Your Lucky day

Well whoop-dee-do, you get another update! Aren't you the lucky lurker!
I feel like I have had no sleep since my last post. Note to self: do not go to the first hostel on the list. Do not be enticed by "free" breakfast and internet.
The place we stayed in last night was not terrible in and of itself. However it was attached to a neighbourhood pub and our window was right above the terrace, and there was certainly a lot of revelry going on throughout the wee hours of the morning. Lots of noisy noise, which was not conducive to a good sleep, which my poor body so desperately needed. And the bedding was damp. Maybe everything was because we were so close to the ocean and it was a very cold damp sort of place, but my duvet and sheets and pillow were most definitely damp.
My point is that I was tired when I went to bed, and I was even more tired when it was time to get up in the morning. Then Karissa and I walked most of the day so I am even more weary.
I crave sleep.
Anyway, it was a good day overall, and we took quite a few pictures to make up for yesterday. We also tried a second time to track down the elusive Worm Hole, without success.
And I ate...fish and chips. Because I promised Christine I would eat fish and chips at a seaside town, and it doesn't get more sea-sidey than an island. So now I can say I've done it, even though I despise fish.
At first it wasn't so bad because I was STARVING, but then the deepfried crust came off and I saw SCALES and my stomach kind of flip flopped. ICK!!! After that I couldn't look at it, I just had to take a bite and chew and pretend it was chicken. I didn't finish it all because after the near-death-by-starvation feeling wore off I couldn't stomach it.
Tomorrow is Karissa's 20th Birthday and we are going to Bunratty Castle and Folk Village to celebrate! We are also finishing off the night with a medieval banquet inside the castle and splurging on a B&B instead of a hostel. (It will even have a blow drier....ahhh, luxury!)
I am fully expecting to have a ridiculously good time at the banquet...what with cheesy costumes, authentic medieval food, and live music, how could it be otherwise??? I am definitely going to take a lot of pictures!
Can't wait to put them up for you to see!

Jill

Aran Islands

So today marks the Halfway point through our trip! I can't believe how fast its gone!
We took the 1PM ferry to Inishmore today and after dropping our stuff off in a hostel, we made our way to the Bike rental place. They have nice new bikes...yay! Not like the 70's banana seat thing I rode in Killarney! But bikes are bikes and I can't really say we get along too well. That's ok.
It wasn't too long before Karissa and I began to realize just how long its been since we did serious bike riding. The muscles aaaache. Unfortunately we were already a ways in when Karissa realized that she left her extra memory card in the hostel and we had about 12 pictures left on the card we had. Shooooot. So we were very sparing with our pictures. But we have tomorrow, and if we're not too decrepit tomorrow I'm going to try and convince Karissa to rent a bike again and see some more stuff, because we were kind of rushed today.
We did get out to the big ancient stone fort and see the awesome sheer drop off cliffs that definitely have nothing protecting you from a strong gust of wind to your death. Scary and very neat.
I lowered my centre of gravity (aka got on my belly) to peer over the cliff edge. I don't really like heights, but it was pretty cool. huge waves.
Then we got on the bike again and wound through a maze of stone walls. This island is really just an intense labrynth of walls. Its crazy, I've never seen anything like it. The aerial view must make it look like a patchwork quilt.
Eventually after much wandering we got to the general area of what is known as the "Worm hole"...I think its like a big hole with gushing water. The guide book said it was neat, so I wanted to see it. Well, we almost got lost in the vast expanse of limestone and shrub, but we eventually got to the edge of the sea. Didn't find the Worm Hole, but we DID enjoy the absolutely mind-blowing view of the cliffs and ocean and HUGE WAVES! I got right up to the edge and when the big waves came crashing against the rocks I got soaked in the spray! very cool. They were sooo huge. The best thing was that we were off the beaten track, the only people for miles (not really, but that's what it felt like) and just enjoying the un-touristed bit of the island.
Pretty amazing. Probably one of my favorite things about the trip so far.
Now I am so exhausted from all the biking and walking we've done today, and just travelling in general. I also haven't been sleeping really well, so that's not so fun. Anyhoo its been a great time, and Karissa and I often go into crazy fits of laughter over the dumbest things which is a good time. You should ask her about personal flotation devices some time. Or maybe don't.
Oh yeah, she will also probably tell you about The Horse. So let me impart the truth before she exaggerates.
there we were on the side of the road and we saw this house with a horse in front of it and she said, "I want to take a picture of this horse for Kelsey." cool. I got off my bike and sat down on the stone wall, and after she took the picture she sat down and was looking at it and all of sudden there was this crunch sound and a snuffly thing on my ear and a great big beast about to devour my head. it was SCARY. Naturally I curled into the defensive fetal position, and I may have uttered an exclamation of some kind, which may have bordered on the mildly offensive before I caught myself. Long story short this horse almost ate me, and I was severely frightened by its stealthy approach and appetite for human hair.
It wasn't long after that a car almost ran me over, no joke, so its been a fairly life-threatening and very exciting fun day.
I'm sure there is lots more to write about, but I'm fairly brain-dead. You might have been able to tell, because this is probably very rambly and has poor grammar and stuff. I'm sooo tired.
And it doesn't get dark til after 10 so I'm going to have to stay up. waaah. I want to sleep so badly.
Love you miss you. Can't wait to show you pictures. we're having a great time, and fairly safe. It will definitely be fun to see you all again in not-too-long!

Jill

Galway

Arrived in Galway around noon today after being squished and squeezed on an over-full bus on a very bumpy, narrow road! I swear you have to have nerves of steel to be an Irish bus driver (not to mention a passenger!).
Karissa still wasn't feeling well this morning (but she's on the road to recovery and is eating again) so we took it pretty easy today...went to the museum and walked around for a bit.
Its a pretty compact city, and the average age must be about 23...loads and loads of students here. Good shopping too...unfortunately we are poor and we have to carry everything we buy, so we have passed on the retail experience thus far.
the big highlight today was doing laundry for the first time. quite a thrill, let me tell you! I've never been so happy to fold clean underwear.
We are sharing a dorm with 2 girls from Vancouver who were absolutely thrilled to meet some fellow Canadians...fairly enthusiastic. I don't really remember their names because I was so overwhelmed with their welcome.
I feel like I spent half the day at reception because I had to keep going back and forth and back and forth for various reasons, and it was always the same guy there. From around the Niagra falls area apparently. nice guy. who knows I might marry him instead of Liam O'flaherty.
Anyway that's about all that is exciting for today. My facebook is very lonely, and so is my hotmail....I count on blogger for my connection to the outside world. (comment!!)
So far I'm liking the travelly lifestyle. its super fun to be doing different things every day and experiencing new places and meeting new people all the time. I could get used to this.
as long as I have internet access :)
miss you all, and I will put up pictures as soon as we get to fermoy!

