It was later than they expected and the girls had not had dinner yet. Siobhan recommended a pub a couple of miles back down the road from where they had come. She said it had great pub grub and there would probably be some music as some of the locals always stopped by to sing a few songs and see if the people liked them.
“I'm sure you'll like it,' she said with a smile and looked at Caitlin and winked.
“What the heck did that mean?” was all Caitlin could think.
They knew that they could do a little driving with the spare tire but not too much, so the pub down the road was a perfect distance. They got themselves settled in the B&B, freshened up, and headed out to the pub for some dinner and music. At least some good music would make up for all the problems they had today with the flat tire. That was one of the things they had come to Ireland for was the music.
Briana couldn't help but tease Caitlin about Keith. Caitlin tried to ignore it but her complaints about not meeting anyone in Ireland had changed when Keith came along to help them with the flat tire. It was only a brief meeting, except for him taking her by the repair shop tomorrow. Not at all like all the other girls who had even exchanged phone numbers with the guys that they met and had plans to meet when they returned to Derry. Caitlin was very disappointed but she tried not to show it.
Shantallow House was back over the boarder to Northern Ireland. The girls were amazed at how everyone moved back and forth across this border as if it didn't even exist. They parked the car and walked into the darkened pub. It was full of antique type fixtures and had a great warm feel. Since they were going to eat dinner they didn't want to sit at the bar. They did order their stews and fish and chips at the bar along with their drinks. They chose a snug that was close to what they thought would be the stage. The barman told them the music didn't start until close to 10PM. With everything that happened and the long sunny days in Ireland, they had not realized it was already 8:30. There were a few other people at the bar and at booths who noticed the girls as they came in. It was not to often that Americans came to this local pub. They had grown accustomed to these looks and just smiled and went to their snug.
As they ate their meal and chatted about the day's events and things to come the time passed quickly. The pub filled up with more and more people, some coming by to acknowledge them as they realized they were visitors. At one point a few girls their age stopped by the snug and stood and talked for a while, asking questions about their trip and America. While they were talking they didn't notice that someone was getting set up on the stage area. Once the Irish girls left, their attention turned toward the stage and they were all surprised to see Keith. As he turned he looked over to them, smiled that dimpled smile and winked at Caitlin. She immediately blushed.
This was hardly what the girls expected. At ten o'clock Keith tapped the microphone and said hello to the crowd that had gathered. He said he was working on some new material and wanted to know what the crowd thought of it. As he worked through the songs the girls realized that he was quite a good singer and also a talented song writer. He had a very natural style and unique voice to accompany his songs.
Periodically he would glance over to the snug and Caitlin with a nod or a wink. During one of his breaks, one of the local girls who had stopped by earlier came by again and told Caitlin it appeared that he had taken a liking to her. Caitlin brushed off the comment but inside she was tickled that someone had noticed her.
After his second break Keith left the stage and walked over to visit the girls at their table.
“So's what do you think?” he asked.
“I love your music, Keith,” Caitlin answered before anyone else could say anything.
“Thank you, Caitlin. It's beer o'clock for me and then I'll sing another couple. Need to get my sleep so's I can get up in the morning to take you to the tire shop. Where are you headed after here?”
“We're going to Donegal for a day and then heading back to Derry to meet some new friends.” Darcy piped in.
“Yeowww!! That means you'll be in Derry again on Friday, right?”
“That's what we're hoping,” Briana answered.
“Then maybe I can see you all then,” Keith said as he looked at Caitlin. “I'm usually at Sandino's during the weekend gigging with some friends. Let me give you my cell number so you can give me a wee call.”
Caitlin could barely conceal her excitement. Finally she had me someone.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
The Dream Trip - Chapter 8
The day had been a good one for all the girls. The tour of Derry was just what Mona n Darcy were looking for. While they were at lunch they talked with some people from the Derry area who gave them a great idea for where to stay just outside the city so they could head to County Donegal the next day. When the girls met up Briana and Caitlin shared their adventure about Damain. Darcy and Mona laughed at how the two girls had made quick friends with this boy because of their love of soccer and listened to Briana mention several time how Damian had kissed her on the cheek.
They headed out of Derry to the B &B that had been suggested. Darcy had called ahead to make sure they had enough room for the girls to stay. It would take a good couple of hours to get there, but this was summer and it stayed light out almost to 10PM. The girls figured they had plenty of time. Mona had taken over the driving because of Darcy's sprained ankle. There was not too much traffic on the two-lane road and the girls were busy chatting away. Before Mona could swerve out of the way the car hit a huge rock planted right smack in the middle of the road. Mona pulled over to check for any damage. The rental car didn't have any damage, but they did have a flat tire.
“Now what?”, Mona shouted. She was angry with herself for not being able to avoid the rock.
“Guess we're going to have to change the tire,” Caitlin felt this would be an easy thing to tackle. If any guy could do it surely they could handle it.
“So who here has changed a flat before?” Briana was feeling confident that at least one of the older girls had experience at this.
They all looked at each other and realized they were in big trouble. After some discussion they decided that they would try to tackle this as a group and opened up the trunk of the car looking for the spare tire. In order to do this they had to completely unload all their luggage. So with everything unloaded they looked into the empty trunk and saw nothing. The entire time they were doing this not one vehicle had passed them on the road. They also called the rental agency and were told that if they wanted someone to come out to where they were located it would take at least 4 hours! It would be dark by then, so there was not much of a choice, but to do this themselves.
Suddenly they heard what sounded like a motorcycle engine coming down the road. But it wasn't a motorcycle, it was like a more powerful dune buggy with a surf board sticking out the back. They all turned to wave for help as the driver passed by them. He waved back and kept going! At this point they figured they were going to be stranded on the side of the road all night. Not familiar enough with the area, they had no idea how far they were from any help. Fifteen minutes must have passed when they heard a bigger smoother engine and saw a huge red 4WD coming from the other direction.
“Hey girlies!” the driver shouted as he pulled off the road in front of the rental car. “What's the craic?”
The girls were not quite sure what this tall blond haired lad was asking.
“Sorry it took me so long to get back, but I figured Big Red here was needed. Yeow, what a flat!”
