Yesterday was a cool but dry day. Ms Google took me on a very scenic route to Arklow to meet with friends for brunch. I am sure I could have found my way to Arklow without the directions, but getting to Coffee 4 U was a different matter. Even when I saw it from the bridge, I had no exact idea of how to get there.
Eschewing the direct route from here to there, I once again detoured a number of times and thought I might be driving in a circle while blindly obeying Ms Google. Then again, I wasn't passing the same landmarks, so I just had to trust Ms Google. The trust was not misplaced as I got to revisit spots I'd been on one of my previous trips. I didn't stop to take photos because I had no idea how long the drive would take. Turns out I arrived just in time. The promised "34 minutes" was closer to 64.
Arklow is a good-sized town with not-so-good-sized streets. It does boast a 19-Arch bridge, which from one side looks very historic and from the other, there are signs of more recent refurbishment. But getting around town was a challenge even with computer assistance. The lanes where I was directed to turn, were not obvious until I'd just driven past, and I never saw a street sign. But I only had to make one trip over and another back over, those 19 arches. I spied the destination from the bridge on the return trip and eventually found a parking lot where I abandoned the car, but didn't abandon hope. The coffee shop faced the river, so when I got out of the car, I walked down to the river and turned right. Eventually, I got to the right place.
We had a lovely lunch and a catch-up. This time it hadn't been as long since my previous visit. On my return trip, I opted for the motorway and a detour via Gorey. The reason for the detour was to get my hearing aid filters changed. I had forgotten to bring along my own kit and knew that I had a limited time to get them cleaned before I'd be stone-deaf again. I didn't think that deafness would come so soon. Specsavers in the Gorey Shopping Centre, sells and services hearing aids. Good place to go. Well, not so much as it turned out. They don't carry my brand.
The helpful chap took my hearing aids into the secret back room and returned a while later, saying they were good to go. I tried to put them on and found that he'd forced into place, parts from a different brand, and he'd twisted the plastic bits that keep them in place. The result was an unsuccessful attempt to put them in my ears. And I also realized that now, they weren't working at all.
The helpful chap had neglected to say that they don't sell or have parts for the brand of hearing aid I use. He'd forced the wrong filters into place. I'm pretty much lost without those devices and I had a play to attend last night. The by then, not-so-helpful chap then said that he'd done all he could and I should really try somewhere else. Lovely!
What was I going to do? The "helpful chap" told me of another hearing centre nearby to try, so I did. It was on the second floor, in a building without an elevator. The second floor here, would be the third floor in Canada. To get to the second floor I had to climb four sets of stairs. High ceilings mean LOTS of stairs. My left hip doesn't cope well with stairs. Sigh! In retrospect, that helpful chap really wasn't helpful at all. I should have left well-enough alone and hoped they didn't get too clogged with wax.
The lady at location number two was able to sort out the left hearing aid to the point where it was functioning once she pried out the wrong filter, which had been jammed in. I was halfway there. Actually, with only one hearing aid, I could manage, barely. The helpful lady told me that in Enniscorthy, there was a place that sold the brand of hearing aids that I use. With my fingers crossed, I drove back to where I was staying in Carnew. It is not next door to Enniscorthy.
A bit of googling brought me to the correct website, which included a phone number. I called and was told that I could drop in anytime and they would get things sorted out and repaired. But there wasn't enough time to get from here to there before they closed. Tomorrow's plan had just been finalized. Enniscorthy it would be.
Fortunately, my designated seat in the theatre was in the second row; the actors spoke loudly and very clearly, and I enjoyed every minute of the farce "Out of Order." I only missed a few lines, and since it was a farce, I didn't miss much because of the action and the actors' expressions. It was so funny I laughed until tears ran down my face. The entire audience was enthralled by the performance. As was the adjudicator.
This morning I set out for Enniscorthy, via Bunclody. Getting to the town was easy. Getting around was NOT. I missed a turn and ended up forced to take the bridge across the river to the really, really, really hilly part of town. Eventually, I followed directions until I was so confused by the traffic and narrow streets, that I headed for the only place I knew - the parking garage for Dunne's store.
Google supplied pedestrian directions from there via several optional routes. I just didn't know where I currently was on any of those routes. A friendly and helpful young man in the Vodaphone store took pity on me when I asked for assistance. He walked me right to the shop. To be fair, it was rather complicated but I did get there with his help. Without it I'd still be wandering up and down the hills of Enniscorthy.
It's possible there is now a wanted poster with my image on it. Leaving the parking garage, I took the lift/elevator up to ground level. I saw a set of doors leading onto the street, so out I went. As it happens, that was an emergency exit and yes, when you exit that way, a very loud alarm sounds. I just sauntered casually up the hill in my search for the destination du jour and could hear that alarm for a while. Probably they have CCTV and I had on a bright jacket. Possibly the lost and stupefied look on my face caused them to take pity on a white-haired lady. No security guards caught me. I don't know if they tried but I'm grateful that I was not arrested.
Doyle Hearing was indeed the answer to my prayers, once I got there. The young woman at the desk took a while to remove the filter which had been forced into place and was able to replace both left and right ears' devices with the right filters. To my great relief, I could hear again, in stereo. A mere €20 was enough to cover her work and a new set of filters and domes. Should I need to repeat the cleaning, I can now do it myself.
I'm very proud to say that I didn't need to consult Google for the route home. After lunch, I drove over to say hello to the folks in Minmore and then set off to see The Copse (where my ancestors emigrated from) and Bob's tree (planted in memory of my Dad, some of his ashes are buried below that lovely Canadian Maple.) It is nicely surrounded by lovely daffodils.
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| The Copse - where our Byrne ancestors had their cabin |
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| The exact place where my life changed in 2008 We were directed to Jim Byrne and he turned out to be related |
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| Bob's tree and its lovely daffodils |
That tree is on Jim's farm, so I put on my wellies and visited the trees, then had a peek at the new lambs. I took a couple of pictures.
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| Mama and the triplets - one day old |
Then I adjourned to the kitchen with Mary and Jim for a cup of (green) tea and a biscuit. I'd brought my wellies and left them there for anyone to use and possibly be available on a future visit.
As I type, it's pouring rain. The blue skies have been replaced by grey clouds, so now it's sunny, and then suddenly it's not. You don't even have to wait five minutes for this weather to change.
Tonight's play is "Hooked," by Gillian Grattan. It has had good reviews in other places so I'm expecting to be well entertained.
Slan
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