Jill

Little Letterfrack

I'm writing from Letterfrack Lodge, a nice clean, new, hostel in the teeny tiny village of Letterfrack, which is located in the Connemara area. In fact its a five minute walk from the Connemara National Park (which I vistied this morning!). Unfortunately Karissa has got some sort of stomach bug so she's been taking it easy since yesterday afternoon. She'll probabyl manage to write a few words of her own later on though.
From Donegal we got a bus to Westport, which won the "Tidiest Town" award or something. Definitely the prettiest and cleanest place we've been so far. We stayed at the Old Mill Hostel, which you may have guessed was a mill at one time. It was pretty cool. We did a long walk and visited the heritage centre (I got to read an original copy of Michael Collins' obituary! Pretty exciting for me), and then we decided (ok I decided and Karissa said ok) that on our second day we would climb Croagh Patrick! Its a huge mountain near Westport that Catholic Pilgrims climb every July to do penance or something. I'll get you more info later. Anyhoo, it was HARD!
It took us about 4 hours to do the whole thing and get back down. I have some amazing pictures to show you all when I get back.
That pretty much wiped us out, but we did meet some really friendly girls from California and attempted to find some traditional music at a pub somewhere with them...unfortunately we didn't find any and we were too tired to stay out very late.
Yesterday we got a taxi (long story) from Westport to Letterfrack...beeeeautiful drive!!! Amazing scenery. We got settled in our hostel and then walked 40 mins to Kylmore Abbey. That is when Karissa started feeling really sick, so we didn't spend a whole lot of time there, and got a ride back to Letterfrack with a really nice couple from Switzerland.
Met a nice girl called Aione last night, and amazingly she works at Bunratty castle and might be able to get us a discount when we go there. Hooray for the Irish!
This morning Karissa slept in and I went to the National Park and ended up climbing "The Diamond". Great views, and it only took me about an hour, so that was good. I'm pretty tired now though. Anyhoo, Karissa wants to get on I'm sure, so I should go. It was nice to get my fix though.
By the way I'm disapointed in you guys! Where are the comments? Are our mothers the only ones who care about us? Sniff sniff. If this keeps up I won't even bother posting pictures when I get back to Fermoy. So there. pbbt.

Jill

Donegal Town

After a very enjoyable and informative walking tour of Derry's city walls yesterday, we walked along taking pictures of the murals, and then got our bags and headed down to the bus station. The bus came an hour later than we were expecting, but we made good use of the time by journalling what we'd seen so far. We met some interesting characters in the bus station, and dozed on the bus ride to Donegal (which I didn't realize was hard to pronounce until I heard Matt L. and Karissa absolutely murder it), arriving in the small town at about 4PM. It was a 2Km walk with our huge packs to get to our hostel, but worth it in the end. Its a quieter place than the hostel in Derry and we have a little more privacy (a commodity which has become high on Karissa's priority list!). We dined on burnt frozen pizza and black tea (we had no milk), we extremely glad to shower at last, and then spent the rest of the evening laughing our heads off in our dorm room. We were just in a weird mood I guess!

This morning I woke up at the usual time...about 5:30AM. I've been waking up at this murderous hour for the past 2 weeks, and I have no idea why. I lay in bed until about 8AM and then I just can't take it anymore, so I get up and inevitably wake up Karissa too.

We've had AMAZING weather the whole trip so far...really warm and summery. Last night it rained, and I thought we would be drowned today, but nope-- sun again! I'm so glad!

We started off by visiting Donegal castle the minute it opened, and then moved on to the old Abbey ruins, and then had a big lunch at the Blueberry Tea Room. Yummy. Then we walked another 2Km to the Donegal Craft Village, which was a bit of a disapointment because none of the displays were on, but we did get to watch a big of weaving on a 300 year old loom!

That's really been the day so far. tomorrow we're hoping to get out to Slieve Leagues and see the highest seaside cliffs in Europe! here's hoping.

My time is almost up!

In Derry

We've spent the last few days in Antrim...totally amazing. Staying with friends: very fun!
Last night we arrived in Derry city around 6PM and made our way to our first hostel...its very interesting! I don't think Karissa is too impressed with the hostel-y lifestyle! But jet lag does tend to suck up all your sense of adventure, so I'm sure she'll be enjoying every minute soon.
Anyhoo, I should go. We're doing a walking tour of Derry today and then catching a bus to Donegal.
There's free internet here so that's why I'm on.I don't know what facilities are like over there, but I'll try and give updates when I can.

Jill

The Day Before the Big Day

I leave tomorrow morning! AHHH! I can't believe I'm actually going after all this time. Its surreal.
Dublin is tomorrow's destination, and I'll be staying with Sam and Karen in their new home. Thursday morning I bus up to Belfast to meet Karissa and we're enjoying the company of the couples I met when I first arrived in October. After that its Ballycastle and beyond!
I'm so excited, but at the same time I get the fluttery butterflies when I think of us trekking around Ireland having no idea what we're doing!!! I have no doubts that we'll figure it out and it will all be fine, its just always nerve-wracking when I have to do new things like this.
As far as packing goes, I'm the worst ever.
I sort of have things set aside that I'm going to bring, but there's a load of laundry that is drying now, and bits and pieces of things lying about that will need to come, and I'm just kind wandering between the piles thinking, "I guess this all needs to go on my back at some point."
An adventure for sure.
In other news, yesterday was my last day at City Gates Cafe. Sigh. I really liked it there. I took pictures of Naomi and Padraig, and I bought that silly magnet for you Mom. I hope you feel terrible about contributing to consumer Christianity now. haha...
I also was given a free book! hooray! I didn't really know what I wanted, but my eye settled on Velvet Elvis, which I want to read again anyhow so I got that. Now I can add it to the pile of things that contribute to my suitcase being way overweight.
Speaking of which I've now posted 2 parcels of THINGS home, so that the said suitcase won't break the scales (and the bank). And there's still more here. How do I manage to accumulate so much? (Christmas, Birthday, and sales, that's how.)
Anyway, you can open them if you want Mom.
So, this is it...possibly the last blog post you will read here at PJ for a while. Or maybe not.
I'm really looking forward to sharing some pictures with you all when I get back! and perhaps some funny stories about two wandering Canadian girls and their experiences with the Irish peoples. Sounds like a bestseller.
Keep in touch!
LOVE-- Jill

I Take It Back.

I'd Do Anything is not the most wonderful tv show ever, in fact its really stupid.
I thought it was a competition based on talent, but apparently I was crazy and its all about who is young and hot, and does what it takes to win over a predominantly male panel.
Saturday night I was rejoicing because Rachel, the girl who would've had my vote if those in the Republic could vote, outshone the rest. She was the only one who didn't receive any criticism from the panel, and rightly so. It was generally agreed that she is fabulous.
Arch Nemesis Samantha, aged 17 and dress size 0, did her usual thing, didn't show the "vulnerability" that the judges had asked for last week, and her pitch was off in a couple spots, but in the words of John Barrowman: "It doesn't matter."
Since Andrew Llyod Webber has the choice to 'save' whoever he wants in a sing-off, I've been getting a sneaky suspicion that he's already chosen who he wants to win the final, and votes have no sway over who it's gonna be. And its no secret that Samantha is a favorite of his.
Anyway to bring my ranting to a close, Rachel and Samantha were in the bottom two, and surprise, surprise: Rachel got the boot.
I must ask why the superior actress/voice was removed from the competition when the judges said only last night that it was Samantha that needed work?
I may be sadly disillusioned but I think it has everything to do with sex appeal, in which case I wash my hands of this ridiculous show. If that's what I wanted to watch, I'd tune into the search for the next Pussycat Doll.
The only good thing about this is that I won't feel I'm missing anything when I'm gone for the last few episodes.
I hope Rachel's career takes off and that she ultimately ends up happier that she didn't become the poster girl for that silly old ALW musical. Hurumph.

I Dread Airports.

