Summer at last!

Well we waited long enough.  The last few days have been perfect summer days, the sort they promise in the advertisements.  I’ve picked my own raspberries for breakfast, and we’ve eaten lunch and dinner in the garden shaded by the blossom of the rambling rose.  The garden is looking at its best - greener and lusher than usual because of all the rain.  I have spent a lot of time gardening recently. Yesterday I spent most of the day planting up the new raised beds at Kate’s house.  We are very lucky to have a cousin who lives nearby who was able to build these for us at a reasonable price.  Her square of astroturf was a bit depressing before. It should look better once the bedding plants I added get going.

Since my last post I been on a trip to Northern Ireland - a family gathering for my brother in law’s 60th birthday.  We spent the first evening in Belfast - Kate and her boyfriend flew over with me and we met other members of the family in the Crown Liquor Salon.  I’d never been there before and it is beautiful inside. I lived in Belfast briefly in the 1980s when I did my teacher training course so know some parts of the city, the bit round the university and the main shopping street, Royal Avenue, which you had to access through security gates then. You certainly couldn’t go into  City Hall.  Now it has all changed.  There was an international food fair going on there that Saturday and we sat in the sun which amazingly shone that day eating paella.  Then we went inside the building which has an impressive foyer with domed ceiling and lots of stained glass windows. My photograph doesn’t do it justice.  

We stayed in an Airbnb in Ballyhackamore, which according to our host is one of the best areas to live in Belfast.  It certainly has lots of bars and restaurants.  We had a good meal at Cyprus Avenue which is named probably not because of the location but for the Van Morrison song for this is the area of Belfast where he grew up. The next morning I was awake early, much earlier than the rest of the family,  I decided to walk a mile up the road to Stormont Castle, the NI government building.  (At least there is a government now after years of walk outs and sulking.)  Another place I have never actually seen before.  I didn’t see much of it that morning either: the estate is open to the public but not until 9am.  I gave up as it was starting to rain and we were needed in Dromore to prepare for the birthday party. The rain cleared up later and it was a lovely afternoon. 

The next day we headed out for a family walk to Tullymore Forest Park where part of The Game of Thrones was filmed.  Never having watched it, this meant nothing to me but there was a beautiful riverside walk and a waterfall to admire. Then we went to the Newcastle - yes there’s a Newcastle in NI too - for a walk along the promenade and an ice-cream. 

Home then to Paul and doggies who had been left behind and back to a quieter few weeks.