the lake had been too choppy to go out on the boat but we cycled and cycled and… cycled… It was wonderful.

The park is beautiful,

(my gorgeous man surveying the suitability for boating (not a positive outcome…  ))

with interesting things everywhere-

like the Fairy Bridge …

and this bridge…

and these views (I think Bord Failte should be paying me…)

In the evenings we read, painted and drank tea, warm and cosy, while the Wee One slept and our boys read and whispered upstairs

Unfortunately we got back to no dog which prompted tears and trauma from everyone, it was so horrible. Then today, by chance, I popped into the local vets to see if anyone had seen the Little Hairy One. I almost fainted when they said yes and our L.H.O. was returned to us…. oh, the excitement, and more tears… of delight.

Oh, Pebbles, we love you!!!

I completely forgot as usual, and Beloved Husband didn’t. As usual. 

Flowers, cards and a sleep-in by myself for an extra hour (don’t children make you appreciate the simplest of things?!) 

As it happened, we were going to Fanore in Co. Clare with some good friends for the night. So as it progressively got wetter and wetter, off we went, packed with our dinner marinading, fresh scones, jam and wetsuits (we knew it would be irrelevant to our children as to whether there were storms, freezing temperature or pouring rain. If we are beside the sea, they will get in for a swim)

And there we were, deep in the Burren with purple-y hills stepping down to the sea, enjoying some great conversation washed down with pots of tea and nice things…

Then we walked down to the empty beach when the rain stopped for a bit and while all the children threw themselves into the sea with excited abandon, I photographed these extraordinary skies and wild sea…

…and then back for more buckets of tea and scones and jam in the camper van while five children watched a dvd on my laptop “upstairs”!

The next day, in the pouring rain, all my boys went swimming in a (warm) sea (I wilted in the camper van hence the lack of photos) and then spent some glorious few hours talking more crochet and crafts and all the new delights we are adding to our Nest in the coming weeks… (I got a sneak preview as we were holidaying with one of our new “makers”, and boy, am I excited!!)

…before we travelled home to our little yappy dog, four thousand cats*, one hen, three chicks, two ducks and a rather handsome rooster. We brought some of the sea with us, though, and that night we feasted on freshly caught mackeral and potatoes from the garden…

Ahhh yes, I think we are slowly perfecting the perfect holiday formula  

(*perhaps a slight exaggeration…)

The time flew, helped by no small means, by the utterly delicious cupcakes from Sprinkles

and its much duller cousin, the scone (only saved from complete fustiness, by dint of having cream and jam)

There was far more laughing than there should have been (at such a sedate event), and we are all looking forward to another get together on the 2nd Tuesday of August at 7pm again.

(Thank you Andrea for the inspiring place to meet and the tea and coffee!)

We picked 2 kgs of raspberries and smaller amounts of red currants, loganberries, blackcurrants and gooseberries…

Last night I made my first batch of jams- ten jars in all! Just made some fresh scones so off to scoff a jar or two!!!

Inspired by Soulemama~ do pop over and savour her delicious blog!