If you know my husband Dennis, you know that he’s just like Mary Poppins, “practically perfect in very day.” Even right this minute, as I sit here writing this, he’s out mowing, weed whacking, and getting ready to fill the driveway holes with new gravel. He is constantly cleaning something (which makes me, a cleaning slacker, feel guilty). People have asked if I’d consider renting him out–he’s that good. Continue reading “Saint Dennis, Practically Perfect in Every Way, Except…”
Bunratty Castle Medieval Banquet
On our second day in Ireland, we were offered six optional excursions on the Brendan Vacations / Trafalgar Tours Irish Highlights tour. They all sounded great, so we booked them for a total of 220 euros a person. The first of these was the medieval castle banquet in Limerick. We didn’t know which castle, but it included dinner. I had wondered if it might be at Bunratty after seeing the padded benches in the vaulted Main Guard Hall, and it turned out that I was right. We were headed to the Bunratty Castle Medieval Banquet! Continue reading “Bunratty Castle Medieval Banquet”
Ireland, Day 2: Stepping into the Past at Bunratty Castle
After leaving Galway, we headed south towards Limerick. Our plan was to visit Bunratty Castle and Folk Park in County Clare. Bunratty Castle was built in 1425 and restored in the 1950s and is surrounded by buildings typical of the era including a fisherman’s cottage and farmer’s home. Continue reading “Ireland, Day 2: Stepping into the Past at Bunratty Castle”
Confidence: A Cross-Country Road Trip
When I was young, my mom insisted that we all learn how to swim because she wasn’t a strong swimmer herself. She took us to lessons at the YMCA in the winter and local lakes and swimming pools in the summer. We all learned to love to swim and passed it down to our children. That confidence served us well.
A History of Road Trips
My mother was also never confident about her ability to drive long distances alone. To be honest, she never had to do it. My dad usually did most, if not all, of the driving on every trip we went on. I will always remember the first time Mom drove through Toronto. We were supposed to stop and switch drivers, but didn’t, and she passed with flying colors. It was just us girls and the kids–no men to do the driving for us. Continue reading “Confidence: A Cross-Country Road Trip”
Ireland, Day 2: A Rainy Morning in Galway
We left Dublin early on Monday morning, heading towards the town of Galway and the west coast of Ireland. I was able to use my debit card to take out euros at a service plaza. The exchange rate seemed pretty good– 1 euro was equal to $1.24 U.S. Surprisingly, there were no fees at the ATM, nor did our bank levy any. Upon arriving in Galway, the driver dropped us off at Eyre Square. Allie led us on a short walking tour of the Latin Quarter, ending at the River Corrib. Then we were free to shop and have lunch. Continue reading “Ireland, Day 2: A Rainy Morning in Galway”
In Dublin’s Fair City: Cead Mile Failte
After our overnight flight from Toronto, we easily passed through customs and quickly found our Brendan Vacations greeter upon exiting the airport in Dublin.
Hotel Arrival
Our bus driver, the lovely Louie, dropped us off at the Sandymount hotel next to Aviva Stadium where we met out wonderful guide for the week, the Amazing Allie Lister. Our rooms weren’t ready yet. We needed a caffeine pick-me-up, so we ordered coffee (tea for me) in the hotel bar and sat out on the deck. Dennis remarked that the coffee wasn’t very good, and Mom quickly cut in and said “It’s awful!”
Air Canada Flight 842: Dublin, Here We Come!
We were exhausted by the time we boarded our Air Canada flight AC842 from Toronto to Dublin. It was a larger plane with two seats on each side and four in the middle for a total of 291 passengers. I didn’t see any empty seats at all. I put my headphones in and turned on some music, hoping to go to sleep as soon as we took off at 11:15 p.m. especially since each seat had a pillow and blanket. Unfortunately, the crew decided to leave the lights on in the cabin for another two hours and served dinner at midnight. Drinks (including alcohol) were free, but we just wanted to go to sleep. Continue reading “Air Canada Flight 842: Dublin, Here We Come!”
Air Canada Flight 7408: From Cleveland to Toronto and Beyond
Saturday was my birthday and the day we would be flying from Cleveland to Toronto and then onto Dublin. We were up early (4:00 a.m. for me)–I never sleep well before a big trip. We packed the last-minute items for our flight to Ireland and dropped the dogs off at the kennel at 8:00. It was too early to go to Mom and Dad’s, so after stopping at the bank, we decided to go to Brookfield Diner for breakfast. Before breakfast, we ran into a Dollar General for new reading glasses for Dennis. After breakfast, we went back in for a Tide To Go stick for me. You guessed it–I spilled dried beef gravy on myself at breakfast. Continue reading “Air Canada Flight 7408: From Cleveland to Toronto and Beyond”
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday has always been my favorite Sunday of the entire year. When I was young, my family attended the Kinsman Presbyterian Church. The deacons always handed out entire palm branches as we entered the sanctuary the Sunday before Easter. I loved fanning myself with the fronds as we sang “Hosanna to the King of Kings.”
Kinsman Presbyterian Church, photo by Rebecca Nieminen, Storyteller Photography (used with permission). Continue reading “Palm Sunday”
Pack Like a Pro: Just the Essentials
It’s that time of year, and my urge to travel has made its presence known once again. Like many people, I used to pack too many outfits. Over the years, I’ve pared down my packing list to a few essentials. For a one week trip, this is what I usually take, in addition to what I wear on the plane. These tips will help you pack like a pro!
