Crayola Photo Challenge- Sky Blue

Wow. This was one of the most challenging colors to match! I've just spent the better part of an hour trying to find the perfect picture to pair with sky blue. I have tons of pictures that feature the sky, and none of them came close enough to match the swatch.

I finally landed on this picture, taken in Athlone, Ireland, of a boat. I really like a lot of the photos I thought could be a match for sky blue and had hoped that they'd be a match. But ultimately, this is the one that won:

Taken on November 1st in Athlone, Ireland.

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Crayola Photo Challenge- Sea Green

When I took this photo (in Ireland), I didn't have my color swatches with me. But I was hoping against hope that this would qualify for sea green. It captures all the fun and adventure that my friend Robin encompasses. Sadly, when I threw the photo up to the color swatch, I realized that it wasn't quite a perfect match.

Sorry Robin!

But the photo below, I love for all different reasons. I love just how many greens are in this photo. I love that I drove by this and whipped my car around and came back around to take pictures of it. I love that it was abandoned yet so beautiful. And I love this you can see things like this all over the place if only you're looking for beauty in unusual places.

Taken on my drive from Carrick-on-Shannon to Dublin on Thursday, November 3rd in Ireland.

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Crayola Photo Challenge- Red Orange

While driving from Carrick-on-Shannon to the Beach Bar, I passed this quaint little scene, pulled over and took a few photos. I didn't have my color swatches with me, and I'll admit I'm a little surprised to discover that the roof qualifies as red orange.

I was on my way to a B&B attached to a pub Steve and I stopped at during our honeymoon in 2006. After two nights at the Thatch, I was more than ready to have a low-key and mostly drink-free evening.

Back to the picture.

This is a typical scene in Ireland. With the animals, the stone buildings and fields galore. And it was a chilly, rainy afternoon so it's easy for me to look at this picture and feel like I'm back there.

Taken near Aughris Head in Sligo, Ireland on Friday, October 28th.

More Red Orange can be found here.

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Day 13. Dublin.

With only a few hours of sleep under my belt, I woke up feeling awfully fuzzy this morning. It's questionable how much alcohol was still coursing through my body as I packed up my room and made my way to the car.

I waved goodbye to Evelyn, who was standing in her entryway, as I pulled out the driveway. With a knot in my stomach and a lump in my throat, tears threatening to fall, I turned right and drove past the Thatch and took comfort in Gene's car parked out front. As I drove farther and farther away from the Thatch, with my most favorite place on earth becoming smaller in the rearview mirror, I realized all the stress and anxiety I'd been avoiding from everything that happened before I left, was coming rushing back at me.

The tears that were threatening to fall had nowhere else to go and came running down my cheeks. Thoughts of Michele, which had been popping in and out of my mind for the entire trip were now unavoidable. I couldn't escape the sadness and utter disbelief of what happened. I thought of the appointment I still had to go to shortly after my return to see the gynecological oncologist. I had a breast MRI I still had to schedule, still had to pay for, still had to try and figure out how to get insurance to cover it so I wouldn't have to pay over $1000 of my own money. On top of all that, I'm still sick. Still have fucking bronchitis. Still not feeling great. Haven't slept all that well on this amazing vacation. How's Pat doing? How are those kids? What must their daily life be like? How do you move on from something like this.

It all seemed too much.
I needed my brain to shut the f up.

Not to mention, I had a two hour drive ahead of me, had to return the rental car, check into a hotel I had never been to before and get my ass into Dublin to attempt to do some of the activities I wanted to do while there.

I had to get a grip and try and get all these different thoughts and emotions in check. It wasn't doing any good to get so ahead of myself.

Driving in Ireland is for the most part, really calming. All I had to do was look around me and let the beautiful countryside help ease my mind.

Seeing sights like this help me chill the f out.
I calmed down.
A little bit.
Just enough to keep moving forward.
I kept my eyes on the road.
My mind a little more settled.

Somehow I made it to the outskirts of Dublin.

I dropped my stuff off at the hotel.
Returned the rental car.
Got in the shuttle to the airport.
Hopped in a bus to Dublin.

And then walked all over the city.
I forgot how good it felt to move!

There were a few things I wanted to do:
Eat fish and chips at Leo Burdoch's
Visit the Georgian House Museum
Tour the Jameson's Distillery
Check out the Cake Cafe (which I had seen on some Bobby Flay Ireland special a while ago)

Being a little hungover, spending more than two hours in the car, getting ready for a full day of travel and being emotionally spent, I didn't have it in me to do all that I wanted.

