16/06-10/07/25
There have been no additions or deletions to our family for 23 years, since my niece Zoe was born. Until 30/05, when my grandson arrived. Meet Ben Grahame Hallgalley.
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Tag Archives: Wedding
UK & Dublin, wedding and cottage troubles!
We left Crete on 15th August. We flew with 2 packed cases. Thank you Lin for taking another suitcase and some olive oil in your motorhome. Corrie travelled overland with a Pet Taxi. She’s used to long driving days and we felt this was preferable to her going in a noisy plane hold. Probably cheaper too, as €680 Chania to Slough. Collection from Brussles would have been £500!
We collected Jez and stayed one night at Stonehenge to check all systems go. They weren’t! Despite paying the service centre / storage place in Andover to check everything worked. They got it all working by mid morning!
We pretty much based ourselves in Chichester at Woodlands Farm, still £10 pn. Great friends Mick and Sue and later David and Karen stayed in their motorhomes. Walking, eating and drinking, of course! We spent time with my Aged Ps and Maddy and Jordan.
A side 2 nights to our holiday rental house in N Devon. We are selling this as it just doesn’t generate much revenue and is a general pain in the butt. Since putting it on the market, our housekeeper, having assured us, he would continue to offer his services, had some kind of breakdown, and handed in his notice, and his eye went off the ball. He knew we were coming down but omitted leaving us any clean bed linen. Then, he lied about how many sets he had. Plonker! Whilst there we appointed a new housekeeper, who so far, is lovely. And we worked super hard on the middle day to clear the large shed. Stuff to the charity shop, most to the dump and some to Maddy’s small spare shed near Farnham.
Maddy and Jordan got married on 7th September. It was a fabulous event. So busy chatting we didn’t take any pix of us all dolled up. Hoping for some in the professional’s pix. J’s suit was a win … charity shop £35!
We house sat the mad menace Kevin the Cocker whilst MandJ abused our Crete house for 6 nights. We then left Corrie with them for 3 nights, whilst we went to Dublin. 6 to see 3 of J’s 5 siblings, but the highlight for me was going out on Liam’s rib in Dublin Bay. Calm, so he cranked it up flat out at 45 knots! I then drove it back and right up into centre Dublin, where we alighted! Awesome way to arrive in the city.
Back to the farm in Chichester we did our final preparations to set off for our 3 month trip to Morocco.
A Tale of Two Cities
07-09/07/23
With trains playing silly buggers, I dropped J at Gatwick. He flew to Dublin to attend a huge family gathering. He’s one of 6 siblings and most of their offspring and the next generation meant about 50 attended. Whilst the BBQ is an annual event, it was also marking the 20th anniversary of J’s mother’s passing.
I continued up to Maddy, Jordan and Kevin the grandpup in Oval. As it was the first time Corrie and Kevin had met, we went straight to the gardens. Corrie unimpressed with a yappy Dachshund called Rupert who was evicted from doggy day care as he kept trying shag all the other dogs! Other than a few grumbles, on Corrie’s part, they got on fine.
Maddy and I left Jordan pooch sitting whilst we looked at wedding dresses. The big event is not until September 2024 and so I’ll fly back in January to order (and pay for) a dress.
It was great for both of us to see family, but really great to be back together in Jez.
1996-2000: An Irish Wedding
1996 – Stupid O’Clock Ferry
Tuesday 17th September 2021
Ferry booked Fishguard to Rosslare. CO2 Passports updated with worming table and Irish Pet Advance Notice form submitted. And just like that, we were off. Arrived in plenty of time to walk CO2 and eat. Ferry at 23.45, well past out bedtime! Had to leave CO2 in the van but reckon they slept. We took blankets up and after an ice cream for me (no surprises there) and a wine for J (equally no surprises!) we dozed on the benches in the bar.
Great dog walking from free park up. Local lady said quite a number of dog traffickers had been caught at Rosslare. View across to Port.
Tourist Trap? Possibly, but told motorhomes welcome and food reasonable.
