Communication from phone to computer restored

OK - here are the missing pictures that were lurking in cyberspace. It was a matter of turning the phone off and back on. 

The hens kept moving away; I wanted to show the source of the eggs

.Can you see the hens along the hedge. Click on the picture to make it larger.

Beginning our walk at Tomnafinoge Woods

This was the path taken, The one not taken was the one I'd previously used.

Along the Railway Walk at Tomnafinoge Woods.

 

Rain? Fog? Chilly? don't believe that what you see will last

 Well, they say in Ireland if you don't like the weather just wait a while and it will change. So, since I know that, why did we cancel our golf game today? Heavy rain, poor visibility, lousy temperatures with a bit of a breeze ... seemed like good enough reasons.  Rescheduled for the same time tomorrow.

Mistake!! We did a bit of grocery shopping in Bunclody and drove to the golf course there to check it out. The chaps in the pro shop were also predicting that the rain which had stopped and the breeze which had died down, would soon return. Nope - it cleared up, was even sunny much of the time. What a wasted opportunity to embarrass myself on the course. But we did book a tee time at Bunclody for Thursday. No matter the forecast or the morning outlook we will show up for that 1 pm time.

Eventually, we had to wend our way back to the Lodge. I know the way from Bunclody via Clonegal and back here. Hah! Somewhere along the route I missed a turn and found myself in unknown territory. But the scenery was nice and the weather had cleared up. My reputation for getting lost remains intact. Is that a good or bad thing? Once we arrived in Ardattin I knew that just carrying on along the same road would bring us to Tullow. And it did! 

From there we easily found our way back, without stopping at Rathwood for a tasty morsel and great potential for retail therapy. 

Donal dropped in to give us some eggs laid by the hens that call Minmore Mews home. Fresh this morning. 

After having lunch around 2:30 we spent a while searching online for more golf opportunities. Finally, we admitted that we were wasting a lovely day. So - where to go and what to do. A walk was definitely in order.

Destination: Tomnafinoge Woods. It's only a short drive from here so off we went. This time we explored a trail I had not followed on earlier trips and had a great walk along the side of the stream/river. We were surprised when we looked across and saw a deer who was equally interested in us. She almost posed until she got a bit bored and loped off into the trees. I mused that it would be nice if she'd return to a more open area so we could get a better photo. Well, she must be a psychic deer because a couple of hundred yards later, there she was again. This time she brought a friend and they both posed in a location where a better photo was possible. Thank you to the local wildlife.

At that point, my camera (phone) decided that it didn't want me looking at the screen and dimmed to the point I thought it had up and died. Maybe it was jealous of my interest in the animals. Eventually, I squinted sufficiently to see a very hazy image and realized that somehow, a series of bumps while in my coat pocket must have resulted in the setting being altered. So Pat had to take over as photographer and her pictures of the deer are the ones you'll see at the end of my ramblings today.

I can hardly find those settings when I'm trying to change something on the phone. How can I "pocket change" settings? Ah well, these things are sent to try us.

Dinner was the leftovers from dinner in Ashford, with a couple of baked potatoes along with broccoli and cauliflower. Easy! Wait, we couldn't operate the stove. We searched for hidden buttons and switches and finally sent a text to Donal who showed up moments later. The stove burns are gas - and the tank had run dry. The oven was electric and you have to set the timer before you turn on the oven to warm up. That process was a new one for me. But now we know. 

Plans for a visit to Egan's pub for a pint of the black stuff were snuffed out. They are now only open on weekends. So we made a sacrifice and consumed the wine and beer we have on hand instead. When life hands you lemons, make lemonade, or in our case a trip to the fridge.

It's now nigh on time to consider calling it a day so I'll upload a few pictures for your viewing pleasure and a respite from my ramblings.

OK, so I got no cooperation between the phone and laptop for transferring photos. 

I did get these two transferred from Pat.

First glimpse of the white-tailed deer

And this is where she brought a friend

Post script

I came down with what was probably food poisoning at about 10 pm on Tuesday night. I won't share the disgusting details. Today I was able to sip water and have just finished a small plain cracker. It's only 8 pm and for me, that's bedtime today. I plan to miraculously recover completely by tomorrow as we've got a tee time at Bunclody at 1 PM.

Pat was able to play golf today thanks to a ride to the course from our Minmore Host, Donal. She played with Jim Byrne and had a great time and played well. Loved the course at Coollattin. Jim drove her back after their game.

If this is Tuesday we must be at our destination

As I sit here typing, we're waiting for the heat to come on for the morning. The "dew" is continuing to fall and apparently, it won't be done until the sun goes down. Conclusion - not a good day for golf. But I'll back up a bit.

The trip itself was pretty good other than the 2-hour delay leaving Toronto. That kind of tipped our planned schedule on its head but it wasn't a bother in the end. Having splurged on Premium Economy tickets, we enjoyed our wider seats that actually reclined more than an inch. Ours were in the last row of the cabin and when we did recline them to attempt sleep, there was nobody's lap there to land on.

