nasty smell

 Now it is the end of September, the very last day, and there is nothing much to write about. It was a silent day, the weather started pleasant and ended rainy. Getting out of bed in the morning was slow and lazy,  

Checked the parking lots at the end of the street, discovered them all to be occupied. Partly with people who were just taking a chance on parking illegally. There is no harm in that, the car is safely parked at the other end of town.

Take a walk about town, but that is boring today. Today is the last rainy day of September. Check the bank accounts, all is in order.

A man comes in who wishes to rent the shop. Be polite, and say that the future of the shop is currently undecided. The man is involved in the tattoo trade. It is not clear whether such a trade would be the basis for a worthwhile tenancy.

Sweep the steps and the hallway. The cat does not really have great trust in this human today, this is not surprising after the force feeding of the pills over the last few days.

Go to the shops and buy some essay essence. This is pretty well twenty five percent acetic acid.  Upon returning use it to clean the bathroom floor. It works well, removing the dirt from the grouting between the tiles with just a little scrubbing. It smells nasty though

cat and car

There was some horror last night upon realising that An alarm in the morning started the day,  today a cat box has to be bought, and appointment at the veterinary practice needs to be made and the son has to be wakened. A shower is taken as well, realise that there are no clean towels any more. Collect all the dirty towels and put them into the washing machine, add powder, and start the programme. Two hours and sixty degrees maximum is the setting.

Then the things on the agenda need to be addressed.

Make an appointment at the veterinary place, and then go upstairs and wake the son.

First go to the general store with the son, and buy the cheapest available cat box. the son gives advice. Buy some razor gel as well, somehow an unpleasant cut was inflicted on the face this morning after using just ordinary soap. Perhaps that will make a difference. Go back home, the son vanishes upstairs to pack his things. He will be travelling to Bayreuth the afternoon, tomorrow he will  sign a contract for a small job in the university. He will also have to start his studies in his new semester. This will be his fifth of six.

Spend time at home sorting things, make a few small things to eat. Drink too much coffee. And forget to measure the blood pressure. Remember the pills though.

Then take the cat in its new box across town to the veterinary place. After a short wait the cat is examined, and fed a pill. The vet has a device for doing that. There will be the final pill to be given to the cat this evening. Pay for the services upon leaving the practice.

The son and his father and the cat take a longer way home. The son has to buy a card for his cell phone. Wait outside the shop with the cat in her box.

At home, the cat is released, and it hurriedly goes upstairs.

The son finishes his packing, and leaves for Bayreuth. He will take the train.

Take the car to the place with the hoses and the scrubbing brushes and the vacuum cleaners. Pay two Euros to vacuum the car, and then pay eight to wash and spray said vehicle with detergent and then clear water. Do not bother spraying the vehicle with wax. That is most likely just a waste of time.

The parking spaces near home are all occupied in the meantime, so move to a more distant one.

Then go out and do the evenings shopping

cat and yellow plastic ducks today

This morning the cat resisted being fed its pill with vigour. It reached out and slashed with its claws, digging the on claw into the human wrist very close to that artery. The poor animal is in panic. It opens its mouth to hiss, use the opportunity to pop the pill in. Hold its mouth shut until the pill is swallowed,  The animal is scared and does not understand.

Walk through town to the river. The town is full of people, there are thousands in the pedestrian zone this weekend. all supplying custom to the cafés there. Go down to the river, the preparations for this years duck race are in full progress. There is a digger poised at the water's edge holding up its hydraulic shovel over the water. Inside this shovel there are thousands of small plastic ducks. There is a band playing, and a large crowd of people waiting for the race to start. Watch the crowd for a short while, as it waits for these contents of the shovel to be tipped into the water.

Walk along the edge of the water, down as far as the footbridge. This is crowded with people, all waiting for the many yellow plastic ducks to arrive and to float on down under the big bridge upon which the traffic has been stopped.

