(Virtual) Ireland- Dublin

Although Mayes did very little exploration of Ireland in her book "Year in the World" I have taken a small detour as I very much want to explore The Emerald Isle, and all that it has to offer.  In Rick Steve's Tour Book: Ireland, he opens with

Flung onto the foggy fringe of the Atlantic like a mossy millstone, Ireland drips with mystery, drawing you in for a closer look, and then surprising you.

Yeah. I'm hooked.

So today we'll begin in the capital (and largest city) Dublin.

Dublin sits at the mouth of the River Liffey and the name Dublin translates
from the Gaelic word Dublind meaning "black or dark pool" in reference to the
dark tidal pool where the River Liffey and the River Poddle intersect

Dublin was originally settled by The Vikings in the 10th Century.

Some of the sights include

Dublin Castle and Gardens

(tour)

https://youtu.be/o-u_5EJuRsA

The Kilimainham Gaol  (Jail)

(tour)

https://youtu.be/JFHU_SnIWPU

A historic jail used by the British to imprison Irish political prisoners...it now serves as a museum of that time.

Trinity College

(tour)

https://youtu.be/uwnwFCV6ri0

 Trinity College was Founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I as a way of indoctrinating the mostly Catholic population to the Protestant religion.

Another interesting site is the
National Museum of Archaeology and History.

(tour...part one of several...start with this one and continue with part two and so on)

https://youtu.be/ydVKZdFyfVk

Including the Clonycavan Man. A 2,400 year old peat-bog man completely preserved, and on display.

There are also several walking tours available of the city

 

https://youtu.be/77zYR0w2WAM

 And (of course) A Pub Crawl of Ireland which wouldn't be complete without Irish Music!

https://youtu.be/CCYCkydBIik

And when in Ireland ordering a beer (commonly referred to as a pint)...be aware you'll be getting

one of these. A thick creamy Guinness Stout served at room temperature. Not to be served cold which makes it VERY bitter.  
If you want something else you'll have to specify a brand. 


And there you have it.   A bit of Dublin.

More anon.

Father's Day!

And missing mine, today.

My Grandfather who didn't have to be DAD...but did anyway!

And my (late) husband, Bill

Although we never had a child "together"...we had three of them. My two boys and his son.
Simply-
Our Kids. 

Missing him a lot today. I wish he could have met Nicole and Emma. He would have LOVED Nicole. He would have loved them both. Wish he could have been there and seen Aiden after he was born. Met Aiden. And I am so grateful that he had the chance to be a Grandpa. Had the chance to be there when Brenden was born. Watch Kaylee and Hannah growing. He thought the sun rose and set on Kaylee-Bug.

She was our first grandchild!
 And such a
"Grandpa's Girl"

James carrying on the Dad Tradition.  Up early to Sausage Biscuits and Gravy and Father's Day Stuff!

Love the Deadpool Robe!

He surprised me with a quick note this morning asking if I wanted to go fishing with him today before the 90+ heat rolled in!

So off we went in the newly detailed Camaro...and don't ask about the 180 (half a 360) on the gravel turn-around...lol!

We be "drifting".

He deemed the morning successful as he did catch a catfish...photographed and released with the admonishment to  

"Grow up and come see me again!" 

Past the nineties now and inside soaking up the air-con...and he was headed off to see Kaylee and Hannah.

Cool, peaceful and quiet here.  Finished everything yesterday (A Cinderella Day) so that today would fall into the "Reclaim A Sunday" category. It is so nice I've been trying to do it every Sunday.  Nice slow start with coffee and the Morning Edition. Clean and tidy surroundings. Making biscuits and gravy. Dove back into Anne Proulx's new offering "Barkskins" which, thusfar, is very good. Jinot just died....why does she bring to life these great characters...just to kill them off!  Review later this week when I am finished. Also in queue for Stephen King's conclusion to the Mr. Mercedes Trilogy:  End of Watch

And...it is that time of the year, I may have to read his "Joyland" again.

So it is basically a "gone fishing"...play in the plants...read a bit...write a bit...NAP...cook some great food...paint a little...and maybe even catch a movie later, kind of day!

Have a Wonderful Father's Day, Guys!

 

CurleyWurly

This arrived yesterday...perfectly times with the end of England and just before I started my (virtual) adventures of Ireland, Scotland and Wales. As we explore Mayes' British Isles.

You can try one here:

https://www.amazon.com/Cadbury-Curly-Wurly-England-Pack/dp/B000HNF8ZW

You didn't see a huge number of recipes because, quite frankly, I don't much care for British Food. I find it rather bland/dull. I do enjoy a good fry-up. Discovered a tray-bake was pretty much anything...well...baked on a tray. think brownies and pastries and the like.

Example of a Bristol Tray-Bake

A Ha Ha is basically just what we in The States call a ditch.

                    
                                               The Ha Ha at Woolwich


And most of the puddings and duffs I tried were only good because of the "lashings of custard sauce". I think you could shred newspaper and cover it with custard sauce and it would be semi-edible.

I loved Bangers and Mashies. 

And thought Bubble and Squeak was a great way to fry up leftover veggies with cabbage. But it wasn't a taste treat.
It is an auditory experience.