Dining on beef tenderloin (well that is what it was called), with real cutlery was a treat. The cutlery was a treat. You can call airplane food anything you like but it pretty much all tastes the same. The linen napkins were a nice touch. And the wine flowed freely, although I didn't imbibe. I should have. 

Sleep was elusive except for the odd few moments at a time but we managed to get through the entire day's adventures once we'd arrived, without falling on our faces. (We stayed awake until 10 when, having admitted we were brain dead, we yielded to the sandman.)

A very helpful guy at the Vodaphone outlet at the airport had put the Irish SIM cards in our phones and we were all set. We were in good time for the 11:45 bus to Wicklow town where Oliver met us with his shiny silver Prius and we were off for what turned out to be a very substantial dinner that Mary had spent the morning preparing. It was so substantial that by packing up the meat we left on our plates we have protein for at least two more dinners. Thus fortified we set out, with me at the wheel of Oliver's Prius, with a destination of Shillelagh, home of that well-known stick, and the closest town to our temporary home.

Have you heard that I'm destination-challenged? But this is a route I know well. I did know it well until we were on the Aughrim-bound leg of the trip. Construction! Road closed! Detour sign pointing to a narrower road heading left. That was the only sign for the detour. We made a brief reconnaissance stop at the Meeting of the Waters near Avoca. Avoca??? We didn't want to go there, even though Fitzgerald's pub might have been warm and welcoming. BUT I had turned in the wrong direction. (wrong direction was how I met our Byrne cousins so I don't really get upset at such things now). After passing the Woodenbridge Hotel, not at all on our way, we finally found a sign more or less pointing in the direction of our intended target and finally arrived - almost directly. 

Our diversion was to check out the Coollattin Golf Club where we had a tee time for today. The course looks immaculate and we were excited. Well, until today's weather. We're going to reschedule for tomorrow. I believe we're meeting Jim for a beer instead.

A brief shopping stop was required for coffee, milk, wine and beer - and some apples. Mary had given us some scones and bread. Did we remember butter or jam? Nope. She'd given us two duck eggs for breakfast but we have no butter to cook them. Boiled eggs might be traditional but we are not inclined that way. And there's no butter. Breakfast was coffee and a scone or two - warmed up but in need of butter. Have I mentioned that missing item?

Heating oil is now outrageously expensive and the heating is on a timer. It is not currently in line with our usual schedule. We shall learn to reprogram it. Soon. Meanwhile, it has warmed up nicely.

So here are a few photos from the journey. I'm not good at taking or posing for selfies and believe myself to be marginally more intelligent than I appear. Please humour me and don't point out my shortcomings. I'll get better with practice. 

Waiting for our flight to depart from Toronto

At Dublin airport waiting for the Wexford bus to depart - somewhat sleep-deprived but we are on our feet and enjoying the lack of precipitation at that moment, We were the only bus passengers to wear masks despite the sign on the door.

One of the few photos of Mary. She won't stay still for a picture

Oliver and Pat in the kitchen after our big meal

No Mary is not attacking Pat, she trying to elude the photographer

And our little vehicle is already to face this wet day. Who knows what adventures await - but not on the golf course.

It's almost travel time again

Well, folks, it feels like 200 years have passed since we were free to travel. I was summoned home from Ireland by the Covid pandemic as per the last posts in 2020 and spent 2 weeks in quarantine. After that I was free to stay at home, like everyone else, emerging for brief walks and sorties to the grocery store. That got kind of stale pretty fast. Thankfully, golf was permitted even in the summer of 2020 so fresh air and keeping up with at least my golfing friends, made for a return of sanity. This might be questioned by those who know me, but it was as sane as I'll ever get.

Fast forward to the present. The return to Eire is almost upon me. It will be a two-part trip with very little genealogy unless you count visits with cousins discovered through research and DNA testing. I've met folks connected on both sides of the family and they are all as wonderful and welcoming as the Irish are rumoured to be. I can't wait to reconnect - so watch out over there, I'm about to drop into your world once again. I'll be accompanied by two different friends, one for each part of the trip.

This trip will have two, or sort of three, phases. The first two weeks will be devoted to golfing and some minor tours in the Wicklow-Wexford-Carlow-Waterford-Kilkenny and maybe Tipperary area. Distances are not what we are accustomed to in Canada so visiting multiple counties will be easy. I've yet to visit every county on the island of Ireland. Maybe that can be a goal.

Following the golf, I'll be joined by a friend whose trip to Ireland was supposed to have taken place when Covid-19 rudely shut down the plans of pretty much everyone on the planet. This time, armed with masks, rapid tests, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes, we'll hit the back roads of Ireland for a grand tour of a whole month.

There will be meet-ups with old friends and relatives, but mostly two of the St Pat's Sirens (hello to those not joining us) will be visiting some well-known and some lesser-known spots around the country. We'll spend €s and £s as we travel in the Republic and in the Irish portion of the UK – Northern Ireland. Probably more euros and pounds than we are actually planning as inflation has struck fear in the hearts of everyone everywhere.