Walk along to the finish line just above the hydro-electric plant. An air-filled fire house has been floated across the river here as a guide for the many yellow ducks now visible under the bridge. They are approaching slowly on the current. The people are cheering , all happy to see what should be six thousand plastic ducks on the river.

Turn away and walk into town. 

Return home.

Feel ill and rest for a while.

4

 Last night in the pub went on late, left at midnight. There were all the usual conversations on the evils of eighty years ago and more recent evils in big countries.

Two beers and a small coffee and that was all.

Sleep was disturbed again, it was only late at night and after five that it came. In between there was a time of leisurely chewing of the mental cud. Acting like a ruminant even though not a graminivore. Twisting metaphors in the middle of half-sleep.

In the morning, to the washing machine and take the clothes from the dryer, all are gratifyingly dry. Take them upstairs, and put them on the made bed for sorting later. Downstairs again, check up on  the state of the world in the computer. Things in the united states of the North American continent seem increasingly vindictive and childish. It is like an extrapolation from a schoolyard.

Go to the flat lived in by the wife and the son. The wife is in bed, the son and his friend are up and about. Call the cat, the son goes in to collect the small animal from the wife bedroom. The untidiness in the flat is remarkable. Wrap the cat in a towel, in order to reduce its ability to use its claws to inflict injuries. Then open the animals jaws, a procedure it resents, hissing loudly. Throw in the antibiotic pill and close the jaws to prevent the cat spitting it out again. The son comes over with a small syringe of pain killer and  sprays a few millilitres into the cats mouth. The cat swallows, and the pill and the painkillers are delivered as they should be. Stroke the cat a bit and let it jump down. It seems not to be worrying too much now, but it wants to return to the bedroom.

In the early afternoon go to the Saturday afternoon meeting of the people around the gallery. There is much talk. Drink a cup of coffee, and no more.

Return home, go upstairs and move the washed clothes into the dryer.

It is now four in the afternoon.

spaghetti and tomato sauce

 today loads of small nothings were done, the day started with a shower, and then the cat had to be fed a pill. The cat did not want the pill, and resisted, The little animal does not understand the necessity of antibiotics. It showed that it was able to growl very loudly.

There was a small shopping spree, a few pictures were edited, and time was spent strolling and making telephone calls with a friend. The friend had just recovered from a major operation, he had had some valves in his heart replaced. The whole operation took seven hours.

Upon returning home the cat needed its second antibiotic of the day. Resistance was not so strong this time. The son gave the cat a painkiller. The cat showed displeasure,  but it was not possible to explain the reason for the activity.

Made a small meal of spaghetti and tomato sauce as an evening meal

consider

 There is not much wish to write today, so sorry about that. The son spoke this morning about petrol filters for his moped, one of those projects, and in the early afternoon he was demonstrating the difficulties that he was having with a sun sparc computer. He does many things.

Make a cup of coffee, sort the clothes. Go for a short walk, and then return. Take the clothes upstairs, and then fill a bucket with water for the flowers on the balcony. The trees in the courtyard have already taken on their Autumn colouring.

Make a date for the car repair, that will be on the ninth of October. It will then have its check up done until 2027. That will be close to the end of its life as a functioning vehicle. It was built in 2008.

In the early afternoon go to the gallery and return the key. The one photograph is among the better ones, that is satisfactory. Chat with the owner of the gallery for a while, she is minding the place whilst her husband works.

Wander about town and buy some spaghetti, that will do for tomorrow.

On the way to the pub in the evening receive a phone call. and spend some time chatting, just recounting all the Irish experiences. At the pub repair the picture that has slipped inside its frame. Have a drink of a glass of beer afterwards. There is still dissatisfaction with the pictures selected by the proprietor of the pub, but there is nothing to be done about it now.

Return home., and consider having a shower.

cat growl

 Though the own bed is not luxurious, and is not as phenomenally clean as the hotel sheets, it is comfortable, and the pains in the back do not feel as bad this morning. They are still there, and they still hurt, but they are not so debilitating.

