Winding Down With the Hodgepodge

 
Joyce asks the questions, and we provide the answers. See how others answered at From This Side of the Pond.

1. What's one thing you want to get done before the calendar flips to a new year?

Absolutely not one thing. I have several things I want to do after the new year, like get serious about cleaning up the garage, but nothing before.

2. What's something that brought a smile to your face this year?

Several things....like this:
Hanging with 3 of my sisters in the oldest pub in Kinsale, Ireland
Or this:
Boston with my brother & BIL
And definitely this:
Private concert in Schoebrunn Palace in Vienna. The music was solely by Austrian composers and was played in the ballroom of the Habsburgs' summer palace.

3. What do you like on a cracker? Do you have a favorite cracker variety? 

Cheese or even peanut butter. I like peanut crackers if my stomach is upset.

4. Do you have plans for ringing in the new year in a fun or special way? Are you typically awake at midnight on the last day of the year? 

I have no plans at all.  Just a quiet night with the dogs. Last year I was in bed by 10:00 but the fireworks going off at midnight had the dogs scared so I was awake...even though I didn't want to be.

5. What are three words that describe your 2024? 

Travel, fun, healing

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I have so many random thoughts going through my head that I don't know where to begin! So, I'll end this post with something that I saw on an Etsy site:

Merry Christmas!

Milking the Wednesday Hodgepodge

 
Joyce asks the questions, and we provide the answers. See how others answered at From This Side of the Pond.

1. What's one task you'd like a little Christmas elf to sneak in and take care of tonite? 

The Christmas Tree. 

2. What's your biggest challenge during the holidays? 

This year, it's just being motivated. 

3. Are you a cookie baker this time of year? If your year had to be summed up in the shape of a cookie cutter what shape would it be? 

I'm not so much a cookie baker as a candy maker. The cookie-cutter shape would be a tree because through the storms and sun, I've continued to live life this year (and had fun-most of the time).

4. Santa likes milk with his cookies. Do you like milk? What kind of milk is on tap in your house? (whole, 2%, skim, almond, oat, etc). What's the last thing you made that called for milk? 

I love milk. I used to only use skim milk, but isn't whole just so much better? I made oatmeal yesterday morning using milk.

5. Share one favorite line from a Christmas carol or holiday tune? 

May your days be merry & bright.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

I took a big step yesterday: it was the first time I went to the movies by myself. Really, when you think about it, it's not that big of a deal. I mean, you sit in a dark theater and don't talk during the movie, so what's the big deal? Well, it's not a big deal at all.

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Spy, Assassin was incredible. If you haven't seen it, I would highly recommend it. Especially if you're as obsessed with WWII as I am. You know how it's going to end, but you're still riveted to the screen, hanging on every word. There were a couple of things that really hit home: The crucifixes being taken down, the statues being destroyed. The people being taken in by Hitler and thinking they could just vote him out in the next election. It's definitely something to think about.

2024 Ireland Adventures- Transition Day

The day following the last day of the Great Southern Tour was a day for goodbyes but also a hello. My sisters went to the airport to head home but I wasn't finished with Ireland yet.  (Is anyone ever finished with Ireland?) While we were enjoying Glendalough and the Wicklow Mountains, my SIL (M) was on an airplane headed to Dublin. We had just a few minutes all together, and then my sisters left the hotel. 

Sidenote: M & I went to Ireland in 2015. I didn't know much about Ireland back then, but there was just something about that little country. 

One quick selfie before we split up
M & I had a whole day before our next adventure began, so we had some choices: stay in Dublin and rest, or head north to Howth or south to DĂșn Laoghaire? I left it up to M since I was acclimated to the time and she had only arrived. She was a real trooper and suggested we go in search of some fish & chips in Howth. 

We found the train station without a hitch; it was just a short walk from the hotel. We figured out how to use the self-serve machine for a ticket, but when we tried to put it in the turnstile, nothing happened. Apparently, on the weekends you can ride the train out of Dublin for free but have to pay to return. (I'm not sure if that's actually true, but we got on the train without anyone asking for a ticket.)

Once we got there, we strolled around the port area. It was fairly busy and windy, so we just took our time and enjoyed being there. I was told that Howth is the place to get the best fish & chips, so I stopped a local and asked for a recommendation. We were a few minutes too early for fish & chips, so I opted for a cheese toasty. 

