Phew...back at last.

Wow..that bug was a real bugger of a bug.  I thought it was a cold but it went on, and on, and on...and even now I don't feel completely right. It must have been flu.  Still, nearly better and I have made a start with some crafts and feel my mojo levels rising as the snot levels decrease.

Well, the last thing I did outside the house was drive one of our cars in the St. Patrick's day parade.

Sadly, being in the parade means I didn't get to take many photos but here is one of St. Patrick, being led by his faithful steed lol.  The local parades are nothing like the things you see in America and Dublin, but they are well organised and run with love.  They involve the whole community, irrespective of faith, race or ability.  Local schools do amazing displays and our local garda (police) and other uniformed services all get  to strut their stuff.  There are always lots of tractors and community groups and of course the vintage vehicles.

The day after was when we all got ill so nothing has really happened until this weekend when my little brother and his lovely girlfriend Mandy came over for the weekend.  We were really sad it was for such a short period of time but it was so lovely to see him and to meet Mandy: she is gorgeous.  My little brother doesn't need his big sisters approval but OMG this relationship has it.  They are a lovely couple and we have all warmed to Mandy who is an amazing lady.

We took them out all yesterday, to Carrick on Shannon where some of my and my son's art peices are on display in the community area in a display called Iris. We missed the grand opening which was a shame but lordy, were we all poorly!

My eldest son's display.

 My chosen pictures and two owls.  The two pictures on the right are my youngest sons  You can see them better in the picture below.

 Et moi!  Darn that orange hair.  If you even meet anyone who wants to rebel when their hair starts to grow back after chemo, don't let them dye it red!!!!  It just goes orange and then never leaves them!

We then drove Mandy and Matthew to Lough Key.  We had such a sunny Saturday: it was a real blessing and allowed us to show them our little bit of Ireland in it's greatest light.

 You can just see the castle in the lake on the right.

This is me, my hubby, Mandy, Matthew and my eldest son.  He is 18 now!!!  All grown up! And a lovely, lovely young man. He has been ill since November with his Crohn's Disease but thankfully it seems to be coming under control.

We walked through Lough Key woods and this little bridge is called the Fairy Bridge.

This is taken underneath: well, there is always one who wants to go under a bridge to take a photo..and pretend to be a troll, and yes that someone was me!

 This is the side of a the bridge..presumably something like a Madonna statue would have been kept here orginally...so it seemed fitting I should replace it!  The we had a quick drive up the road past Boyle (where Moon Boy was filmed) to see the Chieftain who commemorates the Battle of Curlew Pass .

The sculputure is huge: My head comes up to the horses knee just to give you some scale.
And then when we got back and everyone was fed and watered, I finally got my sewing machine out and finished some owls.  Finally!

I have enough material to do a few more but am running out of buttons so I will go on to do some hen pin cushions and I want to make some patriotic needle books (USA) etc.  I felt like I was having to start stitching from scratch, it has been so long!  I am back in the swing of it now though so hopefully there will be more posts very soon!

Right, all done.  I am going to watch Terry Pratchet's Going Postal and stitch on my travelling pattern.  Oh it is good to have such lovely hobbies xx  Have a lovely Easter everyone and a great Bank Holiday xxx