DECEMBER 15

Since we are discussing trips I would remiss if I omitted Ireland and a very brief stay in England that did not include London.  It started out as a business trip to Dublin for my husband where we met up with friends who had been to Ireland 2 other times.  Thus we drove through the northern part of the Republic of Ireland and a short drive through Northern Ireland.  We stopped at the Belleek factory and while I loved everything, I realized that my home would not house all that I wanted to purchase. We bought a small vase and a shillelagh ornament.  A shillelagh is an Irish walking cane. Ireland is a glorious country with friendly people.  However a couple of young boys took great delight in directing us the wrong direction and were on the ground laughing when we had to drive back past them in order to catch a ferry.  Once again we have fond memories whenever this ornament goes on the tree.