Just a warning

The weather news is getting worse. No good weather in sight and a storm coming in on Wednesday night. The south and east (where I am) will apparently be hit hard.

Co Wexford, especially around Wexford town, is already afloat. The National Heritage Park is underwater and even the main reception building including the café was flooded. Of course it had to close. There's no report that I've heard with an estimate of the damage but some of the recreated Viking buildings are half under water. We were lucky to have visited when it was merely sort of flooded but workable.

Plans for this week are not finalized, other than staying dry and not driving far. Fingers crossed that if something comes up the roads will be open. There might not be much to report. The cottage where I've set up camp, is not equipped with life jackets. Maybe I'll make enquiries about getting one.We are on high ground so maybe that would be over-cautious.

Wandering? not today

Today I gained an hour as the clocks went back overnight. My apple watch, Macbook and iPhone all behaved well and reset themselves. I woke up to the news that Braden and Sammie were at the airport at the boarding gate and ready for the trip home. They'd spent the past couple of days in Dublin taking in whatever sites appealed to them. Their special souvenirs from Egan's made it through security and will be enjoyed at home. 

I miss having Heather, Braden and Sammie with me. They are all excellent company and travel companions. None contributed greatly to the Irish economy by splurging on souvenirs although a couple of items returned to Canada with them. The beauty of carry-on luggage is that it restricts the number of purchases one can take back home. Heather's souvenir sweater from the Alpaca walk (it was cold and she needed something warmer to wear), and Braden and Sammie's Guinness glasses will help keep them warm back at home.

Yesterday was a relaxing day at The Store. Donal delivered some fresh eggs from the resident chickens and John O stopped in for a coffee. Aside from that I stocked up on groceries at Aldi, topped up the gas tank at Texaco and withdrew my rent money from the ATM - all in Bunclody. For a small town the traffic would rival many larger places. 

Last evening I had a lovely dinner with Susan and Damien, just up the way. They have a remarkably long and winding driveway on which you would never want to meet another oncoming car. There was no need to worry as I was expected. To keep people on the narrow road, they have some signs like "do not pass" all installed for the purpose of keeping drivers on the track. If one should ignore the signs your fate would be sealed, tumbling over the edge. It was very dark and pouring rain, but on leaving, Damien with his umbrella, guided my reversing so that I'd safely manoeuvre my way back to the "main" road. It was barely wider than their lane.

We enjoyed a mainly genealogical bent to the conversation. Susan has done extensive researching of her roots and Damian's. Both she and I are writing the family stories now. Why is it that everyone else's family seems more interesting than my own? We are both very keen to have accurate records, while being very aware that there are errors on our family trees. That doesn't deter others from wantonly copying people from one tree to another without regard to any real relationship to their own, nor to any notes we've included to say that a particular person or fact has not been sufficiently verified. I've given up caring.

It was a relatively early night, followed by an extra hour's sleep. Today is a lazy hermit sort of day. It's raining now (quelle surprise!) and promises of similar weather all week could mean progress with my writing or research. I might only need slippers as plans don't involve the outdoors.

So, cosying up with a coffee and the trusty laptop, here's to progress in writing.

Finding a new theme song

This morning when I got up it was bright, dry and quite mild. So, I was ready to burst into "It's a beautiful day in the neigbourhood." Since I wasn't alone and I have a terrible voice, it would have been more of silent lip singing. That thought came and went quite fast.

It was my last day with company and I suppose I'll have to start not only talking to myself, but also doing all the cooking and cleaning up. It's been wonderful having live-in help who are also cheerful and easy to please. They were amenable to all suggestions and had some of their own. Now I have to plan my own days and meals too. And there's nobody to clean up after me.

The second song I considered for my theme, and this one is a recurring theme, is an Irish song that includes the lines: "we're on the one road, maybe the wrong road" and that is a very accurate statement about my directional ability. We set the map app for our destination of Greystones DART station and for some reason she didn't start yapping right away. I had a look at the map of our proposed route and immediately misunderstood. The voice was so annoyed with me that she continued the silent treatment. Try as we might she wouldn't give oral directions. And, setting out anyway, I went in exactly the wrong direction and wondered why, when she started to talk, she kept directing us onto L roads leading who knows where. 

The penny finally dropped and we turned around, having wasted about 20 minutes. No sweat, they could get the next train and I'd still be on time to meet my friends for lunch. Once we saw signs for Arklow and the M11 which would take us to the destination, I stopped following "the voice" and used the road signs. It probably took a bit longer but it was time to take a stand. 

After dropping Braden and Sammie in Greystones, I let "the voice" direct me to the Avoca shop at Kilmacanogue. This time it was blind trust. I could only do what I was told and couldn't look at the map at the same time. The trust was justified as I arrived at the right place only a few minutes late. Parking there is a bit of a nightmare but luckily I saw someone pulling out and was able to replace them before the next raindrop hit the pavement.

We had a lovely lunch and caught up on happenings since our get together last year. Some folks just get along well and our little group of four certainly does. We met at the Canada Come Home Gathering in 2013 and have stayed in touch.

Once again trusting the voice to direct me back to Minmore, I set out on the N11 and happily sailed along the highway. The sun was beginning to lower and from time to time it was quite a nuisance having it shining in my face. Luckily, the clouds stepped in front and saved the day once I reached the dreaded L roads. This time I had the pleasure of following a large truck for about 15 kms. Happily that meant I would not be surprised by an oncoming car swooping around the next corner. Bad road+truck=benefits.

The owner was still waiting for the plumber to repair whatever ails the pipes to the shower when I arrived back. The shower was by then completely out of commission. So, I accepted the invitation to move into The Store a day early. I packed in a hurry and once I got sorted out in the new digs, realized I'd forgotten a couple of items in the freezer along with my toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo and soap in the bathroom. Thanks to text messaging I contacted the owner and he's going to deliver the items to me in the morning. Great service. It's a couple of hundred yards away - right across the road. But I no longer have the keys.