And immediately the girls realized that this was the guy in the over-sized dune buggy. He looked so out of place here in Ireland. Seems he should have been on the beaches of California surfing with his long blond hair and trim good looks. While the other girls were still trying to collect themselves over the whole situation, Caitlin stepped up and explained their situation.
“It appears we don't have a spare tire. We're more than capable of changing it ourselves,” she tried to be confident with this handsome stranger.
The lad burst out laughing as he walked over the to rental car and lifted up the carpet pad to the trunk to reveal the spare tire. “Is this what you are lookin' for? Seems as long as I found it, I might as well help you out here.”
He didn't wait for a reply as he removed the jack and the spare. After a quick look at the jack, he walked over to his vehicle an pulled out a jack that was amazingly more substantial, chuckling all the way and shaking his head. As he did this, Caitlin only got angrier as she felt he was making fun of them.
As he passed the girls heading to the flat tire he said, “So's I'm Keith. How about a hand over here,” he motioned to Caitlin. “Good thing all those heavy bags are out. This will be pretty quick. But this spare is not for long trip drivin' ya' know?”
“We'll just have to find a gas station and get it fixed. Is there one down the road?” Caitlin asked as she grudgingly held the lug nuts that Keith removed from the wheel.
“Love, you'll not find one open tonight. And from the looks of this tire, you are goin' to need a replacement. The shop won't be open until tomorrow morning and that's if they have the right size.”
The girls turned to each other surprised. They had not expected to have to replace a tire and were worried about finding a replacement. Things were not going very well at all at the moment and Mona was feeling worse about hitting the rock.
“Where you'll be tonight?” Keith asked.
“We're staying at a B&B about 10 miles form here according to the directions we have. Why do you ask?” Caitlin was curious but cautious.
“Well, if you want, I can take this bad tire in tomorrow for you. But one of you will have to come with me to make sure the new one is ordered. I know the lad who owns the repair shop. Don't want him to give you any trouble,” Keith truly sounded like he knew what he was doing and at this point they had no other choice.
Once the spare was on, luggage put back in the trunk, and the flat loaded in Big Red, Keith followed the girls to the B&B to make sure they got checked in okay, even though they felt they could handle this part. As they entered the B&B they were surprised again.
“Well, hey, Keith, how's it going?” the B&B owner greeted Keith.
“Siobhan, yeowwww, surf was great today! Got me a good ride. These girlies here from America got a flat a ways back and I helped them out. Now delivering them to you for the night.” again he chuckled. “So Caitlin, I'll be by about 10 tomorrow mornin' with Big Red, be ready!” And Keith was out the door.
Siobhan, welcomed the girls and got them settled in their rooms. Briana could tell that Caitlin was taken by Keith and his handsome blond good looks, not to mention his dimples, even though she pretended to be put off by him and his mannerisms.
“See Caitlin, I knew you would meet someone,” Briana teased Caitlin.
“Right. So he was here and gone,” Caitlin was not too impressed by her short meeting, although she did say that the surfer look on this guy was pretty impressive for Ireland..
They headed out of Derry to the B &B that had been suggested. Darcy had called ahead to make sure they had enough room for the girls to stay. It would take a good couple of hours to get there, but this was summer and it stayed light out almost to 10PM. The girls figured they had plenty of time. Mona had taken over the driving because of Darcy's sprained ankle. There was not too much traffic on the two-lane road and the girls were busy chatting away. Before Mona could swerve out of the way the car hit a huge rock planted right smack in the middle of the road. Mona pulled over to check for any damage. The rental car didn't have any damage, but they did have a flat tire.
“Now what?”, Mona shouted. She was angry with herself for not being able to avoid the rock.
“Guess we're going to have to change the tire,” Caitlin felt this would be an easy thing to tackle. If any guy could do it surely they could handle it.
“So who here has changed a flat before?” Briana was feeling confident that at least one of the older girls had experience at this.
They all looked at each other and realized they were in big trouble. After some discussion they decided that they would try to tackle this as a group and opened up the trunk of the car looking for the spare tire. In order to do this they had to completely unload all their luggage. So with everything unloaded they looked into the empty trunk and saw nothing. The entire time they were doing this not one vehicle had passed them on the road. They also called the rental agency and were told that if they wanted someone to come out to where they were located it would take at least 4 hours! It would be dark by then, so there was not much of a choice, but to do this themselves.
Suddenly they heard what sounded like a motorcycle engine coming down the road. But it wasn't a motorcycle, it was like a more powerful dune buggy with a surf board sticking out the back. They all turned to wave for help as the driver passed by them. He waved back and kept going! At this point they figured they were going to be stranded on the side of the road all night. Not familiar enough with the area, they had no idea how far they were from any help. Fifteen minutes must have passed when they heard a bigger smoother engine and saw a huge red 4WD coming from the other direction.
“Hey girlies!” the driver shouted as he pulled off the road in front of the rental car. “What's the craic?”
The girls were not quite sure what this tall blond haired lad was asking.
“Sorry it took me so long to get back, but I figured Big Red here was needed. Yeow, what a flat!”
And immediately the girls realized that this was the guy in the over-sized dune buggy. He looked so out of place here in Ireland. Seems he should have been on the beaches of California surfing with his long blond hair and trim good looks. While the other girls were still trying to collect themselves over the whole situation, Caitlin stepped up and explained their situation.
“It appears we don't have a spare tire. We're more than capable of changing it ourselves,” she tried to be confident with this handsome stranger.
The lad burst out laughing as he walked over the to rental car and lifted up the carpet pad to the trunk to reveal the spare tire. “Is this what you are lookin' for? Seems as long as I found it, I might as well help you out here.”
He didn't wait for a reply as he removed the jack and the spare. After a quick look at the jack, he walked over to his vehicle an pulled out a jack that was amazingly more substantial, chuckling all the way and shaking his head. As he did this, Caitlin only got angrier as she felt he was making fun of them.
As he passed the girls heading to the flat tire he said, “So's I'm Keith. How about a hand over here,” he motioned to Caitlin. “Good thing all those heavy bags are out. This will be pretty quick. But this spare is not for long trip drivin' ya' know?”
“We'll just have to find a gas station and get it fixed. Is there one down the road?” Caitlin asked as she grudgingly held the lug nuts that Keith removed from the wheel.