Go downstairs to the shop to make a cup of coffee. Discover that the ready ground beans for the coffee maker are finished, look at the espresso machine and see that the grinder is full of beans. Have a long espresso as a morning cup. Use the French cup bought in the flea market last Sunday. In France!

Sort the things that came back from the journey, separate the sons baggage from the personal things.

Bring the stuff upstairs and give it to the son. At that time make up a time to go the vet's practice with the cat. Then go out and buy coffee in the coffee shop, the shop that is called a coffee shop but sells more clothes and gadgets than coffee.

Go to the bakers, and receive a friendly personal greeting from the girl behind the counter. It is hard to place her, then realise that this is either the mathematician or the young woman who spoke so long on psychology in the pub. It is bad and embarrassing to not recognise faces so easily or so well.

Return home, make some coffee and then accompany the son to the vet. He carries the cat in a bag. She sticks her head out and looks about with great interest.

After a short wait at the vets we go into the surgery. The cat is examined. The cat voices her displeasure at this treatment with a steady low growl.

Receive instructions as to the further procedure, then leave the practice and go home.

After returning the cat go out for a short walk and a visit to the cafe with the son.

pack in the morning , asymmetrical.

 The hotel room once more, one last time.  There is a noise in the background, a rushing noise. It is either the elevator or the heating. Pack the bags and take the pills and have a shower, not in that order, but all of these things were done. Ring up the friend in the next room, there is no a nswer from her. Try to read the news, but the hotel wireless connection is just too slow in the morning.  It is not really morning, but so what. The shower is pleasant and warm. Finish the bottle of complimentary water,

Try to leave everything more or less tidy.

Then the friend rings, and wonders why................. She had forgotten to turn on her phone, and she only sees the message now.

Go down for that hotel breakfast. It is late, and it is only possible to drink two cups of coffee, have two rolls and a croissant.

That is plenty.

And now wait in the room until the friend next door has finished her packing.

It was a pleasant drive over side roads to Nuremberg, and it was easy to leave the friend and her dog at the railway station. The drive alone to Landshut was a struggle with tiredness, a short break at a motorway stop helped. 

Arriving in Landsut and unpacking went easily, and the car was parked in a free spot. It was not yet four o'clock but tiredness was all-encompassing.

Lay down on the studio bed.

The son came in and said that the cat had fallen ill and that he and the wife had brought her to a veterinary practice. The cat had had an abscess or some such thing in her face. The son had been appalled to watch the veterinary surgeon drain this, he was horrified by the quantity of pus that came out of the poor cat. He enlisted his fathers help in the future visit to the same surgeon to finish the treatment. He said that he noticed the problem because the cats face appeared to be asymmetrical.

Slept a while longer, then visited friends in the pub.

else maybe not

 The hotel in Würzburg is most pleasant and otherwise just a professional hotel. The evening was spent feeling ill and the night was spent sleeping. It was difficult to concentrate in the morning.

Breakfast was German, and why should it be otherwise, here in Würzburg?

Help the dogs owner by driving her to a person selling a carpet. It is an antique  carpet and extraordinarily expensive. It is a collectors item from Tibet. It is a very simple pattern.

She forgets her coat at the owners flat, it is necessary to return and to collect it. The distances are small, this is no trouble.

Walk about the town, it is raining and the town is not presenting itself from its best side.

Slowly a sense of dizziness joins the back pains that have made sitting on low seats difficult during the last few days.

Visit the memorial for Walther von der Vogelweide.

Visit a shop selling old books, so many complete works. There are religious publications and complete works by German poets and thinkers.

After a while understand that things are not going to get better. Go back to the hotel and discover that the key card to the room does not work. Go to the reception and have that fixed. Then go upstairs and sleep for an hour in the comfortable hotel bed.

Awaken and discover that it is seven in the evening.

That is now, and if anything further occurs today I may write about it.