I hope he's able to get the shower situation sorted out. The next lot of visitors arrives tomorrow afternoon. He's a very nice man and was very apologetic. Things happen, and besides, it gives me something to say.

Anyway, here I am, with my latest candidate for song of the day "Raindrops keep falling on my head." This time it's "raindrops keep falling on my roof" because I'm warm and dry indoors.

No photos were taken today so there are none to share. I can't promise anything for tomorrow. It may be so non-memorable that I won't even post. 

If you (don't) like the weather, wait 5 minutes and it will change

It was a lovely mild morning when we got up and got the laundry on. It wasn't yet quite sunny but very acceptable. The usual fog or low clouds were easy to see as we checked the view. Braden tested for Covid and he was negative. It's really just a cold. He wore a mask to keep from "sharing" and we set out for Hook Head. The laundry was done so we didn't need to decide which socks were the cleanest among the dirty ones. 

No detours were suggested by the voice in my phone today. I think the Apple Map navigation is more accurate than Google. Then again, we did have that misstep yesterday where we were in the middle of nowhere and told we'd have to walk the final 500 metres. I still have no idea where we were when we reversed course and got to where we should have been earlier.

And the navigation voice I'd been mistakenly calling 'Ms Google,' is getting a bit demanding. When we are about 100 metres from a turn she'll almost bark "Turn right."  I guess that's so you follow her directions. Even if I complain about her mood or instructions, she has been a godsend and will continue to be one, although my travelling is pretty much over. I'll just be around here for the final two weeks.

The route was mostly on good roads and we experienced everything from glorious sunshine to rain while driving. It was raining when we arrived at the lighthouse, but tickets were obtained for the next tour, and we had time for soup and brown bread for lunch. I indulged in the wonderful seafood chowder - having enjoyed it both other times that I visited. This time I declined to take the lighthouse tour, leaving the 151 steps for others. Instead, I ordered a capuccino and relaxed in the cafe. That's getting to be a very pleasant habit. By the way, Hook Lighthouse is the oldest continuously and still working lighthouse in the world.

Arrival at Hook Lighthouse, in the rain

The end of the capuccino and view of the sea

The return trip included a stop at Fethard Castle - now a ruin. And it rained again, but were not deterred. Well, I was, but the castle expert was not. 

Remains of Fethard Castle

From there it was on to Egan's pub to say hello and basically confirm that our musician was not up to performing due to his cold. Instead, Guinness was consumed by all and we enjoyed a couple of hours of conversation along with the black stuff. And there was that shot of Poteen for good measure. Nope, not me, I'd tried it before and found it "wanting." Wanting to be consumed by someone else. We tasted some hazelnuts, after shelling them, collected and brought in by Aiden who later played some pool with Braden and Sammie. That visit seemed to banish his cold. Possibly it was the poteen. The only thing comparable in my mind is Screech from Newfoundland.

First Guinness coming up

Aiden with the hazelnuts to share

Larry and I talked history and genealogy and I have some new avenues to explore and possibly a clue to finding out "who was Mary Foley?" She was a child who was born very near the Byrnes in Coolruss, apparently went to New Brunswick with her parents in 1848 and yet ended up living with the Byrnes from at least 1851 to 1861, before simply disappearing from any records I can find. That's for another day, but very soon.

Now back at the cottage, the kids are packing up their belongings for tomorrow's drive to Greystones to catch the DART into Dublin. They will complete their trip in the big city. I will meet some friends for lunch and then come back to pack up my own things for the move across the road on Saturday.

Brief update

 It's just a cold. Taking it easy but still going for a drive today.

A little bit of heaven

Do you know the song "A little bit of heaven fell from out the sky one day?" Well, that almost seemed to be the case today.

As we left the cottage on the road to Shillelagh, the view was a little bit different. It was clear enough, not quite sunny, but as we drove along and looked at the view, the clouds had settled very low in the vallley with the hills visible above them. It was quite lovely, and the kids took some pictures as I stayed in the car pulled as far off the road to the left as I possibly could get it. 

That was just a taste of what was to come en route. Our destination was Limerick, literally across the country. The roads were good, no more washouts, and for the most part we were on major roads. But as we drove west we hit some patches of severe fog, making it feel like the clouds had dropped down on us. And then over the next hill, the skies would clear, and the low clouds hung over the lowlands and the hills were visible above. Heavenly.

While the drive to Limerick was pretty straightforward, it was nearly three hours of driving before we arrived. Limerick is a very old city. It was never designed for cars. It's bad enough driving on the left, shifting gears when I'm accustomed to automatic transmission, and using good roads. At almost every new street we had to make a turn. It often looked like the car would have to be an accordion, shrinking between cars parked on both sides of a two-way street, and the lane only wide enough for one vehicle. I was a very shifty character until we came to the castle.

We looked for the pay and display machine but after reading the sign – very high up on a post – it seemed we were in an e-parking zone. What is that? Well, to pay, you have to call the number on the post. So I did. Not helpful the first time. I was not fast enough entering the license plate. Second time was a winner – or at least I think so. No charges were shown on the post. I suppose it will be billed to Hertz from whom I rented the car. Just another little kink in proceedings. I'm sure it's not as expensive as parking at home but I will find out when I return the vehicle. 

King John's Castle has a long and of course violent history. The story was told very well in the museum you pass through before seeing the castle itself. I remember almost nothing of what the signs said. I do remember that I'm grateful for not having lived through any of those awful times. In one passage they posted signs of how waste was disposed of and how awful the smells were. I momentarily feared that they had somehow conjured up a way to let us have that experience. Whew. They didn't.

It became quite cloudy as we moved out past the more-or-less underground bits showing the original walls and tunnels (dug by hand with enemies approaching each other underground). This is the reason behind the term "undermining." Who knew? Well, if you did, please don't make me feel stupid, because I didn't.

