Happy Christmas

Just got back from a walk to the Church of the Immaculate Conception, known hereabouts as the Rowe Street Church. I was planning to go to midnight mass at 10 pm. Local stories agree that the mass was changed some time ago due to the fact that bars close at midnight on Christmas and some inebriated persons became disruptive during services (they were described as pi**ed though, not inebriated). You'll never guess, this year the service was changed to 9 pm. So I arrived just as the service was about to end. I missed the choir which was the main reason I was going to attend. So I swallowed my disappointment (it apparently wasn't meant to be) and walked back here and into my snugglies and decided it was time to update the blog.

We have had a bit of sunshine lately and I have tried to remember to take my camera so I could get pix. One morning I took pix of the outside of my apartment complex.

This is the door I enter to get into the building.

This is the entrance to the courtyard. My post box is on the left.

My parking spot is two over from the one you see parked here.

These are abbey ruins seen from the parking lot.

The bushes are still in flower.

This is the view from the sidewalk. I am in the right hand three story building.

On Sunday a couple of weeks ago, I went with the Ramblers to Curracloe Beach again and took some pix. It was a drizzly day, but still a fabulous walk.

The beach from the trail.

The beach from the beach (LOL).

More beach

My walking buddies.

Bit of erosion and exposed roots.

Hard to quit taking pix when at the beach.

Some perspective.

A starfish. He was still soft and perhaps alive, so Lionel picked him up with the tip of his umbrella and returned him to the water.

Here are some pix from my walk along the quay. I hope you aren't tired of these views - I'm not.

The steps from the quay to the bridge.

Da Bridge (A little Yooper influence)

A fishing boat

Wreaths left in memory of suicides.

A selfie on the quay. Must have been late in the day. Look how tall I am!

The quayside businesses from the quay.

This is actually on Main Street.

I brought my camera with me the last sunny day that I walked around town to get a variety of shots for you.

Thought these doors were rather Christmasy in color.

I like the red brick with the light shutters on this building

The Santa Train

Santa posed for me here in his booth.

This is the equivalent of our dollar stores, but the prices are varied.

A hamper is apparently a gift bag or basket.

A nice view down to the quay from Main Street

Fresh produce all the time.

Nice cafe and I love the name.

These last two are from the inside of the Wren's Nest where I frequently eat lunch.

I talked to the bank this week about a car loan and am in the process of pre approval. I am hoping to find something through a dealership that is a year or two old with low mileage. I find I really don't mind traveling by bus, but there are some places I want to go that are not easily accessible.  I will keep you posted. I've been looking at Cirtoens and Skodas. They are small and affordable.

I went to Richie Doyle's today to get some food for the next two days as everything is closed on Christmas day. I love this butcher shop. I chose a pork fillet and had him trim the fat and butterfly it. He then put dressing on it and rolled and tied it. I brought it home and baked it in the over for about 45 minutes. I also made garlic mashed potatoes and mashed root veggies. It was a delicious meal and I have plenty for tomorrow.

It would only have been better with company. I love to share a meal.

I've been FaceTiming my family watching the opening of gifts and the making of Christmas cookies and just visiting. I do miss my family at this particular time, but am not truly homesick. With as fast as time passes I feel it will be no time before I am snuggling with them and enjoying their dance recitals and field days. Looking forward to FTing again in the morning to see what kinds of loot they received from Santa. Such fun!!

I've been spending lots of time with Catriona this past week or so and have learned tons about Irish custom and cooking. She makes the best Christmas cake (fruit cake, but nothing like that awful stuff in the can that I was used to seeing in the States) and fabulous mincemeat pies (again, nothing like the canned stuff). She makes everything from scratch with the best ingredients and has multiple pans and recipes going at once. I think she must have been a juggler in a previous life. She and her husband and the two dogs have gone to Sligo to have Christmas with their families. I look forward to their return. Sarah and John are in Sicily for the holidays and I am missing them. They are experiencing lovely weather and delicious food. Looking forward to their return after the new year.

I've been invited to a New Years' Eve Party by a California couple, Richard and Heather Burns, I met at the Fusion Cafe last week. They are artists. I am planning to go unless it is pouring rain as I walk everywhere. Hoping to meet more people, but hope they aren't all Americans. I am so enjoying the Irish culture and am planning to try to learn a bit of Irish (not Gaelic - that is Scottish).

I've been seeing some very good fares for round trip nonstop flights Chicago to Dublin, which is what I will fly in the future. It will be worth the train trip and bus ride to get back and forth to Ohare if I can forego the 6 to 10 hour layover in Boston. Looking forward to some visitors, just let me know when you are coming.....

Tata.....