Or else maybe not.

long drive

 The boat arrived in Dunkirk at one this morning, the disembarkation took nearly an hour. It was a strange drive through the night time Dunkirk, it was unclear where things were, all sorts of drawbridges over canals and strange lights. The hotel is a tall modern block. Parked the car outside and spoke to the concierge, it was two in the morning, he was a wide awake young man.

Took the key cards and parked the car in the basement of the hotel. Then went upstairs to the room. It was cheaply and functionaly furnished. The furniture was badly worn in a most unsightly fashion, and there was a peculiar stain on the floor, There were also two tea bags and two coffee capsules for the coffee maker 

.Had a chat and went to bed.

In the morning made-up a perfunctory breakfast from the box of left overs from Ireland. It was all quite nice.

After a fight with the French phone app, obtained an address and a route to a french country flea market. The flea market was very pleasant, there was a lot of junk. There were some nice small glass coffee cups.

After walking up and down the market, bought three cups for one Euro. The man was happy to get rid of them.

Bought a sausage and chips at another stand, and ate them standing at a bistro table. There was a band playing cover versions of popular music, the last band played well.

Then returned to the car, and set the navigation app to Würzburg.

After a long drive through France and Belgium drove through heavy rains in Germany. In the dark the road glistened and the lights glared. It was an exhausting drive.

Now there is a hotel in Würzburg. This is all a great treat, with all these hotels and everything.

But the journey took over seven hours, and that was a long drive. 

very early

On the boat with dog on the bunk in the cabin. Tnhe owner od the dog has gone for a midday meal after sleeping off the side effects of a seasickness pill taken last night. The English coast is sliding past on the left, wherever that may be for a sailor.

After the night the sea is calm, with only vey occasional larger waves.

The two meals of the day were worthwhile, and lunch was actually good.

The drive to the  boat was done in heavy rain, after a pleasant sendoff in the big house. Apart from driving on the left, traffic in Ireland can be difficult. There is much overuse of perceived rights resulting in dangerous situations for anyone used to motoring as a combined effort to reach a destination wthout mishap.

Dunkirk will be reached tomorrow morning

very early

catch the boat tonight

 Sleep Wass very very deep. It was eight in the morning and there was a deadly pain in the back. It must have been from the vacuum cleaning yesterday

Get up with difficulty, rolling over in the bed and putting the feet over the edge of same before levering the old body into a vertical position.

Downstairs, wash the teeth and go to the toilet.

Go upstairs and put the clothes on, then downstairs again to make breakfast. It was a perfunctory breakfast. Meanwhile the woman from Berlin has returned with her dog. She and the sister in law are having a discussion about going to town and having fun. Remind them that the Berlin dog will have to go to the vet. That changes the plans and all decide to go on up to the garden centre.

Take the dog and its Berlin owner to the vet to check the dog's suitability for export. Then go to the garden centre and  say farewell to the brother and have a cup of coffee with him in his older garden centre just down the road.

Meanwhile, the girls have been in town  and now it is possible to finish off the packing. Return to the house, do the rest of the vacuum cleaning and carry the machine downstairs.

There will still be time to catch the boat tonight.

delay tomorrow.

 Sleep long today, and take the heavier dose of pills. Commence sorting the things in the small flat ready for the departure tomorrow. Take the car to Terenure to buy a bottle of wine, buy two and a sandwich. It is strange to see the enormous hurry of all the motorists on the busy crossing, with all the attempts there to regulate the traffic.Enjoy the sandwiches at the side of the street and watch the cars go by. There are seats provided at the side of the road by the grocery store.

On the way to the store there was nearly an incident with a car that was trying to enforce some right that its owner felt to speed in the left hand lane. It is good that nothing happened.

The journey home was uneventful, and the next hour was spent using the Dyson vacuum cleaner to remove all of the hairs and dust from the floor of the flat that had been the living quarters for the past three weeks. 

Then a notice was read that the ferry to Dunkirk had been delayed for six hours.

This caused excitement.