I opted to do a taste test of the capuccino in the cafe while Braden and Sammie climbed the walls. Well, not the walls, but nasty winding stone staircases inside the parts of the castle open to exploration. The capuccino passed the test and I'll be happy just to see their photos. 

We had a late lunch at Katie Daly's pub across the street. It apparently dates to 1798 and Katie Daly was born in California, daughter of a man born in Roscrea, just down the road. She never came to Ireland as far as I could see, and ended up dying in Alcatraz. The family business was moonshine and things didn't quite work out the way she'd planned. Anyway, the seafood chowder was wonderful along with the every-present slice of brown bread. But why is the pub named after an American criminal?

Off we went to see the Rock of Cashel. No problems en route. I decided to stay in the car for a nap while the kids set off up the hill. They arrived 2 minutes too late to be admitted. Last time I was there we were 5 minutes too late to get in. Today the last entry was 3:45 and last year it was 5 pm. Different month, different closing time I guess. Anyway, they were not amused. 

And then the driving fun began. We decided to take a detour to Clonegal, very near our cottage. But our navigational aid (turns out NOT to be Ms Google), was seeking revenge. Either that or she was confused or just messing with us. As we drove towards what I knew was the road to Clonegal, we got a directive to take an "L" road. Hmmm. OK - worth a shot? Turns out the answer is "Nope." 

We arrived on the backest of back roads and were told "park the car and walk from here" in a slightly different version of that statement. Park? Walk? We are NOT in Clonegal. It's a town with streets, and businesses and houses. This was not that at all. So, I backed up into a lane and turned around. We reset the app to "Clonegal old RC graveyard" instead of "Clonegal" and were guided back on the path from whence we'd recently arrived.

After a brief stop in Clonegal, the real one, for historical verification, by the Derry river, near the narrow stone bridge, it was time to head back home. That part was a piece of cake.

BUT - Braden has developed what we hope is just a head cold. Mary Byrne gave us a recommendation for a cold remedy "Lemsip" which has been purchased and consumed. In the morning, we will use the other thing Mary provided: a Covid test. At present all of our fingers and toes are crossed that only one line appears when Braden does the test tomorrow.

Plans are on hold until we know how he feels and what the situation is. Update when available. Meanwhile, enjoy a few pictures from yesterday and today.

Entrance to Johnstown Castle - note the Hallowe'en decorations

View from inside the castle - just before the rain started

Tower at Ferrycarrig bridge

Amazing clouds over the Irish Sea at Courtown, Wexford

King John's Castle, Limerick on the Shannon River

Low clouds over Shillelagh

It's not raining - let's go sightseeing

The day started dry and ended dry and had lots of sun, a huge rainbow and a few strategically timed heavy showers.

The drive to the Irish National Heritage Park near Wexford town was uneventful. Traffic moved well and the roads were OK. No major puddles. After yesterday's road closures and scary encounters with deep water (not OUR encounters, just some on video) we had great conditions.

Braden and Sammie toured the park and were intrigued with all of the Viking displays and replicas of buildings, costumes and tools. That was to be expected. What wasn't expected was seeing a heron catch and play with a snake. I thought there were no snakes here. Do I have to re-think my visits? Anyway, this heron was standing on a gravel path that was completely flooded and we noticed he was "biting" on something that he was sort of flinging around. I hate snakes so there's no way I was going to take a video or even a photo. It looked like a garter snake but believe me, we were nowhere near close enough to be sure. 

They almost finished the walking tour when the heavens opened. Good rain jackets saved the day. Meanwhile, back in the café, I enjoyed a pot of peppermint tea and finished my book. I'd been there before and am indifferent to Vikings so there was no need to visit again. We had lunch there as it was still raining and outside the window was a huge rainbow. The problem was we could see it through the trees but a picture wouldn't have shown anything. 

The road to Hook Head Lighthouse is not exactly a motorway and yesterday was under a foot of water. Our car is not that far off the ground and I imagine Hertz would frown on us using it as an amphibious craft.

So, Johnstown Castle was the next stop. The castle restoration has been completed and we took the guided tour. Very interesting. A fully intact castle is not what Braden loves. So we sought out one in ruins. Google showed us one quite close by so I set the map app and we set out. Well, there is no Artramon Castle. We did get to the townland of Artramon. The houses are nice. The road is narrow. But no castle.

On to Curracloe Beach - well, almost. We were within sight of the parking lot when the road signs warned of flooding. The huge puddle, well minor lake, was enough to say "Hey, I think I'll just reverse up this road." So I did. We couldn't find a place that overlooked the beach. On to Courtown. There we found the harbour, took a few photos and headed back home.

We're about to visit Mary and Jim and then on to the Dying Cow. Photos next time.

We never made it to the Dying Cow. But it was a nice visit to Coolross.

Liquid sunshine - no, I'll be blunt. The weather was wretched all day long.

Jet Lag has been slept off, we hope. Despite the endless rain, we set out for New Ross in late morning. The roads weren't too bad and we got to the Dunbrody famine ship easily enough. The parking machine for the "Pay and Display" was not working so our parking was free. A chap inside the entrance to the tour said that the fellow who checks that all cars are paid up, never checks the vehicles when the weather is this bad. That was a little bonus for making the effort to get out. He was right - no ticket and no pay.

Braden and Sammie toured the Dunbrody while I, blissfully ignorant of what was going on outside, enjoyed a Capuccino and my phone. OMG am I turning into a person attached so tightly to their phone? Maybe. I did see a couple of staff members in the cafe looking out the window but I figured they were just checking to see if the rain had let up. Nope!

When B & S finished their tour they asked if I'd seen the helicopter hovering over the river beyond where the Dunbrody sits at anchor. I had not. On the tour they were kept below deck, not just because the rain was so heavy, but the guide didn't want them to see the recovery of a person who'd drowned. And I didn't see a thing, although I think I would have had a pretty good view. I don't regret my ignorance of that situation. Very sad.