Our final week will see us settled in a Dublin hotel to enjoy as many delights of the city as we can and there might be some genealogy opportunities there although, on this trip, they are not top of the priority list. That is the iffy possible phase 3.

Do feel free to follow us here as we wend our way around the country, er, counties. I'll post a couple of photos with the blurb of the day. I hope to post something each day although there may be gaps depending on access to wifi and the extent of exhaustion as evening comes around. 

Tune in here as you wish. The latest post is always the one showing but feel free to drift down to the bottom and you have the option of moving back in time through earlier posts.

In order to comment you might have to "join" but please do so at your pleasure (and ours). You might need a Gmail account but I don't recall.

The adventure begins on April 10th when we fly to Dublin and ends on May 24th when we fly home. We won't get to do everything we'd like to but we're sure going to make a good stab at it.

The word from the Barn

Well, here I am, coffee in hand, spinach omelet on the plate and sun streaming in the window. Well, it's streaming now but going to disappear soon as the dark clouds make their way over the hills in my direction. 

The laundry is about to start an additional spin and that is likely to be my great accomplishment du jour. Well, that and making sure that everything I want to take home fits into the suitcase and carry-on. 

I'll have lots of time to write today and hope that I can be somewhat productive. It's good practice for staying alone at home once I'm back in Ottawa. 

I figure that my chances of getting infected with the coronavirus are pretty good on one of the two aircraft that are in my near future. Despite assurances of extra cleaning and fresh air circulation on board, airplanes are known sources of all sorts of "sharing". 

There have been very few photos taken on this trip because I haven't really gone anywhere new. I have not seen everyone I'd planned to visit and will not see them before departure. 

As I have nothing more to say, I shall stop now.

Blogging Covid-19

If you are reading only my most recent post, you might want to check back one day to get the last blog-worthy entry. Things are changing and I will follow that trend.

I saw a post on Facebook that was aimed at genealogists but I'm passing along the idea and hope that my family and friends will consider this an opportunity. I mean, you're going to be stuck at home anyway.

Keep a journal – or a blog – of your Covid-19 experience. Include a bit of info about yourself and write a bit every day about what it's like, whether you become ill or not. Obviously, this is easier to do if you are not sick with it. This will be a great first-hand account for future generations. 

So, I shall create my own Covid-19 blog from here on. Let's hope it is not a long series of posts. I'm going to begin with a brief outline of what has been going on to date in my little part of the world. Everything has changed rapidly in the past couple of days and there is likely to be less to say without much social contact. But let's just write stuff down and see how it goes.

Heading home early

Hello loyal reader

I am heading home on Tuesday. Leaving Ireland on St Patrick's seems wrong but that is the first date with an economy seat on Air Canada. I am unwilling to pay $3600 for a one-way business class ticket. I can huddle in my window seat and try to stay as isolated as I would be paying several times more than a round trip ticket costs.

Thursday I enjoyed my final social encounter with the "cousins on the McGrath side" in Kilkenny. John met me in Bunclody and he drove via Gowran and Borris to McDonagh Junction Mall where we met the siblings for coffee and a catch-up visit. During that time we learned that the schools were closing and later learned that pretty much everything is a no-go now. No tourist sites will be welcoming visitors. 

So I decided on the way back, to get the first flight home. That proved to be a royal pain but eventually, I did get a seat booked for Tuesday and I took it. The extra cost is $134 for the Air Transport Fee which I thought I'd paid on the original ticket. The "change" fee was waived. But they still did a "gotcha".

Why go home instead of hunkering down here? Well, there's no guarantee that flights will not be cancelled by April 2 and I'd be stuck here longer. I've budgeted until that time and not longer. I do have plans and appointments when I'm back in Ottawa. And I am pretty sure that my travel medical insurance does not cover pandemics - as noted in an email from the insurance company. So, should I contract Covid-19 and need medical care, it would be on my own dime so to speak. I'd rather be at home with fully paid coverage. Gotta love our medicare.

I'll spend the weekend in the Barn (as this cottage is named), doing some writing and staying tuned in to the news. I should be able to consume most of the food that I have left in the fridge. The combinations may be a bit unusual but I won't starve.

I may venture out to Aldi for a bottle of wine and the remainder of their supply of dark chocolate with sea salt. Both are quite medicinal when consumed appropriately. And I am nothing if not an appropriate consumer. It could feel like a long weekend with only myself for company – as suggested by every country in the world now – and I need my creature comforts. 

Aldi is open at 9 this morning and I'll be there! Besides, any later than that and I might have to line up for a parking space so the food hoarders can pounce once again. It is comical to watch but is really not my sport of choice.

The coffee is ready and I'm in need of caffeine. Enjoy your day. It's sunny here now but rain is promised to start this afternoon. The end of the rain has not yet made it into the forecast.