And now there is a visit to the film director in Enniskerry to be made.

And now the shipping firm rings back,

old friend

 This is the first of the final three days in Ireland. Two hours ago a meeting with a friend from childhood ended, a friendly chat with no particular aim.. It was splendid in its way, just a friendly meeting with no particular objektiv. Times sixty years ago were remembered. And changes were noted.

Afterwards took a short walk about the old building, met Eithne and the young Peter who work fixing up her garden.. Stand outside the green house for a while, the greenhouse still containing the cistern in which the sister drowned sixty seven years ago, Poor natasha, what would have become of her?

Walk about the gardens, green and shady, with the gloom of past events on the mind.

Return to the flat now used as for temporary accommodation. Read the news, finish the coffee.

It is a lovely day in beautiful place. It is more than half done now.

delayed for an hour

 Today is the day that the son is returning to Germany, it will be necessary to take him to the airport. Wake in the morning and let him sleep on. There is confusion and dissatisfaction in the house this morning, there is no knowing why.Perhaps it is just a personal disaffection.

The son prints his papers on the printer that is not working properly .

Then have a midday breakfast. Drive the son to the airport.

Spend the afternoon driving the dog and its owner through the Dublin mountains.

Nice enough.

Receive notes on the phone that the sons flight has been delayed for an hour.

he is still in the airport.

fun

Seventy years and a day today. Wake up to the sound of the dog yipping, it is eight in the morning and the dog is still on German time. It wants to be fed and taken out by its owner. 

Stay in bed for a few minutes, then feel that Nature is calling and go downstairs. There is as much upstairs and downstairs here as there is in Landshut. Upstairs again, dress up for the day. Today is the day to go for a drive and a meal with the brother.

When the dogs owner returns, have a short discussion with her. She is worried that the son dislikes her. Say that that is most unlikely, there is no evidence to support that. She offers that he may use her shoes, they are more stable than his.

Take the pills, then make a small breakfast.

Then there is cold and dizziness, return upstairs and lie down. The son is concerned, but it is just another one of those bouts of weakness that have been happening regularly.

A short sleep later hear the brother in the next room. Get up, go out and chat.

Then speak with the son about the planned walk in Glendalough.

Then we all go to the brothers flat and have a cup of tea. After this the three of us and his dog go to the Opel and take the road to Glendalough. 

The old military road is bumpy and windy and very charming. It is what the Irish would call a soft day, it is raining copiously.

Upon arriving in Glendalough leave the car in a private parking spot known only to the brother and comment walking up the valley. The son is fascinated, his visible joy at the spectacular scenery is a delight to watch. 

Take a few pictures, the camera is being difficult because the temperature difference is causing condensation.

Enjoy the walk past the lakes up to the ruined lead miners works  and on, almost to the summit of the waterfall. Admire the roaring torrent of white water falling down the steep terrain. There is a herd of deer, feeding in the rain.

On the return pass some young women climbing over huge boulders for sport.

Take the car to a restaurant and have a meal. There is a phone call from Landshut, wishing a happy birthday.

That is nice.

After the meal, take the mountain road home in the dark.

That is fun.

Sutton

 The dog starts to yap in anticipation of something in the next room. In a few minutes it will be confirmed that it is exactly eight in the morning, and that he always starts to make noises at that time. As he does at five in the evening, in time for and in expectation of his evening feed.

Get up and go in next door. There the owner of the dog is sleeping, and the dog is beside he giving off tiny yipping noises. The owner opens one of her eyes and mutters to the dog that it should be quiet. Go over to the dog and pat it on the head. It calms down.

Then go on down to the bathroom.

Go upstairs and get dressed. Then downstairs again, and have a cup of nastily hot instant coffee and a left over croissant. Receive congratulations to the seventieth birthday, that is today.

Then lie down on the bed again, the throat has been burnt by the hot coffee and it is sore all the way to the stomach. Lie in bed, and recovery takes an hour.

