Worst Blogger EVER

Hi everyone! We are actually still alive here in Ireland. My computer had some major issues, though they are finally sorted! Now my only excuse has been that we've had so many visitors one right after another. I haven't been able to get all of the Europe pics on my computer yet, so I'll hold off on the update from our trip and just give updates from life since we got back.

Well, first off my brother, David and his wife, Red were here for a week in February. We had a lovely time tromping all over the southwest corner of Ireland. Cork, Kinsale, and the Breara, Iveragh and Dingle Peninsulas. All the pictures I took with them I had my camera in some wacky format (I know, how typical can you get?), so i have no pics of their time here. It was fun to have them here just kicking around Limerick too.

Blayne was in Colorado for a week tying up some loose ends with our building there and getting things set up for some big improvements on Whistle and Drum. While he was away I hosted a party at our place for our friend Pat. It was a night of great hilarity. Pat wanted Mexican food, so we did tacos and Dee was kind enough to give me her AMAZING salsa recipe which I made (it was only a shadow of the real thing, but was still pretty good). We had a pinata (which is what's pictured on pat's head and also a wig, of course) and all sorts of silliness before heading out for a night of dancing on the town. These are the folks we're hanging out with lots these days (from left to right, Norah, Pat, Sarah, Ailie, Becky & Adrain from Spain on the top row). Very fun stuff.

Next Melody came for a week. Here we are in Dublin in a pub listening to some lovely tunes. The publican entertained us with tales of his travels. We went to Guinness, Grafton Street, Trinity College, the Jameson Distillery, St. Stephen's Green, & St. Patrick's cathedral (which you could put about 6 of our st. pats in). We were out and about listening to tunes almost every night. After Dublin we headed south to Killiney and that gate I'm stading in front of is a place that I would probably never have gone except that Melody inspired me to be a geeky fan...yep, that's the gate to Bono's house. We listened to U2 all day long and had such fun. It was brilliant! The next shot is us at the base of Blarney Castle, Mel kissed the Blarney stone, and I'd done that a couple of years ago and figured I already talk enough as it is.

Jen is in town now and she needed to catch up on Darcy's blog (there's a new update-you should check it out), so I had to break the pattern and finally put something down. Sorry I've been such a terrible blogger, I will try to be better, but the guests will just keep coming from now own. I think we have only about 3 weeks here alone in the next 3 months. We're making up for a quiet autumn.