Fortunately I called Hook Head where we'd planned to drive to visit the oldest continuously working lighthouse in the world. The narrow roads leading to the lighthouse were open but the water was deep in spots and the person I spoke with asked if our car was very high off the ground. It is not. Now, a little adventure can be fun, but stalling in the middle of a foot deep washout, without wellies or a way to tow the car out, is not high on my bucket list. We opted to drive to Waterford instead.

Vikings played a significant role in the history of that city. They settled right in and married the locals. We had plenty of time to visit Reginald's tower. I don't recall when construction began but it was many hundreds of years ago. It had been modified and added to over those centuries. Inside is an interesting video presentation and a bit of a museum. Once outside again, we had hoped to pop directly into The Reg (pub) for something to eat and a pint of Guinness for Braden. It didn't open until 5.

We wandered around the Viking triangle of narrow streets and had a brief stop at some outdoor curiosities and a free visit to the Medieval Museum because it was close to closing time and they didn't charge us. It is very well done. I'm not a Medieval fan nor do I know pretty much anything about that time, but Braden enjoyed it. He's reading about Brian Boru (go look him up if you have time on your hands) and there were several references found there. 

This thing is called something like The Sword of the Dragon

Details of carvings on the "sword"

We were the first customers in The Reg when it opened at 5. The fish n chips with mushy peas (why?) were delicious and half of our portions were brought home to enjoy another day. As I had to drive in the lousy weather, but on decent roads, I imbibed only water.

Smiling in anticipation of his pint of the black stuff

The drive home was pretty straightforward. Ms Google must have realized that the weather necessitated using main roads. On the last stretch back from Bunclody, deciding to take the longer route that gave us easier access to our awful laneway, we encountered a sign saying the road was closed due to flooding. Two other vehicles went ahead anyway, but we turned off onto the shorter route, encountered only a couple of not-so-impressive puddles, and got back safely. Turning into the laneway took a bit of manouevering but we're here.

The plan to go to The Dying Cow pub were shelved. It's on a narrow road and I was unwilling to take a chance on conditions. We've called it a day.

Brilliant sunshine and all was bright and good

We got up early and were on the road to the airport by 7:30. Google was pressed into service and today she was a star. Nary a narrow road and nary an error.

Arriving at Terminal 1 about 9, we parked and only had to wait a few minutes for the new visitors to walk into the arrivals area. We all had a bite to eat in the terminal, then said farewell to Heather who has been a wonderful roommate for the past week. 

En route back to the cottage, we made a stop for a wander around at the ruins of Baltinglass Abbey and all were impressed and some photos were taken. From there we drove to Bunclody and part way up Mt Leinster for a fantastic view of several counties. Of course there are no signs waving to tell you which county you are looking at, far off in the distance. I don't think we could see as far as Fermanagh. The day was too sunny and clear to waste the opportunity.

Picking up some groceries at SuperValu, was followed by the drive back to the cottage where said groceries were stowed away. The plan was to feed those who arrived for our chats about history, family and music. Not enough was consumed so we shan't go hungry. 

Patrick had his concertina, Nicola her Uileann pipes and Braden had a borrowed guitar. It was a fabulous evening. Some tea, cookies, cheese and crackers were consumed, along with some beer. Larry was in first and went back to the pub, sending Mary with a special delivery for Braden - a hand pulled pint of Guinness. He'd been forced to drink the canned variety but was in heaven to get a taste of the real thing. Mary had put a Pringles lid on the Guinness glass so not a drop was spilled getting it here. 

It's been a long day that began at 6:30 and I'm about ready to drop. I'll post a few photos and you can see how we spent our time.

Special delivery Guinness - not from that can you see

Joined by the Egans 

The musicians

The whole gang at sunset

Nicola, Patrick and Ita

What's that bright light up in the sky?

Well, a sunny morning. Are we still in Ireland? 

It wasn't an early start but at 10 am we headed for our Walk with Alpacas near Newtownmountkennedy. I decided to drive as much of the route as possible without the bossy Ms Google wanting us to use all the tiniest, narrowest roads. We fairly sailed along to Blessington and had gone too far. But we still had plenty of time and I actually needed my sunglasses to drive. We did get a scare when it clouded over but that didn't last long.

The directions, when we let Ms Google have her say, took us over the Wicklow gap where we encountered a few healthy-looking sheep beside the road in a couple of spots. The ride was uneventful and thanks to a slow-moving van ahead of us, we could do a bit of neck-craning to see the views. Relax, it was Heather who looked around, I was watching that van and trying to shout that it was possible to shift up to 3rd gear if he'd give it a try.

Making good progress we got a message from K2 Alpacas that there had been an accident on the road and to use a different route. We didn't know any other route but they didn't say from which direction, so we just chugged on. All the while we were getting hungry. Breakfast was a piece of toast and a bit of scrambled egg. But our mouths were getting ready for some soup with brown bread. It's everywhere.

Well, now we know that's no longer true. There was a Taco Truck with some unappetizing options, but otherwise, K2 has no cafe and offered coffee and hot chocolate machines, chocolate bars, Pringles, cookies and cupcakes. I settled on a hot chocolate and a small can of Pringles that I didn't finish. I wondered if I'd have the energy for the walk. I did - barely.

It has been a little wet - have I mentioned our weather? The grounds were a bit muddy but one of the guides suggested that I use a pair of their rubber boots. Thank goodness I did. The ground practically sucked them down and I might well have walked right out of the old runners I'd thought would work. Heather had brought Wellies from home so she was all set.

Eventually the guides and us and fellow trekkers, rounded up the alpacas - quite the feat in itself. I'd like to think that the trekkers helped and I suppose by holding the rope and moving ever forward, we did. Once the small herd of males was in the designated enclosure they were put on leashes, ready for our walk. Each of us was given our own alpaca. Heather had Tom and I had Little Ted. Tom led the way and Little Ted brought up the rear. He has little leadership ambition but is a reasonable follower. He did stop along the way to take in the scenery and munch on the grass but we were never too far behind.

