Christmas Day, Dublin

Picnic!!!

Diana with ice sculpture trees.

Christmas Day was sunny and clear so after eating our picnic brunch, Diana and I headed out for a walk.  We had noticed a park near the hotel so headed that direction.  The snow was so pretty and this was my first white Christmas ever.  We even wore out Santa hats all day!

My sister, Ardell, had even slipped a little present in my suitcase:)  A "JOY" Christmas ornament - very appropriate:)

My first white Christmas

That evening the hotel had a fancy Christmas dinner which Diana and I decided to attend.  Becki and Jeff ate in the hotel bar which also had good food.

Diana and I, true to form, ate way more than we should have but everything was so festive and the other guests very friendly.  It was a good time and a nice Christmas celebration.

The standard greeting in Ireland is "Happy Christmas" rather than the US "Merry Christmas".  Good wishes were wished to all:)

Christmas Eve, Dublin

Dublin's tourist attractions shut down for the Christmas weekend which included Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and St. Stephen's Day.  We thought things would close early on Christmas Eve but didn't really expect them to be closed all day long.   We all found plenty to do anyway.  In the morning we walked over to see Christ Church Cathedral.  Beautiful!

We then headed to the shopping district.  Diana and I bought some food at the local Marks & Spencers food hall in case we couldn't find an open restaurant over the weekend.  I used to shop at their London store years ago.

I love these kind of sculptures!

Bridge over River Liffey

Walking across the River Liffey

Becki and Jeff headed to a local wine bar and had a great time.  Diana and I headed out to explore the neighborhood and walk across the River Liffey.  The bridge is in the shape of a harp  and Diana took a pic of me in my now standard "bridge walker" pose.

We walked quite a ways along the river to the huge ferris wheel.  Why do I do these things?  I thought I could ride this thing but NO!  I was terrified the whole time:):)  It was perfectly safe but what was I thinking?  When I was about 8 or 9, my older sister and I got left on a ferris wheel for way too long.  My uncle had to go find the operator and get him to let us off.  My opinon of ferris wheels was forever changed.

Later in the evening, we went to mass at the church that was closest to our hotel.  There was a program of Christmas carols before the mass.  Lovely!

Back at the hotel, they served all their Christmas guests hot mulled wine and mince pies.  Very Irish!

Dublin

Becki, Jeff and Diana

View from our hotel room -
lots of snow

Our hotel in Dublin, The Davenport, was centrally located and we could walk (very carefully) most of the places we wanted to see.  After sleeping late on Thursday, we headed out to see the sights.  First stop was a pub for our first Guiness and then to another pub for lunch.  The main shopping district was filled with Christmas shoppers and we enjoyed seeing all the decorations and lights.

Lots of flowers for the holiday season!

We headed over to Trinity College to see the famous Book of Kells.  Very impressive!  So amazing to see something that was created centuries ago.  No pics were allowed but I am including a link.  Book of Kells  After seeing the exhibit and doing a little shopping in the museum shop, we headed towards the hotel with a few stops along the way.  As in pubs:)

We ended up having a fun evening and enjoyed our very own "pub crawl".  No tour guide needed! First up was Kennedy's which was close to our hotel.  Besides a Guiness (or maybe it was a Smithwicks), fish and chips and a shared dessert were ordered.

 Next up was a fun pub with live Irish music.  Lots of Santas were on hand celebrating the season and really livened up the place.  These guys were so funny and had everyone laughing with their singing and dancing.

Santa, Me, Santa:)

Irish Coffee

We moved on to another pub where I actually ate dinner - Irish stew:)  Our final pub stop of the night was across the street from our hotel for an Irish Coffee.  Big mistake!!!  Diana and I thought the whiskey would counteract the caffeine - NOT!  We were both awake most of the night:)  The locals were great fun and did gift us both with Santa hats.  Honestly, I don't drink much but I was in Ireland:):)

Diana and I decked out in our new Santa hats.

Leaving on a jet plane . . .