I have an inexplicable dread of airports.
Its not that I've really had bad experiences with them. I've actually not had many experiences with them at all. Its just something about them that makes me tense and nervous. All my fears rise to the surface when I'm in an airport: what if I don't make it on the plane? What if there's something in my bag that shouldn't be there? what if they don't let me into the country?
Its like everything suddenly becomes a huge deal. The stakes get higher.
Mostly I just feel very alone and vulnerable in airports. That's what it comes down to. Suddenly everything is up to me, I'm the only one responsible for my well being, and no one can come to my rescue if I screw something up.
I don't mind flying, in fact I love flying. The take-off is exhilarating! And I absolutely love arriving in a new country and peering out the window to investigate a new and exciting place. Its just that in-between stage (here I go again...) of getting through the airport. I can't breathe properly until I am far away from airports.
This presents a problem for me, because in the next 2 months I have to go through a few different airports. I have to fly to Edinburgh, and then fly again from London to Vancouver.
Maybe I will conquer my fears? Somehow I doubt it.

Procrastinating.

Yeah, that's what I'm doing.
Its a cloudy day, I'm sitting at the computer and I'm totally bored with my projects. I have a thousand travel things on my mind, and just realizing yesterday was my 2 months til I leave point, and the 30th marks a year since my sweet Beebs left me (I actually cried about her last night...haha I'm such a sap). Also trying to organize a time to see my girls before they leave for vacations and I leave for good. My head is all muddled.
I always get like this during "in-between" stages. Like right before I left for camp last February, and during September-October last year when I was home working part time and waiting for my passport etc. I HATE being in between. I think being 12 and 18 were like the worst years ever because they're so in-betweeny.
I just can't seem to settle in these times. I can't focus on what I'm supposed to be focusing on, because I'm trying to prepare and anticipate for what's coming next. I think I've always been this way, but I really hate it. The restlessness kills me, and I seem to hop from one thing to the next, getting everything done except what needs to be done! SO frustrating.
If there was anyone around right now they'd probably be really annoyed with me too.
But then maybe I'd get down to business knowing someone was watching my every procrastinatory move! (like that new word?)
But then again, I'm telling you guys all about it and that hasn't motivated me, so maybe nothing will...

Going Wild!

I've done it!
I booked my Scotland tour!
Since Karissa and I wanted to do Ireland properly and visit all the cool nooks and crannies that the Emerald Isle has to offer, we opted not to visit the UK beyond Antrim and Derry. I was rather disappointed since I have a great longing to see Desmond's homeland.
Wild in Scotland is a bus tour that I had bookmarked ages ago before I had ever even heard of Fermoy, and it popped up again when I was looking at the Ireland/Scotland/England tour (that was discontinued) .
It looks like great value for money, and not to mention really fun!
I wasn't sure it was the right thing for me to do at the time, and its part of the reason I was stressing so bad last week, because when I emailed them I heard that there was only one spot left, and I felt pressured to make a decision. I decided to leave it and pray about it until I felt some peace about going.
Needless to say, I think I made the right choice in booking today. I feel good about it and really excited!
The tour I am going on is five days long, which squeezed perfectly into the 7 days I have between the end of the Fermoy summer camp and my flight out of London.
Some highlights of the trip will be hearing tales of William Wallace in Stirling, searching for the Loch Ness monster in its natural habitat, witnessing the creation of Orkney cheese, and sleeping in a castle!

Beans on Toast

It was in the early days of my arrival that I first learned of this 'miserable vomitous mass', also known as a common British "dish". I don't remember exactly how it came about, but everyone was amazed I had never heard of Beans on Toast...absolutely amazed.
It is a staple over here. Everyone eats and, and even stranger....everyone likes it.
There's no trick to it. It is simply your choice of bread, toasted, and doused in the contents of a can of warm Heinz baked beans. YUCK.
I've even seen it on cafe menus.
It is primarily served at breakfast, but it is also eaten as a snack. Or, like Mark you may have "lived" on Beans on Toast during the 'starving student' university years. (and he still likes it.)
I can't quite wrap my mind around how this...stuff...could appeal, especially in the morning hours.
Since I've voiced my opinions on the subject (as politely as possible) its been a running joke for quite some time that I will "have to" eat it before I leave.
I've evaded it for months.
Last night was Emma's birthday sleepover and after a long sleepless night on a tiny couch, I sat down to breakfast....and with a huge grin and a camera on hand, Sue handed me my plate:
Beans on Toast.
"Ooooh nooooo!"
Since it WAS Emma's birthday, I am leaving soon, and I'm such a good sport, I did manage a mouthful or two.
They all giggled and snickered and snapped my picture (I looked absolutely stunning by the way).
The fans were satisfied, but I still don't like Beans on Toast.
I still think its absolutely awful.

flowery thoughts.

When I was outside the other day I noticed this flower.
I have no idea if its a legit Flower flower, or if its a nice weed, but I don't really care, cause its pretty and I like it.
The thing that caught my attention about this little flower is that it was growing between two slabs of concrete, right beside a proper flower bed. And I thought, if flowers could think, what would it be thinking?
It could be thinking:
Man I have the worst life ever! What are the chances that my seed would land right here between concrete, instead of six inches either way to a nice, nutritious bed with mounds of lovely dark dirt, and earthworms, and other flowers? THIS SUCKS. There's no shade here, my roots are struggling to find enough nutrients to survive, and I feel all alone (except for this life-sucking moss around my leaves). I think I will shrivel up and die.

OR it could be thinking:

Its a real nice day out today...the sun is shining, and we finally have a break from all this rain! Not that the rain has ever been a problem, since I get good drainage over here. Its just nice to have a change now and then. I love the color my leaves turn when its warm, and the way Mr. Moss stores up some moisture for these sunny days! He's a good pal to have around these parts of the garden. Mmmm, that sun feels good! I think I'll work on opening up my second bloom today...

OR QUITE POSSIBLY IT IS THINKING:

i am a flower. mr bee come pollinate me.

______________________________________________________________
Am I a huge nerd for delving into the possible thought processes of a flower? yes.
Is this an extremely boring and desperate blog post? Yes.
Should I get back to work? I guess so...yesss....

Prayer & Peace

Sometimes most of the time I feel a little bit awkward blogging about, uh, spiritual things,...I guess...I know that's terrible, but its the truth. I would hate to sound really fake and false, ya know? Cause a most of the time I feel just as lost as everybody else, and I don't have all the wise spiritual answers or eloquent words.
Anyway, getting to the point, after I published my last post I realized I hadn't actually sat down and prayed about all the situations myself, and I hadn't done my devo time like I usually (try) to do in the morning. So I sat down and did it.
I explained how I was feeling and why (like He doesn't know!) and asked for wisdom and peace.
There was no writing on the wall, a voice didn't speak from the clouds, and my problems weren't immediately solved...
I told myself to put it all away and get to work on my project for Saturday, and I left for the Bible club at 5PM...
And during the drive home, I was talking to Peter (the driver) about all my plans and figuring out how to get to the airports and stuff, and suddenly I realized I wasn't worrying about it anymore. I just had this peace and calm, and I knew whatever happened it would be fine.
That was really weird considering I was on the verge of a mental breakdown this morning!
So thanks God, for that.

Also, I find that I tend to forget all the answered prayers I've experienced in the past, but its kind of good for me to think back on them and tell myself, yeah, God was there then, and He will be there for me this time too. Many of these have happened in the past 2/3 months. They may not be huge things in the grand scheme of life, but they are big things to me.

