Northern Ireland...

...Oh how I've missed you!

The land is so green! Emerald is so easy on the eyes...

Folk are so friendly. It's a small place, but big enough people don't actually know everyone. 

For those who are from a wee place you know the virtues of that. 

There are even a few leprechauns. Ah so. I wouldn't lie. 

If a map shows a thirty minute drive, it'll take you over an hour. Tractor traffic jam.

Aachhh! - is that how you spell it? 

If you can see it from here, you cannot get there directly. Not a chance.

It's the only place where you'll find good craic for free, and it's legal, too!

Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone... You could be in all six counties in a single day for sure, though I'd take my time. Below, Ian's tractor. Farms are an interesting thing in NI. Take for example the area of NI: 13,843 kms square. That's 3,420,680 acres. A quarter section, if I'm not mistaken is 160 acres, so that's only 21,380 quarter sections, or 5,345 sections! Never mind though, they produce some of the best vegetables and excellent beef. Yes Alberta, you could take a few notes. Or perhaps blades. I think it's the grass. Just a hunch.

I actually felt like I was going home when we drove to Templepatrick from the Airport. 

As always I didn't really take any pictures. Or at least post-able ones, for the minute. I did chance a snap when we ate the delectable Topfen Knödel Martina made as a treat:

Since I was visiting over Monday and Tuesday I couldn't miss my two regular events. 

On Monday from 7-9 I was at Brown's in Ballyclare for an evening of knitting. Unfortunately, no regular knitters were there, but it was certainly nice to be remembered, even by name. Since green seemed to be an obvious theme, I started these wee mittens that very evening, though in retrospect I could have used more contrast:

They were a first for a few things. And the pattern was created to allow me to experiment with different skills before making big person mitts. (These are little person mittens - for a certain little four year old)

The 'things' included: the magic loop method for the first time, meanwhile attempting stranded colourwork and my first ever picot edge in the round. Two colour ribbing happened, too. 
All the while I really forced myself to knit with two colours in one hand, instead, you know, of just putting one strand down and picking the other up, over and over and over…

Tuesday night at the Empire hasn't changed much. The band takes its sweet time to set up. The place is basically abandoned until the first notes hit the air - and then it's packed. For just an hour - of dancing and the wonderful sounds of Motown and Northern Soul. Then it's over. Until next Tuesday. Wouldn't have missed it for anything! 

Visiting such good, old friends is a great pleasure. I stayed an extra day.

              Last year, near Templepatrick.

Well. That'll do.

The Benefits of Sleeping Poorly

At the minute, I am trying to keep a night schedule as work dictates only red-eyes during this current segment, and if I can maintain such a schedule I am much more myself at work. However, the human body, or at least my body, clearly isn't nocturnal. After a little over a week, sometimes as tired as I may be, I just cannot sleep during the day, even if it's not sunny. Like this morning when I was awake... but luckily I was able to hear a knock. And this is what arrived:

Inside that box, Just Because,

I found a number of lovely things:

Like a mug with my name on it! And it's not even kitschy! In fact it is über cute.

And some chocolate, which may or may not have eased me back into sleep...

How many interesting concoctions could I dream up with these? 

Many, I assure you!

The flavours are elderflower, passion fruit and habanero, and piña colada!

And a little book so fitting for the sadness am feeling...

What an amazing pick-me-up from the most thoughtful best-est friend ever!

I Miss You!

We often say, "I miss you" but I'm not sure I've ever said such a statement, truly, about anyone ever, before now. 

I miss you, Dad! 

It's not because I took you for granted, or because I didn't spend more time with you... In fact, I think we had more good times together than most parents and kids enjoy. It's just that I didn't know I had to rush, so I didn't.  I suppose it's true that it's only possible to miss someone once they are gone... 

It's completely unreal and unbelievable. 

Airplanes never take old people who've lived their whole lives out, and they've taken more than a fair share of people from me. But we fly them for the joy of it. And it makes me feel crazy to still love my job. It's a tug of war in my heart. However I'm sure my Dad would still want me to fly, albeit with two engines and at that, those with an excellent safety record. People say all kinds of weird things at a time like this. And it's such a weird time. Nothing makes sense and time is a completely abstract idea. Other people with more sense, or perhaps experience, say nice things though, too. I am certainly not a religious or spiritual person, but an acquaintance wrote me a note, suggesting my Dad would fly with me every time I flew. And I have to say, I like that. 

I have from time to time thought how terrible it would be to lose a parent, but it's not real until it happens and even if it weren't an accident, I don't think anything prepares you for it. 

Many people have passed along their kind regards and offered their help. I feel very appreciative of everyone's caring thoughts and words. They are some consolation in otherwise pure cataclysm...

I went home to be with my mom. It's kind of a peculiar thing to say, but he's in everything there. 

He built it all. Every little bit. I almost expected him to step out from behind a stack of wood in the garage, in shorts and suspenders, socks in sandals, to help me find something or lend some useful advice. Or make me laugh with a silly pun or a song. Oh, what I'd do to be yelled at for slamming the door or wearing my shoes past the mat in the foyer. Haha. I say that laughing and crying... I had thirty wonderful years, which were better than most gifts anyone gets in life, meanwhile that much harder to lose. 

I'm very lucky. My Dad was really the best I could have ever hoped to have. He knew how everything works and could build or make anything from fish hatcheries to houses, and well, airplanes - to the best bread and was happy to patiently teach me or answer my questions. He was a perfectionist, organized and neat, a workaholic and a committed Dad and enthusiast of beauty in the things he made, in nature, in life. Somehow he managed to create all he did and to have time to live a life so rich in experiences. He was friendly and kind and sensible. He taught me many valuable things and funnily enough taught me to make him a rum and coke before I even learned my own phone number, which he helped me to remember on the first day of kindergarten.  He always had time for me and could often sense exactly how I felt, even from the other side of the earth. He even found me my Jordan... 

With my Dad, went his best friend. A really wonderful person, who I will also dearly miss...