I take the weather forecast at its word. Cloudy, but a minuscule chance of rain. We’re gearing up for a day in Galway City. After workout, I dress appropriately for the also forecast low sixties. Everyone’s up and about, though poor Kayla’s still not feeling well.

Ray from Ashford’s right on time, so we leave pretty much on the dot of 11. And the minuscule chance of rain starts to spit. Oh well. It’s a big, comfy van with plenty of room for our gang of nine. And Ray’s as pleasant as our ride.

Yes, the skies are gray and the air misty, but it adds that wonderful mystique to the landscape of fields and hills and stone fences. And there are such bright flowers in dooryards and on roadsides. I see bold pink hydrangeas on bushes nearly as big as a tree.  Creamy white calla lilies twice as tall as any I’ve grown.

On a patch of green, roadside of a fence, sits a bright blue rowboat full of red flowers.

As we get into actual traffic on the outskirts of the city, there’s back-patting that we chose to get Ray for the drive instead of attempting it ourselves.

We have our plan and Ray’s number when we’re ready to go back. And the plan’s for lunch first. I think the recommended spot is The Brasseriebon the Corner, and I realize it’s our first sit down outside the house meal. This is a nice change. No cooking or running for carry-out, no dishes! And I have a very nice glass of wine to start it off.

Logan and Savanna each get an enormous bowl of mussels. There are veggie options for the vegetarian. Jason and I both opt for the toasted ham and cheese sandwich, though I delete the onions and tomatoes. Lots of chips!

Next in the plan is for most of the group to head off to Shop Street. Kat and Griffin will escort Logan, Savanna and me on our wind-blowing, rain-spitting way to Galway Bay Tattoos—another Ashford recommend.

I got my first tat in Waterford, my second in Clare. Now I’ve decided to get my sixth (the others are the work of our talented artist in Boonsboro) in Galway. I think this makes Logan’s third, and Savanna’s first.

Ashford hit it again. It’s a nice, very clean and very friendly place.

We’re already discussed what we want and where, discuss again with the artist in charge so there’s no mistakes. Savanna wants a dragon on her shoulder blade, and her artist takes her image, simplifies it as she wants, gets her approval—and off she goes. The same process with Logan and me. We’re all inked at the same time. Logan wants a trinity knot, shaded, on his forearm near his five-fold symbol. I finally pull the trigger on the Ogham script of the word imagine on my right upper arm.

Mine, due to position sort of between biceps and triceps, needs me to lie on the table. That’s nice, a little rest before shopping. I feel it, of course, but I’d give the discomfort level a two on a scale of ten. My guy’s very precise, which is exactly what’s needed for Ogham script.

Three tats, and we’re in and out in around an hour, and all more than satisfied. We’re definitely three happy customers. If you’re in Galway and want some ink, you can’t go wrong with Galway Bay Tattoos.

Kat’s taken Griffin for a walk along the river with its fabulous flowers and views, and down to a church where a wedding’s happening. I hear the pass-off to Jason as I’m getting my tattoo.

Then Kat, Logan, Savanna and I head out to Shop Street. The day’s cleared. There’s actual sun. Not only shops line the wide pedestrian street, but so do the buskers. Inside a couple of blocks you hear ABBA, Elvis, Irish reels and country. It’s wonderful. Seriously, it lifts both energy and spirit, music in the air, sunshine, people wandering. A little girl in a stroller bounces to the beat with a huge grin on her face.

Kat’s looking for a specific sort of gift, and I’m hunting for Christmas. We separate from Logan and Savanna. And I find my first couple gifts of the day.  We continue our hunt in the beautiful weather the forecasters predicted.

Better late, for certain, than never.

We shop, we browse. Kat finds what she wants, and I score another on my list. Then another. Now we hunt for a shop where Kat can buy some yarn. Go this way, then that, and bang, hit one. And while she picks yarn, I find two more gifts.

Jason’s group is having ice cream at a place in the mall I’d forgotten was there in the first place. Text Logan and Savanna the location, and we head there to find Griffin dead asleep on Jason, Kayla napping on JR. Dump our bags, get drinks. Logan and Savanna return and report they found a jarl (?) pronounced yarl, an ancient ruin discovered buried below part of the city. Pretty freaking cool.

Text Ray, arrange a pick-up spot, and the whole troop heads out, with Kat initially carrying a very heavy and still mostly sleeping Griffin. The boy wakes, walks hand-in-hand—much easier.

Jason’s chosen a tour bus pick-up stop, which proves perfect. We’re barely arrived when a big tour bus pulls out, and Ray pulls in. The weary shoppers pile in, collapse. Ray skillfully maneuvers through traffic—lots now—and we’re headed home. Before we get there, the rain spits again. We had a very lucky, very lovely sunny window for our time in the city.

Back to unload—thank you, Ray! Kayla naps in the sitting room. When I come back up some are already at leftovers. Since we’re in for the evening, I opt for pjs and heat up a bowl of spaghetti. Just the thing!

Lots of talk about the day, and about a potential movie to cap it off. We need to find one that suitable for all, including a six year-old. After various suggestions, we settle on Lilo and Stitch.

Gather and flop in the TV room and watch the fun, clever movie.

At the end of it, Griffin’s delighted, and terms it Overpowering!

And I’m off to bed.

The sun’s out this morning, so I’ll get in a walk. Kat’s heading about a half hour away to a Craft Village. I think Savanna’s going with her. I have work, some writing time, some proofing galleys time that are due before I get home again.  We have plans for an adventure park tomorrow, so today’s Recovery Day. 

It’s about time to work out, check in, then get to it.

Nora

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Quick note from Laura:

I’m glad you’re all enjoying the travelogue. What’s different this year is I don’t have all my electronics connected the way I do in the office at home. In fact, I’m doing all of this from my phone while on vacation too.

So my usual spell check work isn’t happening. And getting photos from a shared Google album to WordPress isn’t the smooth transition I expected when the tablet and phone refuse to acknowledge each other.  So I use what works.

All of which to say, please enjoy as presented. We’re doing our best to convey the fun of the trip and the joy of family time. And I’ll go back and fix spelling errors when I’m finally in one place for a week. (I’m in the Lakes District now. )

Thanks!