So, there was...
- the time Matt and I were stuck on the side of the road far from home and God had pre-planned a free ride to our destination.
-The time in April when I needed a MAJOR attitude adjustment and He freely gave it THE NEXT DAY (this is actually a bigger deal than it sounds like. My bad attitudes are hard habits to kick!)
And 4 huge blessings:
-I planned to go to Kilkenny...and what do you know, but Christine was planning on going there too! Free rides! Yesssss!
-I decided to go and see Cobh, and Sue said, "Oh, we can drop you off there on our way to Cork!"
-If I didn't go now, I would never see Glanworth Mill...and guess what? Christine suggested we go see it that Friday.
-More recently I was regretting never having the chance to see Clonakilty. Christine helped out with that one too.

Coincidence?
Naw...I think God is just the perfect budget travel agent. And I have no idea why, but He seems to like to spoil me rotten!
So thanks God, for prayer and peace.

Stressing Out!!!

I'm freakin out here guys!
I'm leaving in less than 2 weeks and I'm super stoked to travel around Ireland with Karissa, but I just really started stressing about it lately, wondering if I'll have enough $ to do that, plus school, plus everything else I want to do...stressing about flights, trains, buses, hostels, leaving, coming home, luggage, posting parcels, souvenirs, plus doing stuff here for the church...
I just wish I had my own little travel agent that would say, "yes, book that one. No that one is overpriced, go over here and do this one instead. Try this route, its faster. Yes, that station is the one you want."

AHHHHH!!!!

PLEASE PRAY THAT MY MIND WILL SETTLE, MY HEART WILL STOP RACING, AND I WILL HAVE WISDOM IN MAKING THE DECISIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE.

Ireland DOES have sunshine!!!

I always thought summer began at the end of June.
Apparently not.
After having more wind and stormy weather than I'd ever experienced before (slight exaggeration?) in the past few weeks I never thought I would shed my winter layers and expose my toes in the Land of Rain.
Suddenly, over the weekend, summer happened.
In May.
There are clear blue skies, bright sunny rays, bumblebees, and singing birds galore!
I spent about an hour soaking up the sun yesterday, and it was HOT. Glorious!!
I've busted out the flip-flop sandals and tank tops, and the new short haircut is sooo nice in the warm weather.
This is a time for strawberries, lemonade, ice cream, and ice caps. My 4 summer food groups.
I'm just praying that this amazing weather lasts through June for the all-Ireland backpacking trip!

Potentially Problematic

There are 3 shows that I watch with some regularity: LOST (what the heck is going on there??), American Idol (What the heck is going on THERE??), and the 3rd season of this fantastic reality tv competition: I'd Do Anything.
I never realized how much I've gotten "into" the tv show until this past Sunday.
I don't think you can get it in North America (but what do I know?), so I will attempt to explain what it is for you poor deprived souls.
I'd Do Anything is like American Idol meets Broadway meets Britain's Got Talent. Sort of.
Basically every year they are searching for someone to fill in the lead role in one of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musicals. Anyone in the UK and Ireland can try out and then viewers vote for who they want to win.
In past years they've done The Sound of Music, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. This year they're searching for a girl to play the role of Nancy in Oliver.
Since the show runs at 7 PM on a Saturday night, I'm usually only able to watch the first 10 minutes before I have to run to the church for the teen's club. I got hooked during the Easter break, and since then have really only watched it a couple of times at someone's house when they've taped it. But it is an amazing show.
The girls are so extremely talented, its unbelievable. They can sing, dance, act, and they even have mildly entertaining personalities for the most part. Its a tough competition!
They are judged by a panel of 4: John Barrowman (He's huge over here. I've seen him on at least 4 different shows), Denise Van Outen (a Broadway/West End leading lady), Barrie Humphries (who apparently among other things has played Fagin like 5 times), and of course, Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Right now they are down to 6 girls from the hundreds they started out with.
From the beginning I was really impressed with 25 year old Rachel, from Belfast. She could sing anything, she could act like you wouldn't believe, and choreography didn't phase her. She had the passion, and the look, and I thought she fit Nancy to a tee.
So understandably she had always been leading the competition and "safe" as far as votes went.
As the weeks went on the other girls began improving a lot, especially 18 year old Jessie from co. Kerry. Suddenly 2 weeks ago, Rachel was in the bottom 2, meaning she had to perform in a "sing-off" with another girl, and A.L.W would then choose one of them that he wanted to "save" from being kicked off the show.
What a travesty. Rachel does NOT belong in the bottom 2. Luckily, A.L.W knows that and he saved her.
But I was nervous about last week. I had a bad feeling that voters would forget how consistent and amazing Rachel was, how hard she worked, how right for the part she was!!!
(breathe Jill, breathe)
Anyway, I'd never watched a results show because it plays just before the prayer meeting on Sunday night. But last time I was at Sue and Mark's they had taped it so we watched it.
This was when I knew that my addiction to the show was potentially problematic.
As the host gradually allowed 1, 2, and 3 girls to sit down in the "safe" zone, Rachel was left standing with scot Ashley, and pop-star-wannabe, Niamh.
I was dreading this moment. The judges had not given her the usual praise after her last performance. I just KNEW that Rachel would be in the bottom 2 again.
Niamh was my concern. She was 17, stick thin, beautiful, and gaining favor in the eyes of the judges. If she was in the bottom 2 with Rachel, I had a feeling the result would cause me to lose all faith in the creditability of this show, and humanity in general.
Rachel's face was a picture of dread and resignation as the host called her name.
"Rachel," He said pausing for dramatic effect that nearly shot my nerves, "You..."
My palms were sweaty. "...COULD BE NANCY!!!"
I squealed, losing all dignity and engulfed poor Emma in a hug of relief.
Rachel was saved!
Niamh and Ashley were on trial!
(and of course Niamh won over Ashley, but that was no surprise because the judges hated Ashley).
I was ecstatic. Which is why I think I'm a little too "into" the show.
But by golly, I do enjoy it!

I have a B. A. in Hair Color

Before:

After:


I realize I am possibly the worst before and after photographer ever. Different lighting and all that...plus I absolutely hate taking pictures of myself, because its so awkward and they never look good. However, for your sake I've posted these pictures, so if you will kindly do me a favor and take part in the first ever Pure Jilliness poll to your left, I would be most appreciative.
(But I have already made a decision about the color...its just for interests sake)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

According to the poll, 100% of you (one of you changed your vote...hmmm....Paul?) like the new hair color. I guess its a good thing for you that I had decided to keep it. I liked it a little better the next morning, so I figured I'd get used to it. Its a nice change.

Bug bites, Spiders, Plan B, and 31 Day Challenge.

