I’ll start with the fact that Nora is home safe and sound. Being herself, she got straight back to work on Wednesday, then will host the family summer barbeque this Sunday.

I, on the other hand, am doing laundry and clearing out the things that built up while away.

In another compare/contrast: Nora’s approximately 93.5% finished with her holiday shopping. I’ve scheduled mine for 12/1. Yet we get along nicely. [I did see the comments hoping to see the gifts, but knowing Nora as I do, they are all put away and she will not look at them again until about Thanksgiving. By that point, they will be split up into bags for the recipients and won’t be together again. If I remember, I’ll share my gift in December.]

The last day at Ashford Castle was absolutely picture-perfect: sunny with a light breeze. Nora got up, worked out, then started the packing process. Over at The Lodge, I chatted with some readers who’d stayed after the event, then thought about packing. But didn’t.

Yes, I’ll lean heavily on our different approaches here.

Nora had tried to visit a jewelry shop in Cong twice and I offered to go along to watch the third time be a charm. We walked over to Cong, chatting about the event on Sunday and dinner at George V. As the sun set everything aglow, I told Nora this is Ireland’s perfect farewell: we’d remember the sun, not necessarily the rain that punctuated the trip.

The shop was open! We puttered, consulted about stocking stuffers (Who does that in July???), chatted with the shop owner and left well satisfied.

I suggested we head back a different way because I wanted to see the small ruins on the Cong River and remembered a back way to the Castle from my stay in 2019. A new route through the property? Nora was in!

My memory served me correctly! We crossed the bridge past the ruin, then made a left. Ahead of us, we could hear the crack of gunshot and soon enough we came upon the Clay Pigeon shooting range. Orange shards spread over a bank of land about 75 yards across from the shooting hut. Behind it was an eerie series of downed branches from the January storm.

Kept on. As we neared the equestrian center what to our wondering eyes should appear? Jason, Kat, Griffin, Colt, Savanna and JR waiting for transport back to the Castle. They’d gone to see the Guinness Tower and after the hike and climb, were willing to wait for a ride.

Nora and I continued on the way back to the castle. My last event was at 1 pm — a wine tasting with Paul Fogerty, Ashford’s head sommelier. He’d been a guide during my solo Fancy Dinner — and was the reason Nora and I did the Kitchen Garden tour. Since I’d be sipping wine on a warm day, I thought it important to prove my maturity and have a little food first.

Nora’s room was in the stages of cleaning so she headed to the Drawing Room with me for a nibble. Kat had beaten us there and already let the maitre d’ know I needed food before wine. A bowl of courgette and leek soup and several slices of brown bread later, I was ready to learn about wines.

Do I remember what the rest of the gang had? No, because I left before they fully arrived and ordered.

I had a lovely hour drinking and chatting. Paul chose wines with Irish vintners, all with interesting creative stories. My favorite was the Sugrue South Downs Rose Ex Machina. But I loved the story behind Roisin Curley — an Irish pharmacist and a master of wine. Her Bouzeron was my wine of choice on Fancy Dinner night.

All too soon, we were done. I planned to walk back to The Lodge to start that packing, but the second I arrived in my room, I received a text about an ice cream truck and an adventure. Savanna texted that she and Colt were in a van and were coming for me. Clare, from the Ashford team, and John, the driver (on his first day as head driver), were taking us to a secret location where there would be ice cream. Nora would meet us there.

And there was the Americano Ice Cream truck with a full menu of soft ice cream swirls.

As a side note, I’d had my first 99 with a flake on Monday evening when with family. My cousin was bewildered by the fact my husband and I both pulled the flake of chocolate out and ate it first. When I told the LBUK team about this at dinner on Saturday they alternated between horror and hilarity that we’d cheated ourselves of the chocolate while munching the cone experience. I was determined to try again.

Back to the lovely shady spot just up from the Falconry spot. Catherine had seen the truck along the road in Cong and invited the owner to come on the property for a few minutes as a surprise for Nora and family. It was a lovely final surprise. Everyone was full for the moment, but there was still final dinner to come.

Fortunately, the plan already in place was to walk to Cong for dinner at Danagher’s Pub for an early-ish dinner. And the place to take a circular panorama group shot. The first attempt ended up with a panorama of Jason’s arm.

So KatGyver promptly pulled out her bag to set it up properly. I swear to all I hold dear that she had yarn, needles, tape, batteries, bowling balls (ok the last two are an exaggeration). She built an easel of sorts for my phone to stand on. Then she set it in the middle of the table and we took turns moving it in a full circle. Here’s the result.

Then it was time to walk back to the Castle. I gave everyone good-bye hugs and set on my way back to The Lodge. Tuesday morning, they took off for Hagerstown while I flew east to Heathrow to meet my husband. We came home on Wednesday.

Over this weekend I’ll finish my personal travelogue on Substack and will share when it’s posted.

Greenbrier week starts July 20 so it’s just a short time at home. We plan to film more In Death In Depth episodes as well as chat about The Lost Brides Trilogy. And meet up with our ghostly pals. So you’ve got another recap coming your way in early August.

Laura

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Some links to the various mentions in the blogs:

House on Galway Bay

Ashford Castle

The Lodge at Ashford Castle

Ross Errilly Franciscan Friary

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And finally, the last bit of #randomkatness