Girls Just Want to Have Fun

Hi, Everybody,

FMM: 9 mi !!!

The grand prize winner of yesterday's contest was Molly O'Connell. She received a darling picture of her dad watching TV. The consolation prize went to John Stegemann who begged for a picture of Bob. I obliged by sending him a cute shot of Bob under an umbrella.

The answer to yesterday's question: Arthur's Day

Yesterday was the 250th anniversary of Guinness Brewing here in Dublin. Arthur Guinness was the founder. Bob tells me that the Guinness Company has a 9,000 year lease on the land where the brewery is. I think that as long as there's Ireland, they'll be Guinness.

No, that 9 above is not a typo. What I'm going to tell you will prove once and for all the lengths I will go to just to have a good time or at least a reprieve from my captivity here on the 4th floor. I met a nice lady name Maire (that's the Gaelic form of Mary) at a coffee after Mass a few weeks ago and she invited me to a walking club that she belongs to. Yesterday was the big day. I walked 30 min to the train, took the train 30 min, she picked me up, then I walked 90 mins along the seashore, before taking the train home, and walking back home, returning at 4:00 PM.
It was a nice group of 5 ladies. However, they were serious walkers. We walked the entire peninsula of Dublin Bay around Howth. The views --- when I was able to sneak a peek in between making sure to keep up and not fall flat on my face on the rocks - were stunning. Once of these days I plan to show Bob was a forced march really is. Won't he be surprised? When I thought we were at the end of the walk, I was told that we were only a third of the way there. Part of the walk is on a trail like the MKT Trail in Columbia. At least they do stop 2/3 of the way around the peninsula and have a cup of coffee. That part I liked. The ladies were most pleasant and agreeable and I have been invited back next week...Last night we went to Fulbright event and met a few other Americans in the same situation we are in. So, I did improve my social interaction quotient yesterday... Sadly, I missed being here for the delivery of my care package from Mom and Mary. Now I will have to walk 3 miles to get it and carry it back. I may have to open the ice tea mix and fix myself a glass along the way. Mom insists the box is "huge"
and "too heavy" for me to carry. I will probably unload my precious cargo at the post office and stuff it in my wheeling shopping cart. I will let you know what arrived in my special box; I know you are dying to know....until tomorrow I remain your faithful

Tizzie/Tiz/Tizmom/Mom/Liz/Elizabeth