Ladies View

I’m glad I made the effort to go to Nu’s party

I’m glad for so many reasons .

Of course seeing her, Jim and her family and friends, many who I consider as my friends for years , was the driving force for the trip 

But I also really wanted to push myself out of my ever comfortable comfort zone by driving the length and breadth of Ireland on my own .

To some , this may not sound too stressful.

A little arduous, perhaps but not stressful, 

But I must admit, for me it was! 

I’m always envious of friends such as Rachel (https://racheldubois.blogspot.com/) who seem happy and comfortable travelling all over the world by themselves. 

I’ve never done it, so I felt I needed to push myself with a series of firsts

Taking my Car on a ferry for the first time and navigating a new country was two firsts 

Ok it was Ireland 

But this morning I was the only car driving down the magnificent Ring of Kerry from the awesome Moll’s Gap

I was the only person at Ladies view , watching deer cross the road in front of me

And it was a first  for me to pass the glorious St Mary’s cathedral Killarney where I stopped for a full Irish breakfast at a delightful cafe, where the owner gave me a sandwich , for nothing “ to eat on my way” as she said it’s a far drive for you ! 

But now that I’m home, somewhat tired I must say I feel just a little proud that I’ve finally done it.

The Party

I won’t post photo after photo of merry partygoers, suffice to say that the afternoon and evening was paced and good humoured and full of friends old and new.

The bus picked everyone up from Kenmare square at three and dropped us off at Nu’s cottage not long after and she was there like the Queen at the gate to greet her guests. 

We drank gin and ate delish extra thin pizza freshly baked straight from the oven and talked bollocks until 9pm when the bus returned and everyone hit the lights of Kenmare’s pubs.

I got off the bus early and went back to my Airbnb.

I’m driving back this morning and couldn’t face another late night.

I slept well in my bed 

And this morning have just drank my bucket of coffee and ate the last of my scones

 It’s been a lovely weekend all told 

Scones for Breakfast

I hit Kenmere running. 

I knew I would. 

My sat nav crashed in Dublin port and I had to wing finding my way to Nu’s, so late I arrived at my own spotless little Airbnb apartment at Mrs O’Sheas for only a few minutes, before being picked up by the affable Brian, ( the designated driver for the day) and whisked to a lovely restaurant with Nu and family.

The rest of the evening was, to be honest a loud bit of a blur with more mutual friends and their grown up kids joining the fray at a bar which would not look lost in The Commitments.

The party proper starts around 3 pm today when a bus stops in the square to pick everyone up and takes them to Nu’s cottage, so I have a bit of time to go into Kenmare and have a mooch. 

As promised Mrs O’Shea has left me some of her scones ( tied Auntie Glad style on the doorknob) so  you can Have something with your tea

 I dozed after my breakfast then walked down to Kenmare Pier 

And listened to the gulls diving for fish in the bay

Across the Irish Sea

 This ferry lark is all a bit new to me.

Ok I’ve enjoyed the Manley Ferry in Sydney and years ago I was drenched and frozen on the Seattle ferry over Puget Sound but I’ve never taken my car on one of the new Ferries who boast everything all singing and all dancing.

I’ve yet to find the calming hygge lounge but the public rooms seem spacious and well designed and I love the sound proof boxes set aside for small children to run amok in. 

Every home should have one

The skies were somewhat bleak in Holyhead when I got to the ferry , but boarding was painless enough.

I probably won’t have time to blog again, until tomorrow. 

It should take four hours to drive down to Kenmare and this, my second trip , I am very much looking forward to. 

My first trip was four years ago, and was organised by Nu as a diversion after my husband left me. 

I can’t remember much of the trip except the quietness of her cottage and the beauty of Kenmare. 

I was very bruised and battered emotionally and all I needed then was her quiet company and a bit of sun on my face.

I am a third of the way across the Irish Sea and the sun has just come out as I type, a good omen me thinks .

Tonight I will join Nu and her hubby Jim and her extended family for dinner. I’ve known many of them for as long as I’ve known her , so I’m prepared for the noise.

Tomorrow I will explore Kenmare again before Nu’s party tomorrow evening

The party will be craic as many of Nu’s Liverpudlian/ Irish friends will be there 

They are exhausting and  energising all in the same breath and loudly refer to me as Jonney Gray! Or by my old and somewhat perplexing nickname of cheese and chives ( this is far too long to explain) 

I love them dearly 

I shall also be meeting up with an old friend from ITU and her husband who was a consultant there who have retired only a few miles from Kenmare. I put them in touch with Nu a while ago and they will be coming to the party too..

It’s a small world.

A Little Adventure

 Tomorrow I’m embarking on a little adventure

I’m catching the ferry to Ireland for the weekend. 

Not only that , but I am driving Bluebell 350 miles to Kenmare in County Kerry to meet with Nu and her family and friends at her yearly party there. 

I’ve booked myself into a lovely farm Airbnb just outside the town where, I’m told scones and jam will be waiting.

I’m a little nervous as it’s a new experience for me 

Toilet Training

 Roger has had a good day 

Four pees outside 

And a solid hour watching Eastenders and the start of Repair Shop

Pompous

 Like some people who have their insecurities I can be pompous at times.

My mother would occasionally sneer and say You love the sound of your own voice, you do.

Something, ironically that would increase my insecurities as a child.

I was in the supermarket this morning and passed one of the staff, in an aisle. 

She was a smiley, attractive middle aged woman.

She caught my eye and chirped “ You’re from Sheffield arnt you?”

I preened a bit and laughed “ Do you remember me ?”I said, thinking she must have a good memory of me or perhaps she was a blog reader who suddenly recognised me 

We stood looking at each other , smiling for a second 

Then she pointed at my T-shirt 

Before walking off

My Laburnum

 

When I remember, I go over to the churchyard with a watering can to give “my” laburnum a good soak

I’m too lazy to walk up the lane and up to the Lych gate, so I climb up the field gate, and stand on the gate post then crawl over the top of the wall, pushing the watering can in front of me.

It’s not dignified but it’s quicker.

I always fill the rabbit drinker first, then water my tree which is doing well 

As I finished I heard a voice say something I didn’t catch and I turned to see two women walkers sitting on the bench outside the Church. 

They were eating a picnic.

“ I’m sorry ? “ I said 

It was the older woman that spoke and she asked if the tree was a memorial to a relative.

I told her that it wasn’t but had been a replacement for a giant laburnum which had been blown over a few years ago

“ And you water it regularly ? “ she asked

“I feel responsible for it” I replied 

The woman, as it turned out was a Lecturer in History in Dundee University and was completing the pilgrim way across the a north Wales Coast. They were on the last leg of their journey to Holywell which is around 7 miles to the East.

She seemed well versed in everything

“ In folklore Dreaming of laburnum blooms is a prediction that you will overcome adversity through rigorous effort” the woman told me “ But never give the blooms as a gift” she added 

“ I know they are poisonous “ I replied 

“No the message in the giving is that the recipient is forsaken “ she replied