“Love, you'll not find one open tonight. And from the looks of this tire, you are goin' to need a replacement. The shop won't be open until tomorrow morning and that's if they have the right size.”
The girls turned to each other surprised. They had not expected to have to replace a tire and were worried about finding a replacement. Things were not going very well at all at the moment and Mona was feeling worse about hitting the rock.
“Where you'll be tonight?” Keith asked.
“We're staying at a B&B about 10 miles form here according to the directions we have. Why do you ask?” Caitlin was curious but cautious.
“Well, if you want, I can take this bad tire in tomorrow for you. But one of you will have to come with me to make sure the new one is ordered. I know the lad who owns the repair shop. Don't want him to give you any trouble,” Keith truly sounded like he knew what he was doing and at this point they had no other choice.
Once the spare was on, luggage put back in the trunk, and the flat loaded in Big Red, Keith followed the girls to the B&B to make sure they got checked in okay, even though they felt they could handle this part. As they entered the B&B they were surprised again.
“Well, hey, Keith, how's it going?” the B&B owner greeted Keith.
“Siobhan, yeowwww, surf was great today! Got me a good ride. These girlies here from America got a flat a ways back and I helped them out. Now delivering them to you for the night.” again he chuckled. “So Caitlin, I'll be by about 10 tomorrow mornin' with Big Red, be ready!” And Keith was out the door.
Siobhan, welcomed the girls and got them settled in their rooms. Briana could tell that Caitlin was taken by Keith and his handsome blond good looks, not to mention his dimples, even though she pretended to be put off by him and his mannerisms.
“See Caitlin, I knew you would meet someone,” Briana teased Caitlin.
“Right. So he was here and gone,” Caitlin was not too impressed by her short meeting, although she did say that the surfer look on this guy was pretty impressive for Ireland..
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
The Dream Trip - Chapter 7
The drive to Derry was a couple of hours from Ballymena. It would have been shorter, but the views were scenic and the conversation lively as it once again revolved around Paul and Ryan, how different they were, but how very handsome they were also. It was obvious that Darcy and Mona were spellbound by these two Irishmen. As they crossed the bridge entering Derry they all were excited at the sight of the peace statue that is so well known. They headed toward the multilevel parking lot and got settled and headed out for some sightseeing. Darcy was moving slow, but considering her condition yesterday, she had recovered a lot with Ryan's help.
Since Darcy was moving slowly the girls split up. Caitlin and Briana headed to the ancient walls to walk around them. Darcy and Mona headed to the tourist office to see about a bus tour so Darcy didn't have to do too much walking. The agreed to meet back at the Bishop's Gate later that afternoon.
The ancient walls of Derry were amazingly intact. They circled the town almost completely except for one area that had been destroyed or opened up for traffic. The girls began their walk and took all the pictures of the sites. Just past the second gate Briana stopped full.
“Look!” she called to Caitlin.
Briana was pointing to a soccer field just outside the gate and down a small hill.
“Let's go check it out,” she was starting down steps of the gate before Caitlin could protest.
Briana spent all her high school years playing soccer and would probably play at college, even though she didn't apply to a college for soccer. She missed the daily workout and practice now that school was out for the summer. As she reached the field she spotted a soccer ball setting in the goal area. She looked around and didn't see anyone, so headed over to the ball. She was in heaven. And Caitlin had no choice but to join her in the fun. They dribbled and shot some goals off each other, passed the ball back and for the for about fifteen minutes before they heard a shout.
“Hey use! That's my ball,” came a call from the sidelines.
There stood a tall boy, about Briana's age with a cup of soda in his hand. Briana picked up the ball and she and Caitlin headed to the boy.
“Sorry, I just saw the ball sitting by the goal and thought it was left there. I've been missing playing so much I just wanted to say I had played some soccer in Ireland.”
“Well then, how 'bout use two play me. We'll do half field,” an the boy picked up the ball and started off to mid field. What he didn't expect was that these two girls were very good and worked well together. It wasn't more than fifteen minutes and he was dripping with sweat.
“Okay, I give. This should have been one on one,” as he laughed and picked up his drink and gulped it down. “Where are use two from?” He asked.
After some small chatter, he asked if the girls had eaten lunch yet. The girls had realized that it was just after lunch and they had not eaten. They didn't feel they had to worry about this boy and still had time before they needed to meet the other girls. So the three decided to get some fast food that was close by.
As they walked to the small diner Briana watched this boy with interest. He was tall and lanky. But with his dark hair, blushed cheeks, and very blue eyes he was a cuter than any other boy she had known through high school. Every once in a while he'd glance over at her and she could see a look that told her he was also a prankster. She loved the way he would raise an eyebrow as he joked with the girls.
“Me names Damian, so who are you two?”
The girls introduced themselves and the three spent time talking about soccer in Ireland and the US. Damian seemed to direct most of his conversation to Briana. She had scored against him twice and he was obviously impressed. They were also the same age. Damian told them he was going to college in Derry for performing arts and today they had a three hour break between classes. He liked to burn off excess energy and usually comes to the soccer field for a workout. He had left his ball so he could go around the corner and grab a drink. When he came back he was surprised to see two girls playing each other with his ball on the field.
As the conversation continued Damian's questions became a little more personal. Being polite he asked both girls if they had boyfriends in America and what they thought about Irish boys. He watched Briana carefully as she responded and her cheeks started to turn pink in embarrassment. In turn the girls asked Damian the same. He said at the moment he was free and single because his life was so busy. He added that he was always interested in meeting new people.
“Are use going to be staying in Derry very long?” Damian asked as he continued. “I was wondering if we could meet again?”
Caitlin answered this one saying, “We're only her for a day today, but we'll be back on Friday. We thought that would be a good time to hear some music. What do you think?”
“Friday would be great!” Damian declared with some excitement in his voice. “That means the weekend and we can meet again. I love to hit the clubs on the weekend. Oh, that is if use want to.”
Briana immediately responded with glee, “Of course we could meet again!” She was liking this boy better and better by the moment. “Maybe you could show us around some?”
Damian agreed and gave the girls his cell number so they could call him when they arrived back in Derry. It was time for Caitlin and Briana to meet up with Darcy and Mona, and for Damian to head back to classes. As they got up from the table and were walking out the door, Damian took a hold of Briana's arm to slow her down and leaned down and kissed her lightly on the cheek.
