In auld Oirreland...

I haven't got any new photos from this trip but found these on my mother in law's computer from a previous trip.

Thanks for all your lovely comments. It really makes a huge difference to have a support network.

But, having said that, one does tend to get an unbalanced picture from a blog. After all, we post about the things that are at the top of the list for us but that doesn't necessarily show the whole picture. D has been incredibly understanding and supportive in certain ways and at certain very important times and we do have a good time together often.

Anyway, on that overly serious note, to an update. We're in Ireland with the inlaws at the mo. It's sunny and we're just mooching around. I want to do more and D has picked up the hint (can't really stand sitting around bullshitting for too long). So, we're going to have lunch then head off to the coast in the sunshine. We'll take the dogs and a camera so no doubt you'll see what we've been up to before long.

I've been stellar on the exercise front. It's not hard when you're on holiday and the sun is shining! I went for a run yesterday afternoon - I haven't been running for weeks. I was aiming for the short circuit of 3 miles but got the bug so did the full 5 miles which was, I swear, ALL up hill!! I ran very slowly but didn't stop once so I'm very proud of myself.

I also went for a brisk 3 mile walk with my mother in law, Nellie. She goes out nearly every evening and it 's lovely to join her. We catch up with the family news and put the world to rights. You'll have noticed the difference I'm sure...

Right, lunch (gorgeous smelling home made vegetable soup and home made Irish brown bread....drooooolll) is ready so I'll fare thee well for now.

Later: We've had a great day out. The weather has been just lovely. We went to the coast and poked around on the rocks and the beach. Very relaxing. Then this evening I took the dogs for a walk and ended up in an old Anglo-Irish graveyard. It's walled and almsot totally overgrown. Very historic, there's an old Nationalist freedom fighter's grave there which the remnants of the IRA still visit and leave a wreath on. It seems ironic because some of the other old graves are very anti-Irish!

I found one this evening, which I remembered from years ago, barely legible now, but it remembers a John who was "fouly murdered" by the Rebel Pikemen on Vinegar Hill in the rising of 1798. Vinegar Hill in Enniscorthy was the site of the biggest rising in that year and it was where the rebels were finally overcome. Shame, but we English were bad bastards back then, a fact I'm seldom allowed to forget!

It was stunning this evening - wooded and filled with bluebells, wild garlic and other flora. the sun slanting through the fresh green leaves and the ivy crawling all over the gravestones. I took masses of photos but can't upload them as I've left my card reader at home! Gorgeous though. I'll try and get them onto a CD in town tomorrow. Anyway, I'm off to the pub now so night night all.