Ruins in Ireland

One of the most prevalent things you'll find in Ireland is ruins of castles and churches with a few neolithic ruins mixed in. I think the DH may have had his fill by the time we were done, but we really did love seeing all of the ruins.

We had an amazing tour guide, our friend Liz who is living in Ireland for two years. She knew all the cool places and how to find ones she hadn't been to before.

The Priory of St. John the Baptist
Our first ruins were ones that we just happened upon. The Priory of St. John the Baptist was a hospital founded in the 13th century by the Crutched Friars. There was clearly a chapel there, but also rooms that would have served for taking care of the sick.

One of the advantages of going to this ruin was that we were the only ones there. By going off the beaten path, we weren't seeing any other tourists. Also, since it's not a tourist site, there were no ropes or gates keeping us from going anywhere in the ruins. Common sense (aka my fear of heights) kept me from some of the areas, but we really did have free reign there.

Trim Castle
Our next stop was Trim Castle. This one is a tourist attraction, so it included many other people and a guided tour. It's claim to fame is that Braveheart was filmed here. I found it pretty funny considering the movie is all about Scotland and England. Patrick was most amused at the man selling entrance tickets and asking everyone to put their gum in the trash.

The area includes the mail castle and several other ruins around the castle. They also had a castle tour. The photo above is a view from the back of the castle. Over to the right, you can see the stairs into the castle. We started our tour at those steps. The tour guide told us all about the history of the castle and some interesting tidbits about castle life in the middle ages. We were grateful for modern conveniences like toilets and clean clothes after learning that they would hang the clothes over the place where the human waste was so the ammonia would get rid of the lice on the clothes. We were also reminded that when everyone stinks, you just quit smelling it.

The tour took us to the very top of the castle, so we could enjoy the amazing views of the countryside from there. It really was quite spectacular and we were there on a beautiful day.

 The outer buildings were interesting as well and we enjoyed the stroll around the grounds.

Neolithic Tombs
Our next stop was the neolithic tombs, but we found out that they had already sold all the tickets for the day, so we missed it. We enjoyed the drive though and one of the docents gave us some great tips on other places to look for that afternoon.

St. Mary's Abbey in Duleek
We were told that Duleek Abbey would be a great place to see more Celtic crosses and ruins. The only catch is that it's not called Duleek Abbey. We had a little bit of a time finding it, but it was well worth it once we got there. There was quite a lot of intact ruins, easy to walk and climb around, and there were some teenagers hanging out drinking in the area. One of the things we noticed here and in many places in Ireland is how much littering there is. In a public place like St. Mary's Abbey, we would expect it to be very clean, but that's not the case there. It was actually a little shocking.

We loved the carvings, the headstones, and the bell tower. We also enjoyed talking to the girls that were surprised to meet "real Americans" at the Abbey.

You can see some of the carvings at the bottom of the picture above and in the picture below. Apparently, it's quite rare for carvings to be left out like this. They're often taken in to regular churches or museums to be protected from the elements.

The girls that were surprised to meet "real Americans" were behind the cross above. I didn't get their picture, but they were very entertained by us.

It's difficult to see, but there's even still a bell in the tower. It's near the top right in the tower in the picture.

Monaster Boice
We had to go see the celtic crosses at Monaster Boice. This is where some of the largest ancient celtic crosses are found. They're all in the cemetery of the church. We were pretty impressed.

This gives you an idea of how large the cross is. Patrick is over 6', so it's probably 20' tall at least. It was difficult to tell what all the carvings were because they've worn down in the weather over the centuries.

And this is an example of one of my favorite things. It's a stile. (You go through turn stiles all the time, but this is just a regular stile.) They don't want the cows and sheep going into the cemetery, so there's a wall around it, and this stile so people can climb over the wall to get in. We went over several of these on our trip.

Mellifont Abbey
Our next stop was Mellifont Abbey and it was one of the largest of the ruins we saw. The original church had clearly been quite large. I also found this to be one of the most beautiful ruins. I just loved it.

We had a great time looking around and exploring the area.

Skryne Tower
Our last stop for the night was Skryne Tower since it was getting dark. The views were lovely and we watched the sun set here.

View from the top of the hill by Skryne Tower.

Skryne Tower with the sun setting behind it.

After the sun had set, we headed through a stile to leave and ran into a local gentleman who was also delighted to meet Americans. He was a bit lit and went on and on about every conspiracy theory in America. It was hysterical and rather delightful to hear him go on. He talked about those folks who bombed Iraq as "toting bananas" among others that he thought fit that description. We were entertained for quite some time before we all moved on.

... and that was our second day in Ireland.

