NorthDownMuse

Joe North

My old friend Joe Hand visited this week and, when Friday arrived, we headed north to Donegal. We unloaded the car at the house in Creeslough then went to Downings beach. On the way we stopped for a photo of Doe Castle, renamed Joe Castle this weekend. It is barely

Derry Girls

Friday morning I played golf at 8:30 a.m. by myself--my first time using the mats that are required throughout the winter. I'm in a winter league--actually I'm captain of one of the 7 teams–and I have to get in a minumum of 8,

Clowning around

In advance of Shandon Park Golf Club's Halloween party, I had a group of friends to the house on Saturday. Which created a frenzy of cleaning and decorating. My dining room centerpiece was courtesy of my back garden--three different kinds of hydrangea, maple leaves, and a small pink

Endless song

There's a UU hymn I love that begins: My life flows on in endless song, Above earth's lamentations... Hence the headline. After work on Thursday I drove to Derry for the International Choir Festival. On Thursday night in the Guildhall I heard the Polish Radio Choir,

The Lyric

Thursday night I bid successfully online for a painting in the Bangor auction. So I picked that up Friday then took Paddy to Crawfordsburn to give him a good run. You never know what you're going to see in the woods, like a fat mouse and his nibbled

Plan B

I was meant to go to Derry on Saturday and to play golf in a foursome on Sunday. Mary wasn't available Saturday, so I canceled Derry, and we got rained out Sunday. With lots of unexpected free time, I went to Mount Stewart on Saturday and to IKEA

Gone to the dogs

In more ways than one. For one thing, my neighbour's dog Crumble stayed the night with me on Saturday night, after Paddy had stayed at Crumble's for the previous two nights. She got bed privileges, like Paddy, and didn't stir all night. She slept

Shandon Ladies @ Lough Erne

Thursday morning my friend Patricia and I drove the two hours to Lough Erne for an away golf weekend--55 women from Shandon Park Golf Club in attendance. We stayed in a 3 bedroom lodge with four other women. Our tee time was 2pm and off we went to play 18

Helen’s Bay Organics

I played golf Thursday, Saturday and Sunday to get my game up to speed before going on a golfing weekend. Friday morning I went swimming at Helen's Bay with Ann (water temp. 57 degrees F), then we went to Helen's Bay Organics, where I bought a

Jared

I didn't watch any films on the way back, I wanted to sleep as much as possible given that I was to work the day I returned--after arriving at 8 a.m. Wednesday in Dublin. I caught up with work emails during a long layover in DC Tuesday

Memory Lane

Friday morning we checked out of the BnB after another massive breakfast. We drove to Margate, passing my Uncle Bill and Aunt Dana's home--unchanged since my childhood. We visited Longport and Ventnor Heights--lots of new development along the bay. I regret not getting a photo of mom on

5 nights, 5 beds

Saturday night I was in my own bed. Sunday night at the Columbus airport hotel. Monday night at mom's in Parkersburg. Here was lunch after I arrived on Monday: I love fresh corn, so I was thrilled. Mom spends most of her days on her porch in good

Ready for departure

Friday and Saturday were all about buying presents for mom's friends and family at St.George's Market, cleaning the house, mowing, packing, and having the house ready for the housesitter. I wanted to go swimming at Helen's Bay and play golf, but I kept

McKee Cup

Friday morning I played May Henderson in the fifth and final round of the McKee Cup, having won matches against Carol Hill, Helen Moore, Aoife Bradley, and Julie Tollerton. I won the first three holes but took no comfort, as that didn't help me in a Challenge Cup

Change in plans

My friends Joe and Carlos were meant to arrive Saturday morning and depart Wednesday. Joe called Friday and said they both have the flu, so they aren't coming. I had a four day weekend (Monday's a bank holiday, I'm off Fridays) and no plans.

SIX

I kicked off this week's three-day weekend on Thursday night by going to see Joyride with my friend Eddis. It's an excellent buddy film starring Olivia Coleman and a young boy from Ireland--a big new talent. Lovely dinner afterwards at an Italian place. Friday was golf

Start as you mean to go on

I've always liked that phrase. My first official permanent three-day weekend has gone very well. Friday morning I took Paddy to the beach to swim. His happy place. Before that I had a chai latte in Holywood, waiting for the tide to come in farther. Then I went

Knee news

Work has been slow for a few weeks so I've been trying to take care of my various aches and pains. I had a phone consult with a physio (free through work) and received exercises for my mid-back (injured when I lifted and shifted pavers, reinjured carrying a

Let’s Rock!

After Thursday night's prize giving, I went into town on Friday night with Fiona and Valerie for cocktails and dinner. That was a lot of fun. I aim to get out for dinner on Friday nights, after a week of work and making my own meals 3X/day.

Lady President’s week

Last week was Lady President's week, with a very large trophy going to the person who had the best combined rounds on Tuesday and Thursday. I had a bad round Tuesday and a good round Thursday, so didn't expect anything at the prize giving after Thursday

Belfast Trad Festival

When my amigas were in town, I was reminded how much goes on in Belfast every week. I picked up brochures for various events and this week I went all in on the weeklong festival celebrating traditional music. This festival is only a few years old--the north wouldn't

Three amigos

Two weeks after my return from Cornwall, my colleagues Rachael and Jasmin visited for the weekend. Rachael arrived on Friday and treated me to a harp and fiddle concert in town. There's a harp festival on to mark the 230th anniversary of a harpers congress in Belfast, which

Porthcurno to Mousehole

Today I did the longest hike, about 10 miles. I figured after a week of hiking I could handle it. We started at Minack Theatre in Porthcurno, last visited in driving rain. With the theatre to my right, this is the view. We spent the day going up and down

Carbis Bay

Today we started hiking from St. Ives up through Steeple Woodland Nature Reserve--it was odd to be in the trees after so long on the coast. I loved this marker with its steeple! What looks like a robin on the painted hand is one of the hikers. Today's

Poldark Country

Before breakfast I visited the swimming beach at St. Ives (as opposed to the surfing beach--the two divided by the harbour). I SO wanted to go swimming, but didn't have much time--I had to be back for breakfast and ready to hike. St. Ives this morning. Our coach