Weekends away
The weekend after I returned from the US I drove up to Derry and spent the night with my bestie, Julie. The purpose of the visit was the annual Foyle dinner. Here I am with fellow pupil Cathy Arthur.
The speeches were good – yet another teacher hired b/c he could teach cricket and rugby, not for his academic credentials. On the way home I bought four rolls of sod at a garden centre and visited the azalea man in Limavady. Ninety years old and he's headed to the states in three days to visit friends after going to Hillsborough Castle to collect an MBE. He is charming and amazing in equal measure. I bought three azaleas, all different.
Lots of gardening when I got home, due to the new patio having a smaller footprint to the old one. I laid sod on either side of the new step, after digging up bucket after bucket of gravel and bricks and replacing with soil and compost. I also dug what will be the azalea garden inset on the right of the patio. And bought plants for the new garden in front of the step. Also played in a pretend Ryder Cup at Shandon, then watched the real thing.
Before:
After:
The following weekend was the Shandon ladies' away weekend at Ballymascanlon, which looks like this:
I played well, 33 points, but not well enough to win. Still enjoyed being out with two different groups of ladies on Friday and Saturday. Sunday back to Shandon to compete in the winter mixed, which I won with my partner, Jonny.
Following weekend (just concluded) involved a lot of golf and gardening. Winter league has begun. We have until 20 January to get in 15 cards, of which the best 7 count. I already have four cards in because I'm away for a few weeks at Christmas, and because the weather has been lovely.
Saturday morning I had a lovely catch up with Marek and in the evening saw a film and watched the rugby with Ann (Ireland lost to New Zealand). The film was a documentary about a man who ran against Uganda's president for life. Ann has just left for three months in Uganda, so very on point.
First half of Oct