Home again

Had a very uneventful flight home. YAY!

Watching the Mariners with Annie. She g as gotten bite out of the way quickly!

Thank you Mike and Judy for picking us up at the airport and taking care of Annie.

6 hours and 18 minutes to home

We made the flight easily this morning😎

Now will we actually leave JFK on time?

Carrie happy, a new crossword puzzle about the boys of summer.

Hello from Jamaica, man!

That would be Jamaica, New York! Practically around the corner from JFK.

Almost missed our flight out of Ireland!

When we got to the airport, the first place we went to was USA pre-clearence we filled out our declaration form and had our passports scanned. We checked in with Aer Lingus and headed through security. We thought we were done!

We kept waiting for them to assign our flight a gate. We shopped and checked the board. We taste new Jamison flavors and checked the board.  We had coffee/pop and checked the board.

Finally we decided we better go to the toilet and try and figure out what was going on. As I left the restroom, I heard them calling us on the overhead speakers!

There was a SECOND pre-clearance and security! We got pushed ahead and got through it and ran to gate 406 they told us was our gate only to find it had been MOVED to 403! So off we wrnt back down the terminal. Carrie is doing all of this in her stocking feet!

We were nearly the last people on the plane but made it.

The great thing was then we didn't have do any customs stuff at JFk.

We had dinner a nice visit and dinner with Brian. Now we are showered, Carrie is asleep in the other bed (it is 8:30). The alarm is set for 4:50 am. 

Good night. See you tomorrow.

One Last Bus Ride

At the airport, enjoying a cup of coffee and a chocolate at Butlers Chocolatier at the airport. We are through USA preclearance and security.

Looking at the vat return aka duty free. Do I want to carry booze home? Did sample 2 of the 3 new Jamison flavors... Should help me sleep on the plane😎.

Have about 12 Euros to spend. Of course they conveniently have charity bins throughout the airport.

See you on the other side of the Atlantic!

All my bags are packed...

Today's we were on our own in Dublin. Our tour guide, Agnes, had arranged for us to visit a yarnshop. Yes we did visit ut I left with one skein of hand dyed yarn from Ireland and an earring kit. Carrie bought 2 skeins😊

We then met Adrian and walked around Trinity college, visited the General Post Office and then met up with Ally at the Haypenny bridge. We walked through the temple bar district and had lunch at O'Neills.  Yes I had a Guiness with my lunch. We then walked around the Dublin Castle. And visited the Chester Beatty Library which isn't really a library but more of a museum.

We thanked Adrian (who is so much like his Dad--in good ways) and Ally. After resting our feet a bit, we did a little shopping before the bus picked us back up  for our farewell dinner and packing.

Signing off now have a 6 am wake up call.

Hello From Maynooth

Yesterday we started later 7 wake up call, 8 breakfast call, 9 on the bus.

We drove to Avoca Weaving Mill one of the oldest weaving mills (1723) in Ireland.  We took a tour before SHOPPING and lunch. Didn't buy anything😊

We came to the hotel for our last workshop. I actually got them all finished (mostly) before I went to bed!

We walked into the village of Maynooth -- home of one of the major Universities.  Had shepherd's pie with my Guinness!

One great thing about traveling this time of year and being a bit further north, it is light until at least 10.

You kissed what!?!

Today we moved from Killarney to just outside of Dublin. We are on the last leg of our trip😕

We stopped the Blarney castle, gardens and stone.  Most of the tine we were stopped was SLOWLY walking up the stairs of the castle much of it steep narrow spiral stairs! We were told 120 steps.

Carrie chose not to go which I think was the right decision for her. Between the standing,  steep, uneven steps in close quarters, she would have hated it.

But it was something I was determined to do!

Here is the picture to prove it!

Day of Dingle and Murphy Pubs

We drove to Dingle along the coast. As you can see it was VERY windy! There were kite surfers in the water. They were going really fast and it looked like with little control.

Carrie was so busy collecting little tiny shells that she did not see a wave coming. Gortex shoes are not water proof when the water goes over the tops!

We also stopped where they filmed the last Star Wars movie. I may have to watch to see if I can see it.

Dingle is a small sea town with lots of tourists. We started at either Murphs or Murphy's ice cream (They had toilets with no line -- and ICE CREAM!) We had lunch at Murphy's Pub and a Guinness with our lunch.

Trish so far all of the ketchup has come in packets and tastes the same. The tarter sauce is more tangy/vinegary.

When we got back to Killarney, we had our second class, the knot to make our necklace.  Now I have to add the beads and chain...

We had dinner at....Murphy's Pub! Every town seems to have one! We then went to a "live music" venue.  There were not very many people in the bar. We left ehen he started to play Johnny Cash...

Kylemore Abbey and Gardens/ Celtic Crystal

Monday afternoon we went to the Abbey and Gardens. There also was a church but we ran out of time.  The gardens are walled in and look like the tradtional scupled gardens they had lots of Fushias mostly the bush variety. I missed mom and dad as i looked at the flowers and then saw fushia mugs, etc.

You can tell Carrie was thinking of dad when we had our picture taken outside of the Abbey!

After the abbey, we went to the Celtic Crystal factory. We got to see one of the master craftsman create the first cuts for a vase the had the Claddagh ring on one side and the shamrock on the opposite side along with the traditional Irish rose one the bottom. You will have to wait for the photos/videos that are on my real camera!  Or you can join me for a drink after I get home 🙄

I Love Ireland Pin

We had our first crochet class on Monday.  Jennifer taught us how to weave a crocheted row of single crochets into the shape of a heart.

Just like all sailors know,  every other weave is under then over!

Our teacher, Jennifer Ryan (of Manchester, New Hampshire ) sang a great variation of Danny Boy about crochet!

Of course, I can't keep the tune with the regular words AND the music.

Peggy 1st wrote a poem as well and recited it for us.

With class over we had 1 hour before boarding the bus to ...