The sister in law is now in the next room with the son and the others. She talks a lot and then presents her latest book. This is an interesting publication, but there are problems detecting the sense in the layout. Perhaps reading the text will help to explain this.

Then look up the map to find the easiest way to Sutton.

pleasant

 today was a quiet day.

At the shops, bought Branston Pickle for the son, he has taken to liking the stuff..

In the morning the friend with the dog went to the market.

Had a long talk with the owner of the house, she was taking her dog out for a walk.

The day is not cohesive, there is nothing planned. The brother makes up a date for Monday. and the friend with the dog returns with cakes, and makes up a date for Sunday, that is tomorrow.

Today is still quiet day, with a general feeling of being unwell.

The party last night was pleasant.

decency

 Now, at the head of the stairs in the great house in Dublin, write these notes. It is ten to ten in the morning of this bright sunny day. The drive from Clonmel to Dublin yesterday was exhausting, even though it was not a long journey. It went well, as they say nowadays.

The big house is silent, but for the hum of some device in the background and the very faint barking of a dog in the distance..

Down in the kitchen, at seven thirty, the companion and her dog were sitting at the window. The dog jumped down and commenced to bark. The dog was shushed, and then recognised whom he was dealing with. Made a cup of coffee and spoke about the war in Israel and anti semitism in Ireland.

Today is the day of the grand opening of the brothers garden centre and all are being very thrilled and excited, to be later stunned, perhaps even gobsmacked. That is probably the most modern expression of emotion., all learnt from social media. Read in the news about the murder of the fascist in America. Read about those politicians whose first action is to use this crime for political gain. A behaviour that is beyond decenty

an orange filter

 Awoke in the morning, as always, take the pills. It is a pleasant awakening in a house in the hills above Clonmel. It is very comfortable here.

Still, ask whether it is possible to take a shower. The host says it is, and she shows how to operate the small shower system. Have some breakfast, and then 

Suddenly there is a collapse, the consciousness slips away. Lie down in the bed and cover.

Two hours later things are better again, and it is possible to drive down and to collect the daughter of the house from her house in the town. 
Before leaving, take a picture of the son with his baking tray full of plum cake. The daughter of the house shows how this may be placed in social media so that the whole family can enjoy the sight

Return to the house in the hills, and there is a long discussion. The father is in his bed, he is unwell. The mother is everywhere, and always has a good solution to every problem. The next thing is a trip to the seaside, a matter of forty minutes.

The son and the daughter of the house spend much time talking, Take pictures on the beach, in black and white and with an orange filter in an attempt to make the clouds stand out.

After the walk take a cup of coffee in a café in Dungarvan.

And then forty minutes return to Clonmel. The journey to clonal takes longer than expected, due to a wrong turning on the way which led to a curious circuit through the hills.

This evening there will be a return to Dublin, and then all will be done till tomorrow

5 yrs.

 It was so pleasant to wake after sleeping well, and then to get up and to look out of the window at the fruit trees and the hills opposite.

Yesterdays arrival at clonal and the meeting with the friend who paid the visit to munich year ago was marvellous, but then in the early afternoon tiredness crept in again. The son enjoyed the company. The friends boyfriend arrived, an eccentric pole with musical ambitions.

Went on up to the family home in the foothills.

But that was yesterday.

The father of the house now has a neurologically described complaint. It makes him very ansious and very quiet. He was a big strong man, and now he has shrunk. The care person comes by to  care for him with those things where his wife cannot cope.

The son is happy to be here, the last time that he was here was five years ago. It is squirt and relaxing, there is no wish to do anything.

short

It was hard to wake up early today, and it was harder for the son. The wind outside is rushing through the old trees. Have a shower, and have a small breakfast. There is no time for these notes, there is no time for a real calm..

Now it is late, and the drive down to Clonmel is over. It is nearly time for bed. The drive was actually done at midday, and the first visit was started with a walk by the river.

