Category Archives: Places

Season(s) of Ireland

Places, Travel, , ,

I’m calling today the beginning of our Irish Season. Not only is it St. Patrick’s Day (My favorite holiday) but it is also the day we meet with Andrew’s rugby coach about Andrew’s trip to Ireland which begins this Wednesday. This is also the week we’ll probably book our flight to Ireland and maybe fill in our itinerary. We’ve already booked two cottages: Parkduff in County Clare and Tralia House in County Kerry.

Having Patrick for a last name was always cool on St. Patrick’s Day — as a kid and as a teacher. March 17th was a determining factor in not changing my name when I got married. Kids would say to me Happy St. Patrick‘s Day, Ms Patrick! I never got tired of it. Occasionally, even now, someone will say that to me. It always makes me smile.

According to the Irish folk I met on my first trip to Ireland in 1979, I may not even be of Irish decent. Patrick is not a surname in that country; although, they reasoned, it could have been Fitzpatrick or Kirkpatrick and changed once my ancestors arrived in the United States.

 

 

Not a fun morning

Events, Places

Spent the morning at the MVA in Gaithersburg. Their website has a lot of information — possibly too much. It was hard for me to figure out what I needed to bring as proof of Clare’s address. It seemed we needed more than we had, but in the end all I needed was her birth certificate and SSN card. And I had to sign that she was my daughter.

She studied the manual on the way there and while we waited. It was hard to concentrate because every so often, and in no pattern a bell would chime. This indicated a booth was open. I tried to read, but didn’t get very far and I imagine it was difficult for Clare to read the Rules of the Road.

She missed one more question than allowed, so we’ll have to do it again. Maybe next Wednesday when she has a half day.

Todmorden in Bloom

People, Places,

It’s always fun when I see someone from my past doing interesting and exciting things.

During the month of his 50th birthday, an artist friend of mine in Todmorden, Lancashire, England was in the local news. It seems as if his town entered the Britain in Bloom contest and he designed a plaque for the train station where he has a gallery.

Jeremy and I met in 1974 when we participated in a student exchange program. He and several students visited my high school that spring, and I, along with a number of American students, visited his grammar school that summer. My friend Sue and I stayed at Jeremy’s house. We became good friends and visited back and forth for several years. That we’ve managed to keep in contact after all these years is a good thing – although he is better at it than am I. However I keep up with his doings by searching his name every so often, which is how I found out about this.

I wish Todmorden the best of luck. We visited Jeremy and his family in 2002, and got to see Todmorden up close.

Todmorden in Bloom Website.