Back on the Ranch

I'm back from Ireland, tired but happy. A great, wonderful trip. Unlike last year's I had plenty of time to visit my friends, catch up on the gossip, and just plain... loaf before my little group arrived. They were good people, all muy simpatico, and it was fun to share "my Ireland" with them for ten fun days.

Last year I drove to the airport on the day of departure and when I returned I drove all the way home. I live about five hours from the airport and the return trip, when I had already been awake for many, many hours was an ordeal that I swore I would never suffer through again. So this year I went down a day early, got a motel, and had a leisurely departure day. Did the same on the way back: got a motel, a good night's sleep, and a very early start the next morning. I was a good way from the airport when the sun came up, as shown in this picture. (I have a bad habit of taking photographs through windshields! Much safer now with the stand-off digicams and their nice big screens.)

In my next few entries I will be reviewing some aspects of the trip, posting some photographs and comments.