I did hit up the Georgian House Museum, which was very cool. I couldn't take pictures inside, sadly, but I highly recommend doing this if you find yourself in Dublin. I also made it to the Cake Cafe. It was an absolutely adorable cafe hidden in the most unassuming neighborhood. I ate this delicious sponge cake with layers of creme and jam (which made me think of my good friend, Jessica):

While walking around Dublin, I felt anxious about being on my own and not knowing exactly where I was or where I was going. Not having a fully working phone has its disadvantages and I found myself really hating not having access to my map feature while exploring Dublin. The little touristy map I had did not help as much as I had hoped. But was better than having nothing at all. And as much as I didn't like the knot in my stomach due to the uneasiness of being out of my comfort zone, I also found myself being slight exhilarated by it at the same time.

It's time like these that I realize I just do not spend enough time on my own. I always have thoughts of making myself do more by myself when I'm home. But it doesn't materialize as much as I think I'd benefit from in the long run.

I didn't have it in me to take in as many sights or snap as many photos as I had hoped. I found myself getting back on the bus and heading back to the hotel near the airport. I wanted to be entirely packed and ready to go, get a good night's sleep and be up and ready to go by the time

Once back at the hotel I ate and packed and am now trying to not let my travel anxiety over my insane and intense day tomorrow prevent me from getting the good night's sleep I so desperately need!

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Day 12. Carrick-on-Shannon

Today very well could have been my most favorite day of my trip so far. (Relax, Amy. The Ireland part!)

I stayed in bed until 5pm! I skipped breakfast. I skipped lunch. I sat inside my room, in the comfort of my twin bed and I read. I napped. I caught up on personal emails. It was delightful and wonderful and just as relaxing as my body wanted and needed!

I'm still dragging. My body is still tired. I'm still coughing. Despite the antibiotics, cough medicine with codeine and two different kinds of inhalers I was prescribed in addition to the flu shot I was given, my body has seem to resisted it all. Which is so weird with all the Guinness, whiskey, chicken fingers and french fries I've been eating.

I know this environment isn't conducive to repairing your health. I get that. But I also don't come here to lay in bed all day and nap and read and relax. I'll try and get to that when I get home.

But for now, I'll take the one day that I used to try and start that process and love it forever.

Dramatic much? Yes. I know!

I have a bad habit of getting sad about things ending before it actually happens. So, with my last night at the Thatch just hours away, I found myself getting a little bummed out about it. In previous years, I've only had one night at the Thatch. I've smartened up over the years by building my trips around two visits. But this year I was super smart and had four nights at the Thatch. That has definitely eased the pain. And increased my love for this place and all the wonderful people who fill its quaint walls.

I went to the Thatch after going in to town to finally get something to eat and join the land of the living. And, as my usual routine, I parked my car back at Evelyn's B&B and made the short walk over to the Thatch.

I forgot that tonight the Thatch was hosting a young woman's fiddle/violin playing group. Gene offered the Thatch as a venue for these young girls to play their first bit of live music in front of a crowd. And the place, at 8pm, was more packed than I had ever seen it! I stood outside the door trying desperately to find a good time to cut in between songs, but I just couldn't find the right moment to go through the doors. Luckily, someone opened the door to have me come in.

It was funny to see the Thatch filled with so many people. I went straight to the bar to say hello to Percy and we talked about how good (or how bad) some of the young musicians were. Percy wondered how long they'd go on for and I just sat there amused at his attitude.

Around 9pm or so, most of the girls stopped playing and it smoothly transitioned into a trad session. There was lots of music, lots of drinking, some dancing and a heck of a lot of fun.

At one point, Gene announced that it was my birthday and made me come to the center of the pub to take an adorable bouquet of red carnations from him. The pub broke out singing happy birthday to me and Gene pronounced I had to sing a song or give a speech. Clearly not drunk enough to sing, I reluctantly took the floor and talked about how I met Gene- nearly 10 years earlier in a pub in Doolin and that our friendship really took off six years later when Steve and I showed up for our honeymoon at the Thatch. I talked about how much I loved this place. How happy it made me and how connected I felt to my father's love of our Irish heritage.

A lot of times when I show up at the Thatch, the locals question why I love it so much. They're skeptical that this girl from California comes all the way to Carrick-on-Shannon to this pub. Clearly believing there are more exciting places to be, I implored everyone in my moment in the spotlight on the floor of the pub, to remember how unusual places like this are. It may be their local pub, and they may have the great pleasure of being able to come every Wednesday night for the craic and music, but that it's more unique than they could ever know.