I had heard that Cadbury Chocolate produced in The States was completely different tasting that that of the UK...so I decided to end Jolly Old England on a high note by importing a sweet.

As far as I know we don't even have CurlyWurly's here. Unless Rocket Fizz carries them. A distinct possibility. Mine was shipped with a packet of Black Ice to keep it from melting on its journey across The Pond.

A CurlyWurly is an open braid of caramel covered with Cadbury milk chocolate.
It was somewhat sweeter than the Cadbury produced here and much less waxy. Melted at body temperature like good chocolate. A nice treat!

And so with chocolate on our lips and the sweet taste of caramel lingering from the CurlyWurly...we bid Cheerio-cheers (farewell) to England and head toward the Fox hunts and Green that earned them the nickname "The Emerald Isles" 

Soon: Ireland.

Middle of the Year...and A Post 5:2 Update: 2nd Year on the Maintenance 6:1

                                                      June 15th, 2016
                                                                                 

Still in those black leather trousers after two years post Fast Diet. The Maintenance Programme works wonderfully when you stick to it...and when you don't, it is easy to drop the few pounds you can gain back by slipping back to the 5:2 for a few weeks.  Best Lifestyle change ever....and to everyone just starting out on this journey-

 It is well-worth the trip!

So...here we are. Mid-2016.
Reviewing My Goals.

1. Continue Practicing Zen Buddhism.

This is the middle of my 9th year. Had this flash of, dare I say, Enlightenment in February when I literally woke and realized that everyone is a Buddha sometimes. And sometimes...well...a lot of the time...we aren't. None of us. Past or present. And that is LIFE.  
How Zen is that. 
Still practicing.

2. Continue the 5-2 Fast Diet

The Maintenance plan works very well. Sometimes it is easy to slip away from it...but a minor tweak with the 5:2 and I'm back to my IBW.  Overall have been fairly healthy (despite Fred, and one encounter with a bad virus that landed me in the hospital) Labs are perfect and I really owe it to the 5:2. My ability to walk is getting more difficult, although I am still ambulatory at this time. I am a realist and have been perusing manual wheelchairs so I can remain independent and working on transfers and upper body strength.  Yeah...Pop-Eye Biceps. ~laughing~ 

In Fall, I am actually going to make the purchase (w/c) and practice using the public transportation system in my daily round with it a bit...get the lay of the land...so when it becomes a necessity I will be ready.

3. Give back more than I receive, and acknowledge what ENOUGH is.

Have been religiously observing the $50. project...sometimes more. And thanks to Zen Buddhism I have long since realized that I always have ENOUGH...no matter what the circumstances. This applies to finances as well. It is a good feeling (serene) and has taken years to acknowledge. 

4. Re-use, Re-purpose or Compost.

Working well. My lifestyle minimalist. My carbon footprint is small. 90 percent of all my transportation is public. I make all my own soil now for potting and top dressing and keep a tote "working" all year. I am growing part of my own food and try to use the Farmer;s Markets and buy locally. I have reduced my meat consumption to a minimum. I use my own bag part of the time and bring any plastic ones back weekly for recycle. I do a lot of re-using and re-purposing.

5. I have (and am currently) working my way through Mayes "Year in the World" using virtual travel and have enjoyed Spain, Portugal, Part of Italy (Napoli), and am currently going through the British Isles. Loving it! With eBay and Youtube and Books and the World Wide Web you can see, do, experience, try almost everything...and even get a souvenir shipped directly from the city you are exploring. I have thus far tried chocolates from all the above mentioned areas. Baci (Italy) is the best, so far...but I have a CurlyWurly on my table from the UK. this opinion might change. 

6. Cross a Few More Items off My Bucket List

Yes...and still working through it!

7. Spend more 1:1 Time with Friends and Family

Yes. And LOVING this as well!

8. Continue to sort and minimize...

Yeah...need to work on this. I get really gung-ho on the tossing and giving away...then I STOP. Or worse yet...go to a tag sale and bring home something else.

Okay...not that bad. But I still need to minimalize a lot more.  Not Ghandi's 100 items...but maybe a few less than I have now.

9.  Spread Love and Light and Happiness like Confetti. Judge less and Love more. 

I truly hope so.  Especially in light of the horror that was this past week. We can't fix everything, people. But we CAN love one another. Unconditionally and certainly without all the judgement.

10. Attend one Writing Conference, have one Photo Trek and one Zen Retreat this year.

Have turned most Sundays into Reclaim a Sunday and a Mini Zen Retreat weekly. So nice, and so centering.  Joined a Writer's Group at the beginning of the year and love it!  Still waiting on the Photo Trek...soon. And have two chapters finished and edited in what will be my very first fiction novel: The Plan.
It is coming on well. 

So...mostly on target and 6 months left to adjust/accomplish the rest!

Life is Good! 

More Anon...

Climb toward the light!

Orlando

Silence
seems the only response
for A World Gone Mad
until I realize
that Our Silence
is often taken for
Mute Assent.

So today I
will Scream
so loudly that
Everyone can hear.

How while we worried
about hypothetical monsters
stalking Target rest-rooms
attacking our children
A Real Monster
slipped into Club Pulse
and killed 48 of them.

Sometimes there aren't enough words or tears. ~