I went to Dublin with Gordon on Friday while my Dad looked after the 3 children. We took the train from Belfast and stayed in a really nice hotel on St Stephen's Green right in the heart of the city. It was a wonderful trip. The sun was shining both days, we walked round the park and ate ice-creams, we enjoyed several wonderful meals, we dandered up Grafton Street and Gordon bought a stack of Cd's while I found a 'grey spring' for Duncan (a metal slinky- so he can hold it on his bottom and bounce around pretending to be 'Zeebad') another slinky for Thomas and a tacky leprechaun-topped, shamrock-plastered pencil for Lady. She also got the newest Harry Potter DVD so she's happy. We jogged round the park on Saturday morning, though we had stayed out late the night before enjoying a few drinks and the buzz in Temple Bar.
It had been a brilliant break. Even the train journey back was nice; watching the gorgeous scenery or reading the papers in comfort and quiet. And it was great to see the children again and to hear how much fun they'd had with their Granda.
It all went wrong on Sunday though, another downturn on the roller coaster as a broken promise meant I was forced to let a friend and the children down. I went to my home town with Thomas and Lady and my Dad. My aunt had organised a memorial mass and meal at her house as it would have been my Mum's 60th birthday on July 2nd. It was a good chance to see aunts, uncles, siblings and cousins and all their offspring.
Today, the children, guinea pigs and I are enjoying another warm day and ploughing through a big box of books from The Book People. Thomas was reading some Oxford Reading Tree books and Duncan loves the Little Red Train Adventure Playset, with maps, postcards and tickets and a clock all stuffed into paper satchels in the book.
I'm living in interesting times.
6 comments:
Sounds wonderful. I just love Ireland. It is my heart home.
Oh, I am so envious of your weekend, I am glad it went nice in Dublin. It is our anniversary tomorrow and we are going to Belfast for ermm...3 or 4 hours max. We will leave the eldest two behind, but we will take the baby, so no kid-free. Ho Hum.. One day...
Esther
And so glad you are sharing them with us---thanks for the book and playset mentions!
More often than not, we'll have the loveliest of days and then all goes wrong. I've gotten used to saying at the end of tough days, the next day is a new start.
My husband, BTW, is Irish American, and we'd love someday to travel to Ireland, when Charlie is older.
Hi all
We'll have to have a bloggers break together in Dublin. We could get naff T-shirts with some corny catchphrase (any ideas?) and perhaps even a sparkly tiara each. Then we'd be just like the hoards of women out on hen parties!
Happy anniversary Esther. I hope you enjoy your precious few hours in Belfast.
Sounds like a lovely time. So nice for you to get away.
Hope you dont mind but I tagged you- see my blog
It's my dad's 60th birthday on Christmas day *eek* I just don't know how I am going to handle it. When he was alive he was always so miserable on his birthday and his last birthday was horrendous...it helps to hear that you have got through your mum's 60th okay..it was so nice an idea to have a memorial mass too.
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