Pitch Black

Ireland gets darker than any place I've ever lived. It gets so dark I can't even explain it to you - darker than the desert, darker than the mountains, darker than anything I know. I think I forgot that when we moved away for a while, and came back. Even then, I'd only experienced the …

American Baby

We recently celebrated the first birthday of our Isla, the third (and final?) baby, the only one of my children to be born in America! She is our little ray of California sunshine, a joy to us during ups and downs, and rounds out our family of five perfectly. When I think about my pregnancy …

Fleadh Cheoil

I just started a new job, so things have once again become hectic. Nevertheless, I've been wanting to share some photos from the fabulous Fleadh Cheoil in Drogheda last month. The Fleadh (pronounced "Flah") is a hugely popular and colourful annual festival of traditional music and dance in Ireland, and we were lucky enough to …

Just Stuff

I wish you could smell my house right now. It's a rainy and windy Friday night, so we've lit the fire - some logs, some briquettes - and are settled in for the duration.  I've also just popped a tray of *Blackberry Pie Bars into the oven, so the aroma of wild berries, Irish butter …

Full Circle

To make a long story short - we've moved back to Ireland. Quick refresher: I moved to Drogheda in January 2008, to marry Frank Kelly. We spent a few years trying to make a living and build a family here, but the Recession had us beat. We saved up what we could, went through the …

The Man I Love

I was giving Shea a bath tonight and was smiling over his new antic. He looks up at me with his big blue eyes, and asks "Song?" and then shout-sings "Let Go! Let Goooo! Let Go!" finishing with a round of applause for himself.  I laughed and sang with him while I washed his hair, noticing …

Family

Families are hard work.  There are always members, be they brothers, sisters, uncles, fathers, cousins, who will feel ostracized.  Perhaps, that was even their intention.  Perhaps not.  We fight.  Sometimes we make up.  Sometimes we sit in silence, miles away, waiting for a phone call or a visit or a letter that doesn't come for …

Out with the old.

Hello friends - Happy New Year to you!  They've already celebrated back in Ireland and we have another 2 hrs or so to go here in Indianapolis.  So, wherever you are, I wish you the very best for 2014. Here's a very abbreviated update of what's up with us - I hope to write more at …

Changing themes?

If you're a regular to this blog, you might have noticed I've changed the background theme a few times in recent weeks.  I'm looking for something fresher, but it's been tricky to navigate through the offerings and find one that will work.  Some are really slick but don't work with my photos.  Others don't make …

Back Soon!

Sorry, everyone - I am just waiting to get my computer back from being fixed, and then I will definitely be blogging again! Should be up and running in the next day or two. Thanks for your patience! Cheers, Maryann