Mom’s social calendar, cont'd

My friend Ann O'Dwyer was meant to come over on Thursday and take mom out for the afternoon, and then have us both for dinner. She had developed a bad cough so cancelled, allowing me to add Helen Miskelly to mom's rota. Mom went to Helen's for tea Thursday afternoon while I kept working.

Mom has finished Toast and Amy & Isabelle. She is now into Olive Kitteridge. We have also finished Strictly Come Dancing and have watched a series called A Stitch Through Time--Northern Ireland seamstresses competing for a prize, all interwoven with the history of textiles in Northern Ireland--the world's largest producer of linen at one time. We are also back on Great British Bake Off.

Friday we took mom's PCR test to Holywood at lunchtime. In the afternoon I took mom to Thea's, where artist Christine was also present for tea and buns. Many tales of Thea's global travels and myriad craft projects. I left mom there for 1.5 hours while I finished editing a badly organised paper on thematic bonds. For dinner we enjoyed leek and mushroom quiche from Camphill bakery.

Saturday off to Hillsborough for an artisan market. Here's mom by the gate to Hillsborough Fort.

After buying lots of yummy things, we went to the gift shop and cafe behind Hillsborough Castle. Here's the entrance to the stable yard.

There's a large pineapple on top of the entrance because there were two greenhouses there that once grew pineapples for the estate--quite the luxury centuries ago. A boy slept in the greenhouses to feed the fire all night that kept the pineapple pots warm. The entrance to the gardens was enticing, however we had already logged our miles for the day.

Lovely pumpkin display,

Saturday morning we got confirmation that mom's PCR was negative so she is clear to travel on Monday. It is hard to believe a month has gone by.

Oct. 21-23