Up and About in Ireland

Guiness Ad

Mary's dad is in the hospital now. He's got some trouble breathing and some low blood pressure, so the last couple of days have been spent getting her mother to and from the hospital and communicating with extended family and such. We're hoping the doctors sort it out and he's back at home soon.

I saw the advertisement for Guiness (above) at an intersection in Limerick City. I've seen it on television here before. It's all about roots, and the game of rugby. The Irish are into their roots, and they have always been into trees; speaking of which, there's a nice tree out back of Mary's home in Rathwood, Murroe, County Limerick, where the cattle were standing when we pulled into Mary's home where her parents live. I think some of them recognized us, although we were in too much of a hurry to get in and stand next to the woodstove to exchange pleasantries with the cattle.

I haven't located any Herculite (plaster recommended by a mould maker here) to make moulds for the large tree platters that I want to make here. I did go look at the master mould that is sitting in Mary's brother Mike's outbuilding. I hope to make some large plaster forms to hold the slabs of clay to make the platters, using the master mould.

Right now, I'm writing this from some hallway at the University of Limerick where I found a plug. We purchased a mobile broadband gizmo that plugs into the USB port on my laptop and topped up for a week's worth of broadband. However, Murroe - where we are staying - is too far from any 3G towers. Murroe is considered an "Out-and-about" area. Reminds me of a jig I play on flute - Out and About in the Morning.

Hope all is well in NC. Please keep Mary's father in a positive light.

Michael