Bags and Bedrooms

As you may or may not know, I've been ousted from my adorable abode.  I've had to find alternate shelter, which pained me so.  My roommate is never, ever home, the place is brand new, and our tv is huge.  Leaving sucks.  BUUUUUT, I'm moving in with Frank, much to his chagrin (because who doesn't love living alone?), come the end of August.  Phew.  Search over.  

In light of the move, I've been thinking a lot about bedrooms...

Like this one (don't you just love that wallpaper?)...

Image courtesy of Harlequin

And this (much more manly) one... 

Image courtesy of All Things Stylish

And then I just think about how lovely it would be to travel home (in 24 days!) carrying this...

Image courtesy of All Things Stylish

We've got dinner at my house tonight, happy hour drinks in the city tomorrow, and yet another weekend of spending time with someone much time-spendable.  Things are looking way up.  

 

Just sayin

Sometimes I get all wrapped up in what's going on right here, right now and I forget just for a second that the woman who totally floors me with her mothering and lawyer-ing ability is my best friend.  Laura is accepting, a little romantic, and can read tonality in emails better than anyone I've ever known. 

Here's what she advised me when today I told her that I was trying hard to remain grounded...

you're allowed to get excited and feel good. 

Just sayin.

Some bits of advice are golden.  Simple, but timeless.  Thank you, Friend.

Interruptions are Awesome

INTERRUPTIONS

When you are exasperated by interruptions, try to remember that their very frequency may indicate the value of your life. Only people who are full of help and strength are burdened by other persons' needs. The interruptions which we chafe at are the credentials of our indispensability. The greatest condemnation that anybody could incur - and it is a danger to guard against - is to be so independent, so
unhelpful, that nobody ever interrupts us, and we are left comfortably alone.

-Anonymous
from The Anglican Digest

Quote courtesy of Rockstar Diaries

Grateful

Image courtesy of Pinterest

Upon approaching the Blarney Castle in Ireland, I had one of those transcendent moments when I recognized just how amazing the day was, the company I was keeping was, and how incredibly fortunate I was to be in that exact moment.  Perhaps I need to give myself more credit than I do for my ability to live in the moment. 

Outside that magnificently old structure, I couldn't help but blurt out,  

"We are SO lucky!"   

An elderly trio certainly did like the sounds of that.  Turns out they were from our neck of the woods and provided us with quite a chuckle and a reality check: traveling is much easier when you're young.  Amen, brother.

So last night we went to see Best Coast at the O2 in Shoreditch.  And before we left?  We booked tickets to see Bon Iver in November.  So wicked.  Lucky?  Manifested?  Whatever...life is good.

Acting

Image courtesy of All Things Stylish.

in the spirit of living in the now,

(my personal pet peeve  

uh, 

Kryptonite argh...

 necessary evil)

here is what I'm feeling today.

mantra?

inner desire, perhaps.

Highlights of Ireland

Giant's Causeway

Torch!

 

Did you say McDonald's or McDonagh's?

 

Taking a breather in Galway

Dwarfs Crossing?

Green, 

yellow, 

full of sheep, 

laden with torrential downpours, 

bursting with vibrant sunshine.  

Tis Ireland.

The Cliffs of Moher (read: pure joy)

Blarney

Us: "Hey Mister, can you take our picture?"

78-year old man: "Sure!  Where you girls from?"

Us: "Toronto.  You?"

78-year old man: "Kingston!"

Us: "Cool!" Idle chit chat...

78-year old man: "Alright, smile girls..."

Woman beside him: "SEX!!" 

After I (the only one of the three of us who actually heard her) composed herself:

Love love love this picture.  Well done, Aleisha!

At the airport, a little dirty, hair unwashed, happy to be heading back to the city...sad to say goodbye to our Mary xx

Mornings

THIS MORNING, WITH HER, HAVING COFFEE.

Johnny Cash, when asked for his definition of paradise.  (Source: jessbend)

My heart, melting.  Quote courtesy of Kvlv.  

Kilkenny

After checking into our hostel on Main Street in Kilkenny, we headed to the local pub for our fair share of cider pints.  Had a few laughs... 

...and roamed around the town a bit.  What a cute place!

Saturday morning brought us to a crepe place called Maple Leaf something-or-other owned by an Italian...in Ireland.  Randoo. 

We hit up the Kilkenny Castle, saw some orbs, headed onto Cork, left there disappointed, and went back to Dublin to catch our flight home.  

Highlight pictures to follow.  I hope you're having a swell day.  Tomorrow's Friday: the weekend!  I love me a good weekend in the city :)  

The Blarney Castle

Maybe I mistyped earlier...I think the Blarney Castle was the highlight for me.  Though the Cliffs of Moher tested our optimism to the max, the castle was, well, a castle.  And we love a good castle.  Lame?  Nope.  Wicked.

Purple and Red at the Badger Cave.  Missed you, Pink and Honey xx

Looking up at the Blarney Stone from below...

Looking out from the top of the castle (after the death-defying climb up the steepest staircase I'd ever been on)...

 

And each of us gals having a chance to kiss the Stone.  

Eloquence followed, I assure you ;)

  
Before we left the area to head into Cork, we popped into Cahir Castle, snapped a few pics, and kept driving.