Before Briana could react Damian was off at a run laughing and shouting back, “See use later!”
Caitlin was a little despondent. “Okay, what's the matter with me? You all have met these incredible guys and here I am all alone. I'm really feeling like a 4rth wheel here.”
“Caitlin, I'm sure your time will come. Besides I'm not so sure about this Damian guy. This performing arts college. What does he thing he's going to become some big celebrity? He may be just like all the charmers in high school. You know, love 'em and leave 'em,” and Briana laughed, touching her cheek where Damian had kissed it.
Since Darcy was moving slowly the girls split up. Caitlin and Briana headed to the ancient walls to walk around them. Darcy and Mona headed to the tourist office to see about a bus tour so Darcy didn't have to do too much walking. The agreed to meet back at the Bishop's Gate later that afternoon.
The ancient walls of Derry were amazingly intact. They circled the town almost completely except for one area that had been destroyed or opened up for traffic. The girls began their walk and took all the pictures of the sites. Just past the second gate Briana stopped full.
“Look!” she called to Caitlin.
Briana was pointing to a soccer field just outside the gate and down a small hill.
“Let's go check it out,” she was starting down steps of the gate before Caitlin could protest.
Briana spent all her high school years playing soccer and would probably play at college, even though she didn't apply to a college for soccer. She missed the daily workout and practice now that school was out for the summer. As she reached the field she spotted a soccer ball setting in the goal area. She looked around and didn't see anyone, so headed over to the ball. She was in heaven. And Caitlin had no choice but to join her in the fun. They dribbled and shot some goals off each other, passed the ball back and for the for about fifteen minutes before they heard a shout.
“Hey use! That's my ball,” came a call from the sidelines.
There stood a tall boy, about Briana's age with a cup of soda in his hand. Briana picked up the ball and she and Caitlin headed to the boy.
“Sorry, I just saw the ball sitting by the goal and thought it was left there. I've been missing playing so much I just wanted to say I had played some soccer in Ireland.”
“Well then, how 'bout use two play me. We'll do half field,” an the boy picked up the ball and started off to mid field. What he didn't expect was that these two girls were very good and worked well together. It wasn't more than fifteen minutes and he was dripping with sweat.
“Okay, I give. This should have been one on one,” as he laughed and picked up his drink and gulped it down. “Where are use two from?” He asked.
After some small chatter, he asked if the girls had eaten lunch yet. The girls had realized that it was just after lunch and they had not eaten. They didn't feel they had to worry about this boy and still had time before they needed to meet the other girls. So the three decided to get some fast food that was close by.
As they walked to the small diner Briana watched this boy with interest. He was tall and lanky. But with his dark hair, blushed cheeks, and very blue eyes he was a cuter than any other boy she had known through high school. Every once in a while he'd glance over at her and she could see a look that told her he was also a prankster. She loved the way he would raise an eyebrow as he joked with the girls.
“Me names Damian, so who are you two?”
The girls introduced themselves and the three spent time talking about soccer in Ireland and the US. Damian seemed to direct most of his conversation to Briana. She had scored against him twice and he was obviously impressed. They were also the same age. Damian told them he was going to college in Derry for performing arts and today they had a three hour break between classes. He liked to burn off excess energy and usually comes to the soccer field for a workout. He had left his ball so he could go around the corner and grab a drink. When he came back he was surprised to see two girls playing each other with his ball on the field.
As the conversation continued Damian's questions became a little more personal. Being polite he asked both girls if they had boyfriends in America and what they thought about Irish boys. He watched Briana carefully as she responded and her cheeks started to turn pink in embarrassment. In turn the girls asked Damian the same. He said at the moment he was free and single because his life was so busy. He added that he was always interested in meeting new people.
“Are use going to be staying in Derry very long?” Damian asked as he continued. “I was wondering if we could meet again?”
Caitlin answered this one saying, “We're only her for a day today, but we'll be back on Friday. We thought that would be a good time to hear some music. What do you think?”
“Friday would be great!” Damian declared with some excitement in his voice. “That means the weekend and we can meet again. I love to hit the clubs on the weekend. Oh, that is if use want to.”
Briana immediately responded with glee, “Of course we could meet again!” She was liking this boy better and better by the moment. “Maybe you could show us around some?”
Damian agreed and gave the girls his cell number so they could call him when they arrived back in Derry. It was time for Caitlin and Briana to meet up with Darcy and Mona, and for Damian to head back to classes. As they got up from the table and were walking out the door, Damian took a hold of Briana's arm to slow her down and leaned down and kissed her lightly on the cheek.
Before Briana could react Damian was off at a run laughing and shouting back, “See use later!”
Caitlin was a little despondent. “Okay, what's the matter with me? You all have met these incredible guys and here I am all alone. I'm really feeling like a 4rth wheel here.”
“Caitlin, I'm sure your time will come. Besides I'm not so sure about this Damian guy. This performing arts college. What does he thing he's going to become some big celebrity? He may be just like all the charmers in high school. You know, love 'em and leave 'em,” and Briana laughed, touching her cheek where Damian had kissed it.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
The Dream Trip - Chapter 6
Caitlin and Briana were really surprised to find Darcy and Mona in the room when they returned. Seems that Paul an Ryan had an early morning rehearsal for recording and couldn't stay up too late either. Paul promised to stay in touch and try to catch up with the girls at some point. He and Ryan said they had some friends in Derry that they might visit come the next weekend. The girls planned to tour Derry the next day and then head to County Donegal and Lough Swilley, then up to Glenveagh National Park for a few days. That would put them back in Derry on the following Friday a few days before their return home.
Briana and Caitlin were surprise to see Ryan running when they headed out for their run the next morning. As they started to stretch, he went flying by with his iPod on and you could see he was in the zone. There was no way they could keep up with him, so they started out easily and were just building some speed when he came up behind them on his next lap.
“So we have some runners here, eh? Good to see that,” Ryan talked as if he hadn't even been running.
“I doubt that we could even keep up with you, Ryan,” Briana told him as he was jogging along her side.
“I'm about to start to cool down, you two set the pace and I'll keep up with you, alright?”