We fed them a sort of enriched kibble and posed for photos. It was a delightful experience. There were 9 trekkers and a leader in each of today's two groups. It was chilly but not too windy and the sun shone the entire time.

The trekkers with Little Ted and Tom

Following a suggestion from Lynne, we drove to the Horse and Hound in Delgany and enjoyed a prawn stir fry with bok choy in a delicious broth, along with some tasty flatbread, served hot. It was just enough and very tasty. By then I might have even enjoyed some of the kibble we fed to Little Ted and Tom.

We decided to take the quickest route back. The part on the M11 was super. There was a fair amount of traffic but no slowdowns and it seemed like no time when we had to exit and follow a secondary road. Those R roads are very good. They have a centre line. But then it came time to let Ms Google have her way with us again on the L roads. Some even have grass growing in the middle. There is no centre line. In many many places there is no room for two small cars to pass. We were exceedingly fortunate that no passing was required.

The problem became the sun. Parts of our route had us headed west. On more than one of these L roads, it was low and directly in our eyes. Even putting one hand up to try to block the glare wasn't enough. On those occasions I used 1st gear and tried to peek at the hedge on the left and keep as close to it as possible. We had no idea if anything was even coming. Luckily, nothing did. I guess there were 3 or 4 of those terrifying occasions which each covered a few dozen yards of distance. 

When we were nearing Shillelagh, and almost home, there was a flock of pheasants on the road. They almost always fly out of the way. Almost. Sadly, we heard the stupid one who refused to budge, make contact, possibly a couple of times, with the underside of the car. I sure hope it finished him off because he would have been terribly injured. We couldn't stop nor could we have done anything if we had. Heather was aghast, but I was not about to jam on the brakes, with a car not too far behind, just because a single stupid pheasant stood his ground.

Anway, we are home and going to have a little nap before meeting the Byrnes for Heather to say good-bye and a possible visit to Egan's where much of their family has gathered in the pub. It could happen that music will break out. Fingers crossed.

Orange is not just a fruit

Today we had and still have an orange rainfall warning. It's the second highest level of intensity, followed only by red which means, "we hope your Ark is almost ready to launch." 

The original plan was to head south to Cahir, Tipperary and visit the Swiss Cottage and maybe Cahir Castle. The rain was quite steady and the two-hour drive no longer held much appeal, so we, almost literally, set sail for Avondale, Beyond the Trees. Our optimism that the rain would abate by the time we got there was definitely not justified. I mean, there was an orange warning. In fact, it was positively teeming by then. 

We paid our €5 to park, but then once in the parking lot, decided that it was total folly to continue. The high-above-ground boardwalk (Beyond the trees) could well have been closed and indeed should have been. Slippery would not have come close to describing the walking conditions. After availing ourselves of the "amenities" following a quick dash from the car, we took a selfie to prove we'd been there. But we can't say "Done that." And we certainly didn't buy the t-shirt. We were underneath a fairly thick canopy of leaves and the photo doesn't show the conditions accurately.

See the sign - we were there

We still had the map of Wicklow from yesterday's day in the sun and decided that an indoor venue would be best. Wicklow Gaol! It was not very far away and we would be out of the elements. 

Getting there was half the fun. The last part through Wicklow Town was a bit hairy on the narrow, hilly streets. But parking was free for visitors to the Gaol. 

We began with a virtual reality experience which was an overview of the history of the gaol from the early 18th century to the closure of the gaol in 1924. Conditions were horrendous and the crimes were barely misdemeanors in today's terms. Men, women and children were crowded into the same cells. They were maybe big enough for 2 prisoners but often held more than a dozen. There were no "amenities" so one can only imagine the smell and the lack of privacy. Ugh. It was both of our first experiences with virtual reality and both of us found it remarkable. 

The numbered exhibits and monologue that started when you entered a cell - representing the voice of a prisoner who had "lived" there. I'd send a link but I've tried that twice already and neither one worked so I'm giving up on that optional info opportunity. Note that Hallowe'en decorations have been added.

Interior of Wicklow Gaol

We paused our tour to enjoy lunch in the cafe and then completed it afterwards. We were given directions to the nearby library to check the genealogy section. And, the directions came with an additional three hours of free parking.

It was quite the wet walk even though it was nearby. Alas, the genealogist doesn't work on Fridays. We did take the lift to the top floor for a view of the coast. The picture is about as clear as the view. The waves were numerous, high and threatening-looking. We declined the opportunity to walk out onto the balcony to enjoy the fresh air and bucketing downpour.

View from the top floor of Wicklow Library

Then I had the brilliant idea to take the coast road from Wicklow to Arklow. No motorway for us. The excitement of the narrow winding climbing roads that took us out of town should be adventure enough. But not for us. We are not going to be remembered for 100% wise decisions. This was among the worst.

Initially there were large puddles, which later caused rooster tails as we drove through very slowly, and I swear we left a wake. The puddles grew in length and depth. Then we came to a part of the road that looked like Lake Inferior. No way was I going to attempt that, even with fingers crossed. Now THAT was a smart decision. 

I backed up about 100 yards to a turn-off. As we sat at the intersection wondering if that road would lead to Arklow, a car approached from that direction. The driver stopped and with windows down we learned that the road we'd just backed out of, was actually closed at the other end. Not, of course, at the end where we were. But we were assured that the narrow road they'd just left, would lead to Arklow, or more helpfully, the M11.

Fortunately we didn't meet any oncoming traffic because we never saw a single spot to pull over and let another car pass. And it did lead us to the M11. Never was I so pleased to find the motorway.

From there it was a better and safer drive, even with overhead warning signs that this was an orange rainfall alert. 

En route to the cottage, we stopped briefly at the Rocktavern to pick up Laura's guitar which Braden is going to borrow next week. Thank you Laura. And we had another nice visit. 

