Back in Ireland - in a timewarp

It's strange to come back to a place that is so familiar - and to find so many things have changed since I left just a year ago. After living here for seven years, it seems like a whole different world in the village of Shankill, Ireland (just south of Dublin, right on the coast of the Irish Sea).

First, coming from Dublin airport on the big blue Aircoach (which now goes all the way to Shankill - actually my first real surprise), I noticed one big change -- the tunnel from the airport has actually been completed. The roads to and from the airport had been torn up for years as they worked away on this crazy tunnel, in between tea breaks. If you're willing to pay the extremely steep toll charges, you can get out of the airport and totally avoid Dublin City center now. It only took 45 minutes from the airport to Shankill Village, which is some kind of land speed record in Dublin!

Second, the housing market has gone bust - right at the time we decided to sell our house here. This time last year the housing market was going up up up - but now it's down down down. Well, the dollar is also going down down down . . .

Third, my local supermarket is gone! Just a ten minute walk from home -- the wonderful Shankill Supervalu. It was small but functional, with friendly checkers like Anne who always had the same comment about the weather, "It's gettin' very cold now . . ." (That comment works here in summer and winter.) Best of all - the Shankill Supervalu delivered all of your groceries to your door free of charge! When you don't have a car, that becomes very important. Now I have to walk just a little further to the tiny Tesco in the village, and I also have to drag all of my groceries home on my wheely cart. Well, I needed the exercise anyway. . .

Fourth, the post office moved. It's now over in the village, across from the Tesco. A slightly longer walk, but the same friendly people are still there, still helping me mail all of my boxes of books back to California. I plan to see a lot of them while I'm here.

Fifth, there is now a development of 31 2-bedroom apartments on a postage-stamp sized piece of land, the former walled garden of a nice big Victorian home. Amazingly, it was finally approved by the planning authority and has been almost completely built since I've been away.

We thought it would never be approved because it's going to create an amazing traffic jam on the little two-lane road through the village. Fortunately, I won't be here to see it - the apartments won't be finished until September.

Finally, the three little boys of our good friends and former neighbors seem to have grown about a foot each since I saw them last summer. Now age 7, almost 6, and 3, they're very lively, talkative, and more fun than ever. And best of all, they liked the pirate ships I brought for them from California!

Some things - the really good things - haven't changed. Like this amazing view from the DART train on my way to Dun Laoghaire last Tuesday.

And, across the street from our house the green tunnel leading to Quinn's Beach is still there, too.

Life moves on - and even with all of the changes, it's good to be back in Shankill, if only for a month, and if only to pack up and sell the house. I'll savor my short time here - when I can break away from the joys of packing.

Molly is 5 years old

Happy 5th birthday Molly!

This is Molly Bloom -- named for the character in James Joyce's "Ulysses."

Molly came to us in August 2003 as a puppy from a horse farm in County Kildare, just outside of Dublin. She had quite a big first day, at 10 weeks old. My work colleague brought her on the train from her home in County Kildare to Dublin City Centre, then took her by taxi to our office near Merrion Square. We picked her up there -- she was just a little handful of puppy, sleeping soundly (little did we know, she was just gathering her strength . . .). We carried her to the DART station in her little box and took the train to our home in Shankill village, south County Dublin. Once we got home, she had a wonderful time playing in the back garden and exploring her new home.

Then we got a bright idea -- why not take little Molly in for her puppy shots? Right away - today? Back she went into her little box, we walked to the bus stop and took the bus to the next town, Bray, to a wonderful vet we'd seen on the TV3 Good Morning Ireland show. Got the shots - didn't even squeak - then back home again on the bus. Whew -- big day for Molly.

The next day little Molly had ANOTHER big day -- she's an adventurous little squirt. She somehow managed to get all the up to the top of the very steep stairs in our house -- then tumbled all the way down! Then she picked herself up, dusted herself off and headed for the back garden. Those nice pink flowers on the big fushia bush looked interesting -- especially with all of those bees buzzing around -- OWWWW! Yup -- on Molly's second day with us she fell down the stairs, and was stung by a bee.

Molly enjoyed living in Shankill and we took long walks with her through the fields, through the forests, and down to the beach near our house.






















The Irish Sea is COOOLLLLLLDDD -- but Molly didn't care! She ran right into the waves every time - just for fun. She always wanted to play with the other (MUCH larger) doggies that came down to the beach. What she really needed was a playmate at home.

Molly always enjoyed walking past the big Clontra estate where they kept a few horses. One particular horse liked to come over and have a chat with Molly whenever we went by. Somehow Molly has a real affinity for horses -- probably from her puppy days in Kildare on the horse farm. I'd hold her up, and her little nose fit right into the horse's big nostril -- somehow they enjoyed communicating that way.

Molly's obsession is her tennis ball -- and she can catch ANYTHING! [We'll loan her out to the Padres as an outfielder if they don't shape up soon.]

In February 2006 Molly had a BIG adventure -- she moved from Ireland to California with me. We flew from Dublin to Atlanta, then from Atlanta to Ontario, California where my husband met us at the airport. I was exhausted after the 15+ hour trip - but little Molly was well rested. She couldn't stop jumping for joy when she saw my husband.

We had a very big surprise waiting for her at home in Desert Hot Springs -- another doggy who looked a lot like her! Actually, they were both a little surprised. Joey came to us from some friends in Murietta who couldn't keep him. So finally Molly got her wish -- someone her size to fight with and play with! Joey is a nice little guy who spends all of his time as a security guard, protecting us. He's very patient with Molly because she likes to boss him around.

Molly and Joey lived happily ever after - THE END!