Driving on the Left (WRONG) Side of the Road

So, the DH and I spent 12 days in Ireland and I think it was the best vacation I've ever been on. However, the biggest concern I had before we left was that I would be in charge of driving a rental car for the duration of our trip. I tried to imagine what it would be like, but I just couldn't get my head around it.

Once we go the rental car, I was completely on edge, telling myself over and over to stay on the left (stay on the left, stay on the left) over and over. Patrick was tasked with staying alert and making sure I stayed in my lane as well.

What I did not anticipate was how difficult it would be to gauge where I was in relation to the far left side of the car (and the cars parked along that side of the road). There's a reason that the left side of every immigrant's car is scratched up in Ireland. It's also the reason that rental car companies do not let you opt out of insurance coverage. I think it took almost a week before feeling like I really knew how close I was to the parked cars on the left. I don't remember having to learn this when I started driving, but I assume that I did. Maybe everything was so new at that point that I just didn't identify that particular part of the newness.

Our first week was spent in Dublin with only a little driving between our guest house and our friend's house, which was only about three miles. Once we left Dublin, it was real driving every day.

For anyone planning a trip to Ireland or the UK, don't be too afraid of the driving. It's not too difficult to get the hang of it, as long as you keep thinking about it. I also recommend public transportation in the bigger cities. The problem with Ireland is that there aren't great connections to get to smaller towns if you don't have a car. And you have to see the beauty of the countryside. It is not to be missed.

Mac 'n' Cheese

We went to the church potluck today and I took homemade Mac 'n' Cheese. It's an old favorite, so I'm inclined to share it with you. Modified from an old Martha Stewart stand-by.

Macaroni and Cheese

6 tablespoons butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
2 teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 cups grated cheese (you can use a variety of cheeses or all sharp cheddar)
1 pound elbow macaroni
½ cup plain bread crumbs

Serves 12.
You can easily divide this recipe in half; use an 8x8 pan if you do.

Heat the oven to 375°. Cook macaroni al dente.

Melt butter in a high-sided skillet over medium heat. When butter bubbles, add flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Slowly pour milk into flour-butter mixture while whisking. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture bubbles and becomes thick. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, 5 cups cheese.

Stir cooked macaroni into the reserved cheese sauce.

Pour the mixture into a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese and scatter bread crumbs over the top. Bake until browned on top, about 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes; serve.

I want this kitchen

Kelly | Moore made this kitchen, and I love it!

Vancouver Half-Marathon

May 1st was the Vancouver Marathon weekend. They also included a half-marathon, 10K, and children's race. My "big goal" for this year was to run in the half-marathon -- 13.1 miles/21.1 km. My journey started 18 months ago. At the time, I couldn't run a mile. In fact, I had never run a mile in my entire life. I was the sorry girl walking around the track in 9th grade PE when we were supposed to run the mile. I really wanted to change that though, so I hired a trainer and told him that I wanted to be able to run a mile. It took about two months to get me there, then on February 14th, 2010, I ran my first 5K. And I mean that I ran the entire race. I'd been in several 5K's before, but this was the first time I had run the entire 3.1 miles. I was thrilled!

I then made the goal to do a sprint distance triathlon in August of 2010. I did that, and then another on the same course in September. It felt great to be able to finish those races and to continue to run 5K's. Then I needed another goal. I had several friends, including my physician, who all signed up for the Vancouver race. It was great to hear about everyone's training and progress along the way. I continued working with my trainer to help build my endurance, and Patrick ran with me all the way. He can run a lot faster than I can, but he still stays with me every time we run.

On Friday night, we headed out to Vancouver. It was an easy trip across the border and we arrived at our hotel around 9:30 that evening. On Saturday, we took a walk around China town and then headed to the expo to pick up our packets with bibs and timing chips. We ran into Kathleen and her family and Dr. Bowers and his wife. It was great to see them and share the excitement. After that, Patrick and I went and got dim sum for lunch and then did a little shopping before heading back to the hotel for some relaxation. We didn't do much, because Patrick was having a bad backache and we really wanted that to subside before the race. We had dinner at a fantastic Italian restaurant in Yaletown called Lupo. We walked there and enjoyed the lovely evening, wonderful food, and comfortable walk. We turned in early, because race time would be bright and early at 7:00.

