Gremlin On My Shoulder

LACK OF COMMENTS - NOT MY FAULT !

An unseen gremlin at work

There is a glitch, an anomaly, occurring on-line when I try to leave a comment on some peoples’ blogs. 

This is something which is most annoying and beyond my capabilities to fix. No matter which way I send in the comment, even though my words appear on the blog, they disappear as soon as I log out !

Now, for some reason this problem is not affecting all of the blogs that I correspond with on a regular basis, only some of them.

And I am not alone in this for several of my friends have the same problem when trying to leave a comment on my blog.

Personally it is like having a gremlin on my shoulder who is making decisions for me without making any consultation!

I have tried to contact Google about this problem but all to no avail and my guess is that they are far to busy to make a reply.

So if you my blogging friends have not seen a comment from me in a while it is not that I am ignoring you, it is that my comment has been stopped by the Google Gremlin :)

75th Birthday

The Ninth of the First is my birthdate and this year it was my seventy-fifth birthday. The celebrations started early on Sunday 7th with a long awaited visit from a friend of longstanding. We met each other in Newtownards in Co. Down in the 80's and little did we know then of how are lives would intertwine over the coming years, or the respect that we have for each from our own perspectives.

Photo taken at 07.10 on 9/1/2018

I thought it only right to circulate this to the majority of my friends and relations

just to let them know that I am a Happy Man !

After breakfasting on a banana each, Mrs H and I set off for points west to Gort in Co. Galway. There we visited our friends who live in a small townsland in a very alternative home. So alternative that they sit next to an unlit fireplace and feel the warmth... !

as do the two small dogs.

Our next port of call was to Kinvara, where we dined on a light lunch in the Gentian Cafe, situated very close to the harbour and which serves great food at reasonable prices.

Then our eyes fell upon a small Gallery and Gift Shop and so being of good cheer and inquisitiveness

we entered. We had fun looking around, admiring the numerous products made by the local crafts people.

We are a Happy Pair

One of my main reasons in visiting Kinvara was to have a paddle in the sea. 

Strangely however, I only ever remember that when I arrive back home. Ah well... may be next time I will remember to do so.

So here I am stood at the harbour side welcoming you all

to one of my favourite haunts

A unique Kinvara Fairy !

On our journey home I received a missed call from an unknown number, which I called back, wondering who it was. "This is Yvonne the florist are you Mel ? " asked a voice.

I said "Yes, but we are on the road, in the middle of a torrential rain storm so won't be home until

a few minutes after five pm."

On our arrival there was the delivery vehicle parked outside and as I stepped towards it out popped this very cheery lady who said "Happy Birthday Mel, I have flowers for you." And then she was gone into the dark rainy night.

Flowers from my friends in Co. Wexford,

the perfect end to a perfect birthday.

A RARE TREAT

We all have dishes that we are fond of and sometimes only rarely manage to consume.
Mine is to simply have something, which when I was a lad, was commonplace on our family menu.

Home made fruit scones

with a topping of strawberry jam and Cornish clotted cream. 

One of the many culinary skills of Mrs H is the ability to quickly make light and tasty fruit scones.

We were fortunate in that a friend of ours was visiting Ulster and knowing my desire for clotted cream, happened to be in Sainsbury's when they saw and purchased a couple of pots of RODDA'S

Cornish Clotted Cream just for me !

Unfortunately, it is not available in this part of Ireland which is I think a great shame.

Our First Adventure of the New Year

The day was bright, the sun low in the sky and the road surface was wet, making driving conditions difficult for our first adventure of the year. Despite passing over my peak cap to give some extra shade, Mrs H was dazzled but keen to be on our way!

We journeyed at a safe speed, allowing for sunlight conditions, passing the looming remains of O’Moore’s Castle on the Rock of Dunamaise.

The Rock of Dunamaise, a site of many battles, was an important fortification throughout Ireland's history. It was plundered by the Vikings in the 9th century, became a Norman stronghold in the 13th, was rebuilt by the O'Moore's in the 15th and was finally destroyed by Cromwell's guns from the east in the 17th century.

We stopped in Carlow for some freshly made sandwiches and coffee as break-fast had only been a single banana each, insufficient to travel on for long. 

Our destination was to visit to Clonegal, an attractive village that sits on the boundary of Counties Carlow and Wexford. Our last visit was in 2013, so it was good to see the changes that had taken place since then.

OSBORNE'S

Where I was disappointed by not having my thirst pint of the year!

I had hopes of having a glass of stout in Osborne’s but unfortunately it was closed, probably for them to rest up after the previous nights New Year’s Eve celebrations.  My thirst was quenched by Adam’s Ale (water) instead.

The smallest building in Clonegal known as The Weigh House

 The 1916 Memorial

The Derry River which always attracts me and so good to see the new railings.

Looking up  The Derry river and the garden with the protective stone bank.

Number one is one of the three stone pigs that sit next 

the Weigh House.

Number two is the sleepy pig who ate too much perhaps over Christmas ?

And number three 

is missing because he got away !

We shall return in May when the blossom is out to visit the gardens of Huntington Castle, a place where I spent many a happy hour in the company of Olivia Durdin Robertson and her associates in the Fellowship of Isis. https://www.huntingtoncastle.com

This shop is in the small town of Stradbally in Co. Laoise,

we often pass it on our journeys. It is the large ice cream cone that attracts me.

This time we stopped because Mrs H wanted a mineral drink and I an ice cream,

The message that she returned with made me laugh.

For she said that the man in the shop said that there was no ice cream to be had and

that there was only a cone on the roof because he was unable to take it down...

So I had a pipe of baccy instead.

Finally, I wish you all a very happy New Year and the courage to face up to the many changes that may come your way.