Now home, fed and relaxing, we are weighing the decision to visit the Byrnes and/or the pub. Maybe we'll tell you our decision tomorrow.

Just wait 5 minutes and the weather will change

The morning looked pretty bleak as we contemplated getting ready to drive to Cahir, in South Tipperary to see the Swiss Cottage. The roads in that area seemed like they could be somewhat flooded from the recent downpours. Parts of Co Cork are underwater with people being rescued from homes and businesses. Yikes!

Plan B - so let's drive to Blessington which is north of here. Off we went in the falling mist hoping that the weather would improve. Google gave us a fairly main route to follow, since I declined a turn onto a very narrow road that it suggested. The farther we drove the better the weather and the better the roads. Take that Ms Google. A destination can be reached over roads with centre lines. Our route took us through Tullow, on to Baltinglass where we spared a brief glance at the ruined abbey.

We drove past Russborough House into Blessington and then turned around and drove back. We'd have lunch later. The tour didn't disappoint. One can only marvel at what wealth can buy. 

George, our guide, showing us the Russborough House Library
The owners were enjoying an evening of reading when attacked by three robbers who also beat them up before absconding with a few valuable paintings. The paintings were later found.

The link will show you more than we could with photos. Well OK, I confess, I have not mastered the easy way to insert photos. I hope the link remains intact. Yesterday's link did not survive the posting.

Returning to Blessington we had lunch at the Greenway Cafe. Satisfactory. Then dropped into the tourist office for some suggestions as to where to travel next. I don't think the lady working there has passed her tourism exams, if there even is such a thing. However, she made a reference in passing to driving around the Blessington lakes which is what we chose. She seemed keen on having us drive over the Sally Gap. Heather had never been but I've driven that route a few times. It was not the warning that there could be sheep on the road that kept us from taking that advice. We've seen what's on the other side and have travelled the roads from Glendalough to Shillelagh a couple of times, not just on this trip. So - enjoy your own gap, Sally.

The sun was shining and it got quite warm, maybe 18C, and was a glorious afternoon. The views were spectacular and were enjoyed by eye, not the camera lens. Scenery sometimes leaves something to be desired in photos when it's spectacular viewed "live." In other words, sorry, except for one to come, there are no views of the beautiful countryside. Besides, there was no place to pull over to take pictures.

The circum-drivigation of the Blessington Lakes was on lovely narrow roads. They were the kind I've mentioned before, too narrow to warrant a centre line. These were also twistier and hillier than most, and that's saying something. I certainly did my share of shifting gears. And I made sure that if there was an oncoming vehicle that I did the Canadian thing, and pulled as far to the left as I could to let them by. There were times the hedges were very close. These are not hedges as known in Canada. These are about a soft as a stone wall so coming into direct contact is not recommended. At the end of this route was the village of Hollywood. And yes, there is a large sign on the hillside.

Not knowing quite where to look for the sign, we stopped in front of a school where a few people were chatting. Before we were even close we were welcomed by Seamas O'Brien, who I think is one of the teachers. He pointed out the aforementioned sign on the hillside. We had fortuitously stopped where there was an excellent view. We just hadn't noticed.

And there it is 

Hollywood is a charming village, truly a Tidy Town. We stopped in to see the stained glass windows in the church, and wandered a bit until we saw the Fiddler on the Roof. 

And there he is

The Hollywood Tourist Office

The last rose of summer

The sun was shining and with Bunclody less than an hour away, we decided to try to get there in time for a drive part way up Mt Leinster. The idea was good. The weather situation, by the time we arrived was not. Clouds were so low there was no view of the mountain at all. So we stopped at SuperValu to pick up a couple of things for dinner. 

Now, having consumed said items, we're relaxing a little before heading to visit Ann and Tom at the Rocktavern. Not a pub. Just the place where they live. We'll catch up with their side of the family and still make it an early night. Swiss Cottage awaits us on the morrow.

Ms Google - directions please; OK, have it your way

PICTURES - finally figured out how to access the photos and eventually got some inserted into this text. 

When we woke up this morning I thought of humming "the weather outside is frightful" but staying home now that I feel well again, was not going to happen. We would go somewhere. This country is known for so many wonderful sights and activities, about 90% of which are outdoors. Not the best choice for today. And we had wasted enough time already.

The actual weather was nowhere near as bad as predicted so we opted to go to the Maritime Museum at Arklow and learn a bit about the fishing and boating of that area. It goes back hundreds of years. We are outside the village of Shillelagh in Co Wicklow, a good distance from the sea, and although I had a general idea of how to get to Arklow on the coast, our first major outing was going to enlist Ms Google, navigator supreme, of highways and mostly by-ways. Today - we had both. 

There are no main roads between here and Arklow, but the ones we used were, um, un-main to say the least. We went via Coolboy, Coolafancy, and Bally something (the sign was missing some letters). The roads were twisty and undulating and the views are probably magnificent. Those visible through the rain and clouds were quite lovely. It wasn't until we were virtually in the town, my trust in Ms Google was justified. This time.

Accustomed as we are in Ottawa and Toronto to construction delays and detours, we were made to feel right at home in Arklow. Barely into the town there were traffic delays due to construction, or maybe just large machinery parked awkwardly along the road. But Ms Google guided us over the 19-arch stone bridge, around the roundabout and along the quay to the parking lot of the Bridgewater Shopping Mall. Perfect. The Aldi store was in front of us, the Maritime Museum was about 50 metres away, and the mall was welcoming us. And we had a view of most of the 19 arches.

Heather and the 19-Arch Bridge in Arklow

We spent a short while in the museum and were the only visitors. In fact, despite the museum being open 7 days a week, we were the only visitors in 3 days, according to the guest book. I'd never before seen model sailing ships fashioned from chicken or turkey bones. And we learned that Arklow was previously the site of a very large explosives factory (not any more), and is also the site of a huge pottery factory. If memory serves they manufacture Noritake dishes, and other brands which are quite lovely. I have yet to make the connection to "maritime" but probably they are shipped out by sea.