On Sunday morning, we got up early and ate a light breakfast before heading to the race start. It was about a 10 minute walk from our hotel, which included a bunch of stairs. It was an easy walk there, but I realized it would be a killer hike back. We hung back at the start line because we (and when I say "we", I mean me) run pretty slow. The race actually started just a bit before 7:00 and we ran over the starting line right at 7:00. The first few kilometers were easy and we got in the groove of the run. There were bands every so often along the way and a lot of people cheering at different spots that were easy for spectators to get to. The first half of the race was great! When we hit the half-way point, it was 1:25 in and I was excited to think that I would come in under 3:00. Even though there was a big hill in front of us, I didn't think it would slow me down by more than 10 minutes.

That was before the G.I issues started. I've NEVER had any problems when running before, but I guess the excitement and stress of the first 1/2-marathon was just more than my body could take. The trouble started just after the half-way mark and right at the beginning of the uphill climb. By the time I got to the top of the hill, I'd walked most of the way up and was in distress. Fortunately, there were bathrooms (real public restrooms -- not port-o-potties!) and I ended up spending way too much time in there. Patrick waited for me by running back and forth so he wouldn't seize up. I, on the other hand, really lost my groove.

After I got back to the run, we had a steep downhill portion of the race. I found out that this is why I should have spent more time training on hills. By the time I got to the bottom of the hill, my hips were killing me and I was not doing well. I ended up having to walk a little more at that point (about 1/2 kilometer) then got back to the running. I had already lost so much time that I wanted to push myself, but there just wasn't much extra in the tank. I ran again until about the 18 km mark and walked another 100 meters there, then picked up the pace and ran the rest of the way in. I didn't push too hard until I could see the finish line. We came around a bend and the finish was less than a quarter mile away. At that point, I put on the gas and sprinted to the finish line. It felt awesome! I was so glad to be done. The final time was 3:14, so I definitely lost the momentum I had early on in the run.

After we left the finish line area, we ran into Dan and Holly who had both finished before us. That's when we took pictures of each other holding up our medals. That's one medal I'm really proud to have earned. It was so great to see friends at the finish line and share the joy. Once the running was over, the pain started though. Patrick and I started toward the hotel and both of us just laughed when we saw the steps. You would have laughed if you'd seen us too. We looked like a couple of 100-year old ladies climbing those silly steps. I think that may have been the hardest part of the race! After that, we got back to the hotel and did a lot of stretching before and after cleaning up. We really wanted to feel better, but 13.1 miles of pounding the pavement had taken its toll.

Later in the afternoon, we met up with our friends for a celebration lunch. It was great to hear everyone's stories of the race and talk about our next goals. Even though I said I would only do one 1/2-marathon, I really wanted to finish in less than 3 hours, so I feel like I need a do over. That's why, in spite of my better judgement, I'm signed up for another 1/2-marathon in June.

Ladybug Pushpins

Growing up, we would visit Granny and Papa's house quite regularly and I have more memories that I can count of time at their house. While I was visiting a bookstore a while ago, I came across something that made me very nostalgic for their house. You see, Granny and Papa had a big bulletin board in the hallway with all kinds of fun things on it. And most of them were held up with pushpins that looked like ladybugs.

When I saw these I couldn't resist.

It's not quite the same as at Granny and Papa's house, but I think they look pretty cool on my bulletin board.

Music Monday -- ABBA

I have pretty eclectic taste in music, but some of my favorite music comes with just a little bit of nostalgia. I listen to ABBA fairly often, but some of the songs still take me back to the summer of '78. Mom was driving me to my summer ceramics class at Fairmont Jr. High, but she let us listen to "our" music on the radio. My older brother knew ALL the words to this one. I can still hear him singing "take a chance, take a chance, take a ch-ch-ch-chance."

Awesome!

I love Ted Talks. They're inspiring, informative, and interesting. The most recent one I've watched on the trusty internet was about awesomeness. We all need more awesomeness in our lives. The good news is, you really just need to notice the awesomeness. It's already there. I promise you that you will love the next 18 minutes if you spend it watching this Ted Talk.

Neil Pasricha: The 3 A's of awesome | Video on TED.com

Let's hear it for attitude, awareness, and authenticity.

And, if that wasn't enough, check out the speaker's blog of Awesome. I dare you not to feel a little better about your day after reading a couple of entries.

An Accounting

In 2010, I accomplished the following physical goals:

• Lost net 13 lbs
• Ran an entire 5k for the first time ever (at the Valentine's Day Dash) -- actually, I had never been able to run for a full mile when the year started, much less 3.1 miles
  
• Participated in two triathlons
• Had more training sessions than I can count
• Started participating in Saturday boot camp workouts

The physical goals were huge for me in 2010. I have more goals for 2011. I'll be participating in the Danskin triathlon and several 5K races again, but I'm also adding the Vancouver half-marathon to the list. It should be a good new goal.

I'm thinking about other goals to focus on this year, but these are the ones that are easiest to share.

