Peace in the country
Mother’s Day 2010
As yet another day starts in the Hill Country I sat on the porch watching the mist start to come over the trees to the east. The smells of coffee and cholesterol wafted in from the kitchen.
“You want any,” my wife asked?
“Nah, I’m plenty good enough just watching the dogs run chasing the shadows in the forest.”
“I’m starting to burn the bacon,” she said as she closed the window to keep the burning smell inside.
(Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeppppppp) sounded the smoke alarm as I walked into the house into a smoke filled kitchen.
“You need help dear?”
“Nah, just trying to make it crispy.”
“There’s a shock. You think the smoke alarm is going to wake the neighbors?”
“Nah, they are along the banks fishing this morning.”
“Happy Mother’s Day darling”
“Yup, it’s Mother’s Day”
The door started to get scratched up and I wandered over, taking a sip of my coffee as I opened the door to let the two most ferocious dauschounds who barked and whined until I reached down and petted them.
“Don’t be given them any treats,” my wife said as I was reaching them down to hand them both a piece of bacon.
“I’ve got no idea what you are talking about,” as one of the dogs trotted by with a piece of meat in his mouth.
Her glare spoke volumes and I just reached down to open the paper trying to find people I didn’t like in the obituaries. Seeing none and not caring about the sports scores, I closed it and headed outside to enjoy yet another peaceful day before it got hot.
Nothing worse, than heat and humidity in the Hill Country.
I should call mom and tell her Happy Mother’s Day.
I think she knows…
Happy Mother’s Day Mom I thought as I relax on the porch until the sun goes down.
It was the best of times, it was the worst, of times, it was the time that children toiled, it was the adventure to Dingle. We started at Heuston Station later than usual due to the limited bus/tram/train schedule, which to me seemed stupid. You have a major holiday and most of the transit workers are off. Never the less, we headed from the hotel to Dublin in a taxi once again trying to get to there well in advance.
When we got to the station there was plenty of time to relax and get breakfast. Unfortunately I predicted Tragedy with Kaila’s unfortunate timing of spilling Hot Chocolate over herself. Dad and I moved away before the spillage. We knew it was going to happen and we decided to look at the newsstand. Fortunately for us nothing was spilled on anything else just Kaila.
So after a change of clothes, we got on the FIRST CLASS train, which meant comfortable seats. Nothing else, just comfortable seats and we headed to Mallow. We had to change trains in Mallow to head to Tralee where we had to take a bus to Dingle. Our bus arrived in Dingle at 3p as it took 6 hours to get to Dingle.
Now during the trip I had to deal with fighting nieces, screaming because one 6 year old had something the 4 year old NEEDED to have.
I watched a movie and tried to sleep. Tried, because it wasnt going to happen. Everytime I felt comfortable…
“MOMMY, DADDY, UNCLE SEAN!!!!”
It was funny the first 30 times of the trip , now it was ANNOYING. I think the singing of High School Musical 3 was the straw that broke the camels back.
We headed off the bus and started up the hill to the Bed and Breakfast. This was the longest 500 Meters EVER.
“I don’t want to go up the hill, why do we have to go up the hill?”
“Carry me Uncle Sean.”
Now I’ve been telling everyone that I knew thatI would be the pack mule of the trip. And I was right OOOOOo so right. I was carrying my Mom’s bag, as well as my stuff up the hill. I’ve been really worried about Mom lately because I think she’s torn something in her left knee. I’ve tried the entire trip to help her as much as I can, but I think she doesn’t want anyone to know how much pain she is in. I am trying to do the best I can but she’s being a pain.
We arrived at Greenmount House and what a view it had of Dingle Bay, so beautiful, so Wonderful. I was ticked that it took so much time to get there, but loved the end result.
We went to the linen shop that Mom and Kiri visited ten years ago and between the two of them, they nearly bought out the store. You know that you are spending a ton, when the shopkeeper throws things in for free. I got some stuff and I thought of some people I could get stuff for, but I couldn’t find the “Right Gift”.
We then went to Ashe’s for dinner and planned out how we could spend the next day.
I really hadn’t gotten anything for me this trip, but I had planned to change that the next day.
After a delicious Salmon meal with bread, veggies and mussels and two bottles of wine between Mom, Todd, Kiri and I . I headed back up the hill with kids in tow. Kiri and Dad spent the time argung who would pay for the meal, and I was just trying to leave the restaraunt after we almost had a nuclear winter with Kaitlin breaking her water glass “cause it slipped”. When the bartender brought Kaitlin a new glass with two straws, a shamrock stirrer and a handle I counted to four in my head. Kaila looked and looked then started to WAIL! “WHERE’S MY GLASS?” After going to the bar and getting her an equivilent set, Kaila was mollified for a short time but had reached her tired end.
As she melted down, we walked up the hill, Mom in pain, Todd following, and the kids wanting to be carried up the hill.
When we almost reached the top of the hill I had the kids look for the cows in the dark, since on the way down we saw three cows. Then as we approached the B&B last 30 meters I had the kids run. They weren’t allowed to run all day, but now, RUN! So as I ran and they chased me Mom followed with a semi forced smile. I knew then we were in trouble.
We got the kids in the bath and Mom and I waited for Dad. We talked about Joanna and what our plans are.
That nightmare over I headed to the room and while everyone got changed, I just watched the water. The dark skies and the incredible stars everywhere was amazing, I thought I was in a planetarium, but in the end it was just Dingle.
I think the key to having a good time is sometimes to sit back and let things happen. In the best moments of my life I have let things just happen and not force things.
I have found out who my friends are, my good friends are and who I can reach up from a cliff and I know they will either pull me up or fall off with me.
And though I have missed Emily visiting Lubbock and the drunk Corey and Kym Possible…
I have found yet another version of happiness!
As we last left our intrepid hero, he had just got to Texarkana and back on his birthday, which happened to be Easter with the kids.
(more…)
In this blog entry I’ll discuss:
Trip to Florida,
Trip to see the kids,
Mom and I having a heart to heart,
among other things…
(more…)
and I’m okay.
Mom and Dad took the entire family out to Outback for food.
TWO Wallaby Darned and a Ribeye and I’m feeling better. Not great, but better.
Ryan was stoked and I took a ton of pics.
Shelby was okie, but she is still approaching my own personal hell known as the teen years.
Bags are packed, and I head out to Little Rock to drop off the kids to the ex tomorrow.
Then the challenge really begins.
Today we went to the CR Smith Museum. I wanted to take the kids the the FT Worth Musuem because it has not only a planetarium but a IMAX but it was closed for renovations.
Sometimes it’s a challenge to be the “mean Daddy” that I sometimes have to be because I love Shelby and Ryan so much.
Sometimes they make noises that only dogs can hear when they are wimpering.
But my love for them is INFINITE and no matter what they say or how mad they get at me, I will continue to love em.
Today I had to say NO when they wanted to get something at the gift shop. Unlike some people I don’t have unlimited funds.
Tomorrow I get my eyes checked among other things that I have left to do.
Saturday is coming WAY too fast and I am really scared. I don’t want the kids to go home, but I know they will have to. It makes me sad and I know Shelby and Ryan both will miss me.
But, I just have to be strong for them!
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