I'm bored, so I'm blogging.
Possibly not a good combo.
I just can't seem to do anything productive right now, which is ok I guess because it is 9:30-ish in the PM so I won't waste a whole day...
Just the end of it.
I was doing a bunch of weeding in the back yard (or the "garden" as they would call it) on Wednesday and since then I've had a whole bunch of nasty little bug bites all over. I think I've got 3 on my left arm, 2 on my right, 3 along my spine, 1 on my left shoulder blade, and a couple on my legs. AND THEY'RE DRIVING ME CRAZY!!! They are SOOO itchy! Unbelievably itchy.
But they're not mosquito bites, or spider bites, so I don't know what they are.
Speaking of spiders, there was one in the shower this morning. Good thing I rinsed my hair before I saw it. I came to the realization spider-alert shocks wake me up better than caffeine, though I prefer coffee to daddy longlegs.
My house is riddled with spiders right now, I'm not sure why. I think it is the time of year when they come out of hiding, or they're hatching or something. All I know is, they are creepy and crawly and I don't like them, and the broom is good at squashing them at a good distance, and it even reaches the ones that think just because I'm short they can live high up in peace. They are WRONG!
Fatally wrong.
Perhaps the vision of thin spidery legs entangled in the bristles of my broom will ward off any would-be squatter spiders.
Heh, heh, heh....
Also on Wednesday I got my hair cut...shorter than last time (January!), and for some reason I decided to dye it today, too.
"Auburn".
By myself.
Ok, so I've successfully dyed my own hair before, but I haven't done red since right before grad, and that didn't turn out so great. I ended up dying a dark brown over top to correct the blinding stop-sign hue.
So why did I return to that very fickle color? I don't know. I had visions of a cute ginger tone that I like on other people. Ahhh, foolish little me.
Its a very weird orange now...I'm waiting to see how I like it tomorrow in the daylight. If its still grossing me out, I have a dark brown Plan B stashed in a cupboard. See? I learn from my mistakes.
Sort of.
Oh yeah- my 31 day challenge...anyone decided to join me? No? Didn't think so. You guys are too clever for that.
But just to let you know, I'm not doing too badly. I've been doing some unconventional exercises like the backpack-your-heavy-groceries-up-the-massive-hill hike, and the run-like-you've-never-run-before-because-if-you-miss-that-bus-
you're-screwed sprint. Both expanded my lung capacity and brought on a healthy glow, let me tell you.
I've been eating nice tasty foods like sultana bran, bananas, nature valley granola bars, yogurts, and smoothies.
And chocolate. Lots of healthy antioxidants in chocolate that I wouldn't want to miss out on.
Its all part of a balanced diet, right?
Well, I'm going to try and clear away some space on my bed to sleep on, because its kind of buried right now, and I have a feeling in about an hour or so I'm gonna crash. So here's to those of you that have made it this far. You have the patience of...I don't know. But you have patience.
Good night!

Can You See My Banner?

I have a question:
is my beautiful sepia toned banner still gracing my blog, or has it mysteriously disappeared?
I can't see it. But maybe its just my computer.

Please tell me if I should go looking for it, or if I've been blinded by weariness.

A Little Tour of Southwest Cork

Today I got to visit Kinsale and Clonakilty, and see some spectacular views from the car window! The south coast is truly beautiful (almost Mediterranean-esque) and nearly deserted in some parts.
Christine drove her kids and I to a little peninsula off Kinsale, which has some old ruins of James Fort covered in little daisies, and a fantastic view of the town.
It was summer-like weather today for once! Actually I felt like I should've been wearing shorts and flip-flops, it was so warm...a nice feeling. After a quick (non-alcoholic :P) refreshment at The Dock seaside pub (its a little strange to see young kids with their parents sitting outside a pub, I'll admit) we decided to see a little of Clonakilty while we were out this way. Turned out to be a longer drive than we thought, but I didn't mind because WOW the coastal "scenic route" was amazing!We got stuck in a real traffic jam in the tiny village of Ballinspittle (!) and passed a few other oddly named places that delight my soul, and finally arrived in tiny Clonakilty, birthplace of the famous Irish hero, Michael Collins. There was live music (electric guitars and drums, not "trad" unfortunately) in the park and we wandered for a bit enjoying the scenery. Eventually we stopped at Betty Brosnan's Cafe which was so cute! Totally traditional, and showcasing amazing photography by Demot Sullivan, not to mention great friendly service. I would definitely go back.
Overall, a great day.

Today is actually the real May Day.

Here is a flower from my garden.
Because you read my blog and I like you.
This is a bird I saw this morning. No ordinary bird.

"Who you lookin' at, Nosy?"

He was very rude.

"Talk to the tail-feathers..."

He's just miffed coz he doesn't get to read my blog.
Now we're not speaking.
He's so immature.

(Happy May Day)

May Day! May Day!

Ok, so here's my impossible and completely meaningless challenge for the month of May. The purpose being to set myself up for failure discipline myself to eat right and get more fresh air. And hopefully lose a little weight.
For the next 31 days, I am going to do some form of exercise for at least 1 hour* every day.
I don't want to. But I do.
Today I went walking in the torrential --and I MEAN TORRENTIAL-- rain, as a sign of my dedication. I came back soaked, but pleased.
Also, only one meal a day with a serving of meat. Today I had bacon and scrambled eggs for my lunch, so that meant no meat for dinner.
No snacks between meals, except for raw fruit.
One "sweet treat"a day, maximum. Ok, so I failed that one today.

I'm telling you all this against my better judgment, but I need to be held accountable.
Who wants to join me in the misery positive life changes?

*hours non-transferable.

Boring Blogger

I have to say that I've really been slacking in the blog department lately.
Sorry about that.
I guess things haven't been too exciting around here this month. I haven't really gone anywhere, or done anything particularly blog-worthy, I don't even think I've taken any pictures!
April has been kind of a roller-coaster month for me in many ways. I guess I've realized that I'm running out of time here and evaluating everything, and thinking ahead to the summer, and trying not to jump ahead of myself and live these next couple months to fullest!
I KNOW.
CONFUSING.
Its nearly May (WOW!), and by May 17th I'll basically be finished club work, and I'll be focusing on completing some practical projects for the church. On the 28th I meet Karissa in Belfast and we'll be gallivanting over Ireland for 30 days! Then I arrive back in Fermoy for another week before the Summer Bible Camp starts, and then a few days after that I fly home.
I just spent like...five minutes...sitting here, contemplating that.
Seriously.
I can't quite wrap my mind around it.
Its like trying to touch your ear with your tongue.
(Did you just try?)
Um...ya...I don't quite know how to feel at this point.
Excited to go home, sad to leave. Nervous about starting something new in the fall. Wondering how I'm going to fit back into Kamloops life...not that I think I'm too good for Kamloops :P
Just not sure how it goes anymore. It feels like I've been away forever.
Anyhoo, I'm just rambling now, probably cause I'm really tired and I need to sleep. Speaking of which I'm really not looking forward to the jet lag. I think it will be worse going "back" in time.

Until next time.
Your wee Irish friend.

Irish-isms

The quest for cultural knowledge continues!
Here I go...

What kinds of goodies can you get in those bakeries you mentioned?

I try to stay away to be honest...everything looks SO YUMMY! There are all sorts of fresh breads of course, including Naan bread which I'd never heard of before. Its like a flat chewy sort of bread with lots of herbs and stuff in it. Usually eaten with Italian food or something. Its good.
Cookies aren't so popular, but cupcakes and loaf cakes are, lots of cakes in general actually. Danishes, tarts (pies), and croissants, are a few more favorites.

Describe a typical church service in the church you attend.

Well the service starts at 10 AM, and no matter how hard I try I always just seem to get there at 9:59, even though I live the closest. I blame the traffic because I have to cross a busy street to get there.
Because we are officially "vacant" (that always makes me snicker) -meaning we don't have a minister- everyone sort of has their own area that they pitch in to help with. Usually Christine will start by coming up to the front to welcome our visiting minister, and make the announcements. Then Mark will open in prayer, then read from the Bible (to do with the worship), and then we will sing a hymn.
After that there is usually another reading (to do with the children's address) and another hymn. The minister will do the children's address, and we will sing ANOTHER HYMN.
Then we will have the collection, and then the children go to Sunday School, and then guess what...another Hymn! (Its known as the Hymn Sandwich service)
Finally the minister gets to speak, and when he is done we say the Benediction, which I have never read so at first I just kind of mouthed it, but now I know it goes something like this...
"May the Grace of God, the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all, forevermore, Amen." But don't quote me on that.
And after that there is tea and biscuits and visiting!

