Ireland day 0728. Tuesday 26 September 2023- Spanish Year 3 *

Ireland day 0728. Tuesday 26 September 2023- Spanish Year 3

Today’s summary	Did some admin and shopping in the morning, then Val and I went on a walk up to the Centra store and back on the coast. I went to Spanish in the evening and Val went to Pilates up at the Rugby Club
Today’s weather	Bright and sunny until mid afternoon then clouded over with torrential downpours. Moderate south westerly wind. Appx 16C

Today’s overview location (The grey mark shows the location of our route)		Close-up location (The orange line shows where we walked) (Click button below to download GPX of today’s walk as recorded, or see interactive map at bottom with elevations corrected): Woods and Water with Val

Commentary

(Summary blog only. Last full blog was Day 0368).

Spanish year three. I can hardly believe that I am writing those words. Can we really have been here that long? Well yes – Friday is the second anniversary of our arrival in Ireland, and so on Saturday we enter our third year. The time has flown!

But at this very moment, I am in a slight state of panic. With the first lesson of year three only hours away, I am frantically going through last term’s notes, desperately trying to see what I might be able to remember. The answer is depressingly little. I’m just hoping that the rest of the class will be equally clueless, as I don’t want to be relegated to the dunce’s corner.

Language worries aside, Val and I enjoyed quite a relaxing day in Malahide. Some domestic chores first thing in the morning, then we went shopping together. (Whatever next? We will be going to the garden centre for coffee if we’re not careful). Then I made lunch after which we headed out to get a bit of fresh air. At this stage, the sun was shining so we enjoyed the first part of our walk through the demesne and out along the Swords Road to the Centra shop on the Coast Road, very much. The walk back was mostly good, too, although at the mid point, it unexpectedly started to pour with rain and we had to seek shelter under a convenient cherry tree until the squall passed.

Before we set out on our walk, Val had put a chicken and some vegetables in the oven to roast, meaning we could have an early dinner as soon as we got back. So now I feel as fortified as I possibly can be, and ready to take on the Hispanic world. Val, meanwhile, is going to cycle out to the rugby club for an evening of Pilates.

¡Deseanos suerte!

Today’s photos (click to enlarge)


The window boxes above the station are looking a bit end-of-season-y now, but still lots of colour from the pelargoniums	My favourite Sequoia, in the demesne

Another view of the same tree. Look at the grass! It’s vivid!	Val in the driving seat!

Coming back along the shore. It was one of those days when, only a few moments after this photo was taken, it was pouring with rain and we were sheltering under a tree	The thatched cottage along the Coast Road getting a new roof. In need of a haircut now, I think. I can recommend a good barber

Up at the top right of the photo is the new siding which Iarnród Éireann have been working on for the last few weeks. It looks like a big project, but hopefully they will finish soon, as it’s quite noisy