Walking in our woods in Ireland.

Drive leading from Glanmire up to the hotel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It occurred to me that our family's time in Ireland and our adventures had not been posted for current  bloggers to read.  

It was an amazing few years where our children attended Irish schools (scoil) and studied Gaelic, where we lived on 20 acres of ancient forests, where we owned and operated a hotel (built in 1769 as a hunting lodge for an English lord, converted to a hotel in early 1960s). We moved to Vienna Woods Hotel in 1985, moved back to California in 1988.
   

Vienna Woods Hotel had many uses, and the previous owner held many wedding, parties, company meetings.  When we bought it, we installed bathrooms in 19 of the rooms.  Had to do some repairs and decor changes.

Here are a few photos. Top is one of the three wedding rooms.  Johnny is in his wellies and cat Midnight. The black and white photo of the hotel was taken in mid-1980s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Partial view of west side of hotel, 1985 It was built in 1769 by  Lord Barrymore who used it for a summer hunting lodge for the elites of society.

Three milk stools found buried beneath refuse dating to mid-1700s

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The photo below is of our town, Glanmire, in Co. Cork.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

\

 

 

Mary by one of the huge trees in the woods
Later, Fitzgerald bulldozed and covered this part of the woods.
Bungalows, instead, were built. Erin and John standing in front of the grotto, apparently built for deer for their food and water. The tree above is easily 200+ years old. An old oak tree on the property had to be removed, as its roots were threatening the hotel.  I spent about 30 min. counting the rings, getting to 225.

There were about 12 inches left to count.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Children remember the adventures, as we do.  But we parents also remember all the work that it took to get to these adventures. All parents know that work they had to do in one way or another.  Good times!

 

 

 

 

Adventures in the Kansas City Library

                                                         Kansas City Library

 Another hot day in Kansas City began by 9 a.m., and David sighed.  Why the hell did we move here?  Why? Chicago to Kansas City was a leap of insanity, especially in July.

David found himself on the library steps, trudging up into the brisk cool air of books and tables, musty and old.  

Purposefully, David headed back to where he had last tossed “The Adventures of Lord James St. John” onto the floor.  The book, of course, had been shelved by some over-zealous librarian.  Even so, he caught the sapphire blue spine among other lined up remnants of insipid adventure fiction books.

Sitting in a dark corner on a battered leather chair, David experienced a surge of anticipation.

“…the ground rumbled beneath him... as he raced ahead of the cave-in, only to sense burning vitriolic acid mist surrounding him, engulfing him.  The air morphed into a freezing mixture, combined with rotten egg scent of  liquid sulfuric acid…

Oh, come on!  Sulfuric acid AND gaseous nitrous oxide?  Together? Ancient tribes would have no knowledge…Idiot writer…Do your research, why dontcha? David sneered.

“Misfortune loomed as the fumes waved over him.  Coughing through a torn shirt sleeve, he had an epiphany. Holding his breath, he crouched and crept along the craggy cave floor, breathing through the rock and dirt.  

Stay low, stay low…out of the mist…David whispered.

 A light gleamed ahead, a source of rescue. St. John tumbled and rolled into the bright daylight.  He snatched grass and twigs to pull him the rest of the way until he could escape the fumes. Lord James revived just enough to see his worst nemesis towering over him. Lord James St. John groaned.

David smirked. Well then…this was unpredictable. He should have been taken captive, tortured, or something.

A tall man glared down at him.  “…had to take another gamble, didn’t you?...A man who finds  misfortune, unworthy to bear the colors of the St. John banner…”

James lost consciousness blessedly, but when he came to, the man was still there, still haranguing at his son.  “…you impertinent worthless…."

Can’t he just shut up…just shut up…David growled.

First you deny the privilege of serving Queen and Country…A PACIFIST….”

David groaned. His dad.  Just silly plot twist.  Come on, really?

Lord James William Arthur St. John, puffed out his medal covered chest. “Why, in my day…”

Lord James St. John gazed through a haze at the self-proclaimed hero of martial glory.  Before passing out with a fading smile, he whispered, “You peacock you…”

David chortled.  Flipped a few pages ahead, Lord James St. John was already on another adventure.

Why not?  He took the book to the check-out desk.

The underlined words were provided in 2015 from Wednesday Words, started by Delores and maintained by several talented bloggers: Elephant's Child, River, . Over the years, the words have been challenging and entertaining.

After editing and rewriting and then editing more, this emerged. It was a load of fun, but then, isn't writing just that?

This was published in 2018.

 

 

Classics 

Melynda Fleury: A Fury to Behold!

Author of Just Nonsense

She has done it again!  That wild, crazy woman has come out with a new book, More Nonsense!

When I read her first book, Just Nonsense, I laughed and wept as she told about her adventurous life.  Nothing about Melynda is everyday.  From the beginning of her life, it seems that Melynda has never taken the easy road to anywhere.

On a personal level, Melynda is a supportive friend blogger.  My pregnant daughter recently discovered that she has gestational diabetes.  Melynda has had diabetes for a good part of her life, and was able to talk me down from being a frantic mother/future grandmother.  Her reassurance and advice have been a comfort to me and my daughter.

Having diabetes has terrible consequences, and Melynda has suffered many of them.  Recently her eyes have been "hit" by this terrible disease.  But, when I read her blogs, she manages to mix the tragic/comedy of her life.  "Yes, diabetes sucks, but...."

Knowing a truly incredible individual like Melynda has changed me.  Oh, not big changes, but the changes that make me a kinder better person. 

I encourage you--No, I demand--to go to the following site and see Melynda's two books for yourself.

More Nonsense!