I wanted them to understand how lucky they are to have this place- and to remember that, because the rest of us are not as lucky to have a place they can go to regularly that's so filled with life and fun and lasting memories.

After that, the night started to wind down (for most of the people anyway)! I, of course, stayed behind until the very end of the night. I talked with Huey (Evelyn's son) and Stripey Mike (a friend I met on last year's trip who hit it off with ERF in March), another friend of Gene's who was buying me beers throughout the night and Gene.

Gene disappeared at one point and came back with two cards- one from Percy (who snuck out at some point and I didn't get to have a proper goodbye with him) and one from Lindsay- who reached out to Gene via email, got his mailing address, and sent a card to his house for my birthday. Beyond sweet and thoughtful! Thank you, Lindsay! While opening those cards, Gene ran into his house again, came back and said "I'm not a card man" and handed me the most adorable piece of Belleek Irish pottery. A little cottage that he said was in his grandmother's house. The thoughtfulness was too much to take and I'll tell ya, I will cherish that gift for the rest of my life.

Here are some of the best photos from the night. From the very beginning through the end:

And then here's my favorite picture of the night. It perfectly captures Gene's infectious and contagious smile and energy, the happiness I can't hide from being at the Thatch and Stripe Mike's obnoxiously hilarious intrusion:

From November 11, 2011

It was a fabulous night at the Thatch. A perfect way to end my stay in Carrick-on-Shannon and a wonderful opportunity to get to know Gene, Percy and everyone else better. And while I was definitely sad, it helped that I had hot whiskey and Guinness to fool my emotions so I could get safely home and in bed (after some fun FaceTime sessions with my sisters and lover back home).

Goodnight Thatch. Thank you Gene!

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Day 11. Carrick-on-Shannon

Another low-key day considering all that I've been doing in the past week and a half. I had an early start out of Galway, leaving when Robin did for work.

I took a route back to Carrick-on-Shannon that I hadn't traveled before so I could drive through Athlone and to see some new sights. I got to Athlone before most of the town had woken up, but I enjoyed the quick walk I did take through town.

With a short morning walk behind me, I got back into my trusty travel companion and made my way to the B&B. I took my time, taking pictures along the way, allowing myself a little more time to take super small roads in search of sights like this:

When I pulled back out on the main road, I was rewarded with my sheep-spotted field! And took one of my most favorite pictures of the trip (the 3rd one). I love the way the bails of hay contrast the sheep. And how it seems to go on for miles and miles and miles...

From there, I made my way to Carrick-on-Shannon. Went into town, grabbed lunch and a few photos:

On my drive back to the B&B, I was greeting with this beautiful sight:

(I may have doctored this up ever so slightly with my most favorite iPhone app).

Finally back at the B&B, I did the one thing I had hoped to do much more of on this trip- NAP! I took a glorious nap under the heavy blanket in the comfortable twin sized bed and zonked out for a few hours. I couldn't have been happier!

Being a Tuesday, I knew the Thatch wouldn't be very busy. And I have found myself wrestling with the decision to rally and go out or just stay in bed and read, catch up on my blog and email on this trip. And today wasn't any different. Do I stay in bed or rally?

Of course I chose to rally. I can't not go to the Thatch when I'm right across the street? That'd be madness! I had a quick dinner in town- where I watched the most adorable Irishman eat Chinese food inside a pub while watching a soap opera.

And then walked over to the Thatch for a low-key night of fun, Guinness and conversation.

Tomorrow is my last night at The Thatch in 2011 and the sadness is already creeping in. This has been a great trip and I've been so grateful for just how much time I've spent here. Well done, Molly, on the scheduling this time around!

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Day 10. Galway

All things considered, today was a very low-key day. Robin and I were up early

Said goodbye to our beautiful street

And then drove to Galway, making one stop at my favorite restaurant in all of Ireland, Moran's Oyster Cottage. Amy and I went here last year (twice in two days) and I've been drooling, I mean, dreaming, about this meal ever since!

Baked garlic mussels and goats cheese salad (which looks totally unappetizing in the picture, but is really quite delicious). YUMMY.

It was a quiet night in Galway, despite it being Halloween. We hung out at The Townhouse with some of Robin's friends after hitting up another pub and catching some kids in costumes. And I got to end the night with a haircut, courtesy of Robin!

Tomorrow I go back to Carrick-on-Shannon for two nights, which I'm of course looking forward to.

My time with Robin has been so much fun. So easy. So comfortable. Really great. Filled with lots of fun little inside jokes we now have to add to our long list of memories which span from when we were kids growing up in New Fairfield, Connecticut.

Goodnight, Galway!

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