"Ireland is where strange tales begin and happy endings are possible. "

~Charles Haughey

Watching Mickey Mouse

The days are flying by, so I thought I should do another update before I am already home again! Less than two weeks now, I can hardly believe it.

Crossing the Bridge in Cork

St. Finbarr's Cathedral

Wandering around the Cathedral

View from St. Finbarr's

Welcome to Ireland!

And then the rains came, au revoir Cork!

“Geographically, Ireland is a medium-sized rural island that is slowly but steadily being consumed by sheep.”

~Dave Barry

Honestly, I have seen far more cows then sheep, cows EVERYWHERE!

Cows and fog. What Ireland is made of.

Wandering through Kinsale.

"Ballinspittle received international attention when some locals claimed to have witnessed a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary moving spontaneously."

~Wikipedia

See the castle in the distance?

Ballinspittle makes Sedro-Woolley look like a metropolitan area, the main street can't even have ten stores, and there certainly are not any stores along any of the other roads. The area around it is absolutely beautiful, and the tiny little town itself is quite charming.

And apparently in 1985, a statue of the Virgin Mary did a little dance in Ballinspittle too, which is pretty cool. According to Wikipedia (which isn't always the most reliable source): "As news of the phenomenon spread, thousands of pilgrims and spectators flocked to the site of the statue. Many of the visitors claimed that they observed similar movements."

And of course no posting is complete without some snaps of the kiddly-winks. We have Cormac, who proceeded to flash me after this picture was taken, and Harvey + Barney, plus Rhia the beauty Queen, and little Miss Shirley, who might grow up to be a builder!

Imp. (Or maybe he's a leprechaun?)

One happy camper!

Who's the fairest of them all?

Drill baby drill! =)

"You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance."

~Franklin P. Jones

Rhia

I have arrived safe and sound in Ireland, and staying with the family Alissa nanny-ed for. Nigel and Olwyn and lovely, and really fun-- and I love the kids already, they are a lively bunch, and it is tiring, but it has been great so far. Cormac is 9, Harvey is 4, Rhia turned 3 on Wednesday, and Shirley is nearly two. Shirley just decided she liked me today, and now won't let me put her down. As happy as I am that she likes me, my arms are getting very tired!!

Harvey

On the second day I was here, Harvey and Rhia discovered the camera on my computer, and decided it was great fun to take pictures of themselves.

The Kiddos and I

More to follow, I promise! =)

"By seeing London, I have seen as much of life as the world can show."

~Samuel Johnson

Will Smith and I, chilling at Baker Street. =)

On Friday, my friend Emily and I went to Madame Tussuad's, the famous wax museum set up by the French wax sculptor, Marie Tussaud. During the French Revolution, Tussuad would search through the corpses to find the decapitated heads of prominent executed citizens, from which she would make death masks.

High School Musical Four, I'm the New Character

Me and Mr. President in the Oval Office

In 1802, she went to London and she traveled throughout Great Britain and Ireland exhibiting her collection. From 1831 she took a series of short leases on the "Baker Street Bazaar." This became Tussaud's first permanent home in 1836, and Madame Tussaud's wax museum is still there to this day, although it now contains a few more contemporary (and living) wax figurines.

Emily and Robin Williams

Trapped in a Painting with Henry VII, terrified I might become his next victim... er wife.

The Incredible SPIDERMAN!!

"Excuse me! Excuse me, sir! Could you tell me where I might find Platform Nine and Three-Quarters?"

~Harry Potter (JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone)

"Platform Nine and Three-Quarters? Think you're being funny do you?"

Platform 9 3/4 really is at King's Cross Station, and the guard did look at me a little funny when I asked where to find it, but he didn't seem to cross, just thought I was a bit of an idiot. It was harder to find than you might suppose, but than again, I am a muggle!

"Same thing every year, packed with muggles.
C'mon Platform Nine and Three-Quarters this way!"

Being as it was my first time, and I was a little nervous, I put a little run on it and pushed the trolley right through the wall, and I was off to Hogwarts. =)

Mind the Gap between the Train and the Platform!

"Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford."

~Samuel Johnson

It was time to play some catch up, so I thought would post some random London pictures from my strolls about town, and a few from my visit to Cambridge!