Then the car was taken up to the house in the foothills. The friends there had the same welcome as they had for years, it was like a return home. The daughter from the town, who had been the first visit was there as was her mother and her father, a now elderly man suffering from anxiety. He has had to stop his habitual drinking. The lack of responsibility is not making life for him any easier, he used to work caring for those whose needs are special.

The plums are having a good year, and pick an enormous crop from the one old tree on the grounds. This tree has never had such an extreme load of plums on its branches.

And now it is time to prepare to spend the night in the small house in Clonmel.

another day

 It is good to be lazy sometimes. There is no harm in it. This morning was just another lazy day. Heard people in the house, and waited until they had left before getting up and going downstairs. Made a small breakfast.

Drove the car down to the local shop to get some things, and then at the behest of the friend drove on to Terenure for a cup of coffee. The cup of coffee was nice. It was served by a young spanish woman. The son got into a tantrum because the coating on the cake was made of gelatine, a substance he abhors. The son is really to old for tantrums now, but he still gets into situations which are difficult for him to deal with.

After the coffee shop proceed to a small hardware store and buy a mop to wash the floor in the kitchen. There were complaints in the morning that there was a steel in the kitchen, and cleaning the floor and changing the filter on the greasy extraction fan seemed like a good idea. The son worked hard cleaning the hob.

Fold the filter so that it has quarter the area and four times the thickness. Then fit it into the holder on the fan.

Then, after finding a bucket, clean the floor. This takes nearly an hour to complete.

And now it is evening again.

slice of toast

 Yesterday turned exhausting, like all the days in this holiday so far.Much of it was pleasant, but now it is just a tired muscular ache in the calves of the legs. There was a short drive around Tallaght yesterday, this was all a disaster, a strange feeling that Ireland has turned to the home of the motor car, and that pedestrians are no longer the norm. Bicycles are most likely a dangerous way to travel. Shop around in the Square, a mall that appears attractive to teenagers, all flouncing about in jogging suits, the girls showing off their abdominal musculature and the boys remaining cool.

At hom, spend a restful evening, all is well again. Avoid the in-laws, that is satisfying.

This morning runs late, breakfast for three. The son tries out the Marmite spread bought yesterday, on recommendation of a friend, and discovers it not to his liking.

Enjoy a slice of toast with marmalade, that is good.

Perhaps there will be more to write later on today, but not now.

deep green

 The visit to the pub in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains yesterday was a disaster. It was filled with the loud voices of men shouting at each other, there was a constant jostle and shove. People at their tables were cramped. Service people arrived and started talking. leaving no doubt that they felt they had better things to do. The food was simple but replete with names in the style of some grande cuisine.

The waitress arrived and slapped a pile of menus onto the table, mumbled and turned her back. After a while she returned, took her orders and vanished again. 

Conversation was not possible because of the noise of the people shouting at each other at the bar and the neighbouring tables.

A plate was thrown down on the table, then another and yet another. There was a minimal inquiry as to who had ordered what. After a short wait the fourth plate arrived and was slapped down before the son. His food was vegetarian, in this land of carnivores it took longer.

The fish and chips were tasteless.

Coaches arrived outside, and disgorged small crowds of people. They were all coming to view an Irish dance event upstairs.

That evening took the car to the Dublin mountains with the son, and enjoyed the view as the sun set. The mountains are as silent and grave as ever.

Listen to the rain in the dark this morning. It is raining in Ireland, this is not unusual at all. That is the explanation for the deep green vegetation.

make plans then

In the old house the red morning  light in the window is coloured by the green leaves of the trees outside. This is relaxing, the glass made in the old fashioned way distorts the various shades of green to a pleasing pattern. Maybe a sort of impressionism.

The dog wags its tail upon sight.

Go downstairs, the same here in Ireland as in Germany. and go to the bathroom and then make a small breakfast. Instant coffee has its points, it is not as complex as the work with the small coffee maker.

Upstairs again, sort the clothes  and tidy up a little bit. People come and go, they all ask for plans.

