Too Much to Catch Up!

The trouble is, when you're all behind it gets harder and harder to make the effort to catch up. I can't possibly do all that has happened or this will be like War and Peace. Suffice it to say we've had a stream of visitors and I don't seem to have had any time.....

The Suffolk trip was wonderful as you may have seen from the previous post. Having just about sorted myself out, Jason brought Jack over to us on Sunday 29th August late at night. Jack was so excited and it was quite hard to get him settled but eventually he fell asleep in the little bed I'd made for him in my office!

Aha, I seem to have exceeded my photo quota on here so will have to purchase some more space. This takes another 24 hours! Why can't life be simple? LOL. All my photos are on Facebook, however, and anyone can go and see them:

This is the Jason and Jack's visit to Ireland album if you have time to go and take a peep. We were so lucky with the weather. It was really sunny and warm and the 2nd day we went to the top end of Lough Graney where there is a very shallow edge to the Lough and some sand. It's known as 'White Sands'. Jack spent ages in the water and Jason and I paddled while Jim had a nap on the shore. We had a picnic and then I had a nap too!

The first day we went to Coole Park but Jack was so tired he actually fell asleep in Jason's arms, a real rarity!

We have had a huge pile of gravel delivered and Jason and Jack helped spread it around the yard. Well, Jack climbed up and down the heap and generally had fun!! Jack also helped 'Grandad Jim' pick some apples and some carrots and beans from the vegetable plot.

He is such a live wire it's hard to keep up with him. On the day we went to White Sands they were off home again - a really short stay but lovely all the same. Jack slept on the way to the airport and has talked about his trip since. He really enjoyed it and we loved having them.

The very next day, Wednesday 1st September, we picked up my younger son Ben and his girlfriend Hayley from Shannon - our car knows the way now! They arrived at 9pm so we just chatted the first evening - it was great to see them again.

I have 2 albums from their visit on Facebook if anyone would like a look:

and

I know it's not the same as having them on here but it's the best I can do.

Ben has never seen my home before and loved it. He spent ages wandering around the garden taking photos and exploring.

We visited Galway or course, which both Ben and Hayley really enjoyed. Again, we were very lucky with the weather. We sampled McDonagh's fish and chips again and in the evening went to a pub in Scarriff to meet up with one of Ben's friends. It's an amazing coincidence, but Kevin, one of his friends from Puerto Banus in Spain, was getting married on September 4th in Scarriff, which is only a short distance from where we live! We met up with Kev and his fiancee Christina on Friday in Scarriff in 'Johnny's Bar'. Quite a few of the guests were there and it was good to see Kevin and meet Christina too. I didn't drink as I drove home.

On Saturday it was the wedding and we drove Ben and Hayley to the church. Coincidentally, it was also the day of the Scarriff Show, which Jim had entered! So we went off to the show as they went into the church!

Jim had entered 2 pots of jam, a photo, a vase of flowers and some potatoes. His vase of flowers won first prize and the potatoes 2nd but that was all this time. Still, he made a small profit. The day hadn't started too well weather wise but the sun came out and it was beautiful from then on.

Jim and I had a great time. We watched the dog show and quite a bit of horse jumping. Ate chips and hot dogs and had a lovely ice cream. We headed home at tea time and had an evening alone, as Ben and Hay were staying overnight in the wedding hotel.

On the Sunday we again met up with the now married couple and Ben and Hayley in Scarriff. There was a sort of large shed at the back of the bar and a group played and in true Irish fashion, a sing song developed! Kev was very much the worse for wear by the end of the evening but was still going when we left!

We also managed a lovely walk to the lake and again the weather was fabulous. I have some lovely photos of Ben and Hayley on Facebook.

Sadly they had to leave on Monday morning. We had an extra guest overnight Sunday - a friend of theirs from Oz and she slept on the settee which she said was 'like a marshmallow'!!

Ben and Hay slept all the way to the airport but woke up just enough to say our goodbyes and see them on their way. Oh, it was also my birthday on that day, Monday 6th September! Ben bought me a huge box of Dairy Milk (which I'm consuming right now), a lovely mug with bulls on and a key ring with a bull mosaic on it.

It was a funny day really - very quiet but we had some time in the garden and just generally chilled out after all our visitors.

When I can upload some photos, I'll show you the garden's progress. Our wall is almost finished! It looks splendid.

Love to everyone. I'm sorry I've been so rubbish at blogging and visiting blogs but will try harder!