The monsoon finally decided to make an appearance last night and as always it commanded the attention of the entire Valley. We were sitting on the sofa watching the storm out the windows when I heard this spark like sound and saw a little spark (like the kind the lighter makes just before the flame comes out) then a HUGE bang and lightning out of the corner of my eye. So, we still haven't determined exactly where it hit, but it was either on our house or somewhere in the yard. Scared the ^$&^&^*($ out of me though! Mike's reaction? “I'm jealous because you saw it and I didn't.” Typical. :-) Yes it was kinda cool since it didn't damage anything, but I'll be happy not to live it over again anytime soon.

We finally got an offer on the old house and we're taking it. Basically they want us to eat the closing costs, but Mike is just ready for it to be over with, so we are accepting the offer and it should close in a month. Onward and upward as they say. I said goodbye to the house before I went on my vacation, but I suppose I may have to go back one more time. It's a strange feeling. That was only the third residence of my life, having lived with my parents and an apartment in Flagstaff when I went to NAU before that. Mike had never lived anywhere else until we moved into the house we're in now. My mom died in that house. There are a lot of memories - good and bad. I remember when my dad sold the house I grew up in after my mom died and he remarried and I had to really make peace and say goodbye. That was a lot harder. I was not ready to let my mom go. This is much easier as we were very ready to be out of there and away from annoying neighbors, noise, etc. I feel comfortable, at home, like I belong in this new house, like it is mine, so it is not as hard to let go. When I had to say goodbye to my parents old house, it was like saying goodbye to my mom all over again and that was hard. This time I don't think it is so hard. I never even go down to that neighborhood anymore. It was time to leave and that makes it easier. Not to mention annoying stupid neighbors. Let the new neighbors fight it out with them. Shoot, they can have a joint party in the driveway if they want. I'm done with it and in a nice, quiet new place. Life is good.

http://encarta.msn.com/column/catsanddogsmain.asp

Is this a case of someone having way too much time on their hands? Well, I'll let you decide…but beware…it's addictive!

http://www.weebl.jolt.co.uk/pie.htm

Enter at your own risk (probably not appropriate for all children).

Does anyone remember Seven Up Bars? You know the candy bars that had seven different compartments with a different flavor in each one? And can anyone tell me what the different flavors were? I have searched the internet to no avail to find the different flavors, and it's really just driving me crazy for some reason.

Okay, back to our regular programming.

June 14

We ate breakfast at a little stand just outside the hotel…delicious, inexpensive, and fun to talk to the workers in the stand. Then we walked around Belfast for awhile. I bought sunglasses because I had left mine at home. We found the City Information Center which has about a million souvenirs (nice ones, not cheesy ones) and I bought a book for me and a little jar of mustard flavored with Guinness for my friend in London who is a Guinness fanatic. My travelling companion's back was hurting so we went back to the hotel for the remedy of a hot bath and some aspirin and I took a nap. Then it was check-out time, but not yet time to pick up the rental car, so we put the bags in a storage closet to be picked up later and walked around Belfast some more. We ate lunch at an Internet Cafe' (and actually didn't touch the computers!!!) called F*R*I*E*N*D*S, then made our way back to the bus station, where, after realizing we would have to wait half an hour, decided to take a taxi to the airport to pick up the rental car. The taxi driver was very friendly (as is pretty much everyone in Ireland) and we had a nice chat on the way there. We picked up the rental car, and my adventure really began…I was driving on the “wrong” side of the road. We made our way back to Belfast after missing a turn and heading the wrong direction at first, then to the hotel to pick up the bags, and then after a few tries at getting out of Belfast, we were finally on the right road to the cottage where we would be spending the next week. For the most part, the drive through the beautiful Irish countryside was uneventful, but we did have to stop and ask directions once. The Irish are very accommodating when you ask directions, and make sure you understand what they are telling you…usually by telling you twice. :-) We finally made it to the cottage (relief!) and it was sooo much more than we expected (more on that later). We walked down the road a bit to the local “chippy” to get dinner (which was pretty good) and then came back to the cottage to eat it. We hung out and planned the next day. It's a bit chilly at night though (at least for me), so heating was necessary (in JUNE!!!).

We got up, had breakfast at the hotel which was really not too bad and there was no one else in the dining room either so that was nice. Then we walked to the Castle thinking it would open at 9:00 a.m. Nope. 9:45. Bloody English. ;-) So we had to wander around for awhile to pass the time. Finally, it was time to go to the Castle, which of course, is still inhabited and used by the royal family even though they were not in residence on this particular day. We walked through the castle, saw Queen Mary's doll house (which is amazing and has electricity and running water, as well as tiny little wine bottles filled with real wine and tiny little books written in the handwriting of real author's of the day), the state apartments, and art from the queen's collection including original sketches by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo. It was quite a thrill to be able to look at something like that. Then we went to see the Changing of the Guards with all its pomp and circumstance. My favorite part was the bagpipers and drummers that led them in and out. I had my picture taken with the sentry. Then we went to Starbuck's and back to the hotel, got our bags, and caught the bus to Heathrow to catch our flight to Belfast. We ate dinner in the hotel at Belfast and enjoyed looking out the window at the view of all the pubs. One big difference between England and Ireland - people standing outside of pubs in Ireland actually smile. Not so in England too often!

By the way, flying into Ireland I had a window seat, so I was able to see firsthand that it is indeed the Emerald Isle. Green everywhere and very beautiful.