1997 – Sleep
Wednesday 18th September 2021
Landed at 4.00 am, Yes AM! Drove to a park up … gate locked so onto Plan B … Murrintown Community Centre car park. Perfect until about 6.30 … why do people need to hurl glass into recycling bins at this hour?
Murrintown Car Park … it was empty and QUIET when we arrived! Despite the wafts of bacon form the butty van, we brunched chez nous.
We’d pre-booked a campsite not far from Sinead’s wedding venue …Moat Farm Camping. A great site in that hard standing, views, dog walking nearby BUT at EUR25 pn, one would expect warm showers! Fortunately, another guest tested them first so we showered aboard!
View from our pitch. Doesn’t it look damp?
Local walk led me to a semi permanent pitch at the end of a long path … 4×4 needed.
1998 – OMG What Is This Wet Stuff!?
Thursday 19th September 2021
An easy day … we walked up a hill … full wet weather gear adorned. Primped a bit for the wedding the next day, me not James! Just a hair trim for him … with the dog shears!
Somewhat limited visibility … they don’t call this the Emerald Isle for nothing!
1999 – THE Wedding
Friday 20th September 2021
Sinead had organised us a motorhome parking at the Rathsalagh Hotel … just had to get there! We followed the hotel signs and I carefully negotiated the main entrance gate … wafers either side. Got hollered at … you ain’t getting down there … there’s an arch … you’ll have to reverse and you can follow us to the MH parking. By this time there were 5 cars backed up behind us … we were stopping other guests from arriving at the the wedding! A bit of jiggling and cars got past, I reversed and followed the hotel van for about 2 miles to the ‘trade’ entrance! Lovely chap complimented my driving skills with a ‘fair play to you’ … typical Irish understatement!
Parked up … usual wedding … drinks, lots of people to chat to … especially J’s other offspring and some siblings. Lovely wedding … chapel with a friend playing and singing, great readings and band …
The day before outfits! And real bonus was the M&S sale shoes at £3.99 … niece Zozo has her eye on these!
J walked Sinead down the aisle. Very special as we hadn’t known till Monday that we would make it.
Wicked veil / train.
J’s 2 sons Stephen and Simon annihilated Sinead in their speech … definitely X rated.
Cake, bride and groom … all stunners.
The only incident was 25 mins of (cash up in flames) fireworks. Knowing our Corrie doesn’t like storms and our gun dog (NOT) Oscar loud bangs, I left the display and went to check on CO2 … cushions and rugs completely disarranged!
Given Sinead and Shane had not been able to visit the venue, this was the 3rd date rearrangement … what a feat of organisational excellence.
2000 – National Stud … Not the Bride Groom!
Saturday 21st September 2021
Breakfast at the hotel and a leisurely departure from friends and family. We discovered Sinead had not made it to her suite last night. Shane had spent a few hours of slumber alone. Sinead was overheard explain to a chamber maid, whilst wearing an oversized Tshirt, that it was not what it seemed. She had passed out in her brother’s room … honest. Shane didn’t make it down for hours as his clothes had been mislaid. J’s 3 other children headed off to Dublin for pre-flight Covid tests.
And we headed off to the National Stud. A title aspirational English landlord threw money at the horse stud even giving a winner to Royalty, and eventually got his peerage. Then left the Stud to the nation.
The grounds were stunning and you could smell the money.
Current sperm donors and their fees … top billing is Invincible Spirit at EUR80,000 per shag! Apparently the stallions have a very high success rate and it only takes minutes. A quick recovery and they can ‘ service’ the next mare. Some get shipped off to Australia in the down season so sex all year round! The window of opportunity, so to speak, is relatively short as owners don’t want young runners in the age bracket.
Can’t see his wares, but he’s a stud! Double railings keep the boys from brawling.
But for us the real joy here is the gardens. As well as general the well tended and invested in air, there are two gardens. Native species garden dedicated to a Saint, I forget which. And a Japanese garden where you walk the 15 stages of life.
With all the rain, this path was a mini steam. Coordinated hopping by J and Corrie, neither of which appreciate wet feet.
Clune Gap Years 