So before Briana and Caitlin realized it they were setting the pace for themselves and Ryan. By the time they lapped the hotel grounds a couple of times they were jogging and cooling off. Ryan had already cooled down at their pace and continued on waving good-bye to them. The girls knew that Darcy liked Ryan but realized that while he was a quiet guy, they enjoyed his company running. They headed into the hotel to shower, get packed and ready to head out to Derry.
This trip had already provided some new adventures for them.
Briana and Caitlin were surprise to see Ryan running when they headed out for their run the next morning. As they started to stretch, he went flying by with his iPod on and you could see he was in the zone. There was no way they could keep up with him, so they started out easily and were just building some speed when he came up behind them on his next lap.
“So we have some runners here, eh? Good to see that,” Ryan talked as if he hadn't even been running.
“I doubt that we could even keep up with you, Ryan,” Briana told him as he was jogging along her side.
“I'm about to start to cool down, you two set the pace and I'll keep up with you, alright?”
So before Briana and Caitlin realized it they were setting the pace for themselves and Ryan. By the time they lapped the hotel grounds a couple of times they were jogging and cooling off. Ryan had already cooled down at their pace and continued on waving good-bye to them. The girls knew that Darcy liked Ryan but realized that while he was a quiet guy, they enjoyed his company running. They headed into the hotel to shower, get packed and ready to head out to Derry.
This trip had already provided some new adventures for them.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The Dream Trip - Chapter 5
As they pulled up to the hotel, the girls looked at each other thinking that Ryan had pulled a quick on on them. The hotel was like something out of a storybook. It was luxurious and huge. At this point it was getting so late in the day and they really had no other choice so they checked in and got Darcy set up with a spa appointment before dinner. After leaving Darcy in the spa, the other girls explored the grounds around the hotel. The gardens were immaculate and the fragrance from all the flowers was intoxicating.
As they arrived back to pick up Darcy from the spa, they were very surprised to see Ryan bending down in front of Darcy wrapping her ankle. Darcy was sitting in a spa chair wrapped in a plush robe, smiling with a slight blush on her cheeks.
When Ryan saw Darcy turn her head toward the girls, he did so also, “Hi girls. Since I knew you were coming here, I stopped at Boots, the pharmacy, and picked up a wrap for Darcy's ankle. It's doing much better.”
Mona thought this all was very suspicious and questioned, “What are you doing here, Ryan?”
“Sorry,” he always seems be be apologizing, “I'm working not to far from here and the company puts us up at this hotel. I knew they had a spa, so that's why I recommended it. My friend and I will be in the hotel pub later this evening and it would be great to visit with you all. We really didn't get to visit much today.” He turned to Darcy and smiled. “I would think if you iced your ankle and kept it elevated for a few hours, you might be feeling a lot better.”
Ryan finished wrapping Darcy's ankle and helped support her to the room the girls were all sharing. He said good-bye and mentioned the pub again as he winked at Darcy. With Darcy not being able to walk much the girls decided to splurge this one night and get room service hoping that they would be able to spend some time in the pub later. Ryan was without question a very handsome man, and he seemed to have this bit of a rogue about him. All Briana and Caitlin heard was the chatter between Darcy and Mona about having met Paul and Ryan. They were obviously taken by the two men.
Dinner was delicious in this hotel and the service was unbelievable. It seemed strange to them that an employer would put their employees up in such a nice place, but considering they were in a different country, they shrugged their shoulders and headed down to the pub helping Darcy as she hobbled her way along. Ryan was right, he ankle was better, and the ice and sitting with her leg elevated made a huge difference. They would be able to get on the road the next morning and head for Derry for some sightseeing.
The girls arrived at the pub and found a nice snug to sit in. The barman noticed them and nodded, but it wasn't for a couple of minutes that they realized they were supposed to order their drinks at the bar. No waitresses here. It was a long beautifully crafted wood bar. As long as they had to get up to get their drinks, they decided to relocate to the bar. Even though it was legal for Briana to drink here, she preferred not to and ordered a Coke. The other girls all ordered a half pint of Guinness. Their backs were to the entrance and they never realized anyone else entering as they were engaged in a lively conversation with the barman.
Mona almost jumped off her stool as she felt an arm around her shoulder.
“Well fancy meetin' you here, darlin'!” the Irish voice behind her said.
Once again Mona was speechless as she turned just enough to see it was Paul with his arm around her shoulder. As she relaxed her tenseness from a minute earlier, Paul had to grab her and keep her from falling off her stool. They all let out a laugh.
Ryan was obviously with Paul and climbed onto the stool next to Darcy.
“Now what would you be doing sitting up here?” he asked. “You should be in a snug with your leg up.”
“Why don't we all move over to that area so we can sit and visit comfortably?” Paul directed everyone to an area with cushioned chairs and sofas.
Now that everyone was settled with Paul sitting next to Mona holding her hand, and Ryan next to Darcy tending to her and her ankle, they looked like friends who had known each other for a long time. Finally the girls had a chance to ask the questions they had kept to themselves. Did the two men know each other? What were they doing here together? Did Paul know anything about this? Who was Ryan really?
Ryan and Paul answered all the questions. Yes, they knew each other as they both sang in the same group. The two of them were up in Ballymena recording some songs for a future CD. They would be singing a couple duets and the recording studio was not too far from the hotel. Paul only realized that Ryan had bumped into the same girls he met in Dublin when Ryan was telling Paul at dinner about this girl with a sprained ankle that he met when he was at the Giant's Causeway earlier in the day. They were thrilled to be able to surprise the girls in the pub.
The rest of the evening was spent with Ryan and Paul getting to know Mona and Darcy. Caitlin and Briana left early as they felt out of place.
“Now why can't I meet some handsome Irishman?” Caitlin asked Briana as they walked the grounds of the hotel.
“It's because you are a sports dork, like me,” Briana teased back. “I wish I had my soccer ball with me. I really need to work off some excess energy. This sitting in the car and eating are just killing me. I think I'll be going for a run tomorrow morning. Are you up for that?”
“Sure, a couple of miles before we have to ride to Derry would be great. Let's head in now and get to sleep so we can get up early and run. I don't expect that Darcy and Mona will be in too early,” Caitlin agreed as they headed back in to the hotel.
