'Didn't We Have a Lov er ly Day' 4th July 2009

Galway

So off we went to Galway today, as intended. We found the car boot sale without any trouble, which is a bit of a miracle in Galway, as it has a vast series of roundabouts all around the outside and most things seem to be off one of them. We have travelled miles around there. The bootery was on a hard standing site, which was great as it wasn't muddy. We took Buster with us and he became the star of the event. The car boot was held for a local gymnastics club. The members of the club, mostly quite small children, performed for ages on mats on one side of the venue. They were very good.

All the children loved Buster and the adults and he just loves the attention. We had our breakfast, a vast hot dog with onions and mushrooms which was so overflowing with the above that we went and ate it in the car. I bought a few bits and pieces, mainly for Jack and any visiting babies. A t shirt with butterflies all down the front for the princely sum of one euro and a large bag of wool and bits of ribbon and other 'stuff' for two euros. Great bargains. We had a hot drink at the charity's stall with a bun and an apple! Trying to be healthy. I suppose we stayed about an hour. We were just setting off in the car when I realised I didn't have my rucksack with me, I'd left it by the chair where we'd had our tea. Whizzzz back again and there it was. Phew! It had my camera in it too.

On our way in, we'd passed an interesting little building and a bridge, so we called and had a look. I took photos too! It was the old Galway Corporation Waterworks building and next door to it was an old Pumping Station with the clearest pond in front of it, full of lilies:








The Waterworks














This is the plaque on the side of the Pumping Station.










This is a little joiner I did of all 3 buildings. Do click on it to enlarge and see the water properly






Opposite the waterworks is an old house, all by itself, which is being kept as an example of its time, as far as we could ascertain. I tried to find out more about the waterworks but without any success. It is obviously being renovated, presumably by the council.




The bridge over the river and the waterworks to the right of the photo. Our orange 'Doblo' is parked up the road.








We then carried on to B and Q to look at tiles for our bathroom, both floor and wall. We saw several we liked but couldn't quite remember what the wall tiles we have already bought are like! When we got home, we looked in the boxes and they were exactly the same as some we'd seen in B and Q, which means we can just buy more to do the whole room. We also chose some super slate effect charcoal/blue floor tiles. We couldn't buy them today as we didn't have the exact measurements, plus Wednesday is OAP discount day at B and Q so we'll go and buy then!! It's exciting actually planning decorations at last.

Jim then wanted to pop into Dunnes Store (a supermarket) and do some food shopping so I took Buster for a walk around. He seemed very lethargic and tired. I think he was just hot as he didn't want any water as I returned to the car. We sat on a bench and waited for Jim to return. A little pied wagtail was hopping around looking for crumbs:







As they walk along their tail bobs up and down, thus the 'wagtail'.









We set off for home after a quick drive through for a coffee and McFlurry (for me). Delicious. Jim stopped at Aldi for lots of bags of sugar to make blackcurrant jam. Most of our bushes are just weighed down with fruit.

We called at Hilary and Joes' house and had a cup of tea while Buster and Millie played outside, then Buster broke in and collapsed in a heap at my feet! Hilary had been cleaning madly as they have an American film producer (not a Hollywood sort) coming to stay.

Back home we measured walls and wandered the garden seeing what had grown. The wild flowers I planted a week or so ago behind the sleeping shed are mostly in flower. We can't identify them all, but I took some photos for you as they're quite pretty:





Mystery flower, it looks a bit like a convolvulus. It's a darker blue than it appears here.













This is night scented stock, which I absolutely love as it does what it says!














There are several of these chrysanthemum type flowers



















They are super colours












These look like little antirrhinums














The fuchsia and buddleia are just at the top of the wild flower bed















Isn't this just the most fabulous coloured lupin? Jim and I think it's our favourite of all those he's grown.















When I was planting the left over plants that Jim had grown, petunias, lobelia and foxgloves, I was looking for somewhere to plant a couple of lobelia:





These are now on top of the sleeping shed roof! what do you think?













You can tell which way the prevailing wind blows! The left shoe has some flowers just coming out!














I hope they don't decide to go for a walk













The late sun was shining on top of The Fairy Hill. The violas have gone mad, look at that one in the foreground. If you enlarge it you'll see a fairy....










Round on the arboretum bed, I can't get enough of this sambucus 'Black Beauty' with the pink lupin behind it. The whole bed is filling up daily.












The seasons pass so quickly, here is a hazel nut ready to begin ripening
















And three more








The roses have flopped a bit with the heavy rain and because some of them are weighed down with blooms. I must do some dead heading tomorrow. This is the best of the roses today:



















Finally, some more of the sweet peas are out, including this fabulous blood red one:







They are so fragrant.









Inside we measured bathroom floors and walls and Jim worked out how many more tiles we'd need. Quite a few! I watched Casualty and Jim made our dinner. Korma curry with naan bread, followed by some more of our strawberries and a small piece of carrot cake. Mmmmm.

My 2nd husband sent me a photo of our son Ben and his girlfriend Hayley in Puerto Banus, Marbella, where Ben runs a bar:

Oddly enough the tiles we are buying for the bathroom are called Marbella!

Now I'm really tired so I'm off to bed. I hope all my American friends are having a wonderful '4th of July'. We were singing the American anthem in the car in celebration!