This was the place recommended to us. While I didn't have the fish & chips, the food was still good.
Map of Howth
Howth Harbor Lighthouse was built in the 19th century and was in use until 1982.
From the pier looking back at the town
Howth has been a fishing port since the 14th century. 
1 of 3 wood statues by Richie Clarke
Another wood statue on the side of the hill by Richie Clarke
The 3rd wood statue by Richie Clarke depicts the dragon head bow of a ship
The ruins of St. Mary's Abbey. Unfortunately, we didn't make it to walk around.
Not even 24 hours together, we were at the Guarda Station.
The last picture should be explained. I needed to use the ATM but when we found one, someone's card was still in the slot. We popped into the tourist office and she suggested we turn it in at the Guarda Station. Hopefully, it got back to the owner.

Howth was a good day trip out of Dublin. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of Dublin so I was glad M wanted to get out of there. We had pretty much "been there, done that". I prefer to get out of the big cities into the small towns and villages. Howth is definitely a place I would love to return to. There is a Cliff Path that supposedly has some amazing views and I would like to get a closer look at the ruins of the Abbey. 

We had dinner back at the hotel and then went to our room. It was an early night because we had to be up and ready to leave the next morning. Northern Ireland and new adventures await! 

A Quiet Hodgepodge

 
Joyce asks the questions, and we provide the answers. See how others answered at From This Side of the Pond.

1. Talking turkey...are you cooking the turkey this year? Does ham belong on a Thanksgiving day menu? When it comes to gravy do you pour it over your whole plate, skip it altogether, or land somewhere in between? Cranberries-homemade or jelled right out of the can? Do you look forward more to the main course, the savory sides, or the desserts? 

No turkey cooking for me this year. OS & YS won't be here, so it's just MS & me. 1 of my sisters invited us to her house for dinner so all I have to do is show up!
I'll usually use gravy over the turkey or mashed potatoes...sometimes. YS makes a good cranberry sauce that I've also made. Super easy and really good. The sides are what makes Thanksgiving for me...and the desserts. It's not Thanksgiving without pecan pie!

2. Holiday movies...tell us your favorite and what it is about the film that makes you love it. Is it the film itself or a memory it stirs? 

I have 2 of them: Family Stone and The Holiday. I'll watch them multiple times during the season, although I only braved Family Stone once last year. If you've seen the movie and know about my life, you'll know why. If you haven't seen the movie, definitely watch it!

3. A favorite way to give back and help others? 

I tend to take the easy way out and donate money.

4. Name a place or setting you encountered this month that made you feel grateful. 

Krakow, Poland. More specifically, the Divine Mercy Basilica and the convent of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy where St. Faustina lived. 

I'm saving any explanations to a future post, but let me just say that I am so grateful that I was able to go on this Pilgrimage and sit in front of the original Holy Picture of the Merciful Jesus.

5. Knowing what you know today, if you could redo yesterday what would you do differently? 

No, I would not. It's time to look at the present; not the past or the future, but the here and now.

6. Spill your own random thought here. 

2 of the 3 "boys" are in NC for Thanksgiving Weekend. OS works for a ski resort and they were able to open a few days ago since conditions were good for making snow as well as having some natural snow, so he's a little busy. YS & his fiance are spending time with her family in NC, so I'm keeping the grand-dog. She has calmed down quite a bit over the past year and is such a sweet, smart girl.


She has learned that she can hold 2 balls in her mouth at one time. This is her favorite past-time!

A couple of weeks ago, we had a get-together to celebrate CH. He didn't want to have receiving of friends at his funeral, but said he wanted us to get together with close friends and family a year after his death. His brother suggested a place that CH loved and the owner graciously allowed us to gather at his place. Everyone brought something to eat, and we sat around and remembered him. There were a few tears, but mostly laughter, which is just the way he would have wanted it.



2024 Ireland Adventure-Great Southern Tour Part 4

Our last full day on the Great Southern Tour was jam-packed. We started at New Ross where we shook hands with JFK at the JFK Memorial (his family was from there) and visited the Dunbrody Famine Ship. I was indifferent about visiting the ship but it was well worth the visit. The actors were excellent and quick on their feet with responses to questions asked of them and questions we answered.