As they arrived back to pick up Darcy from the spa, they were very surprised to see Ryan bending down in front of Darcy wrapping her ankle. Darcy was sitting in a spa chair wrapped in a plush robe, smiling with a slight blush on her cheeks.
When Ryan saw Darcy turn her head toward the girls, he did so also, “Hi girls. Since I knew you were coming here, I stopped at Boots, the pharmacy, and picked up a wrap for Darcy's ankle. It's doing much better.”
Mona thought this all was very suspicious and questioned, “What are you doing here, Ryan?”
“Sorry,” he always seems be be apologizing, “I'm working not to far from here and the company puts us up at this hotel. I knew they had a spa, so that's why I recommended it. My friend and I will be in the hotel pub later this evening and it would be great to visit with you all. We really didn't get to visit much today.” He turned to Darcy and smiled. “I would think if you iced your ankle and kept it elevated for a few hours, you might be feeling a lot better.”
Ryan finished wrapping Darcy's ankle and helped support her to the room the girls were all sharing. He said good-bye and mentioned the pub again as he winked at Darcy. With Darcy not being able to walk much the girls decided to splurge this one night and get room service hoping that they would be able to spend some time in the pub later. Ryan was without question a very handsome man, and he seemed to have this bit of a rogue about him. All Briana and Caitlin heard was the chatter between Darcy and Mona about having met Paul and Ryan. They were obviously taken by the two men.
Dinner was delicious in this hotel and the service was unbelievable. It seemed strange to them that an employer would put their employees up in such a nice place, but considering they were in a different country, they shrugged their shoulders and headed down to the pub helping Darcy as she hobbled her way along. Ryan was right, he ankle was better, and the ice and sitting with her leg elevated made a huge difference. They would be able to get on the road the next morning and head for Derry for some sightseeing.
The girls arrived at the pub and found a nice snug to sit in. The barman noticed them and nodded, but it wasn't for a couple of minutes that they realized they were supposed to order their drinks at the bar. No waitresses here. It was a long beautifully crafted wood bar. As long as they had to get up to get their drinks, they decided to relocate to the bar. Even though it was legal for Briana to drink here, she preferred not to and ordered a Coke. The other girls all ordered a half pint of Guinness. Their backs were to the entrance and they never realized anyone else entering as they were engaged in a lively conversation with the barman.
Mona almost jumped off her stool as she felt an arm around her shoulder.
“Well fancy meetin' you here, darlin'!” the Irish voice behind her said.
Once again Mona was speechless as she turned just enough to see it was Paul with his arm around her shoulder. As she relaxed her tenseness from a minute earlier, Paul had to grab her and keep her from falling off her stool. They all let out a laugh.
Ryan was obviously with Paul and climbed onto the stool next to Darcy.
“Now what would you be doing sitting up here?” he asked. “You should be in a snug with your leg up.”
“Why don't we all move over to that area so we can sit and visit comfortably?” Paul directed everyone to an area with cushioned chairs and sofas.
Now that everyone was settled with Paul sitting next to Mona holding her hand, and Ryan next to Darcy tending to her and her ankle, they looked like friends who had known each other for a long time. Finally the girls had a chance to ask the questions they had kept to themselves. Did the two men know each other? What were they doing here together? Did Paul know anything about this? Who was Ryan really?
Ryan and Paul answered all the questions. Yes, they knew each other as they both sang in the same group. The two of them were up in Ballymena recording some songs for a future CD. They would be singing a couple duets and the recording studio was not too far from the hotel. Paul only realized that Ryan had bumped into the same girls he met in Dublin when Ryan was telling Paul at dinner about this girl with a sprained ankle that he met when he was at the Giant's Causeway earlier in the day. They were thrilled to be able to surprise the girls in the pub.
The rest of the evening was spent with Ryan and Paul getting to know Mona and Darcy. Caitlin and Briana left early as they felt out of place.
“Now why can't I meet some handsome Irishman?” Caitlin asked Briana as they walked the grounds of the hotel.
“It's because you are a sports dork, like me,” Briana teased back. “I wish I had my soccer ball with me. I really need to work off some excess energy. This sitting in the car and eating are just killing me. I think I'll be going for a run tomorrow morning. Are you up for that?”
“Sure, a couple of miles before we have to ride to Derry would be great. Let's head in now and get to sleep so we can get up early and run. I don't expect that Darcy and Mona will be in too early,” Caitlin agreed as they headed back in to the hotel.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
The Dream Trip - Chapter 4
The time in Belfast went quickly as the girls wanted to get out from the big cities and into the country, so they headed to the Antrim coast and the Giant's Causeway. The day was beautiful and sunny. The basalt formations were amazing and like many of the tourists the girls decided to climb up to some of the higher areas for the incredible view. As they climbed around the formations, Darcy slipped and fell at one point and twisted her ankle. As the girls came to her aid so did a striking dark-haired, blue-eyed Irishman.
“Can I be of any help here?” he asked politely.
Darcy replied, “I seem to have sprained my ankle as I slipped. I'm not sure I can walk on it.”
“Here let me help you,” he said as he reached down and scooped her up in his strong arms moving her to a place where she could sit comfortably.
Obviously an athlete, he seemed to have no problem lifting Darcy up in his strong arms. At first she was in so much pain, and also embarrassed, that she really didn't notice how handsome this man was. When he picked her up and her face was close to his, she quickly took notice and blushed. He noticed her looking at him and smiled back. What a wonderful smile.
As he set her down he said, “Let me take a look at that ankle.” He easily slipped off her sandal and gently checked her ankle. Darcy cringed and he took note. “Sorry, I don't think anything is broken, but it does look like a good sprain. You'll probably need to take it easy for a couple of days.”
“Are you a doctor?” Mona asked as she stood next to this stranger.
“Oh, no. But I used to play Gaelic football and saw this kind of thing happen all the time. I apologize again... My name is Ryan,” he explained as he directed his comments toward Darcy.
“My name is Darcy, and this is Mona, this is Briana, and Caitlin. We're on vacation, and now I've probably spoiled it for everyone.”
“Darcy, nice to meet you. And I'm sure you haven't spoiled anything. Just a wee inconvenience.” Ryan had barely taken his eyes off Darcy except for the introductions.
