Getting into holiday mode...

Two nights before we set off on holiday we had a really lovely evening with Grandma Eileen & Grandad Albie who came down for the night to wish us ‘Bon Voyage’…. We have had such balmy weather lately that the night was just perfect for a barbeque on the deck…..enjoyed the food, the wine, the company….

Lately Darrelle was delighted to receive a very precious gift…. A bike from Grandma Eileen and Grandad Albie… not any old bike but Eileen’s bike….Darrelle was delighted to take them up on the offer of the bike…Albie did a great job getting it roadworthy and then Declan made sure it looked as good as it worked so now it is shining and Darrelle is very proud to have ‘inherited ‘Eileen’s bike’ and has spent many afternoons discovering the neighbourhood with her friend Sorcha…..Most everywhere around us is unsafe for cycling but…what can you do?...can’t wrap them in cottonwool and so trusting in God to keep them safe….

Elena listening to her Grandad reading to her before dinner....

For the past two weeks almost we have been ‘dogsitting’… firstly we went from having NO dog and no inclination to get a dog to having to get acclimatised to our English pointer Jacko and then just as we were getting used to this large dog, and having to carry the handle of the brush when we went out to the back garden for protection!!!!! Don’t ask! Declan’s boss went to Florida for two weeks and asked would we look after their 3 month old chocolate Labrador puppy for the duration….After the first couple of hair-raising days when we thought the large dog might ‘kill’ or 'eat' the small dog and we were on constant high alert we discovered that the two dogs really liked each other and things settled down ….. Both dogs have really grown on us… and now I think I understand this great affinity that people have for their dogs…. When we get back Broc will be gone home and poor ol Jacko will be wondering where everyone has gone to!!!! He will really miss Broc!

Alex had his first school tour this week…. A 3 hour trip to Coole Park…. They all got identical T-shirts and he was so excited about going that he had to be first in line to get on the bus…..Here is is in his ‘Is maith liom an naionra!’ T-shirt…

He was so excited he had to be first in line for the bus...

Can’t believe his year in preschool is practically over and now he is almost ready to start his first year in primary ed.