Let the surprises truly begin......

OK... back on deck (or comp) after my jaunt around Southern Ireland.. more on that later.. promise!! I even have photos if you are really really unlucky!!

Meanwhile back in Ballycastle and time......

Saturday 8 May ....

Remember I mentioned that first walk along the beach (sans sun, surf and, well ... real sand really). Glimpses of what this country really is continued to show through. Driving back the short distance to the house, I spy a pile of old stones piled on top of each other ... somewhat resembling an abbey? church? convent? of ancient times. Umm.. I'm kinda thinking flashes of ancient headstones might have given that away. 'Oh that! That's just the old Friary' I'm told. And that is very much the attitude of so many people that live with these monuments day to day... its part of life.

You go past the green fields of sheep and cattle, and there in the middle will be a vine covered ruin of a shed, or a cottage, or an ancient tower, or even a castle. The modern and living co-exisiting with the ancient and decaying. How about this being in your back yard??? More on this amazing building, its history and its more modern day functions in Hidden Secrets.

Oh, and how did I find out my information? Check out the entry in Only when true character shines through ... you know the drill .. just click on the link above.

Sunday 9 May

Who's son won son of the year??? Oh, that would have to be mine I guess... a great email from Jr arriving on Mother's Day for me... and he beat me to sending him his birthday greetings too. You just have to love that time difference huh? Not much doing in Ballycastle today... preparing for socialising in the afternoon, so no jaunting today!! And this is the charm of the place... what did I find in my morning wander??

My new home!!!









But the neighbours are a bit loud ....








The errr... ummm ... shortcut?? OK, maybe in distance as the crow flies, but wow this is some uphill climb!! Great endurance training for anyone who really wants to... and the locals above don't seem to care how out of breath you are.... heh..lucky for me I wasn't in too bad nick!! (Thank you, no comments from the peanut gallery or kangaroo court!!)

But never fear... I found something to keep me going later if the walk home via the shortcut got too much.

Yep, ANZAC Bar and Grill

Skipping over Monday and Tuesday... original plans were to be out of Ireland on Tuesday 11 May to start to feel my Scottish roots regenerate and to start to order the locals around as any good wannabe Laird should.... but poor Joan was too ill to go... Doctor's orders - not fit to travel. So these days were used for cancelling, reorganising and deferring our trip to the land with the checkered past... oops.. I mean chequered patterns. OK.. tartans... and don't moan too badly at the poor jokes, or I'll just have to provide full details and examples of my family backround - tartans, castles and all!! Err... did I mention I was going to try and visit at least 3 of my family castles???? heh heh heh.

Anyway... deferred for a fortnight was our trip, so it was. And therefore, the realms of opportunity opened for further travel and insight loif experience was opened up. To the internet!!!!! Oops, more days without blog or journal updates. But wait till you see the results... stay tuned!!