From Boston To Dublin And Wicked Tired

So these are the chronicles of my recent trip to Ireland.

I think I told you all before I left that I was tired. By tired I mean asleep on my feet with certain pieces of my anatomy in a constant gyration between pain and tingly numb. I badly needed this vacation.

My sister dropped Amanda and I off at Boston Logan sometime around 5:30 P.M. which gave us three and a half hours before our flight. We were through baggage check and security by 6:15 P.M. and that with me being pulled out of line for a full body scan ( yeah, I forgot my glasses in my shirt pocket again).

Us on the way to Ireland.

Us on the way to Ireland.

We ate supper at the café down towards our gate and then watched as our airplane pulled into its dock.

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Here’s a question. What do you do when you have three hours to wait for a plane? Amanda and I talked and talked over coffee, a thing we would do throughout our 12 days together. Perhaps that was one of the things I liked best about the trip…. the conversation!

Oh yeah and our game of “Whose Line Is It.”

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I love the prop game. If you think this is funny you should see me as Princess Amidala. That unfortunately is on Amanda’s camera.

Despite my weariness I think I slept for just over an hour on the flight to Ireland. My hands started throbbing an hour into the flight and when the pain ended a two-day long tingle session started in. Even in this though God provided. We landed and stayed in Dublin those first two days; So I was spared from gripping a steering wheel. By Sunday when I had to start driving my hands and arms were much restored.

Our rooms, in Dublin,were not quite ready for us when we arrived at the Hotel Alexander;  So we stored our luggage with the front desk and took a tour around O’Connell Street and Trinity College:

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By noon I was fading; By one o:clock or two cups of coffee later depending on how you mark time, we were in our rooms and I plummeted into dreamland for a few hours. Not even caffeine could keep me up! God knew I needed the rest and so He provided us with the most comfortable beds of the trip those first two nights. It was like sleeping on clouds!

Our resting place in Dublin.

Our resting place in Dublin.

Share Your World 2014 Week 41

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Share Your World – 2014 Week 41

We are almost through another year of sharing. If you have fallen behind in learning and sharing you can catch up by following the link above. Come on give it a try! It’s a whole lot of fun!

Here are this week’s sharing questions from Cee….

Would you rather take pictures or be in pictures?

Since I just got back from a two-week trip to Ireland and took 850 pictures of which I am in exactly two I would have to say I like taking pictures (although I did have my daughter take pictures of me with her camera to prove I was really there).

Us on the way to Ireland.

Us on the way to Ireland.

What did you most enjoy doing this past week?

I think finishing up our tour of the Emerald Isle and flying back to resume working life.

What is your greatest extravagance?

I would have to say my greatest extravagance is books. I love to buy and read books.

Which letter of the alphabet describes you best?

M for “ME”

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I am really grateful that I got to go to Ireland with my daughter Amanda. This week  I am so looking forward to beginning two services at our church and the C.cada art show this next week being held at our church. Come and visit us if you have the notion.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Vibrant Colors

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Well I should be safely back from Ireland by this point but since I am writing this on October 1st that is amere faithful supposition on my part. Cee’s challenge this week is all about vibrancy. Next week I hope to post some of my Emerald Isle pictures on her challenge “Green”.

Check out her other subscribers at:

http://ceenphotography.com/fun-foto-challenge/

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Pumpkins on the Mohawk Trail MA

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YWAM Coffee Shop Amsterdam

Keukenhof Gardens

Keukenhof Gardens

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Soft Pastels

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http://ceenphotography.com/fun-foto-challenge/

Even though I am not around to do the Share Your World this week, I want to keep up with the Photo challenges if I can. And since Cee posts the topics ahead I am just going to take my liberty and post this one before I go to Ireland. Today I should be journeying up to Galway and stopping at Kylemore Abbey on the way.

But here are some photos from my trip to The Netherlands and Keukenhof Gardens

But here are some photos from my trip to The Netherlands and Keukenhof Gardens to tie you over until I get back with those photos.

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Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: The Color Yellow

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This week Cee’s challenge is the color Yeller!

Check out some other amarillo posts at:

http://ceenphotography.com/2014/09/30/cees-fun-foto-challenge-the-color-yellow/

Here are my stabs at the sunshiny color!

Autumn yellow with just a hint of orange mixed in for effect.

                                          Autumn yellow with just a hint of orange mixed in for effect.

The Pancake Boat, Wormerveer

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Spring Begins Soon

                                                                                Spring Begins Soon

The Call To Peace

Ireland is calling my name. My daughter Amanda and I started planning this trip a year ago. It was paid off in May and by August I was having misgivings as I looked at how packed the fall schedule was. There have been moments in this journey toward Eire that I wondered how I was ever going to squeeze it in between worship leading, camps, Fall fests, art shows, committee meetings, concert promoting, preparing for double worship services starting OCtober 19th and two weddings (one of which is my youngest daughters).

As I sit typing this last live post before boarding Aerlingus (the rest of the next two week’s posts are scheduled so please be prepared to keep reading) I see God had this in mind after all.

I am completely spent. Weeks of hard work both physical and mental have left me spent and hurting. I have developed tendonitis in both wrists and I have two fingers that are completely numb. I am having trouble lifting one of my arms above the shoulder and I just really need a break from details.

What amazes me is that God knew even when I did not that I would need this twelve day respite in the midst of my autumn harvest if I was going to make it through. He is a God who calls us to peace and even though we cannot predict our path He can! All we have to do is keep committing our way to Him and He will direct our paths aright!

Cee’s Oddball Photo Challenge; Week 30

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To see other odd photos go to:

http://ceenphotography.com/2014/09/21/cees-odd-ball-photo-challenge-week-29-2/

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This photo was taken on the street wheremy sister lived, boetenmaakestraat (or something close to that). Apparently the city comes in every few years and slices the sycamores back to these little “who-tree” shapes. The people of the city are very happy because then the magpies are discouraged from roosting and doing their duty all over the cars. It looks weird but beats a daily car wash.