My 25th Anniversary Venture Begins!

Dingle, Ireland

Last year, my husband and I decided instead of a party to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary, we would rather enjoy a trip abroad...Ireland to be exact. My husband is from Irish descent. From the time I have known him, he had always wanted to go to the land where both sides of his parents' roots began.

Our trip developed from there. At one point we decided to take the kids. Then shortly after included our son's girlfriend. The reason...the realization that shortly everyone will be going their own way...soon. Our son is already out of school and has begun his career. Next year, my middle daughter will graduate college. She's talking of moving to California and going to grad school out there. My youngest- she just graduated from high school. She's going out of state to college. Do you ever have one of those 'this is it' moments?

It hit me...hard. My mind flashed back to the time right before hubbie and I married. I wanted to save the money and not go on a honeymoon. Hubbie, who never puts his foot down to me, refused. Said I would regret it if we didn't. We did go to Bermuda. I cherish those memories. I hold them dear. I even remember one of our meals in detail...down to the sauce served with the duck.

Cliffs of Moher

After it was decided for certain to go on this trip, another thought assaulted me. When I was a junior in college, I planned to go with a group of other college students on a European tour. I was to leave two days after finals. I didn't make it. Unfortunately, my father had a major heartattack in the middle of my finals. I never made it to Europe after that. My father survived the heartattack, but I never went to Europe then. The money that got refunded to me...I made one of my worst financial decisions. Well, I was talked into it by my sister. She wanted a horse. I love animals, but I'm awful with horses. I broke my arm on a horse and I let her talk me into buying it. I never understood how she became half owner when I paid for it...now I think about it. But getting back to my thought. I had a fear that something would happen to a love one before we left or while we were gone.

Can you tell I'm a worrier? I've always been that way, but what I want to do now is chronicle our time. I have been so busy since I've been back I haven't had time. I have always used this blog more for my personal journal at times. So as I have the time, I'm going to try to remember the trip the best I can.

I could kick myself though. You know those moments you say to yourself you won't forget that...now I wish I wrote it all down. All the one-liners my daughter said; my son's help from the back seat driving through Ireland's countryside; my middle daughter's keen sense of direction (which I can tell you didn't come from me). I can tell you this trip is etched into my memory fondly. What a wonderful time! Not even a National Lampoon's vacation moment.

I was compulsive when it came to passports. I had this morbid fear of losing one along with a dread of all the tires of the car blowing out. (Before I left, one of the girls I work with told me she had a friend who drove through Ireland's countryside and blew out two sets of tires!) I went prepared to be rained on for twelve days. But my greatest concern was falling over a cliff.

You know what though...no passports were lost. The car survived without a scratch (I was the only one to have kinda have gone off the road once...okay the tire had dirt and grass bedded into it...once. You do realize that they drive on the wrong side of the road, too.). It only rained one day. Last but not least...we didn't fall off a cliff. Not only that, but I saw the most awesome, breathtaking, beautiful sights!  Ireland truly has to be one of the most beautiful places on earth.

I was also able to mark one of my bucket list off. I got to go to London!

I'll start today with the first day. Traveling to Ireland was a whole day's affair, but I was amazed by the whole process (You would think I don't get out often.) To wake up in Massachusetts and by evening be in Ireland. Just off hand- did you know that in June Ireland doesn't get dark until around 10:30 pm and the sun's out by 4:30! Somethings just amaze me. I know what you're thinking that I'm some small town country girl from the deep South who has never...oh, wait...I am!

I love the time before you leave on a big trip. Half the fun is the anticipation. It was no different this time. Laughing about whose suitcase would weigh the most. Odds on favorites- Lyndsay and Becca. The winner...Hubbie! Yes. My husband's suitcase weighed the most. To be honest, we were all happy he brought over his pullovers and light jackets later I assure you. The items that were indispensible- plug in converters from AC to DC or the other way around. All I know is that our plugs wouldn't have worked without them!

Getting through the airport security wasn't an issue (I do have a story about the way back, though.) The plane...we flew on Aer Lingus. Love the name. The plane flight. I guess it could have been worse but I was stuck in the middle and my daughter's tv screen didn't work. So I let her use mine. Hers would work for a while until the pilot would say something then it would click off. The other issue was we were sitting in the exact middle of the plane. When they started with drinks and the meal, they started on both ends, meeting in the...middle. Problem when they run out of diet coke and food...Oh, since I mentioned diet cokes. It's a good thing I drink diet cokes in the states. Otherwise I would seriously have to cut back on my intake. So much more expensive!

Driving on the WRONG side of the Road!

Survived though! Thank the Good Lord! Flew into Dublin, got stamped into the country, and onto the car rental. That's right Car Rental in Ireland. Wrong side of the road, stick shift, awfully small roads and did I say wrong side of the road in a large van. Everyone in Ireland drives nice, small cars for a reason. Large vans don't fit on their roads!

I'll leave you here with me driving away in a large van, wrong side of the road and in a stick shift! I'm driving!!!!

As for my writing, I have to tell you that I'm excited about my upcoming release, Ruse of Love. It's been a long time in the making- Book Two in the Winds of Betrayal Series! Coming soon!!!
Working on Broken Legacy at the moment; then I'll revise the next release to Whispers.

I'm also setting up a new blog- Romantic Picks. Check it out if you get a chance. Have romance authors contributing a blurb on their books every week. Excited about it!

Romantic Picks Blog