After a few minutes they all decided to head back up the huge hill leading to the visitor center and to the parking lot. While the girls had walked down the hill to get to the Causeway there was going to be no walking back up the mile long steep hill for Darcy. Ryan carried Darcy to the tram and along with the other three girls rode the tram back up to the top. He was quiet for the 10 minute trip up the hill as he sat next to Darcy. Darcy was a little overwhelmed at how nice this man had been and was constantly apologizing for taking up his time. Ryan in turn kept telling her it was fine.
When they arrived at the top of the hill, Ryan again carried Darcy to the car and helped her into the passenger seat.
“Wait here for a minute, please,” he instructed Mona and the girls and off he went with no mention as to what he was going to do.
A few minutes later he arrived carrying a plastic bag full of ice. “Here, put this on your ankle. Try to keep it elevated, if you can,” he instructed. “This is the best thing for a sprain. Ice and rest. Where are you girls off to?”
Darcy explained that they had kept their schedule loose so they had the ability to move freely. Ryan suggested that they head to Ballymena where there was a hotel with a spa that would help her ankle heal faster. They knew they would miss some of their touring time as this was not on the agenda, but Darcy needed some treatment and hopefully could get some in Ballymena. The hotel was only about an hour away, so they took Ryan's suggestion and made it an early day heading to the Tullyglass House Hotel in Ballymena.
“Can I be of any help here?” he asked politely.
Darcy replied, “I seem to have sprained my ankle as I slipped. I'm not sure I can walk on it.”
“Here let me help you,” he said as he reached down and scooped her up in his strong arms moving her to a place where she could sit comfortably.
Obviously an athlete, he seemed to have no problem lifting Darcy up in his strong arms. At first she was in so much pain, and also embarrassed, that she really didn't notice how handsome this man was. When he picked her up and her face was close to his, she quickly took notice and blushed. He noticed her looking at him and smiled back. What a wonderful smile.
As he set her down he said, “Let me take a look at that ankle.” He easily slipped off her sandal and gently checked her ankle. Darcy cringed and he took note. “Sorry, I don't think anything is broken, but it does look like a good sprain. You'll probably need to take it easy for a couple of days.”
“Are you a doctor?” Mona asked as she stood next to this stranger.
“Oh, no. But I used to play Gaelic football and saw this kind of thing happen all the time. I apologize again... My name is Ryan,” he explained as he directed his comments toward Darcy.
“My name is Darcy, and this is Mona, this is Briana, and Caitlin. We're on vacation, and now I've probably spoiled it for everyone.”
“Darcy, nice to meet you. And I'm sure you haven't spoiled anything. Just a wee inconvenience.” Ryan had barely taken his eyes off Darcy except for the introductions.
After a few minutes they all decided to head back up the huge hill leading to the visitor center and to the parking lot. While the girls had walked down the hill to get to the Causeway there was going to be no walking back up the mile long steep hill for Darcy. Ryan carried Darcy to the tram and along with the other three girls rode the tram back up to the top. He was quiet for the 10 minute trip up the hill as he sat next to Darcy. Darcy was a little overwhelmed at how nice this man had been and was constantly apologizing for taking up his time. Ryan in turn kept telling her it was fine.
When they arrived at the top of the hill, Ryan again carried Darcy to the car and helped her into the passenger seat.
“Wait here for a minute, please,” he instructed Mona and the girls and off he went with no mention as to what he was going to do.
A few minutes later he arrived carrying a plastic bag full of ice. “Here, put this on your ankle. Try to keep it elevated, if you can,” he instructed. “This is the best thing for a sprain. Ice and rest. Where are you girls off to?”
Darcy explained that they had kept their schedule loose so they had the ability to move freely. Ryan suggested that they head to Ballymena where there was a hotel with a spa that would help her ankle heal faster. They knew they would miss some of their touring time as this was not on the agenda, but Darcy needed some treatment and hopefully could get some in Ballymena. The hotel was only about an hour away, so they took Ryan's suggestion and made it an early day heading to the Tullyglass House Hotel in Ballymena.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The Dream Trip - Chapter 3
It was the middle of the night before Mona arrived back at the hotel. She slipped into her PJs and quickly fell asleep. The next morning a full report was demanded by the other girls and Mona easily obliged.
There wasn't a lot of time for Paul and Mona to spend alone, but he did keep her by this side all evening. The party went on for hours with lots of laughter and drinking. Since the concert was over at 11PM and the party followed, Mona really didn't spend as much time with Paul as everyone thought. But Paul wanted to see her again and that was going to pose some problems. Mona and the girls only had one more day in Dublin, and Paul was heading out of town to do some recording. Paul got Mona's cell number and told her he would call her. Mona, always the skeptical one, told the girls she was not going to hold her breath. She was obviously smitten with Paul and his easy going charm and good looks.
After another day of sightseeing with a bus trip to New Grange megalithic tombs and the high crosses at Meath, the girls settled for a quiet dinner in Temple Bar at Gallagher's Boxty House listening to some music there for the evening. They would be heading out of Dublin the next day to Belfast. They had heard of a couple of places for some good music around Queen's University. And Saturday night would be a fun one in Belfast.
Mona was a little disappointed as Paul did not call her the next day. But he did call Sunday afternoon for a short chat saying he had come back to Dublin for Sunday but was heading out again and she may not hear from him for a few days. At this point she figured she probably would never see him again.
This was the first time Mona had ever seemed interested in a man, and she couldn't stop talking about Paul whenever they were not otherwise occupied. He made a big impression on her and her disappointment was very obvious.
There wasn't a lot of time for Paul and Mona to spend alone, but he did keep her by this side all evening. The party went on for hours with lots of laughter and drinking. Since the concert was over at 11PM and the party followed, Mona really didn't spend as much time with Paul as everyone thought. But Paul wanted to see her again and that was going to pose some problems. Mona and the girls only had one more day in Dublin, and Paul was heading out of town to do some recording. Paul got Mona's cell number and told her he would call her. Mona, always the skeptical one, told the girls she was not going to hold her breath. She was obviously smitten with Paul and his easy going charm and good looks.
