Penny's Passion

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Ireland - Day 6

Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday!  Today I'm thinking about the last full day of our vacation in Ireland.  If you need to catch up, you can read my previous posts here ~

                 Day 1  &  2     |     Day 3     |     Day 4     |     Day 5

The agenda for Day 6 of our Ireland trip was one I had been looking forward to since way before we left home.  We would be having high tea at the Westbury!  But before tea time, we visited the famous Book of Kells.  Throughout the week, when we had mentioned that going to see the Book of Kells was on our itinerary, it was met with mixed reviews.  Some people told us not to waste our time, while others said it was a must do.  The Book of Kells is one of Ireland's most prized possessions and is tucked away in the Old Library at Trinity College.  We purchased tickets ahead of time online and had chose to go when the library first opened in the morning.  This proved to be a great decision because we didn't have to wait in line to get in or to get an up close and personal look at the book itself.  No pictures are allows of the book, but you can snap away at the large displays leading up to the calfskin vellum creation.

After seeing the actual Book of Kells, you can then wander into the Long Room library.  We found this long hall of books to be most fascinating!






The Long Room has the reputation of being one of the world's most beautiful libraries and I would definitely have to agree.  And yes, the books get dusted daily!  (Not a job I would be very good at!)


After soaking up all the things about The Book of Kells and the Long Room we had just enough time to wonder around Dublin soaking up as much of the atmosphere as we could before going to the Westbury for high tea.  We had the most perfect spot right by the window overlooking Grafton Street.  We sat in our luxurious chairs enjoying the sun that was streaming in the windows.  Ahhh, it makes me smile just remembering how wonderful it was!

High Tea

Tea was delivered in the most divine silver pots.  They had over 30 different teas to choose from and you could try as many as you liked.


We sampled the selection of sandwiches, scones and pastries all while enjoying the beautiful music being played on the grand piano.  Truly a magical experience!



I could have sat there all day - and someday when I go back I will - but we needed to move on to our next activity.  We were taking the train to Malahide to visit the Malahide Castle.



This location was high on my list of things to see because for generations it was occupied by the Talbot family.  My maiden name is Talbot and I just know that one of those Talbots that lived there must be related to me!  Can you see the resemblance??


On the tour, we heard the Talbot story while exploring the private rooms and collections.  After touring the castle, we visited the gardens and butterfly house located on the property.




It was getting close to dinner time and our goal was to get to the village of Howth for our last supper in Ireland.  It was a short train ride away and so worth it!


The quaint little village sits right on the northern boundary of Dublin Bay and couldn't be more adorable.  We had heard you can often see seals playing on the shores, but unfortunately we didn't spot any while we were there.  Just another reason we need to return!


We found a pub to sit down and enjoy our last seafood chowder and fish 'n chips.  I'll be honest, we picked the pub just because we liked the name - The Brass Monkey.  Luckily for us, it was a great choice and the food was wonderful.


Not wanting our time in Ireland to come to an end, we had a seat by the shore and soaked up all we could before catching the last train back to Dublin.


And that my friends is a recap of our last full day in Ireland.  Would I go back?  YES.  Did we enjoy this trip immensely?  Absolutely!!

Now it's your turn.  What are you thinking out loud about today?  Link up and share!


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Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop - September 25, 2019

Welcome!

Welcome to the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop where we enjoy linking up posts about recipes, crafts, DIY, everyday life & more every Tue at 7:00 pm EST #wwbloghop

Did anyone see the Harvest Moon on the 13th? It was spectacular! It was a bit spooky but beautiful, all at the same time.

This week seemed to have turned the corner and, even though the temperatures are still a bit high in my area, it's starting to feel like fall.  I love seeing all the links about fall things and I'm sure this week will bring on even more!

Let's get busy with this party, but first some posts from last week.

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Monday, September 23, 2019

Weekending - September 20, 2019

Weekends.  Boy, do they fly by!  This past one seemed to go by in a flash of an eye.  The highlight was celebrating our favorite newly 4-year-old nephew!


But that wasn't until Sunday so let's rewind all the way back to Friday.  When I got home for work, I was done.  It had been a long work week and I truly just wanted to relax.  However, Saturday I was hosting a wedding work day for a bride I'm work with, so I worked on wedding stuff for a bit and then landed on our new reclining loveseat to settle in for the night.  

Have you guys seen the Netflix show Workin' Moms?  A friend of mine recommended it so I did a little binge watching this weekend.  Guys, I think it's so funny!  Don't tune in with kids in the room - there's bad language.  Parts I could relate to and others I totally disagreed with, but overall great show to binge.  There are three seasons out there to view.  