In one corner of the museum, pictured just below, was an outfit I briefly considered swiping to deal with the outdoors. It even came with matching hat. But, my better angel convinced me to rely on my own rain jacket.

In the mall I added two long-sleeved t-shirts and a bright fuschia cardigan to the extremely limited wardrobe with which I'm already bored. Travelling light might not be for me after all.

Then, our next destination was called up – Powerscourt Waterfall. This time Ms Google realized that we were quite near the motorway and after traffic slowdowns due to construction, on the way out of Arklow, we found ourselves headed north on the M11. Blending the twisting roads too narrow to paint a centre line and the multi-lane divided highway provided needed variety in the driving experience.

The rain was little more than a mist when we reached our second destination, so we parked and headed down the trail. We were not disappointed. Because of all the recent rain, there was a good amount of H2O flowing down the mountain into a lovely stream. Here are a few views I thought you'd like. I take no responsibility for my hair, that's the fault of the rain and mist. 

The Irish are wonderful and want everyone to feel at home and feel comfortable using all available facilities. They do go above and beyond for those who might not know quite how to use an amenity. For example, this sign was on the inside of the cubicle door in the ladies' room. We didn't check out the men's, but one would imagine they were not left out.

Suitably relieved, we headed back to the suburbs of Shillelagh. It would have been nice to try to navigate based on my own experience of the routes from there to here, but wiser heads prevailed. Google - ready to roll again? With only a brief foray on the the M11, we were soon on the roads I've come to know and love and get lost on. But – we did NOT get lost this time. There's a first time for everything. Me getting successfully from here to there with fewer than 3 "diversions" is something of a legend, a true one. OK, it's something of a family joke. Nobody's perfect.

Despite having sufficient petrol to get "home," the tank was running low and we might have heavier rain tomorrow, so we kept our eyes peeled for a gas station, oops petrol station, with an overhang so I didn't have to stand in the downpour to pump the fuel. Returning via Carnew, well not the most direct route, we found to my delight that the petrol price had dropped quite a bit from yesterday and I happily filled the tank at Candy's.

We are now back at the cottage and immediately upon entry we hit "boost" twice to turn the heat on for two hours. As long as we remember to keep boosting, it's quite cosy. 

I just took a look across the living room and to my surprise, there are sawdust logs and some kindling and firestarter. Thank you John, our landlord. He said that obviously being Canadian, we know how to build fires. Stop laughing. We are going to try. If successful, I'll send a photo. It would cosy-up the living room. 

Well, there was a problem of water pressure and we summoned John, who sorted it out. It seems that this is something that needs frequent intervention to get rid of air in the pipes. He'll repeat the process on Friday when we are out and about. Hopefully that also sorts out the quick jolts from hot to cold and back to hot water. Keeps one alert in the shower. 

Time to nag Virgin Mobile again about the instructions to unlock my phone. Heather has been using the SIM card in her phone but I'm going to need it and it's been a struggle. One more attempt this evening and if they don't send the instructions they promised I guess the best I can do is scream. Stay tuned.

Things are looking up ... and down

 My recovery from the attack of diverticulitis is well underway. A good dose of antibiotics seems to be doing the trick. And now that I'm feeling like going out and doing things the weather has turned absolutely foul. It's cold (feeling just above freezing with the wind) and wet (a test for our rain jackets). 

Leaving Wexford Hospital after round two of our surprise "inspection" of the health care system, we headed to Bunclody and picked up a few "soft" foods at Aldi and then proceeded into town to enjoy a bowl of soup and some white soda bread. We were too late to have brown bread as it was all gone by that time. 

We detoured to visit Mary Harte at Carnew and found her to be in good spirits. Some things never change and we were encouraged to have tea and brown bread and some small scones she had made. Our appetites  could never keep up with her encouragement to eat. 

For supper we ate up a few leftovers but it wasn't enough to call it dinner. Then spent the evening reading and on the computers. I caught up with the conference duties of registrar for the genealogy conference I'm not attending. Heather caught up with a task from work and with some reading.

I also managed, I hope, to find out how to unlock my phone. I'm to expect instructions from my carrier, VirginMobile, and the local SIM card should finally work. As of now, no instructions have arrived. Sigh. My priorities don't always mesh with the priorities of business.

The weather outside is frightful and inside it's not yet delightful. The heating seems to be mostly off until we push the "boost" button which turns it on for an hour, or two if you push twice. It would be nice to control it by a timer. Otherwise, the cottage is quite fine. I've emerged from under the duvet and pushed that button twice so it will shortly be quite pleasant. The heat doesn't actually make it to the bathroom. The hot water is always available but it's a case of grabbing that towel quickly after a shower.

Today there was no specific plan because of the rain, but it's not as bad as it could be so we'll head to Arklow after breakfast, probably visit the Maritime Museum, and have a view of the 19 arch stone bridge. There is a lovely shopping mall that will almost certainly provide some lunch options. Maybe from there we can go to Powerscourt. Given the amount of rain, the waterfall is likely to be quite spectacular. 

The long range weather forecast is pretty bleak. Our trek with alpacas was postponed until Saturday afternoon because of the wet. We have high hopes of a couple of hours without precipitation and maybe, just maybe a little ray of sunshine. Creativity in the selection of where to go and what to do, will certainly be needed. Plans for the Beyond the Trees experience have been put on hold for now.

Hopeful at all times that it will be clear enough to take a picture of something, that hasn't yet happened. I'm not holding back on the photos. There are none, well maybe one I can dig up of the view out our back door.

Where have I been for a couple of days

This is going to be a short post. I was rather unwell after arrival but after a couple of days, am on the way to getting sorted out. No need to go into details and no, not food poisoning like last year. Nothing that dramatic.