Christmas Memories

Now that Christmas 2010 is a lovely memory, I figure I better capture some of the fun on the blog. The DH and I stayed home for Christmas and had no visitors, so it was a nice quiet affair. The weekend before Christmas was very busy. We went to an amazing Christmas concert put on by the Northwest Boy Choir and I made cinnamon rolls and we participated in the Sunday Christmas program.

On Christmas Eve, we both had the day off. We both slept in, then I went and worked out with my trainer and did some last minute shopping (though mostly for groceries, not gifts). For our Christmas Eve, we had Chinese food from Chef at Wok and watched a movie (Bounty Hunter and it was pretty good -- definite rental). We read the Christmas story from Luke 2 before going to bed and then called it a night.

On Christmas morning, we woke up fairly early (just after 6) and made sure Santa got the stockings filled. Then we both got up and went to open gifts. We were both excited to give our gifts to each other! It took us about an hour to open and look at everything.

Here's the low down on the loot:

I got 10 swimming lessons, and iPod touch, a cool ring, a bracelet made of Chinese tiles, a cool bee necklace, a blue paperweight, a painting from an Etsy artist with two birds on a wire with a cool background with gold in it, new running socks, a cool yoga top, a Gene Juarez gift card, and iTunes gift card, and various candies and toiletries from the DH. He did a great job finding just the things he knew I would love and going completely overboard in making me feel loved and pampered.

I also got a cool Space Needle lego set and an Etta's gift card from my parents; an Amazon gift card and star ornament (or sun catcher, depending on how I feel) from Colin, Sam, and Max; wonderful Hickory Farms food gifts from the Godfrey's; and a wonderful candle from one of my co-workers.

The DH got an overcoat, a Buck knife, a T-shirt that says "Meat is Murder, tasty, tasty murder" on it, an iTunes gift card, a pint glass with a skull and cross-bones etched in it, a Raiders mug for drinking tea at work, a bunch of handmade soap, and other candy and food items from me.

He also got a T-shirt from Colin, Sam, and Max that says "Bing in love is totally punk rock" that we both love, an iTunes gift card from my parents,

The two of us together got a Raiders blanket and stocking caps and pillow cases from his brother time, a couple of books that look really good from the DH's sister, some sparkling grape juice and candle from friends, a movie gift card from friends, and I'm sure I'm forgetting something here.

All in all, we feel incredibly blessed by all that we received and the wonderful opportunities to give.

After opening gifts, I talked to my family in Boise and cooked for a good part of the day. I made rolls, pumpkin pie, cheesy potatoes, green bean casserole, and homemade stuffing. The DH bought a smoked turkey from Jensen's (about which I cannot say enough good things) and that topped of the most wonderful dinner. We shared dinner with some friends and then called it a night.

It was a very merry Christmas for both of us.

Our Year in Review

The DH and I wrote a Christmas letter, then I forgot to tell DH that we needed to add it to the Christmas cards when he was helping and he sealed them all. He was being super helpful, so I take full responsibility. So, since no one got our letter with their card, I'll just post it here.

Dear Fiends and Family,

2010 has been a wonderful year for us! In January, Patrick got to take a photography class (part of his Christmas haul) and Noelle had the privilege of participating in jury duty. It may sound like a chore, but really was a unique experience getting to understand how our judicial process works. In February, we had the pleasure of flying out to Pensacola, Florida for a week to visit Patrick’s oldest son Daniel and his wife and three kids. It was one of the coldest winters on record, so we didn’t get as much beach time in as we’d hoped, but we had a wonderful time enjoying family for a few days.

February also marked the beginning of racing season for us. After starting workouts with a trainer, Noelle was able to run a full 5K for the first time in her life at the Valentine’s Day Dash. From there, we continued training and participated in several more runs. Noelle finally got to her big race, the Danskin Triathlon, in August. It was a sprint distance swim, bike, and run event and was a huge accomplishment for Noelle. She even felt so good about it that she did another triathlon a month later (also a sprint distance).

In May, Noelle headed off on her own to meet up with her mom and sisters in New York City to celebrate Whitney’s 40^th birthday. They had a fantastic time seeing the sites, going to a Broadway show, eating great food, and shopping at fun stores. The activities were good, but the best part was the company!

In August, we enjoyed more time with the Robertson family at a reunion in Boise, ID. It was a great time to see all the nieces and nephews and catch up on what everyone is doing. We had fun with all the activities that mom and dad had planned, but again, the company was the best part. We also had a really nice trip to see Patrick's sister and brother-in-law just outside Hermiston, Oregon in the Fall. We came home with a car loaded with produce, much of which Patrick's brother-in-law grew organically on their land. We're still enjoying the home grown tomatoes and spuds!