After celebrating Christmas with Janet and Nick on Friday night, I drove to Houston on Saturday and spent the night at my sister, Ardell's, in Kingwood.

Arc de Triumph in the fog!

Don't travel with me!  Monday, December 20th, three friends and I were scheduled to leave IAH for Dublin, Ireland through Paris.  This is my third plane trip of the year and, once again, there was a major delay.  Our plane left Houston three hours late - not so bad but it caused us to miss our connection to Dublin.  Charles deGaulle Airport has been closed off and on for most of the week.  The earliest flight we could get was Wednesday evening.  Air France gave us food and a room voucher which was great!  We took a taxi into Paris Tuesday evening and walked down the Avenue Champ Elysees and saw a few sights.

Most famous street in Paris.

  We walked by the Arc d'Triumph and saw the Eiffel Tower through the fog.  After roaming through the kiosks set up along the street for Christmas, we had onion soup before heading back to the hotel.  Wednesday morning we slept late and headed to the airport for our flight.  They had told us to be there at 3:00 pm for our 6:00 p.m. flight.  It finally took off at midnight!!!!  Nine hours sitting around the airport is exhausting.   Diana and I passed a few of those hours playing cards with a couple of young Irish children.  We arrived at our hotel in Dublin about 2:30 a.m Thursday morning.  Needless to say, we slept late Thursday morning.

French Onion Soup - the real deal:)

Too bad I had already bought
Doug's Christmas present.

The snow in Dublin is amazing - more than they have seen in almost sixty years!  They do not have the manpower or equipment to keep it cleared.  We just bundle up in our long underwear, etc., etc, etc. and head out:)

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Wishing all my friends and blog readers a very Joyful and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Over the next few weeks I will not have internet access so will catch you up with my latest adventures after the first of the year.

Be safe,
Peggy

A Skirt & a Pocket

Yeah!  My daughter-in law, Leigh Anne has a finished skirt:)  Leigh Anne and I both will be in Houston this weekend and need to be at IAH about the same time on Monday.   I hope to make a "special delivery".  This is Nancy Erickson's 1964 skirt pattern that I have sewn many times.  It is a keeper!!  I made this from a remnant I bought at High Fashion Fabrics several years ago.  It is lined with a faced waistline and is a "test" skirt to see how it fits and if Leigh Anne likes the pattern.  She wanted it short so she can wear it with tights and boots.

Pocket!

The Pocket:):)  While I was in NYC, Leigh Anne and I were stuffing our pockets so we wouldn't have to carry purses.  Doug showed us the nifty pocket he has in his overcoat which gave me an idea - dangerous, I know.  I sewed a pocket into my new coat so that I could put my case with my passport, credit cards, etc. in it and avoid carrying a purse while I am sight seeing.  I'll report on how well it works later.  For my friends making coats, definitely consider this!!!  Doug's coat has a really nice welt pocket that is really deep.   His mother's coat has a handstitched patch pocket because (1) I'm lazy and (2) I waited until today to do this!!  I made the pocket big/deep enough to hold my passport case and hand stitched it to the lining of my coat.  It would have been better to machine stitch but I didn't have time to undo the lining, etc, etc.  Procrastination:):)  My purse will be filled with the heavy stuff  that can be left behind most of the time.


Thanks to all who left comments about Chessie.  I really appreciate your kindness.

Chessie

Chessie

CHESSIE LIONBERGER

1993-2010

If it should be that I grow frail and weak,

And pain should keep me from my sleep,

Then you must do what must be done

For this, the last battle, can't be won.

For this day more than the rest,

Your love and friendship stand the test.

We've had so many good years,

What is to come can hold no fear.

You'd not want me to suffer, so,

When the time comes, please let me go.

Take me where my needs they'll tend,

Only stay with me to the end.

And hold me firm and speak to me

Until my eyes no longer see.

I know in time that you will see

It is a kindness you do for me.

Don't grieve that it should be you who decides,

We've been a close family all these years,

Don't let your heart hold the tears.