What does a 'typical' Irish person look like? Any distinguishing characteristics? Do you look like one? :)

That's a funny question because I could point out people that look really Irish, but I can't really say why they look Irish. So no, I can't really give any distinguishing characteristics. And I don't think I look like one. Maybe I should try the fake tan...

Are people as "busy" and "metro" as North Americans, or does it seem a little bit more laid back?

In the big cities like Belfast and Cork, I would say people definitely give off a city vibe. Having said that, I don't think its to the same extreme. The smaller towns are definitely more laid back.

How about "global issues"? From casual observance are the Irish freaked about global warming, healthy eating fads, and wars in Iraq too?

One of the first things I noticed arriving in Ireland was their fixation on global warming! Everything is about global warming looming overhead, and creating "sustainable" this and that, and lots of recycling! Apparently in the last few years Ireland has made big changes to lower their "energy emissions" or whatever. So ya, that is a huge thing here. I've probably recycled more in the last 6 months than ever before.
As far as eating goes, they're really beginning to emphasize the "5-a-day" thing (that's eating 5 servings of fruit and veg a day). Its all over the grocery stores, with labels on fruit juice like "Part of your 5-a-day!", and collectible coupons if you buy over $10 worth of fruit and veg...stuff like that. On tv there are tons of programs about the rise of obesity and how 'we' don't want to end up like Americans (!), and eating right, and getting exercise, and being happy about your body shape! Overall I think they have a fairly healthy and positive approach.
Iraq comes up pretty often, nobody likes Bush, and Americans I've met say they introduce themselves as Canadian to avoid awkward questions. News about American politics is definitely around, and I think most people are rooting for Barrack Obama.

Found any fellow Irish homeschoolers?

Interesting question. As far as I can tell, homeschooling in Ireland is illegal, but no one really seems to know for sure one way or the other. So no...I haven't!

Do you still "stick out like a sore thumb"...or have you pretty much gone native now?

I think I stick out, but I'm just used to sticking out now that I don't notice. It catches me by surprise when people ask where I'm from, because its not the first thing I say about myself anymore!

are you working on your Irish accent or are you patriotically maintaining your Canadian one?

I had a bit of a scare for the first few weeks arriving where I unconsciously mimicked the Northern accent, and then I really missed my Canadian one and I couldn't find it. Didn't like that so much, so after that I was pretty serious about maintaining my mother tongue. Also I moved down south where the accent is 100X harder to mimic without sounding East Indian. I know. Random. But its true.

If you think you can do it though, here are a few tips to achieving a Cork accent.

Turn your "o"s into "a"s. Cork becomes Cark.

"th" becomes "t" and sometimes a "d". Think becomes Tink, Thing becomes Ting. This becomes Dis and That becomes Dat!

'Tis replaces It is, and Ye is the quaint Olde version of "you" (plural)

And I don't know why but Jill becomes...Jeel.

Have fun with that!

Wonder-Melon!

I stumble across the strangest things when I'm Google-ing.

Oops!

This week I had the pleasure of enjoying the Kilworth community children's drama performance. My two little friends, Kerry and Lee, had a few bits to perform each and I recognized a few other kids from here and there as well.
The evening was entertaining (to say the least) and afterwards I was chatting with one of the mom's from our mothers & toddlers group, and since I had only met her youngest who wasn't in school yet, she started pointing out the others.
"I think I saw your oldest on stage," I said gesturing at a rambunctious 9 year old with long blonde hair, "She looks a lot like you."
There was an awkward pause.
"'She' is a boy." Miriam said finally.

Ah.

Friday FAQ

Right, so here are the first few answers to your questions! I know there are more of you out there just dying to ask me some more questions about Ireland, so feel free to leave more in the Comment Box, and if there's are a lot I might do another post next Friday! Wouldn't that be exciting?!

How are the grocery stores different than (Canadian ones)?

Everything is smaller. You couldn't find a 4-liter jug of milk if you paid a million dollars for it. They come in 1 or 2 liter portions (and there's no fuss about 1% or 2%...its semi-skimmed, or "fresh" -whole- milk).
Eggs come in packs of 6 most of the time, there are no "jumbo" cereal boxes or chocolate chips to be found, and I had quite a time trying to find molasses for my gingersnap recipe because no one knew what it was!
Peanut butter has a bright US flag on it ("REAL AMERICAN PEANUT BUTTER!") and ("REAL CANADIAN!") Maple syrup is outrageously expensive.
The most popular grocery stores (Centra, Supervalu, Tesco, etc) have home delivery services and nifty little vans that zip around and drop off their bundles of joy.
There are loads of bakeries and butchers around every corner.
I can't think of anything more right now. Next!

Do you have Starbucks?

In theory, yes. I haven't seen one, but I heard there is a Starbucks in some remote corner of Cork city. Needless to say, its not very popular (I just have to point out that there is a little chain of corner stores called Spar that sells Tim Hortons donuts. Tim Hortons is loved. Starbucks is not. Ha!). The most popular coffee chain is an Irish business called O'Briens which is kind of like a blend of Starbucks and Tim Hortons. Its hugely popular and hugely over-priced!

What is the fashion trend there?

It isn't that different from what was going on in Canada when I left. A few things I noticed were:
1. a certain style of wide leg jeans (I like!!)
2. loose-fitting waist-length jackets with empire waist, big buttons, and 3/4 length sleeve.
3. long fingerless gloves that reach to elbow to make up for that 3/4 length sleeve,
4. Fake tans are HUGE here. And disgusting. People are shamelessly orange.
5. The ugg boot is also a hideous favorite.
But who knows, maybe those things have entered the Canadian scene while I was away??
For guys I've noticed a lot of buzz/crew cuts, wide-striped hoodies, and an overall skulky, goonish, appearance. Not that I'm judging. Its just an outsiders opinion.

What kind of music is on the radio?

Again, its all very similar-- thanks for ruining my authentic Irish experience globalization!
Then again I'm not a huge radio-listener so maybe it is really different. When I first arrived it seemed like all they played was "Bleedin' Love" by Leona Lewis, "Do You Know" by Enrique, not to mention a lot of Westlife (which is an Irish band...and it sucks). But really, most other music is like Coldplay, Snow Patrol, and other things I don't know :P

What are the most common kinds of cars?

In my pre-Irish life I knew five different types of vehicles: the car, the van, the truck, the JEEP!, and the RAV!!!
Now there is a sixth, the van/car. Its like a tiny fat, short van. And its popular over here. But mostly there are just cars. And I don't know their make. I just know they are cars.
There are NO trucks here (except for one....you'll read about that in a sec) And I've only seen one jeep and it lives down the road.

Any strange animals?

The strange thing is that there are no animals.
At least not wild ones. No bears, no snakes (thanks to St. Patty?), no wolves...
The scariest thing you will meet here is a badger, and the last one I saw was looking a little deflated on the side of the road. I saw a fox once too, and that was neat. But mostly there are just a lot of birds.

Where are all those cute sheep farmers?

Apparently they are out tending their sheep as sheep farmers tend to do, and not attending church to meet young single Canadian girls! I spotted one once, and he was just arrived in town driving a truck and wearing wellies and wool sweater. I was walking on the other side of the street, otherwise who knows what romance might have blossomed...

