Seamus Heaney Homeplace

The past week has been a bit busier. Tuesday was our second swim at Lisnasharragh. Wednesday mom had a steakburger at the golf club--meat is something she gets only at restaurants as I would not be keen to buy or cook it. Thursday was lunch at the Stormont Hotel hosted by our friend Thea, retired soil scientist, talented knitter, collector of puffins (two on the table). On the same day, leaders of the political parties were there to discuss the impasse over the Northern Ireland Protocol--the place was mobbed with reporters, so a bit of electricity in the air. Mom third from the front on the left.

Friday we visited St. George's Market, where mom enjoyed bread and butter pudding and visited the artists' stalls. Saturday morning was tea at the Foys after the dog walk at Stormont. In the afternoon we visited Seamus Heaney Homeplace, about an hour away. It is a lovely museum and theatre celebrating the life and work of the great poet. We were there for a concert of Irish music and poetry. It was three hours long and very entertaining. Mom gives it a 10 (we were watching Dancing on Ice last night, where the judges score the skaters). Our friend Eddis had mom over for afternoon tea on Sunday with a retired bank executive named Patricia--mom was fascinated the last time she met her by her tales of flying on the Concorde. She said Patricia kept her well entertained with tales of her dogs and her second home down near the Mountains of Mourne in Kilkeel.

We have had unusually heavy rain even for Belfast, keeping the golf course closed for days at a time. So I missed my rounds on Friday and Sunday. Plan B for Sunday, while mom was at tea, was to clean all the rugs. But the store where I rent the Rug Dr. advised against renting it because it hasn't been serviced. No golf, no Rug Dr., mom at tea--I sat and opened a book. Always such a luxury to sit and read--while ignoring all the chores around the house. Speaking of reading, mom says 'Hi.'

She finished Richard Osman's third murder mystery and has moved on to an autobiography of Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey, Paddington). The sofa she is on is facing a radiator, and there's a space heater between the sofa and the radiator. This is the warmest room in the house and it is where she spends her time when we aren't on one of our outings.

One of the reasons I get mom out each day, including for walks when the sun shines, is she is more sedentary here than at her house. In her own house, she potters about cooking, tidying, writing a card to someone, doing laundry, running errands. Here she stays in the one warm room and reads or watches TV. I've thought of having her make something in the kitchen, but it would have to involve the oven to warm the kitchen up! I have the heat turned up but the house just doesn't hold it due to a lack of wall insulation. My neighbour says we heat the street.

Tonight is book club at Margaret's. Tomorrow and Thursday we swim at Lisnasharragh. Friday we leave for a long weekend in Dun Laoghaire, a Dublin suburb that is supposed to be lovely. The local train goes down the coast to other charming seaside towns like Dalkey and Greystones. So they are on the itinerary and may be featured in a future post...

16 January