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The major part of my inquiry project is a website. I emailed it to the appropriate people back in Lehighton so they can take a look through it before I fine-tune it. I'm really excited! Today I spent a lot of time targeting the next phase of work.
But let's get to the most exciting part of the day!
I was invited to attend a reception in honor of Lew Lukens, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim at the U.S. Embassy in London. It was hosted by Consul General Daniel Lawton at the residence and it was a lovely assortment of people from Northern Ireland who are making the world a better place. The two hours passed faster than I thought possible because each person I talked to was fascinating, bright, enthusiastic, and engaging and while I wish it could have gone on longer, I do like being able to tuck in Vivian so I was happy to get back home close to bedtime.
No matter who I spoke with this evening, the truism kept coming back: people are people are people are people are people. It doesn't make a difference where we live; it comes down to who we are at our core, what we believe in, and the desire to feel connected, that we matter, that we are heard and seen and noticed and valued. There are people in Northern Ireland working passionately to give that to as many as they can and it's fantastic to watch their eyes light up when they talk about successes because those successes mean a real person feels those very real emotions.
The cold has run through the apartment, it has taken a right turn, and it has invaded the neighboring apartment.
When I woke up, my right nostril was plugged.
No. I would not accept it. Too many weekends have crept by sans adventure and this Sunday would not pass without these Marchetti girls seeing new things.
Veni, Vidi, Vivi (that's how it goes, right?). ;)
First, a unicorn and I dropped off James at the airport
And mailed postcards
Then we cabbed it on over to The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. Everyone who mentions it says, "it's far better than it sounds. It's a brilliant museum. You should go." I thought it sounded great to begin with, so I was sold.
If you've been to Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia or Living History Farms in Iowa or Eckley Miners Village in Weatherly, PA, then you know this type of museum. This one, though, is unique in that they took apart the actual buildings from different parts of Northern Ireland and put them back together rock by rock and beam by beam and brick by brick.
In the first house we stopped in, a woman was dramatically recreating what happened to the family that lived in the actual house on Sandy Row. The husband went down with the Titanic and she was having a hard time making rent and was avoiding the tax collector. She was really knowledgeable and engaging.
What's wonderful about this museum is that its huge. Huge! Paths and roads meander and buildings and town sections and farms have the doors open so visitors just walk in and explore. Most buildings have a coal fire going but no people there. Occasionally there is a person recreating period information.
But it's amazing to wander freely -- without crowds -- and enjoy the quiet of the country.
A bike repair shop!
The Picture House showed a Charlie Chaplin movie.
This is a close up of a thatched roof.
This is a close up of a hedge row. An ouchy hedge row.
Seriously. It's so beautiful!
Piglets!
The mom had 18, but only 14 are left. She's in the contraption so it's easier for her to get up when babies want to feed and so she doesn't crush any accidentally.
Audrey was a schoolteacher and now works here as well as with The National Trust.
The Corner Shop sells candy. It's very popular. We did not buy here, but went to the gift shop to get postcards (don't tell Grandma), a fake egg for Chicky Wicky and pencils for school for Vivi.
We walked out of the gift shop and I saw a missed call from Diane.
She said Chloe had tickets to Cirque Beserk at the Grand Opera House but couldn't go. Diane, Mark, Lauren, and Chloe have been so, so good to us. I get a wee bit misty every time I think of them.
I'd wanted to take Vivi to see the show, but it didn't work out with timing this week and tonight was the last night. We had just enough time to pick up the tickets, grab a bite to eat, and then see the show!
I like about this circus that's it's all about the amazing things people can do. It's about skill and creativity.
The circus!
Now, this is impressive:
What? Two??
Theee? Are you insane???
"They should do four," said Viv.
"Impossible," I replied. "How could that even...whaaaaat???"
Four. No joke.
I didn't even know what to do with myself at that point so I just bounced up and down because I was so filled with adrenaline by proxy.
We took time at intermission for Viv to give her thoughts.
We could t stop giggling the whole cab ride home. Four motorcycles! Four! Viv wants to see one hundred. Get ready for disappointment, kid.
There's no view like a castle view. Add the smell of salt water on the wind and you'll find two happy Marchetti girls.
When we went to Giant's Causeway on the tour, we stopped at the castle but didn't have time to explore it. It is so easy to get there - a quick train ride from Belfast to Carrickfergus and a straight walk about three blocks from the train station to the castle.
Here's the start in Belfast with Wolfie instead of Chicky Wicky.
This is a Stena Line ferry. I really, really, really want to go on one. Maybe a quick jaunt to Scotland?
Carrickfergus Castle is a Norman castle in Northern Ireland, situated in the town of Carrickfergus in County Antrim, on the northern shore of Belfast Lough. Besieged in turn by the Scots, Irish, English and French, the castle played an important military role until 1928 and remains one of the best preserved medieval structures in Ireland.
For more than 800 years, Carrickfergus Castle has been an imposing monument on the Northern Ireland landscape whether approached by land, sea or air. The castle now houses historical displays as well as cannons from the 17th to the 19th centuries.
There is limited disabled access for wheelchair users. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
