Back online

I don't know what the solution was, but I'm once again enjoying wifi without constantly losing the signal. However, while out for dinner this evening at the Lees' home, I got a message that the problem was fixed. Great rejoicing was seen in the townland. Well, OK, just me but you get the picture.

So - what have I been up to? Well, a very successful, if late, lunch with three good friends I met in 2013. Lynne, Margaret and Anne all made it here eventually yesterday (Monday). This is a beautiful location, on a reasonably good road, with no sign at the entry making sure that almost everyone drives by a few times before figuring "this is it." Maybe I should have tied a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree. But, there is no oak tree at the entry. I thought I had been smart to say it's just about opposite the two orange traffic cones – and then someone went and moved the cones back off the road. 

We had a great catch up since our last gathering and learned of some new plans. Anne will be moving to Sligo, so that's another destination for the future. We are all involved even in small measure, in family history. No royalty in our genes though. They are all very busy women and we managed to find a day that worked for all.

I took a few photos around the entry and yard here. 

Turn right here if coming from Clonegall.
See the orange cones? They were moved a few minutes later thus removing my marker.

The entry, a left turn when coming from Parkbridge.
A nice addition might be a sign, but there are three properties off this lane.

I had to type over the words "add caption" that wouldn't disappear. So, hello.

Just to prove that we had bright sun - that's Raheengraney House

The view when I'm about to be on the road again

And this is my living room cum dining room cum kitchen. Not too shabby for a former barn.

Today I spent most of the time loafing around. I was going to shop for tomorrow's family gathering here, but decided to leave it until tomorrow morning. The food will be fresher. Does that sound like a reasonable excuse for sloth?

Without wifi I was in deep withdrawal when I got up. I mentally crawled out of that to realize that I could use my phone as a hot spot. So I did. It's not like I haven't done it many times before, I just never thought of it. I used 1GB of data this morning alone and had only used 2.5 in the past 10 days so I was delighted that the service has been restored.

As an aside, while driving back to my base yesterday from Bunclody, I had to stop for construction. When the view is this good it's not a hardship to pause. And the red light counts down so you know how long it will take. And just look at that blue sky!!!

So, what was that trip to Bunclody all about. The battery in the fob for the car was running low and I was getting nervous about how to use the "key" if the battery died. Two people (Jim and, um, someone else that I forget) told me about this chap who had a shop beside the Applegreen gas/petrol station. Bingo - done and dusted. I forgot to get a receipt but it was only €4, so I won't be out much as I can't get reimbursed without a receipt. Then it was off to Aldi for a couple of things for lunch with the girls. Naturally, the six shopping bags were sitting on the bench at my front door. Ah well, no use breaking all my Canadian habits. And, for the only time, I did NOT buy any of my favourite chocolate at Aldi. But I'll be back there before leaving for home.

Genealogy alert: 

Dinner with Eleanor and Kevin Lee was lovely, and so was Eleanor's Guinness Beef Stew. So yummy. Then we got into the history stuff. Keven emailed me (from across the room) a map and information about Arthur and the small plots of land he leased in 1842. And provided contact info for the descendant of the next door neighbour of Arthur Byrne in Augusta township. One thing leads to another ... 

It seems that despite having spent a few days at the Archives of the Fitzwilliam Estate in Sheffield, England a few years ago, I did miss some documents. It might be worth contacting them again and paying for someone knowledgeable to check them out again. I have an "orphan" page of information - don't know the source other than it came from Sheffield according to Kevin, who gave it to me a couple of years ago. The image is missing a piece of information pertaining to Arthur. Wouldn't you just know the part to be cut off would be of interest. Kind of like realizing that the information you are seeking is lost in that "gap in the records."

And that caps it off for today.