The weather here is a fickle creature; constantly changing and rather unpredictable. This mornings heavy fog kept us in our secluded bubble throughout most of the day before opening up to the late afternoon sunshine gracing the skies this evening. The air smells fresh and clean and the grass, in the field next door, sparkles as the light from the sun glistens off the remnants of rain on each blade. The birds are singing and the cows have made their presence known. The wind has died down from gusty and cold to a light breeze and if I did not know better, I would think it sunrise rather than sunset.

Today was a day of rest; a legitimate, much needed day of rest. We puttered about the cottage, surrounded by fog, and enjoyed a leisurely day of absolutely nothing but enjoying each others company. The girls retreated to their room every so often to hang out on their own, I drank copious amounts of tea while reading, and Kevin caught up on some work emails. Eventually, we went to town to grab a quick dinner and on our way decided to detour to an area of the coast we had not yet experienced. It was absolutely stunning and I hope we have the chance to explore it a bit more before we leave.

Due to not having much to share regarding today’s activities as there were so few, I thought I would answer some of the most common questions we have been asked about our trip.

Why did we come back to Ireland again when we were just here last year and when there are so many other places we could have chosen to go? It is a valid question and originally before our first trip in 2023 we had agreed to visit Ireland first and then follow it up with a trip to Germany. This plan obviously changed and the simplest explanation is that we fell in love with Ireland. I could probably write an entire book of all the reasons we love it here but I will sum it all up by saying we have absolutely loved the time spent here as a family, enjoyed the people we have met along the way, are in complete awe at the history and getting to glimpse into that history through our visits, and most importantly, it feels like home; more so than our actual home.

What is it like to drive on the opposite side of the car on the opposite side of the road? This is a question best suited for Kevin as I did it only the one time last year and about took out a giant hedge up the road from the cottage. For me, it has to do with my vision more than anything. I assume after a bit of practice and learning different guide marks to help me see where I am at on the road, I would do a bit better. At least, I would hope so. Kevin is of the opinion that, at least for him, it is a much more natural position to be in. He picked it up right away and does not have a problem with it at all. In all actuality, he prefers it.

Why do we stay for as long as we do as three weeks seems excessive? Even prior to traveling outside the country, I have always personally felt that three weeks seemed just right when time changes and long flights are involved and now, after a few trips outside the country, my opinion has not altered; especially with kids. The first few days are travel days through airports and then the fall out of adjusting to the time difference and jet lag. By the time we have adjusted and get caught up on sleep, three to four days of the trip are already gone. By staying for three weeks, those days of adjustment and travel do not eat up precious time to spend on holiday together and we do not feel rushed to get everything we want to do completed like we are running a race. We would like to enjoy our time by taking our time, soak up the culture and embrace the experience. It also allows rest days between big outings to avoid burnout, cranky moods, and overly tired children and adults which, inevitably, ends up with someone in tears.

What is the time difference? This one is easy. It is a five hour time difference between Ireland and Michigan. It does not seem like a lot but I do have to remind myself constantly not to text or call anyone from back home unless it is after two in the afternoon here in Ireland. I figure most people I know back home are up by nine in the morning.

What is the food like? There is a lot of seafood much to Audra’s delight. I do believe she has made it her life’s ambition to try seafood chowder at every single restaurant in Ireland. For the most part, the food offerings in restaurants is quite similar to back home but the quality is far superior and there are more varieties of fish available for obvious reasons. Kevin and I have eaten fish and chips at almost every restaurant we have been to and are going to miss it once we return. There are a lot of things that are put into American food that are banned in Ireland and I will say that the lack of those banned items makes a very positive, notable difference in not only the quality and taste of food you can buy from the markets and restaurants, but also on the digestive system. We are able to eat a lot of things here, that we cannot eat at home and it has been wonderful. I could also write a book on this topic but to keep things short, we prefer the food in Ireland for many reasons the main one being, we do not feel sick after eating a meal.

Will we come back to Ireland again? No one knows for certain what the future holds but I will say that that the hope of returning, is going to help us get through the sadness of leaving next week. We have every intention of coming back to the pretty little cottage by the bay and I certainly hope we are able to do so. There are so many more adventures to be had, history to learn and sights to see.

We would love to answer questions about our trip, and look forward to doing so upon returning home but if you have any questions right now, feel free to do so either on the blog or Facebook and we will be sure to answer them, but only after I finish my cup of tea.