But smile, for we walked together for awhile.

Author Unknown

Our family adopted Chessie and Sissie seventeen years ago when they were tiny, six week old kittens.  Chessie has been ill for several months - the vet thinks she may have had a form of feline cancer.  The vet was very kind and I was able to hold her the whole time.  But, its been one of those really tough days.

Thanks to my friend, Peggy K, for sharing the above poem.

Celebrating the Holidays

Costumes of the era!

This weekend was the annual Dickens of a Christmas celebration in Franklin.  Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate but I braved it for a little while.  When I got there, it was just sprinkling but soon started raining so I cut my time short.  There were lots of people in costumes of the era and even Scrooge was in attendance.

Some people enjoyed carriage rides around the square.  I walked around and looked at the booths; burned my tongue on the hottest hot chocolate ever; and then headed for home to get out of the rain.  I am glad I braved it Saturday because Sunday it snowed.


Sunday, Janet met me and we went to Opryland to see the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular.  It was still snowing!  Janet needed to drive back to Huntsville after the show so we left at the intermission to give her time to get home safely.  The weather in Nashville is predicted to be below freezing until Wednesday or Thursday with more snow tomorrow.  Janet called to reassure me that she made it home safely:)  Worried mother syndrome:)

Snowing at my house (early afternoon - we got more!)

Snow at Opryland

Opryland - site of the Rockettes Spectacular

The Social Butterfly Sews - Or Tries To:)

I have had a couple of fun social activities this week.  Tuesday was the annual Christmas Party/Luncheon for the Cumberland Valley Quilters Guild that I joined the first week I moved to Franklin.  I wore a skirt that I made a couple years ago.  It is a FSG 1960 pencil skirt in a tweed with some metallic threads - apparently it was sparkling in the light.  Wednesday night I wore the shirt I made and blogged about last month to a Bunco Group - my first time ever.  Don't know what happened to beginner's luck!    It was nice to get compliments on both of my garments, though.

The reason I am telling you this is because I needed those pats on the back!!!  Honestly, I have been sewing since junior high but there are times I still manage to mess up royally.   This time not only did I sew my two piece sleeves together incorrectly but also serged them and zig-zagged elastic to shirr the sleeves before I figured out my mistake.  After watching mindless tv while I tried to pick out all the stitches, I decided to see if the sleeves would fit if I cut those seams off and started over.  Yeah for skinny arms:):)  Honestly, this knit tunic would have ended up a wadder if didn't already have pants to go with it (and new boots)  Onward and upward!!!  So the answer to that sewing question "when do you stop making stupid mistakes?" is NEVER in my case:)  I did finish the top and really like it - especially the sleeves:)  Funny, back in the 60's I wore dresses this length:)  It is hemmed fingertip length!!!

Sandra Betzina Tunic

Next project is to finish a pencil skirt for Leigh Anne.  It is that same FSG 1960 pattern!  She tried it on when I was in NYC last week so, hopefully, it will fit when she gets the finished skirt.

On my Kindle:  "Decisions" by George Bush
                            Readers' Digest Magazine

Homeward Bound

NYC 

Sunday morning Doug fixed a great breakfast - his special pancakes.  Then it was time for me to try and figure out how to get my stuff packed.  I ended up carrying my boots and new coat in a shopping bag so was loaded down.  About 11:30 I headed to the subway station for the trip home.  Subways and trains don't run as often on Sunday so I am glad I allowed plenty of time.  By the time I got to Newark, it was time to check in for my flight.  My new Kindle was charged and ready for reading!!  I enjoyed it on the plane ride:)

After a stop at Trader Joe's in Nashville to pick up some of the favorites Doug and Leigh Anne told me about, I headed for home.  I had a great time in NYC!!!!  Doug and Leigh Anne's apartment is wonderful and they are having so much fun getting to know the city.  I'm looking forward to a return visit.

Nick and Janet had been by to check on the cats so all was well at home.