One Month to go...

First of all, exciting news-Mae Sheraton Clark, my new niece was born Tuesday, May 9th at 5:15pm EST. Carol (my sister) and Mae are doing well and are home by now. I can't wait to see them all when we are back in the states. This is of Wilson (one of her older brothers) giving Mae a kiss. Apparently Bennett & Wilson both love giving their baby sister lots of kisses. I'm looking forward to meeting her and showering her with kisses myself :0)

As for things around here Blayne's folks headed off back to the states a couple of days ago. We had a lovely time with them here. Towards the beginning of their time here Blayne had his 20 minute performance which went soooo well. He would say he was pleased with it and I can brag on him and say it was brilliant. I'll try to get some video up of it, but if I knew that if I waited for that I might never blog.

After Blayne's perform- ance we headed off on a weekend tour of West Kerry including the ring of Kerry, Killarney National Park & the Dingle Peninsula. This is Mom and Dad on the top of a Cahergal ring fort with a lovely castle in the background by the sea. And the next shot is of us exploring that castle, Ballycarbery by name, near Cahersiveen. It was such a lovely day and a we had a wonderful time exploring.

That night we lived in luxury at Cahernane Castle Hotel. This is a shot of our hotel and the next shot is mom in the garden there. It was such a gorgeous setting. We had our choice of drawing rooms or the conser- vatory to lounge in if we didn't want to enjoy the stunning view of the grounds (pictured next) and the backdrop of Magilli- cuddy's Reeks (Ireland's highest peaks) wasn't too shabby to look out on. We had a gorgeous breakfast the following morning before heading off in search of sights and a slope.

What I haven't mentioned yet is that Blayne has been wanting to fly everytime we go out to the countryside here. All of the hillsides and cliffs are perfect for RC gliders (if you didn't know he's won 9 national championships at Remote Control gliders back when he was in jr high and high school). So, he got a kit and he and Dad got it put together. Here he is flying it off a hillside on the Dingle Peninsula right next to a prehistoric ring fort with beehive hut dwellings (people lived in those around 1500 B.C.).

On Mom and Dad's last full day here we headed down to Blarney so they could kiss the stone. Mom said that Dad was hoping it would have the opposite effect on her since she alreay seems to have the gift of gab, he said he was afraid it might intensify the situation and that it would be all my fault for bringing them :0). The grounds were espcially beautiful this time of year with everything blooming. So, here's Mom and Dad outside of Blarney Castle.

The morning before Mom and Dad's flight we headed off to the Cliffs of Moher, because you can't come to Ireland and not see them. We got stuck in traffic for a bit because a bus and lorrey (that's local talk for 18 wheeler) got sort of stuck together on the road out to the cliffs. We did make it for a very quick look at the cliffs. Here's Mom, Dad & Blayne at the cliffs.

Things are getting a bit hectic feeling around here. So many things to do and see before we go. One month from today on June 13th we'll be flying back into Denver and be home. It's hard to believe that time has gone so quickly. We'll be going back home to loads of excitment-- 2 weddings of dear friends within a month of each other. So, for a little while longer anyway, love and best wishes from Ireland.

When in Rome....

It's been about a month since my last blog and it's been a wonderful month! The Mash's came for a visit not long after my last entry and here's Blayne and Cecily on the couch. He was taunting her with food she couldn't have. That's not very nice :0). We had so much fun with little Cecliy (and David and Natalie were pretty cool to have around too). There was a great deal of chilling out and sightseeing and laughing. Cecily stole the show, of course, which is only natural when you're a super cute baby like she is.


We headed off to the Aran Islands and to the Dingle Peninsula and hiked up to the top of a cliff right on the sea with the most stunning views out across to the Atlantic Ocean. As you can see, the day was sunny and beautiful. It was just so much fun and so laid back to hang out with David and Natalie. We got to two sessions-one here in town where Blayne was playing and then one we happened on in Dingle with some amazing musicians. Blayne ended up playing along with them as well while we had lunch.
Here's Cecily ready for any Irish fun that comes her way. Craic (pronounced crack) is an Irish word that means good times, good friends, good fun. Blayne and I gave that to Cecily and so she debuted it here in Ireland for an adoring public. She napped on the Aran Islands, at a 12th century Cistercian Abbey, seaside cliffs, even prehistoric beehive huts. She got around Ireland. I'm sure she'll make her folks bring her back when she's old enough to remember it :0)

The day that the Mash's left us my parents arrived. We kicked around Ireland for a couple of days and went to the Aran Islands and Galway, then we headed off to Rome. I cannot tell you how many times Blayne and I said "When in Rome" to each other, because it was at least 10 times a day. The joys of Anchorman...


How to sum up Rome...? The history of the place is just over- whelming. So many things I've read... history books, Shakes- peare, the Bible came to mind as we walked around the city. You can walk right up to the mausoleum of Augustus Ceasar (the one who decreed the world should be taxed-- sending a certain Joseph and Mary to Bethle- hem), the ruins of the senate where Julius Ceasar was murdered, the coloseum where thousands of animals and people died in sport as entertainment for the masses, the arches of triumph that they would march through on their way to the temple of Saturn (of which the columns still are standing). It was incredible to be in the heart of the Roman Empire to see the ruins of a majestic kingdom that thrived and expanded and controlled most of the known world for centuries. Loads of thoughts more on that... but I'm tired and have more to tell and don't want to get too philosophical right now.

Here's one of the arches that they marched through-this is Constantine's Arch which is between the Roman Forum and just outside the Coloseum. We'd been walking all day all over the place-up the Palantine hill looking out over the ruins of the circus Maximus where the chariot races would have been. I haven't even mentioned our visit to the Vatican-the Sistene Chapel, the museums, and St. Peters (Peter is buried underneath the altar about 2 stories down!!). I could go on and on, but I'll try to contain myself :0)

At the end of Roman trip Blayne headed back to Ireland and Momma & Daddy & I headed off for a quick trip to Scotland. We spent a day in Edinburgh and a day on Loch Lomond. This is on the Bonnie Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond as we walked from our B&B to a lovely lochside restaurant for an AMAZING dinner. It was a whirlwind trip and it was a delight! Now Mom and Dad (as in Blayne's folks) are here and we're just back from a day down at the Rock of Cashel. Blayne's 20 minute lunch time concert is tomorrow, so he's practicing away right now. Can't believe it's less than 6 weeks til we're home. YEAH! Still lots of things to see and enjoy here. Loads of love from Ireland!