry" I did manage a few hours of sleep. God bless sleep masks and ear plugs. There was a dinner served about an hour after takeoff but I declined. The horrendously expensive, tiny little egg salad sandwich I enjoyed in the terminal, was still enough given the lack of moving around. I must admit dinner did look and smell pretty good - in fact it was the wafting fumes that woke me up from sleep installment #1.
Breakfast was served shortly before landing. It was more or less a plastic-wrapped slice of banana bread tossed in my direction, followed by a tiny little cup of not-too-bad coffee. And thus ended the last sleep installment.
Clearing customs and immigration was speedy and it wasn't a long wait for the bag to come rolling along on the carousel, with the handles strategically placed as far from my reach as possible. But I wrangled it off.
Then there was the short trot to "Area 16"!!! That is the corral for hotel shuttle buses. By the time I asked the attendant what colour bus I should be looking for, it rolled in. The driver took one look at this old lady and picked up the two bags and stowed them for me. He leaped into action on arrival at the hotel, taking them off again. Another gentleman offered to roll them into the hotel for me but by then I felt in control again and simply thanked him for the offer.
There was a short line-up to check in and I followed a Chinese couple wearing masks. Um .. should I have been worried? I didn't ask where they had come from as the LHR (London, Heathrow) on the bag tag might have been their departure point. Anyway, once at the desk the jolly soul was very helpful and I was more than a little delighted to be able to move right into my room even though it was still early.
Now that I've checked the wifi and issued this update, I shall drain my acceptable cup of instant coffee, provided as a do-it-yourself project in the room.
The room is quite nice and modern and the bathroom looks wonderful with a large walk-in shower. I shall walk in soon.
The rain is to stop by noon and then I'll venture out to update my SIM card and once again feel totally connected. It's about a 20 minute walk, or a 2 Euro bus ride, or 8 Euro taxi ride. I'm planning on the walk.
Until there's more to add ...
The flight from Ottawa to Toronto turned out to be uneventful but for a few minutes I wasn't sure. As we approached Pearson airport the pilot lowered the landing gear - at least that's what it sounded like and I've heard my share of "wheels on the way down" over the years.
And then he retracted it and tried again. This was repeated another couple of times. I wonder was he teasing us, now somewhat fearful back in steerage? I kind of lost track of whether he was lowering or raising it. No announcement was made to the huddled masses.
In any event, it was a bit of a bumpy landing but after braking and following the taxiways for 15 minutes, we did arrive unscathed at the gate.
Making the connection was not a big deal. The signage has either improved, or my ability to read the markers has. Following the signs to section E for international flights was easy. It was only a 20 minute walk - and there I was trotting along without a fitbit to encourage me.
We were duly assigned Gate E78 and there the passengers assembled. There was a delay in the departure because of cargo-loading issues apparently, but despite taking off 30 minutes late, we arrived about 30 minutes early. Must have been a great tailwind as I didn't hear the engines screaming.
With a little bit of "better living through chemistry" I did manage a few hours of sleep. God bless sleep masks and ear plugs. There was a dinner served about an hour after takeoff but I declined. The horrendously expensive, tiny little egg salad sandwich I enjoyed in the terminal, was still enough given the lack of moving around. I must admit dinner did look and smell pretty good - in fact it was the wafting fumes that woke me up from sleep installment #1.
Breakfast was served shortly before landing. It was more or less a plastic-wrapped slice of banana bread tossed in my direction, followed by a tiny little cup of not-too-bad coffee. And thus ended the last sleep installment.
Clearing customs and immigration was speedy and it wasn't a long wait for the bag to come rolling along on the carousel, with the handles strategically placed as far from my reach as possible. But I wrangled it off.
Then there was the short trot to "Area 16"!!! That is the corral for hotel shuttle buses. By the time I asked the attendant what colour bus I should be looking for, it rolled in. The driver took one look at this old lady and picked up the two bags and stowed them for me. He leaped into action on arrival at the hotel, taking them off again. Another gentleman offered to roll them into the hotel for me but by then I felt in control again and simply thanked him for the offer.
There was a short line-up to check in and I followed a Chinese couple wearing masks. Um .. should I have been worried? I didn't ask where they had come from as the LHR (London, Heathrow) on the bag tag might have been their departure point. Anyway, once at the desk the jolly soul was very helpful and I was more than a little delighted to be able to move right into my room even though it was still early.
Now that I've checked the wifi and issued this update, I shall drain my acceptable cup of instant coffee, provided as a do-it-yourself project in the room.
The room is quite nice and modern and the bathroom looks wonderful with a large walk-in shower. I shall walk in soon.
The rain is to stop by noon and then I'll venture out to update my SIM card and once again feel totally connected. It's about a 20 minute walk, or a 2 Euro bus ride, or 8 Euro taxi ride. I'm planning on the walk.
Until there's more to add ...
Monday, February 17, 2020
I'm out of here and off to Ireland again
Hello there - I'm on the road again. Well, I will be soon.
This time I am going first to Dublin for a few hours, hopping over to Scotland for a few days, and then back on Ryanair to Dublin. From there I'll head south to Byrne territory and take up residence for a month at minmoremews.com . I expect to stay in The Store. Check it out as one of my homes away from home.
Of course, I'll be out and about on the roads. This time I'll be at the wheel of a little Red Yaris with manual transmission. Consider this official warning of my upcoming jaunts around Leinster. You might wish to avoid my adventures and if you meet me, please be aware of directions to wherever it is I'm trying to go. My genetic predisposition for getting lost has probably spread across the south of Ireland by now - sorry. But I do meet lots of lovely people as I travel about and ask for help.
There's so much I have to jam into this visit so I should not be dealing with boredom at any point. It's more likely I'll be looking for more hours in the day.
The posts on this blog will be quite regular once I get going, although I can't promise they will always be entertaining and feature beautiful photos. But I'll try.
And if you've followed me before you may notice that I've changed the background picture to the Cliffs of Moher - keeping with my Irish roots and current destination.
Ann
This time I am going first to Dublin for a few hours, hopping over to Scotland for a few days, and then back on Ryanair to Dublin. From there I'll head south to Byrne territory and take up residence for a month at minmoremews.com . I expect to stay in The Store. Check it out as one of my homes away from home.
Of course, I'll be out and about on the roads. This time I'll be at the wheel of a little Red Yaris with manual transmission. Consider this official warning of my upcoming jaunts around Leinster. You might wish to avoid my adventures and if you meet me, please be aware of directions to wherever it is I'm trying to go. My genetic predisposition for getting lost has probably spread across the south of Ireland by now - sorry. But I do meet lots of lovely people as I travel about and ask for help.
There's so much I have to jam into this visit so I should not be dealing with boredom at any point. It's more likely I'll be looking for more hours in the day.
The posts on this blog will be quite regular once I get going, although I can't promise they will always be entertaining and feature beautiful photos. But I'll try.
And if you've followed me before you may notice that I've changed the background picture to the Cliffs of Moher - keeping with my Irish roots and current destination.
Ann
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