Right now, in the morning, there is no great plan.

It is necessary to wake up first, to make priorities, deal with these notes. 

Perhaps when everybody has gone about their business, settle down and have a shower.

It will be possible to make plans then.

arrived

 The sea journey ended this morning, at one. During the day the ferry travelled up and down vertically with the swells, and after passing Lands End commenced a rolling motion. Nobody who was only used to the situation on dry land could really cope with this constant motion. Most of the passengers stayed in their cabins.

The food on board was nice, and the crew was very friendly.

Finally, in Rosslare, they all donned yellow high visibility vests and gently herded everyone back to their cars. After another wait everyone was quickly wave through the various check points.

The drive to Dublin took an hour over the deserted motorway. It was easy to drive at a constant speed, just at the limit.

Now, at midday, and after a deep sleep all the baggage has been removed from the car, and a cup of instant has been drunk.

The news is read, and now all is done.

It is an old house built in part during the seventeenth century. It is in poor repair now, but it is a building of great beauty.

There are supplies needed, so a visit to the Irish shops is in order.

A church, a drive and a cabin

 On the boat in a small stuffy cabin in the bottom bunk. The dog looks hopeful, a human is awake and responsive. Give him a pat and he whinges gently. Look about, see that light is coming in around the curtains.

After leaving the hotel yesterday, after enjoying a lovely late breakfast, go to the church at the top of the hill. The church was designed by the architect Le Corbusier, and is extraordinarily beautiful. It is probably one of the most beautiful modern churches. The heavy concrete ceiling appears to float over the walls. Take a few pictures. One can never tell if they will do it justice or not.

After viewing the church in all its glory start the journey to Dunkirk. It is a distance of some six hundred kilometres, altogether involving a time of roughly six hours. After a confusing visit to St Quentin with all its narrow streets and no parking spaces, have a roll and a cup of coffee each at a petrol station on the motorway. The roll was not good, it was no more than industrial food.

Arrived at the port, went to the wrong quay by accident. Upon settling all of that confusion, and then dealing with the very friendly people at the reception desk, settle down to a long wait in the line of cars,

After loading the car a friendly swedish woman guides the three travellers with the dog to a tiny cabin with bunk beds. After settling a bit, go out onto the deck with the son and watch the harbour pass by as the boat leaves the port.

Then have a meal, it is a strange meal. The cooks are very friendly, they make up a special meal for the son, in consideration of his not eating meat. He is really delighted.

Then retire to bed, it is really almost a stat of collapse. Lie down on the bed and fall asleep at once. Some hours latter wake up and change into sleeping clothes.

This morning the son gets up to go for a walk on deck. He returns with an unhealthy greenish tinge to his face. He is feeling very sick. Wait until he feels a little better, and then both go for breakfast. Breakfast is fine, but the movement of the boat increases and the son starts to feel most unwell

The nest hour is spent with him suffering, and bravely trying to eat his breakfast. 

Finally give up, and accompany him back to the cabin. He lies down there, and starts to fall asleep.

pretty hotel room

 Awake in a nice little hotel in Ronchamp.

Today is the day to admire le Corbusier's chapel,

the hotel room is very pretty

relatively simplee

 There is the sound of trains in the distance on this morning. The trains are the ones that travel from Mühldorf to Burghausen and other places. They hoot at every level crossing to warn any chance motorist or other road users.

Lands hut was left last night upon the invitation of the mother of the friend from Berlin. Meet the family and spend part of the evening chatting, and then went to bed in the attic room. The son was already there, already asleep.

Slept till the early morning and then got up. 

Then the family woke up, and then the son. 

And by the time that breakfast was done and the dog was de  wormed it was ten.

Spend nearly the whole of the day driving to Ronchamp with the friend, her dog and the son.The journey took a total of more than six hours.

The hotel in  Ronchamp was seriously overdecorated in a nice sort of French way.

But it was pleasant.

The meal in Ronchamp was sensational, even though the hotel was relatively simple