September 5, 2017 at 3:32 p.m.
Great Britain will never be the same
Wow, what a trip it was for Joey and me. Together with a group of 35 teenagers and parents from Cathedral High School, we flew across the big pond and ended up landing in London.
We hit the ground running, except, by the end of the evening, while watching "Les Miserables," we weren't exactly running. Of the eight of us that went, I think eight of us were napping through the main portion of the play. Oh well, how many people can say they actually got to sleep in one of London's many theatres.
Our adventure took us to the country of England, then one day in Wales and a few more days in Ireland.
I would have to say the countryside in Ireland was, by far, my favorite portion of the trip.
London was interesting. We managed to see Buckingham Palace, the London Eye (that ginormous Ferris wheel) and most interesting was the subway under the city streets of London.
Deb Dove had the most interesting trip on the subway. I think we laughed about her escapade for days afterward. Her timing was impeccable! How in the world does one manage to have her body inside the train and her backpack stuck on the outside of the train? Like I said, the timing to get the doors to slam shut in-between herself and her backpack - impeccable!
We also happened to be at Oxford University on Graduation Day. I think we walked past eight graduates. Talk about a small graduating class of elite students.
I managed to see all our friends in Wales and had a nice lunch with them. Although, 45 minutes isn't really enough time to make up for not seeing most of them for two years it was still awesome to have that time!
Ireland. Awesome!
Talk about green. Talk about flowers the size of trees. OK, so maybe the flowers weren't that large, but they were way bigger than our flowers ever get here in Minnesota.
We drove through some of the most splendid countryside I have ever observed. Number one - there were cows, cows, cows! I love seeing black and white cows grazing on hillsides. That's where cows are supposed to be. With the brilliant green grass and the different colors of cows lying around in the pasture - it couldn't be beat. It makes me all gooey inside just remembering the scenery.
Yes, we did manage to take in an Irish pub as well. Once all the kiddies left, Mary Chartier, Deb Dove, Colleen Skillings, Beverly Hoffman and myself, had a grand ole time. Oh, the pictures!
On the last day of our excursion we took a bus tour of the Ring of Kerry. Imagine my excitement for this ride. Yes, I am quite sure this beautiful area of Ireland is named for the most beautiful creatures God ever created - women named Kerry.
Ok, so maybe the area is named for the breed of black dairy cattle native to this land, but it doesn't hurt to dream. The Ring of Kerry is an area of western Ireland that winds along the mountainous terrain and countryside. We observed lakes, the Atlantic Ocean, sheep herding, and vista that you wouldn't believe.
I went absolutely bonkers during this tour. If your name happens to be Kerry, you know how hard it is to find trinkets with your name on it. It's easy to find Joey, Steve or Russell, but it's a struggle to find Kerry.
I purchased key chains up the wazoo. I paid for several T-shirts that have Kerry emblazoned on the front. No, these T-shirts are not going to fit me, but my nieces have assured me that they will wear the shirts that say, "Kerry Rocks!"
If it wasn't so darn tight, I would wear the sucker. I just can't bring myself to go out in something that tight! At the moment of purchase I convinced myself that I would lose weight and fit into them.
Funny how one's mind can play tricks on yourself. Once I got home, I realized I was only fooling myself.
All-in-all, it was an awesome trip. The kids were the best behaved kids I have ever spent time with. Sure there were a few moments of pouting, but we can blame that on the hormones. I would love to list all the people who traveled with us but I know I would spell names incorrectly or forget someone, and I don't want to do that. There is so much to talk about - the homeless guy that offered Joey a shot of whiskey, Mary and I setting off the alarm on the ferry ride to Ireland, the list goes on and I just don't have the space or time.
The best part was that I was able to take this trip with Joey. It is a memory he and I will always have. We enjoyed each other's uniqueness and I would do it all over again!
Kerry and her husband Steve, along with their sons Joey, 13, and Russell, 11, operate a 100 cow dairy farm south of New Ulm. In her spare time, she likes to read, read and read some more. They have three dogs, one gecko, one guinea pig and one house cat that is insane. The 11 barn cats are normal - except for Mitch, there's something wrong with that cat.[[In-content Ad]]
Comments:
You must login to comment.