AL48

What feels like a late check-in 9.10pm and im ready for bed, late walk this evening and now the night is here as in its dark outside 😔. Im just a summer person i suppose.

tursiops999

Nice pics as always, AL. I've been away a few days visiting my sister so just catching up on your thread.

Zura

Lovely AL. That's it I'm moving to the UK lol it's just too lovely!! I never realised it got dark so late over there until you started your thread!! Well I'm assuming it's a summer thing, what time is sunset in winter?

AL48

Thankyou as always.
Zura a bit controversial there😅 im Irish living in the Republic of Ireland 🇮🇪. Long story that i won't get into 🤐 politics and all that stuff. Very interesting story all the same.
Walking later than usual these days as with school back the routine changes, it dose have a positive side all the same some nice sunsets this time of year.

I left home at 8pm this was about 9.15pm when i took yhe photo
The rabbits in the famine graveyard were busy eating and being alert at the same time. Urban foxes everywhere nowadays. The graveyard used to be in the countryside before but the town has expanded a lot in the last 20 years so its surrounded by houses now.

AL48

Zura forgot to say 21st December a out 4.30pm to 5pm its darkness ☹. It is exciting all the same theres a building in Co Meath, Newgrange with the sun entering and lighting a room only on that date at sunrise amazing considering its over 5000 years old.

Hodd

I was going to say, AL. I bet you love it when people say you’re from the UK 🤣

Mind you, the way things are going, most of the UK population will be applying for Irish passports!

AL48

😅. So different now thankfully. Hopefully Truss wont change much more up north, and we don't end up back in the bad days. People really need to stop for a second before blabbering off on something they heard from someone online or tv it astounds me at time even when proven it a lie or a lie is told they still move onto the next one, i think that could be called Brainwashing 🤔 😅
Anyway your always welcome here Hodd Irish passport and all😁.

Hodd

It currently takes two years to get a foreign birth registered in Ireland. I finally managed to get my grandfather’s birth certificate dated 1888 in County Sligo. I think he first ended up in Newcastle, England, and was marred in London in 1914. You can see my link to him is tenuous, but I did actually see him in his final years. I should do an ancestral visit one of these days and tell the locals I’m Irish 🤪

Zura

I don't know where I got the idea that Ireland was part of the UK, my apologies. I must not have paid enough attention in geography at school, or it might have been the hopscotch song I heard in the playground that gave me that impression. No idea. I don't follow politics at all, watch news etc, so I certainly wasn't meaning to be political or offensive in any way. I merely admire the landscape, it's very beautiful.

AL48

Really Late check in for me i had a quick kayak up river into the harbour and back again just as it got dark. A lovely calm night, lovely to be going under the bridge for a change.

Hodd

Zura, a lot of UK people think Ireland is part of the UK, so don’t worry. It did use to be up until 100 years ago, but now just the top part Northern Ireland is British. We like to make things confusing. I like a Scottish person’s reaction when they’re described as English 😆

Zura

That's a very effective way of getting a Scot fired up lol. My Dad was born in Scotland, and moved to Australia in his late 20s, married my mum and had three kids here. Alot of people couldn't understand him as he never really lost his accent. He hated it and would ask them why they can't understand English 🤣 but in a more colourful way.

I never noticed his accent, or that he talked differently then anyone else. Then when his family sent a vhs home-video message to watch he couldn't understand what they were saying 🤭 I had to translate for him 🤣🤣🤣🤣 he'd been here probably 30 years by then.

None of us has ever seen Scotland etc or met any of his relatives. Its all very beautiful, the UK AND Ireland. Hopefully I can atleast visit one day. It's number one on my bucket list to explore there.

AL48

Ive only been to Scotland once myself for a wedding in Glasgow. The reception was in Brig o doon a stunningly beautiful spot. Glasgow to was great fun the main street was busy but a pleasant place to walk about i loved the local drummers and bagpipe band that were on the street. Lots of posts on YouTube to see them again when i want to reminisce. Was supposed to go to Edinburgh 2 years ago but that was cancelled over covid so i will try to go again at some stage. Its a must as we have friends there and big Harry Potter fans in this house. I just want to to go to Murray field to see Scotland v Ireland in the 6 nations🙂.

AL48

Late again. This time it was sitting on the couch watching house of dragons with the kids. Its one of those nice family moments when we are together having tea. I like these times probably means little to them but a lot to me.🙂.
Walking over the bridge instead of rowing under it this morning.

tursiops999

Always love pics of the seaside. I'm so grateful to live near the ocean too.

AL48

I think i might have said it before Tursiops but its only now im really appreciative of where i live. Im having so many good times now in the place i call home and all while sober.
I suppose i had to do some kind of penance for all the good times yes the inlaws have arrived from France so thats a week of stress levels through the roof,
they're fine but very demanding on my wife who is an only child, and my own kids are not young and want to be out with friends and on and on it goes. So you might gather they need a lot of attention😬. Roll on Next Saturday 🤭

Zura

Your trip to Glasgow sounded pretty idyllic AL. Haha I YouTube those drummers and pipers regularly! Your evening in with the family sounded wonderful too!! I hope your visit goes well, family is great and all but I imagine having visitors can be disruptive and draining. Enjoy your nature solitude!

AL48

Thankyou Zura.
Got as much as possible in this morning, I went kayaking, it was rough going where i enter the harbour but fine in the river, still a good workout as i seemed to be going against the tide even though i wasnt. I went walking afterwards. Now the inlaws have gone for their afternoon nap so its just me and the tv for a couple of hours🙂.

Nice view of the Heron's too Im underneath on foot normally but nice to see them now from the river.

Hodd

After previously belittling my grandfather’s hometown in Sligo, which to be fair has a population of 227, I checked flights to Dublin, and they’re almost giving them away! For a few hundred pounds (and Euros 🙂 ), I could sort a car and hotel, and it could well be trip on in October! There’s even an Airbnb place in this village.

When I turn up with my ancestral claims, I’ll either be welcomed with open arms (and offers of free drinks) or totally ignored 🤣 Assuming the Airbnb owner is local (or even Irish) would be a good way to get some local knowledge. It’s right by the Atlantic too.

AL48

There might be a few strange looks alright especially if not taking part in the pints but im sure you will get a good welcome, in fairness its what we are known for😅 the Cèad mìle fàilte (a hundred thousand welcomes).