Saturday, August 29, 2009

Well all good things come to those who wait and god have i waited..........for some semblance of summer here in the emerald isle so called because it rains so much everything gets greener and greener!
Anyway having given up all hope of a blue sky and sweltering heat my other half and i are off on Tuesday next to Majorca, in SUNNY SPAIN
First time ever there so GREAT EXPECTIONS!
Of course the reading material has to be considered, so these are my choice of books, apparently my daughter who gets through a zillion books per week says i am the only woman who has not yet read Eat, Pray Love so there in lies a challenge!
I am the kind of person who lounges on the sun lounger and holds the book aloft and after the first two pages starts to relax.....relax....relax...sleep....sleep...zzzzzzz,
you get the picture so hopefully some little reading will be done!
Hope the shock of seeing a blue sky and feeling heat will not kill me!
Pictures and reports to follow!

Ratatoullie!

Made this dish from a recipe on Peggys blog (my sister)www.organicgrowingpains.blogspot.com it was delicious! I had some leftover for the following day and just reheated it in the microwave and it was just as nice!

Was hoping to see this but due to unforeseen circumstances could not get there, but was relieved when i heard that the major attraction (lance Armstrong)dropped out due to dangerous conditions attributed to the monsoon like rains that prevailed on the morning of the race!

An Post Tour of Ireland


Monday, August 24, 2009

Galway City of the Tribes!

Last thursday i went off to galway with my thespian son who was auditioning for a commercial in eyre square.I had not been to galway for some years so was looking forward to the trip.
We left our home at the ungodly hour of 6.10am and arrived in galway around 9.30am after a pleasant enough drive, no major hold ups, having come through mallow,charleville,buttevant,limerick and the towns of Clarinbridge (of oyster fame) and Gort to name a few.
The weather was showery but we got good spells of sunshine and we went on the tourist bus out as far as Salthill,through the Claddagh harbour,Galway cathedral,the salmon weir bridge and back to Eyre Square and John F Kennedy Park at its centre.
We had our fix of tea/coffee in the Park House Hotel off the square(highly recommended)before driving home again but stopping off in Bunratty Castle on the way down.
While there we dined in the creamery restaurant across the road from the castle and very nice it was too!
As you will see from the photos i discovered a bar named after me!!
Do click on the photos to enlarge as you will notice more details that way!





























Sunday, August 16, 2009

Went to Crosshaven today with my french student and her two friends to show her some traditional irish dancing and listen to some ceile music!
A festival was being held down there and the crowds were out as for once the weather was sunny and pleasant!
A storyteller was there also and told us some fine tall tales and shared jokes as well.
The young kids were kept busy with a facepainter and a big bright red fire engine for them to explore.
Crosshaven or "crosser" as it was always called by corkonians was the place to go for the summer holiday way back in the sixties and before where a holiday home was much sought after!Alas the "merries" or amusement park has lost a lot of its attractions and is now a poor excuse for one,but there is a lovely new cafe there and the amount of new housing gone up there ensures there are plenty of people about.

Ceili in Crosshaven, Co.Cork












Sunday, August 9, 2009

Sunless Sunday.....

After having a good carvery lunch in the Brook Inn, Glanmire,Co.Cork, we decided to take a trip to the beach!It was the cloudiest day in a while not a hint of sun anywhere !Garryvoe and Ballycotton were looking very dull but there were plenty of people about braving the weather and walking about.I hear the sun is expected soon!!

Garryvoe and Ballycotton Co.Cork

Not a sign of sunshine all day,but that didnt stop the hardy people from travelling to the beach today even though everyone was wrapped up warmly!