Sunday was a day to forget, aside from the kindness of family. Today, Monday, was an improvement. I've had wonderful help from the Byrnes. It would have been awful without them. Thank you so much Jim, Mary and Ann.

Our Victorian tea was cancelled because I was not up to the drive to Arklow. Sleep has eluded me so it wouldn't have been safe to have me on the road. I managed a 2-hour nap this afternoon and then drove to Aldi in Bunclody to pick up some things for dinner. We dined on seasoned Hake (a white fish), with potatoes (this is Ireland), and green beans with a fresh side salad. And the obligatory piece of brown soda bread. 

We haven't seen or done anything to photograph. But you can see our digs at this link: 

the Old White Cottage

Our cottage is lovely, and very well equipped despite the warnings from the rental agency. There was even a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and a box of Cadbury chocolates waiting for us. The wine has yet to be opened. I can't say the same for the chocolates. But they are milk chocolate and not so appealing to me. Heather is not as fussy about her chocolate.

The landlord is great. Now if he could just fix the shower. It is NOT as it appears in the pictures. There is a rainshower head that produces a slow drip. And there is a handheld one that is strong enough but there's no place to hang it high enough to use both hands to lather and rinse one's hair or body. We will make the suggestion of some sort of holder to improve the experience. I wish it were as pictured.

We do have a bonus heated towel rack which is quite wonderful. There is no heater in the bathroom and the overnight temps are around freezing. That room adapts to the exterior temperature. Ugh. It's still chilly in the daytime. We got up to 11C today in the sunshine, but it wasn't warm at all. The bathroom remained somewhat cooler than that. But we've had no rain yet.

Now we've been fed and are spending a quiet evening of reading before turning in by 9. We have to depart early for an appointment in Wexford. Then we'll choose a wonder of Wexford to explore and take pictures. The scenery is gorgeous no matter where you look but we've no pictures to prove it yet.

Slan

A few glitches but now at Dublin airport

I got to the Ottawa airport early which was a good thing, because my flight to Toronto was an hour late leaving. Was I a little anxious? You could say that and be correct. That gave me a generous 15 minutes to tote my backpack and carry-on from the D gates where we landed to the E gates from which the Dublin flight would depart. In the alphabet, D is next to E. In Terminal one at Pearson airport, it is about 1.5 km away. My 75 minute transfer time was now 15 minutes. Obviously I made the connection and didn't have to wait a single second to board. Can't remember the last time I moved that fast for so long, but needs must.

The trans-Atlantic flight was on time and very smooth. The food was good but I wasn't hungry enough to eat it all. I was really sleepy and hoped to crash for a few hours. I had a great seat and a nice helpful and quiet seat-mate who had heaved my carry-on into the overhead bin. 

After eating about 1/3 of my dinner I settled down to sleep. Hah! That sleepy feeling had gone. In the end I got a solid 30 minutes on which I will shortly have to drive around the trickiest roundabout in Ireland, or anywhere I suppose – on the left side of the road with a manual transmission. That is still to come. I have high hopes that the shuttle to the rental cars will already have bypassed it and we can head south to Wicklow/Wexford directly after getting our vehicle.

Bizarrely, making the rental car reservation was awful. Here's the short version. Online I was about to click to confirm the booking when the Hertz message said "sorry, no cars." So I went old school and used the phone. I had to book two back-to-back 2-week rentals. And those will take me to Nov 11. I'm leaving on the 14th. But I've been assured I can have this vehicle for 28 days without having to drive all the way back to the airport to say "Hi" and drive back. Whew! The helpful agent also said if I phone them before the 11th they can probably extend it for two days. I'm planning to overnight near the airport for an early departure when it's time to go home.

And being of a certain age, I had to provide a letter from my doctor saying I'm fit to drive (nobody asks me that at home), and one from the insurance company saying I hadn't had an at-fault accident for 5 years. Their letter said the interval had been 12 years, when I first started using that insurance company. Ta-da. And the doctor conceded that I was medically fit.

So, now I'm enjoying, well consuming, an egg sandwich and a large latte. The wait for the latte was longer than I'd slept on the plane. At least I found a little table where I've taken up temporary residence. 

And then there's the phone. My iPhone 14 is barely two weeks into its relationship with me. When I bought it and got it set up with Virgin Mobile, the salesman was very helpful. Or, I thought so at the time. I made if very clear that I would be travelling to this magical green land and needed it unlocked. He assured me that it was. IT ISN'T. When I got the SIM card here at the airport it was rejected because the phone is locked. I have to contact Virgin, which is closed right now, to get the code to unlock it. It's not an instantaneous process. I have to wait for approval. Can you read my lips? Best not to.

Now I'm pinning my hopes on Heather's phone being unlocked so that we'll have a local phone. In fact, because we'll be together pretty much 24/7, we can manage with just one. We really need one to use maps to get where we want to go. You have heard about my accidental visits to places not on my planned routes, haven't you? Some of those detours were Google getting even for some supposed transgression on my part. Some were entirely of my own doing, OK, MOST were of my own doing. 

So, I shall sign off for now and wait for Heather. Surely the rest of the day will go better. I have an hour to wait but can't find a spot to lie down for a snooze. 

Getting ready

Occupying this space you will soon find a description of how my travelling day went and what adventures I got up to. Ireland is my destination - where else? I'm trusting Air Canada for the transportation to and from Dublin. Their record is unblemished to date. Well, for getting me to and from in any case. I live in hope of a tasty meal. That particular record leaves room for improvement. 

The plan to travel with only a backpack and carry-on suitcase looks like it will work out. I shall probably be so bored with the clothes I'm bringing that I'll toss them out or donate them and have room to bring home more chocolate. Butler's chocolate and Lily O'Briens you are hereby on notice that I shall be shopping at the airport when it's time to fly home. Make sure to have sufficient inventory on hand. My preference is for dark chocolate but I do include milk chocolate for friends whose tastes vary from mine. I was going to say "whose tastes are less sophisticated than mine" but that would be rude.