Shaking hands with JFK
The Dunbrody Famine Ship
The Eternal Emigrant Flame is from the flame at JFK's grave in Arlington, VA.
The wooden statues around the country were incredible.
Jerpoint Park was very interesting. One of the things we wanted to see was the grave of St. Nicholas. Well, that's not exactly what it was but I'll get to that in a minute. The couple who purchased the property were surprised when they were called to a meeting with the historical society. They were told at this meeting that there is a "lost city" on the property and they would not be able to farm most of it as they had originally planned. On the property were not only the remains of a church but also (what is believed to be) relics of St. Nicholas buried there. They were asked if they would be willing to open the property to the public, and Maeve embraced the history of the property. 
A view of the Lost City

The church was covered in ivy when the couple purchased the property. They had no idea what they bought!
Buried under the stone are what are believed to be St. Nicholas's relics.
Then, it was on to Kilkenny where we had the rest of the day to explore. This town blew me away and is a place I definitely want to go back to when I get the chance. Before the trip, I did a little bit of research on what to see/do in Kilkenny, and Kyteler's Inn popped up as an interesting place so I knew right away where I had to go. Alice Kyteler was accused and convicted of being a witch after her 4th husband became mysteriously ill and died after changing his will so Alice and her son would be beneficiaries. By the way...the other 3 husbands were wealthy and left all of their money to Alice so she was very well off by this time. Her former brother-in-law helped her escape to England; no further information is available on her...she just seemed to disappear. Alice was the first owner of Kyteler's Inn, which is now a pub. We had lunch there (as well as an Irish Coffee), and the atmosphere and food were fantastic. Alice is said to haunt the upstairs bar.
3 of my sisters & I with "Alice"
The inside has been renovated to appear authentic.

Kytelers Inn, Kilkenny
Kilkenny Castle is a prominent landmark. In fact, it is where Alice Kyteler was kept during her incarceration. We opted to skip going in. We visited The Castle Yard, shops with local artists' studios. This area used to be the stables and was really pretty. We didn't see the artists at work but apparently there are times when you are able to watch them.
Kilkenny Castle: Alice Kyteler was held in the dungeon during her trial

The Castle Yard used to be the stables but is now a place for artisans to showcase their products.
St. Canice's is a famous Cathedral that is said to have the best view from the top. There's one catch: You have to walk up hundreds of steps and then a "ladder" to get to the top. The 4 of us decided not to go but one lady braved it and said that the ladder wasn't a ladder like we thought it was. 
1 of my sisters & I found St. Mary's Cathedral. While we were looking for it, we ran into a couple of groups of school girls walking home from school. We asked for directions and one of the girls was able to give it to us. We walked slightly out of the center of town and up a hill to get there.
St. Mary's Cathedral is a relatively "new" church (dedicated in 1857)
Looking down into the Baptismal Font
Beautiful stained glass
I loved the shamrocks in the stairrail. We found this on a bathroom break before walking back to town.
Then came our last day. Rathgall is a rock fortress that had 4 walls with the outer wall being for animals. It's believed that the next wall had water, similar to a moat. There's evidence that this fortress dates back to the Bronze Age.
Activity from the Bronze Age has been proven at this site.
https://visitwicklow.ie/listing/rathgall-hillfort/
The Sheepdog Demo is a must when touring Ireland. If I had known about it on a previous trip, I would have made sure to go. It was so interesting to watch the dog in action and to see the sheep's response. But before we watched Maggie do her thing, I got to do this:
It was fascinating to watch the dog in action
And then something amazing happened on the way to our lunch spot. Denise (our guide) stopped in a carpark in the Wicklow Mountains for a gorgeous view. It just happened to be the same carpark where CH &I spent our last night with the van! There was no way she could have known; it was so surprising.  
The view from the carpark, very near where CH & I spent the night.
The van in almost the same spot as the picture above!


Lunch was seafood chowder & brown bread at Wicklow Heather
Our last stop was another place CH & I stopped at in 2022: Glendalough. We had plenty of time then to walk down to the lake and just take our time. This time, I didn't have as much time but I was able to meander through the monastic settlement and enjoy just being there. The last time I missed the Gateway that was the boundary so my mission this time was to find it.
I still couldn't lock my fingers around St. Kevin's Cross, so no wishes were granted this time!
The double arch of the Gateway
The plaque explaining the Gateway
A stone with a cross etched in it (as described in the picture above)
The grounds are so beautiful; I can't get enough of this place. If you're looking for a quiet place to reflect, this is definitely the place.
That was it for the Great Southern 6-day Tour with Vagabond Tours. The time went way too quickly. Denise, our "Vagaguide" was amazing. Her knowledge and ability to tell history while keeping our interest is definitely a talent. The food was great, the Guinness/Jameson/Irish Coffee was outstanding, and the hotels where we stayed were better than I expected.
We were dropped off at our starting place to catch a cab to a hotel near the airport since my sisters were leaving the next day. Our time together came to an end. We couldn't have asked for a better time or a better group to travel with. It was almost as if we had the whole tour to ourselves; midway through the tour, the other 2 ladies were honorary sisters! 
So...what's next? I still had 1 more week in Ireland! Keep watching the blog for more updates.

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