bbbrrrrr-nes and aloneness

Okay so I got a job! Yay!! But due to the cold snap and sub zero temps and snow....I am not going to get to start working today! Grrr.....I have pretty much been alone now fo 3 weeks...alone during the day with not to much to do. After unpacking my room and cleaning it, I was stuck for ideas. I read and did little random things but geez.....I was looking forward to traveling MI for training and riding in the car with new people. So yeah, the only perk to today is that my mommy is home. She had a snow day at school too. Tomarrow back to being alone throughout the day....just me and the dog. And then Friday hopefully I will get to work....but we are going to get 5-6 inches of snow Friday with more random weather. It's so weird being in a house alone when you always had people around ya for like in Ireland. Ohh community....good jazz.....

101 American uses for the hurling stick

So some of my family and friends came over Saturday evening and decided that they had better ideas for how to use a hurl other than for the sport. This is what they came up with...some of them....there probably where 101!

-A child beater

-The paddle you use when you are up a creek without one

-A cake beater

-Dirty sock removal

-Guitar or banjo

-Pizza pie remover

-Fly swatter

-Husband beater

-Wife beater

-Golf club

-Doggie-doo scooper

Create bunch of people aren't they? I love my family of Yanks!

last week.....almost brutal

So I have been back in the states for a little over a week now. Wow....a week ago I was in another country. Crazy huh? So the transition back has not been super easy. I am living with my parents for now and they are really cool people but with the stress of my dad losing his job and the new house...let's just say i cried twice last week (and i never cry). And everything seems big...the cars, the stores....Integrating back with my friends has been fun. Elysia has helped make this last week bearable and with Lacey just a call away, the social life hasn't sucked to bad! I went to church on Sunday with my grandpa. Church was very "churchy" and "fluffy". I went because I was his escort to the deacon luncheon. Yeah...I still don't think I am too much of a fan of church on Sunday. It was "nice" and freakishly overwhelming all the same time. I hate being the "new" person or "outsider". Luckily 2 people from my old church are attending there now since the whole situation with my dad at his church. But yeah church...Starbucks with friends on Sunday? Now we are talking! Furthermore the job hunt has begun...I hate this process especially when you know you have no money and no one seems to be hiring and you cannot exactly decide what you want to do. I have 2 apps to check up on tomorrow....However, it will be okay. It's all a part of what's next, whatever the hell that may be. Oh and I went running this morning....i had to run inside! It's so cold here that being outside is torture! I went to the YMCA and the whole time I kept thinking about "the road". The road I lived on in Ireland was great! The morning conversations with people on the road while I was running....yeah I miss that. Jackie, Joe, Brendan, Emma, Anne....yeah you know! So through all this last week, one thing I have learned: I am still learning. The "I am still learning" quote was made by Michelangelo at age 86 or 87.....humility right there. Mark gave us a wall hanging with that on it and it's hung in my room.....and the statement is so true. I am still learning in all areas. Learning to do life, knowing that I don't have the answers and just taking it one step at a time. So I am still learning and now I am still learning how to adjust to this country while not losing what I gained in Ireland. It's wrecking my head....

the U.S. of A.

So I am back to the US and well it's the same as I left it. A few things have changed since I've returned but hey this next step will be a feckin adventure! So yeah I miss Ireland hardcore....anyways, proper tribute with last week in Ireland updates will follow here soon. As always----cheers Ireland! Now the journey continues......

Wesport with Paschal!!

Monday Paschal and I caught the train to Westport, a lovely town on the western coast. This is our third excursion out together and each time I think they get more enjoyable. Neither had any clue about Westport except that Crough Patrick, the sacred mountain of St. Patrick where he fasted for 40 days & Matt Malloy's Pub were there. Once in Westport we grabbed a cab and headed for the mountain. We climbed up a ways until we saw a sign saying "Poison Laid". Yeah what does that mean? Good time to climb down. Our cabbie said it's a warning about poison possibly being on the field to protect the sheep from dogs. It's more a warning for the owners of dogs. We then explored an Abbey and the Hunger Famine Monument. Oh we ate lunch in a coffee shop and this older man started talking to me. This is what I remember from our conversation. His birthday is Jan 3 (day before mine), he is a family friend of Matt Molloy (member of the Chieftains) and he only knows Boston (that's all most Irish know). Later P and I went to Matt Molloy's---and it was the most homey pub I have ever been to! Very cozy...cheers Matt! So the day was good and fulfilling. I am going to miss Paschal when I leave here. He's a good man.

A Sunday Drive to the North--High Crosses & Belfast

Snow Fall in Ireland--Very Uncommon--Birthday Snow for Me

New Year's Day

To celebrate the arrival of 2008, we spent the day at Lough Key Forest Park. We fed ducks and swans, climbed trees, hiked some trails and hung out as a group. Matthew's friend Jonathan from Galway was down as well as a family friend named Brendan who is also from Galway. I was very enjoyable and a great start to the new year!

Ceili Nights

Ceili (pronounced kay-lee) is a social gathering with dancing set to Irish music. Last weekend, I went to my first Ceili and spent 3 hours dancing to Irish music! Very cool and sweaty. Erika came with me and when we first walked in, we were the only people under the age of 60.....but then about 5 other younger people came! lol Anyway, all of the dances happen in couples and four couples stand together to form a square or box. Then the music starts and sometimes you dance as a group, sometimes as a couple and sometimes individually. I had no clue how to dance these dances but the first gentleman that asked me to dance just told me to keep laughing and it will be grand! So I laughed and danced and I didn't do to bad. The dances aren't hard and were pretty easy to pick up on. After 2 hours of dancing there was tea break.....we are all hot and sweaty and the Irish are the only people I know that would want a hot cup of tea after 2 hours of dancing! That's why I love them! Oh the music was incredible! Everyone seemed to know the dances before the music even began. Traditional music, traditional dance. Mighty craic! it was!!

Happy New Year!

2008...where the heck did last year go? 2007 was a great year and 2008 is already proving to be an adventure as I have no clue about what will happen this year. I leave Ireland in 13 days (insert sad face) and I am returning to Indiana to a new house. My parents decided to move houses while I have been here and I have no idea what this new place looks like. I also will need to find a new job. Usually when a new year comes around, I have a general idea what the year may look like--this year it is a complete blank. And that cool. I am only staying at my parents house long enough to save some money and move out but where, I dunno. I may return to school to get my teaching license. But which school? I dunno. Many people freak out with living in a realm of uncertainty. I like it. Think about it, with nothing set in stone, I can choose to venture wherever I want. I can pick to move to any state. Or any country. Mark & Brenda are also in a similar state. They are returning to the states but where they will land or work is also a mystery. They have some leads and possibilities but nothing definite--yet another realm of uncertainty. Yes all of our worlds seem to be turning upside down. But with the year of 2008 so wide open, I think this may the best year yet. At least very adventurous as mysteries get solved and uncertainty becomes clarity.