What's the most exciting place you visited so far?

Oh boy...I don't know! I really loved Kilkenny, especially climbing the tower, the Mitchelstown Caves, but the Giant's Causeway was pretty sweet too!

How many cobble stone streets are there around?

It depends how old the city is. There aren't any in Fermoy, but there's a few in Cork, and Kilkenny was riddled with 'em! (they hurt if you are walking in thin little shoes like mine!)

Is there a McDonalds around?

There are plenty of Mc'Ds...with the "euro-saver" menu that I love. Erk. Really I'm not a huge fan so I've only eaten there once, but Matt could probably tell you the location of every McDonalds in Ireland.

What's the temp / climate like compared to here?

I think its a lot like the climate on the west coast. Rainy and mild. The cold is a very different cold than Kamloops....its very damp and it gets into your bones! Brrr...
Its very windy and overcast lately, but apparently in July and August they will get "highs" of 17!! haha...
The weather is really very volatile. It will be shining happily for 20 minutes and then suddenly you look up because everything has gone kind of dark and suddenly there is this NOISE. Rain pelting on the glass of the sunroom! Then 15 minutes later is stops and the sun shines again. Lather rinse repeat.

What is a popular snack?

"Crisps" aka chips (The 'tayto' brand is the general favorite), and "Chips" aka fries! Not really very healthy is it?!

Well that's all until next time...if there is a next time!

What Do You Want to Know?

So I was trying to think of ideas for a blog post.
I know you guys think I'm like Superblogger or something and I never run out of ideas.
Not.
(heh. the reallly geeky inner-child that grew up in the 90's loves it when I say that)
Anyway the thought came to me, Hey you are in Ireland. Write about Ireland. People want to know about Ireland.
Well the sad fact is that when you've been in a place for a while you just get used to things, and I couldn't really think of anything about Ireland to write about!!!
So I leave the next post in your capable hands.

What do you want to know about Ireland?....

Happy Birthday Liz!

The big 2-0!!!!
We'll have to do some proper celebrating when we are reunited in the Fall....if you come back! Cause it feels like I haven't seen you since that picture was taken. Miss ya!!!

One of a Kind?

I always thought our (deceased-- bless her senile soul) dog Shen, being a unique Beagle/Retriever mix, was one of a kind. However, I've spotted a dog in the nearby village of Kilworth that looked a LOT like her! Just a little big longer and not quite as "chubby" (read: obese). Just as friendly too....
I wonder if Shen had some long-lost Irish relatives she never mentioned to us....?

Sweet Surprise!

Been having sort of a bad few days this week, but I got the perfect pick-me-up in the post today!


Thanks to all my lovely valleyview friends!!!

What Have I Done?!

I think I might be crazy...
A few of you might already know I've applied to TRU's culinary arts program...but I just found out I got in!
I'm partly nervous, partly excited, and partly...undecided.
On one hand I'd love to learn more culinary skills, especially in the baking department. I really enjoyed working in that area last summer at Homewood, and two friends there who've been through culinary school encouraged me to go for it.
On the other hand, I'm not convinced I'd like working in the industry...the high-pressure environment might not be Jill-compatible.
I figured that even if I don't decide to become a professional chef, I'd always have that option to fall back on, and its always good to have the skill.
SO...my future is secured for another good chunk of time.
I will be living in Kamloops again, and going to school.

The adventure begins August 2008!

More Exploration

Today Christine and I visited a special spot that has been on my "to do" list almost since I came...
Glanworth Mill.

Glanworth is a small village a few miles out of Fermoy, but which might have been fairly important historically judging from all the old ruins there. One being the watermill...
Nowadays the mill has been converted into a gorgeous cafe/furniture boutique. Check out the link...the style was rustic country cottage-ish...I LOVED it!
We had lunch in the cafe...portions were HUGE, and very tasty...then browsed the antique-y bits and pieces, (a bead of drool may or may not have dribbled down my chin...amazing stuff there) and after that we did my favorite part! We went out back and explored the ruins of the castle!

We climbed the stairs and then poked around the doorways and towers, and I climbed all over the walls (good thing it wasn't too windy, I might have died), and took over a hundred pictures!
It was absolutely beeeeautiful there! I wanted to bring you all to look around. It just reminded me of the kind of place we would have killed to play in as kids. So cool.

You may have noticed I'm not at my most eloquent today...I'm using a lot of those dots...and I'm being fairly repetitive. Sorry. What can I say? I'm tired and uninspired. You're just lucky you got a post at all :P

Bingo Head

When someone is really good at math, people generally say they have "a head for numbers".
What about those (hypothetical) people who aren't so good at math? Don't they get a fair share, or are they completely devoid of cranial numerals?
I have a theory.
Those (hypothetical) people who don't have a head for numbers, only have a head full of them.
And their head is sort of like a bingo cage, in which random numbers bounce, and tumble, and twirl, each quite recognizable, but without any sense of order.
This makes keeping track of them all very difficult. Its even harder to find a pattern, or string them together in any sort of understandable structure. Working out a mathematical problem in a bingo head is almost impossible.
But of course that leaves open the option of writing it down and working it out on paper.
Which I think these (hypothetical) people find very like the final stages of bingo.
When a bunch of random numbers stop moving and line up one by one so that you can get a good look at them.
They still don't make any sense, but if you're lucky you might get the answer you're looking for.

Back To The Grindstone...

The Easter Break is officially over, so my day trip adventures may become less frequent* as a result. My week is back to the usual routine, which was terribly hard to accept this morning at 7AM, which felt like 6AM due to the clocks going ahead yesterday. I spent the day at the cafe in Cork, and business was slooooooow. I was going to go to a table quiz tonight, but I'm pretty beat...my feet and legs get sore from standing all day, and I stayed an hour longer today which didn't help. Plus my house is a complete disaster and that always makes me feel fried.
I have some studying to do, crafts to cut out, sunday school lesson to prepare, grocery shopping to do (the cupboard is in a dire state), planning meetings and Bible studies to attend, not to mention almost daily show-up-and-help-out appointments to do with the youth work.
I sound kind of cranky. I'm not, I swear. I am actually looking forward to getting back into everything.
But I'll let you in on a little secret...I'm easily overwhelmed!
Ok...so that's not really a secret.
So would someone please remind me why I'm (hopefully!) going into the infamously high-pressure occupation of the culinary arts?!?!
Don't worry if you can' t figure it out. I can't either.

*"Less Frequent" is more grammatically correct than "More Infrequent" isn't it? With academic requirements looming over my head this week, I'm getting a little paranoid. It seems like so long since I've done "schoolwork"!

