". . . but I have MILES TO GO before I sleep, miles to go before I sleep." Robert Frost

That, as usual, was a fun way to spend a couple of weeks! Weather wasn't great, but didn't really affect any plans. The wind was incredible throughout the whole time and even shut down the historic site of the Rock of Cashel due to 70mph gusts. Several people were killed over the past weekend in England, Scotland, and Ireland as roofs blew off, trees blew over, and debris blew past. We experienced snow, sleet, rain, and sunshine in short periods of time and going from sunglasses to windshield wipers wasn't unusual. PLENTY of rainbows! Had a great time at Durty Nellies Pub outside the Bunratty Castle on the last night with a not so traditional traditional music session. Normally, the lads show up with the Bodrain ("boh-ran") drum, a fiddle, a squeezebox (the Irish accordian, unlike the Scottish, is pumped under the arm, not by mouth), maybe a guitar or an Irish whistle (flute). But this time, we were treated to a piano player and a banjo, and instead of traditional Irish song and ballads, the musicians played "Sweet Home Alabama" "Lying Eyes" as well as stuff by Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, Sting, and other pop rock tunesters. Thank God they stayed away from doing the awful renditions of Neil Diamond and John Denver as many Irish lounge lizards are wont to do with their moog synthesizers. (If I hear "Cracklin' Rose" or "County Roads" in an Irish pub I WILL become rude!)
The fun was that this duo was joined by a group of locals who sat and smoked and drank their pints and sang along as well as ragged on one another non-stop. Kidding, insults, jokes, lyrical challenges, just flowed non-stop. What the Irish call 'good Craic'!
It was a nice sendoff for the final nite that only got better today when we got bumped up to 1st class on the return flight! Damn! I could do this on a regular basis! (oh wait! I already do! too bad the next trip is 50 weeks away!)
time to try to get to sleep and get back to real time. Will probably be back in the truck tomorrow night.bb.