13 Sep 2019 – TGIF, Happy Mid-Autumn&Safe Fri13th To All

Tue: safe&sound in DUB after a 1hr delay to take off from OSL but caught up with time in the air. Had the best service@Europcar rental by a X-student, Shuana from Balbriggen Convent when she discovered that I used to teach there. After getting lost a few times, did find my way to Ann&Mick in Kilcloon who made a yummy baked-ham dinner. Showed them a pix where I got lost, and was told that it is a road with many pot-holes! and it must have been where I was lost. Thank goodness had no problems driving to their house and it was not until the next day that we discovered the flat. Tkx to Mick for getting the spare-wheel put in.

Wed: woke up to this lovely view from the bedroom. The view from the kitchen with a productive garden in the background where these chocolate tomatoes grown. These are the first I have seen, and no they taste like tomatoes and not chocolate.

In memory of 2,996 (2,977 victims + 19 hijackers) who lost their lives on 9.11.2001 in NYC. Pix downloaded.

Cliff at Lyons Hotel – a collection of charming historic village houses, a barrack, forge&mill situated by the Grand Canal.

Lunch@Trellis café where I had a gin-tonic with a Caesar salad

Would certainly not mind staying here for some days during weekdays when no weddings are on-going!

Formally Lyons Estate in 1797 with interesting history of  adultery, duel&treason after Nicolas Lawless, 1st Baron Cloncurry purchased the Lyons estate from the heirs of the Aylmer family. It has since been thru’ other hands including UCD and Tony Ryan, co-founder of Ryanair.

A Lam in the Lyons’ den – Geoffrey Keating/one of SIN Irish Ambassadors

Thu:  short walk down memory lane on&off Grafton St – St Teresa’s Church/Clarendon St where I used to donate in return for candles to the Christmas tree when we used real candles then!

Grafton St: my favourtie cherry sticky bun place, but then it was just call Bewley’s then, looking down Anne St S to St Ann’s Church, on the corner of Wicklow St where BrownThomas&Weir&Sons are still located, new ice-cream joint.

Corner of Earlsford’s Terrace where ACD day&boarding school was located in 1965, University Church/first life-concert for Handel Messiah Concert/1965,  Shelbourne Hotel/first Ball 1965.

Tkx to Ann&Mick for yummy comfort food – Shepard’s Pie@Doheny & Nesbitt/Baggot St, a pub with a lot personality and a cozy little private booth.

Fri: roast-lamb pub lunched with Margaret@Caffrey’s – was here for breakfast and like this pub then and still like it now.

May the roof above us never fall in, and the friends gathered below never fall out.

Tkx to Kitty who is visiting Ciara&family for a fun ABBA evening@Carton House on this Fri the 13th full moon night.