Ireland day 0814. Thursday 21 December 2023- Midwinter3 *

Ireland day 0814. Thursday 21 December 2023- Midwinter3

Today’s summary	We were both at work all day – and Val also in the evening. When I got back from the office, I reheated the last of the casserole for dinner and then went on a walk in the drizzle to get some fresh air
Today’s weather	Bright with sun in the morning, overcast and drizzly later. Moderate to strong westerly wind most of the day. Appx 10c

Today’s overview location (The grey mark shows the location of my route)		Close-up location (The orange line shows where I walked) (Click button below to download GPX of today’s walk as recorded, or see interactive map at bottom with elevations corrected): Yellow Walls Road and Marina

Commentary

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

I love the 21st of December. It’s Meán Geimhridh in Irish, and it’s officially Midwinter’s Day. So from now on, for the next 182 days, every day is going to be longer than the last. Summer is just around the corner, I can feel it! This is the third midwinter we’ve spent in Ireland and each time I seem to look forward to it more! (This is the first one I’ve spent when I’ve been working though, so I am missing the sun even more than normal, because I am indoors either in the car or the office pretty much all the daylight hours).

Talking of work.. it was another day when both of us were back out in our respective jobs. Val was at the Casino and shortly after she left, I was out as well, back in the trusty Yaris and heading for the daily grind. I had a couple of meetings in the office, and I quite enjoyed it actually.

Val passed through the flat briefly on her way from the Casino to Wonderlights, and had left by the time I got back. So I heated up my dinner, and then decided to go out for a walk. Readers will be glad to know that tonight saw the last of the freezer-emergency casserole finished off. Though of course there are another nine still in the freezer, made from the beef that has started to thaw out and which had to be processed in the emergency. I must admit I’m a bit fed up with casserole now, though it’s a first world problem so I’m not really complaining.

Before tackling the chicken casserole (no slugs in the cabbage this time thankfully), I decided to go out for a short walk. I felt in need of some fresh air after being cooped up all day. I managed to fit in a reasonable walk – out along the Dublin Road then down the Yellow Walls Road, Texas Lane and through the Chalfont estate to the coast. Then, after a brief pause in Tesco to pick up some essential shopping, quickly round the Marina and back through the town centre. It was enjoyable and fresh, despite the drizzle which started halfway round.

Only one more day of work for both of us now, then we break up for a few days holiday over Christmas. Yippee!

Today’s photos (click to enlarge)


I promise this is the last photo of cabbage and casserole being reheated	A treat from Val to look forward to for desert!

The Presbyterian Church is right next door to the Casino where we live. I’ve never been in but it looks quite nice. Vaguely Scandinavian	The Marina, complete with decorated boats, this evening

Essential shopping!

For all my mathematical friends