In early October, we set off on a grand adventure with another couple and visited southern Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Patrick had never been to any of these areas, so it was all new to him. Noelle had been to many of the places, but had a wonderful time seeing some of the wonderful places she has such fond memories of from past trips. The best news of all is that we’re still good friends with the couple we traveled with. They were wonderful travel companions and we all seemed to travel at about the same pace.

We spent some time in Boise again for Thanksgiving and enjoyed visiting with the relatives that live there (and Ann!) for a few days. It’s been a busy December, but we’re looking forward to a quiet Christmas at home and a wonderful new year with more plans for fun.

Merry Christmas!

Noelle and Patrick McDonald

Music Monday -- Vampire Weekend

Several weeks ago, I kept seeing posts on an event list asking for tickets to Vampire Weekend. I thought it was some late Halloween thing. After a while, it dawned on me that it might be a concert. So many people were interested in tickets that I thought it might be worth my while to check them out. I was not disappointed!

Their latest album is called Contra and I took a listen and decided that I liked it. The songs vary pretty wildly in style, but I actually think that gives the album a lot more interest. I hate it when you buy an album and you can't even tell the songs apart because they all sound the same after a while. That won't happen with Vampire Weekend. The first song on the album is Horchata. It's the kind of song that just makes me feel good.

Feelin' It?

I haven't been lately. I just haven't felt much in the Christmas mood. I thought some Christmas tunes might help the situation. I really love this song. It's hauntingly beautiful and has all the right words.

Music Monday -- Florence and the Machine

Yes. I realize it's not Monday. It'll be OK.

I discovered a new band (well, new to me of course) a few weeks ago and I've been loving them every since. Florence and the Machine has been playing in my car more than the DH can stand, but I'm completely enamored. The album is called Lungs and I like just about every song on there.

My favorite song on the album is probably Drumming Song. It's great, but embedding was disabled for the song, so you'll have to click the link to hear it. (How does she dance in those shoes? Crazy!)

I also love the song Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up). I hope you enjoy it too!

Architecture of the Alpine Region

While traveling in the Alpine region, we visited many small towns with a variety of architectural styles. It was fun to see the paintings on the sides of buildings, the architectural embellishments, and the variety of styles. These are a few of the buildings that I enjoyed most.

Back to Bavaria -- The Final Installment

After having a wonderful time in Salzburg, we headed back to Bavaria. Our first stop was Herrenchiemsee. We had a bit of difficulty finding it to begin with. The instructions I read basically just said what town to go to and gave the impression it was close to the train station. We parked at the train station and I went in to ask about getting there. The man told me generally what direction to walk, but wasn't so clear on how long it would take. We started walking and saw nothing that gave us the impression we were walking in the right direction. We stopped again and Beep asked a guy on the street which way and how far. We were going the right direction, but he indicated that it might be kind of far. That's when we headed back to the car and started driving. It wasn't too long to drive, but it would have been an ugly walk.When we finally got to where we needed to be, we actually had to buy tickets for a ferry to get to the island where the Herrenchiemsee is. This is the third of the three castles built by crazy King Ludwig. He had a huge fascination with France's King Louis XIV, so he modeled this castle after Versailles and had a lot of art dedicated to Louis XIV and several portraits of the King. It also had large fountains and gardens out front reminiscent of Versailles, but on a much smaller scale. Apparently, he ran out of money before he was able to build things out to the scale he wanted.From there, we headed back to Munich. When we got there, we checked into our hotel and ran to the grocery store for a lifetime supply of chocolate to take home, and then went to the Modern Art Museum. They had some really great displays and we enjoyed seeing them. It was fairly late in the afternoon and we were concerned about the time, but we were able to see all the displays we were interested in before the Museum closed.From there, we wanted to go to the iconic Hoffbrauhaus for dinner. It was a Friday night and we didn't have reservations, so we had the choice of joining a shared table of heavy drinkers or finding a dinner alternative. After walking through the beer hall, we thought we may have had enough of the ambiance. It was fun to see the band playing and watch the waitresses hold ten liters of beer at one time, but it just wasn't the place for us to eat dinner. We didn't really have any ideas, so we went across the street to the Hard Rock Cafe. The dinner wasn't German, but it was still good. We all enjoyed interesting burgers and then spent our last Euros on Gelato.
From there, we headed to the hotel where we spent our last night before heading back to the airport and flying home. We had a great time with Bop and Beep, but two weeks was a long time to be on the road, so we were glad to be home and sleeping in our own bed again.