A Little Bit of Cobh

Yesterday I spent a few hours in the little seaside town of Cobh (Gaelic "Cove"), mostly learning too much for my brain to retain about the history of Irish emigration. My first stop was the Cobh Heritage Center, which is set in a restored Victorian railway station...very cool!!! Very light and airy, with lots of red brick, and dark hardwood beams overhead. I especially enjoyed all the Victorian era props, like big trunks and suitcases. I paid 6 Euro to walk through "The Queenstown Story: A Dramatic Exhibition of the Origins, History, and Legacy of Cobh- a Unique Irish Port Town".
It was quite a long and detailed exhibit...part of it was on the potato famine and how it began the mass exodus of Irish to North America. Cobh was the port that all the emigrants left from. Another part of was on the Titanic, because back when Cobh was "Queenstown" it was the last port that the Titanic stopped at before it sank. Another bit was on the Lusitania, the passenger ship that was torpedoed not far from Cobh by a German sub during the second world war. Admittedly I only skimmed a lot of info boards because it was all just sieving out of my brain anyway. I did study the little "life scenes" and enjoyed the videos though. Actually, when I was watching one clip on the Titanic a newspaper photographer asked me if he could take a picture of me! Since the anniversary of the Titanic is coming up in April, I guess they're probably doing a little article on it. Stupid me didn't ask what newspaper he was from!! Now I will never know if I've made it into the annals of Irish history forever! After that, I walked along the road, enjoying the beautiful sunshine and sea! It was divine.
I even climbed a lot of stairs to see St. Colemans Cathedral, but that didn't lead to anything except a good view of the town, and a bad shot of the church building (it was too tall to fit into a picture!).
It was a beautiful building though, and the town was very picturesque. I wouldn't mind going back there another day, since there was still a lot to see and do. Unfortunately I had to take the train into Cork at 2:30, which was fun. I like the train waaaaay better than the bus. Sure, the views aren't as nice, but it doesn't feel so claustrophobic, and its a lot smoother. Not to mention it is WAY faster!
Anyways, that was my trip to Cobh! Sorry I don't have more pictures, but it was a busy day in the town and I felt too self conscious to bust out the camera in the middle of the street.
I am such a bad tourist...

The Kilkenny Daytrip

I was completely exhausted last night, so I just put up the pictures because I didn't have the energy to write about my day.
I'm still tired this morning (haven't been sleeping well) but I'll relay a few details so that you may live vicariously through me.

Though I was planning on taking the bus up to Kilkenny today, Christine invited me to go with the family on Monday instead, so that worked out really well. (I'm especially grateful since its pouring rain at the moment!)Kerry and Lee

I met her parents who are over from England for the Easter holidays- they were an absolute delight! Very funny and very British! (In case you were momentarily confused, the picture is of Christine's children...not her parents!!!)
I think the drive was about two hours, and we were glad to get out of the van to stretch our legs when we arrived.
The city was really cool, I liked it immediately. It had unplanned helter-skelter cobblestone streets winding this way and that, tall brightly-painted shops crammed together, each vying for a little window space to clutter with their goods. Neon signs were nowhere to be seen, everything was painted in that retro vintage look. There were dark little nooks and alleyways called Butterslips weaving between the main streets. Very cool.
Kilkenny Castle dominates the centre of the town and it was packed with tourists (like me!) even this early in the season. I couldn't get the tour of the inside because it was already full. I wandered the gardens instead, and we took a peek inside the design centre which was full of all kinds of high-end souvenirs and goods. I coveted some of the woolen stuff, especially the blankets. The jewelery was beautiful as well, and I treated myself to a little silver celtic knot ring because it was reasonably priced, and it was on my list of things to get that I made before I left. Unfortunately my fingers were swollen when I bought it, so as soon as the swelling went down, I realized its a little too big! Oh well.
We ate lunch at the cafe above the design centre, which was very "posh" to lil ol' Humble Spud* Jill. I loved the look of it though, with dark hardwood floors and exposed beams on the ceiling, big round windows, and white-washed stone walls...siiiigh. Beautiful.
Afterwards I parted company with Christine & co. to do a little exploring on my own. I had 3 destinations in mind: Rothe House, Black Abbey, and St. Canice's Cathedral. I had forgotten Matt's guidebook at home, I had no map, and I couldn't for the life of me find the tourist office! No problem. My keen sense of direction luck will get me there!
Many random churches and quiet roads later, I stumbled across Black Abbey. It didn't look as interesting as I had hoped, so I just passed it by and spotted a tower in the distance.
St. Canice's Cathedral sounded like the most interesting stop judging from the guidebook, mostly because it had a tower that you could climb for a view of the city. Ever the thrill-seeker, that made it my first priority...


There didn't appear to be anyone around to give the tour of the church, so I meandered over to the tower and peeked inside. It was there that I met this guy:I wish I had got his name. He was the funniest guy ever, very friendly and we chatted for like 20 minutes inside this tiny little tower. He had been to Canada so we talked about that, and we talked about Ireland and the differences between Canadian French and European French (I'm an expert, dontcha know?). He was really awesome, and very touched that a crazy Canadian tourist would want his picture haha! (I think he must get lonely sitting in that tower all day). When we parted after my climb, we shook hands and he kissed me on the cheek, and told me to send his love to Canada. I swear it wasn't creepy! He was a really sweet old guy.
The Tower itself was pretty cool as well. To get in you had to duck through a tiny door and pay your 3 euro, then there was a ladder to climb.
Then you got to a floor, took two steps to rotate yourself in the opposite direction, and climbed another ladder. Repeat five times and dizzify well. After the top ladder you had to squeeze through a narrow opening in the stone ceiling and then you were on top! Here's the view.

About four German (I think?) tourist guys were right behind me and they were laughing hysterically (which was a little...unnerving!). Finally one of them pointed below and said, "One of our friends is stuck halfway! He got scared...won't go up, won't go down!"
It was pretty funny.
After that I just wandered the town, eventually found the tourist info centre, and then met up with the group to head home. We took the scenic route, where I saw the castle in Cloheen, the view from a mountaintop in Waterford, Lismore Castle, and Ballyduff. Exciting stuff!
Anyway I've just got back from another day out- this time I spent the afternoon in Mallow. It wasn't the most thrilling experience of my life, but I did get to see a castle ruin, which I might post pictures of later. For now, I'm going to go sleep or something. I'm completely wrecked.



*Tragedy occurred recently...the Humble Spud was closed and repainted a hideous shade of green (I didn't know there was such a thing, but there is) and renamed. I almost cried. Not really.

Sight-Seeing in Kilkenny

Kilkenny Castle

Flower bud in the Butler Gardens

Entrance to Kilkenny Castle

Castle outside Cloheen

Angel Monument, St. Canice Cathedral

Grave near St. Canice Cathedral

Happy Easter!

I hope you are all enjoying your Easter weekend, eating lots of food, and good stuff like...chocolate! 'Cause I'm sure indulging in some of that cocoa-y goodness now that my Lent fast is over...probably more so than is good for me. Karissa, the mars bar you sent was much appreciated.
Tomorrow is a special Easter service at the church, and then I will be having dinner with my good friends the Kevany's (you might remember them from my Boxing Day Adventure). This will be the second Easter I've spent away from home. I remember last year was really hard, but ended up being really fun, and I think it will be easier this year because it IS the second year, and not the first.
I am planning on busing up to Kilkenny early next week, and maybe meeting up with a fellow SWIM volunteer there. Now that the weather is getting better I want to see as much of Ireland as I can. I'm officially halfway through my time here, and its just flown by so fast! I know this second half will go even faster, so I'm trying to make the most of it.
In other news, has anyone been watching American Idol this year? I've been catching bits and pieces here and there, and got most of the episode from Wednesday tonight. I really wasn't too impressed. Maybe America has been milked dry, or maybe the really talented people slipped through the cracks somewhere along the way. The only ones I enjoyed were the 17 year old kid, and the Irish girl (not just because she's Irish, either!). And I was pretty happy that the crazy old rocker lady got kicked off, because frankly...she scared me. The tiny Asian girl was REALLY annoying. Does she really think whining is cute? Ick.
Anyway that's all the rambling I have for today.