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Saturday morning I was up bright and early to get to the final meeting with the caterer for the above mentioned wedding.  After the meeting, everyone followed me back to our house to do a little wedding crafting.  We worked on the favors and got that chore checked off the to do list.  Bride Megan has been so fun to work with and I know she's going to be a beautiful bride!



Saturday night Eric and I had a date night.  We went to see Brad Pitt's new movie Ad Astra.  I love Brad Pitt and I absolutely hated this movie.  As a matter of fact, I might have even dozed through some of it.  Have you seen it?  What did you think?  I talked to someone who liked it and got their perspective.  Still don't like it.  With that being said, I wouldn't be surprised if it was nominated for Best Picture.  It just had that vibe to me.  We'll see.  But remember, if it is nominated you heard it here first!  :)


Sunday was the big birthday party day so we headed to my home town.  It rained the entire day.  And not just a light little drizzle.   I'm talking poured rain.  Luckily the location of the party had a nice cover, so we could carry on with the festivities.  


The kids did love playing in the rain!  They were a wet mess but it was fun watching them enjoying it.


The bubble machine was a huge hit! 


And snuggling with my newest nephew was definitely a hit with me!


The birthday cake (which was actually cupcakes) was adorable!  My sister-in-law had the cutest decorations.  



My nephews and niece pretty much have me wrapped around their little fingers.  Just look at these eyes.  Who could think about saying no to them?!?


We also celebrated my dad's 81st birthday.  I'm so thankful that he is still in great health and is able to help my brother and nephew with their construction needs.  He's definitely helped us out too on many occasions!  


Sunday evening I finished reading my book club book just in time for the meeting on Monday night.  This month we read The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend.  It was a cute little story and I'm excited to see what everyone's views on it are at book club.

                        The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by [Bivald, Katarina]

Then we got ready to face another work week.  This is going to be a short one for me because I'm heading to Kansas City this weekend for girls weekend.   I'm going to need to be extremely intentional getting all the things done this week, but it will be worth it!  Hope your week is off to a great start!


Friday, September 20, 2019

Five on Friday - September 20, 2019

It's Friday and I have to admit, I'm pretty darn excited about it!  I've been traveling for work the last two week and I'm looking forward to just being home when I get off work today.  Plus we bought a new couch and loveseat that were delivered this week and I plan on breaking it in!

Before all that action, here's my five for this week ~

1.  Downton Abbey
The long awaited Downton Abbey movie opens this weekend and I, for one, am so darn excited to see my favorite characters back on the screen!  I've truly missed them.  We have tickets to see this film, but not until next Tuesday night.  I'm a tad bit sorry we're waiting that long, but that's the soonest we could work it in.  Are you seeing it this weekend?  Here's the movie synopsis from Fandango -
This fall, the worldwide phenomenon DOWNTON ABBEY, becomes a grand motion picture event, as the beloved Crawleys and their intrepid staff prepare for the most important moment of their lives. A royal visit from the King and Queen of England will unleash scandal, romance and intrigue that will leave the future of Downton hanging in the balance. Written by series creator Julian Fellowes and starring the original cast.
                                    

2.  Caramel Macchiato  and Maple Pecan Cupcakes
Aldi's is welcoming fall with their new cupcake flavors that hit the shelves yesterday.  For just under $4, you can pick up a 4-pack of either Caramel Macchiato or Maple Pecan cupcakes.  Yum!  Don't you just love all the rich flavors that pop up this time of year!
FilledCupcakes
3.  Season Premieres
Speaking of seasons, are you ready for all the season premieres that are happening this week?  This Is Us, New Amsterdam, Grey's Anatomy and A Million Little Things will all be returning this week and I for one can't wait!  How's Kate making it as a new mom?  Did anyone die in that awful car accident at the end of New Amsterdam?  Is Meredith heading to prison?  Is the truth about the baby's father about to come spilling out?  Answers coming soon!



4.  Silicon Face Scrubbers
Years ago, my friend Tracy gifted me a set of silicon face scrubbers.  I loved them!  When I was gone last week, I forgot to pack it and boy was it missed!  I decided to buy another pair and just keep one in my travel bag.  This little thing exfoliated my face and makes my skin feel so smooth.  There's a handle on the back that makes it easy to hold and move around while cleansing your face.  It's like giving your face a massage every time you wash it.  They are also great for helping clear up acne.  If you don't have one, you NEED one!  Click HERE to order.


5.  Simple math...

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Enjoy your weekend!  I have wedding work day for the bride I'm working with tomorrow.  Looking forward to creating some beautiful things!  Then on Sunday we are headed to my home town to celebrate my nephew's 4th birthday.  Can't wait to see the excitement on the faces of the little ones at the party!  I'm sure I'll be sharing some pics next week so pop back over and check them out.

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Thursday, September 19, 2019

Friday Favorites Linky Party - September 20, 2019

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