After another day of sightseeing with a bus trip to New Grange megalithic tombs and the high crosses at Meath, the girls settled for a quiet dinner in Temple Bar at Gallagher's Boxty House listening to some music there for the evening. They would be heading out of Dublin the next day to Belfast. They had heard of a couple of places for some good music around Queen's University. And Saturday night would be a fun one in Belfast.
Mona was a little disappointed as Paul did not call her the next day. But he did call Sunday afternoon for a short chat saying he had come back to Dublin for Sunday but was heading out again and she may not hear from him for a few days. At this point she figured she probably would never see him again.
This was the first time Mona had ever seemed interested in a man, and she couldn't stop talking about Paul whenever they were not otherwise occupied. He made a big impression on her and her disappointment was very obvious.
Monday, November 15, 2010
The Dream Trip - Chapter 2
After lunch the girls walked around Temple Bar and Trinity College then headed back to their hotel. They had reservations for an Irish House Party that night and one of the Hop-on-Hop-Off tours the next day. The House Party was at the Landsdowne Hotel and started with dinner. Four musicians played various instruments and showed the attendees how to do some of the Irish dances. The girls were able to participate and gave it their all. Loads of laughs and lots of craic were had that first night.
The next morning after a full Irish breakfast, their first of the trip, the girls headed off to catch the Hop-on-Hop-Off bus. The day was spent stopping at Trinity College, St Stephen's Green, Kilmainham Gaol, St. Patrick's Cathedral, the St. James Gate Guinness Brewery. From the top of the Gravity Bar the older girls enjoyed a cold pint of Guinness and they all enjoyed amazing views of Dublin. It wasn't until they were at dinner that night after a full day that Mona came across the tickets that Paul had given them.
“Girls, since we really have no plans for tonight, how about we go to this concert?” Mona asked the group.
Briana an Caitlin were still having some trouble adjusting to the time difference and were exhausted from the day's sightseeing so they begged off. Darcy and Mona decided they would be going to the concert. The performance was at the Gaiety Theater just a few blocks from their hotel and easily withing walking distance. After dinner Darcy and Mona went back to the hotel to dress up a little for this concert. Other than looking at the theater and time Mona hadn't really looked at the performance information. As they walked up to the venue they stopped in their tracks and looked at each other as they saw the marquee at the theater:
Music From the Heart By Ireland's Premier Tenor
Featuring Paul Byrom
“Oh my goodness,” was all Mona could utter. Darla was the speechless one this time.
And then the two of them let out a small squeal so as not to draw attention to themselves. When they entered the theater, they realized that Paul had given them front row seats also! This was more than they had bargained for. As the lights started to lower, two young men seated themselves in the two the empty seats that would have been for Briana and Caitlin. Both younger than Paul, but some of Ireland's finest specimens to be sure.
The concert began and Darcy and Mona lost themselves in the music and Paul's voice. He had such control. In between songs he chatted a little talking about his song choices and throwing in a joke here and there. Every once in a while he would glance down at the two girls and at one point seemed to nod to the two men sitting next to them.
Intermission came and every one stood to stretch and go in to the lobby for a drink. Darcy and Mona decided they would stand by their seats and take in the remodeled look of the theater. As they stood, so did the men next to them.
“Ladies, Paul would like to invite you backstage after the performance for a little cocktail party he is hosting,” one of the men said.
When Mona looked at this stranger questioningly, he smiled.
“Sorry we are friends of Paul's. I'm Ryan and this is my brother Daragh,” the younger of the two explained. “We were in town and met up with Paul for tea today. He called a little while ago and told us about giving you tickets after we left him. Paul said that if you came, he would like to invite you to the cocktail party after the show. We saw these two seats empty, so thought it would be great if we came and sat next to you to make sure you were the girls he was expecting. And from his actions on stage, we knew you were the two he was talking about.”
The girls were flabbergasted, but extremely excited. Before they could even think about it they said “yes”. The lights flickered that the second act was going to begin and they all sat down. As Paul walked out on the stage Mona turned slightly toward Daragh and saw him nod his head to Paul, and Paul smiled back glancing over to Mona.
The second act was just as wonderful as the first. Paul's voice was in great form and he had such control. Mona was mesmerized by him. Darcy was enjoying the show, but realized that Mona seemed to be floating along with each song.
As the show ended and Paul received a long standing ovation, Daragh and Ryan told the girls to follow them. Darcy had tons of questions for Daragh and Ryan, but Mona was quiet at this point. They were lead backstage to a reception room. There were other people there when they arrived, but it was a small crowd. As Paul saw them enter he immediately walked over the Mona, hugged her and said, “I'm so glad you came tonight. It was nice to have someone to sing to during my performance.”
Darcy was busy chatting with Daragh and Ryan and didn't notice that Paul had put his arm around Mona and guided her across the room. As he visited with other guests at the reception he kept Mona close by. He either held her hand, or had his arm around her. Mona was beaming. Darcy bid goodnight to Daragh and Ryan and headed back to the hotel. She asked them to let Mona know she had left. She felt Mona was in very good hands.
The next morning after a full Irish breakfast, their first of the trip, the girls headed off to catch the Hop-on-Hop-Off bus. The day was spent stopping at Trinity College, St Stephen's Green, Kilmainham Gaol, St. Patrick's Cathedral, the St. James Gate Guinness Brewery. From the top of the Gravity Bar the older girls enjoyed a cold pint of Guinness and they all enjoyed amazing views of Dublin. It wasn't until they were at dinner that night after a full day that Mona came across the tickets that Paul had given them.
“Girls, since we really have no plans for tonight, how about we go to this concert?” Mona asked the group.
Briana an Caitlin were still having some trouble adjusting to the time difference and were exhausted from the day's sightseeing so they begged off. Darcy and Mona decided they would be going to the concert. The performance was at the Gaiety Theater just a few blocks from their hotel and easily withing walking distance. After dinner Darcy and Mona went back to the hotel to dress up a little for this concert. Other than looking at the theater and time Mona hadn't really looked at the performance information. As they walked up to the venue they stopped in their tracks and looked at each other as they saw the marquee at the theater:
Music From the Heart By Ireland's Premier Tenor
Featuring Paul Byrom
“Oh my goodness,” was all Mona could utter. Darla was the speechless one this time.
And then the two of them let out a small squeal so as not to draw attention to themselves. When they entered the theater, they realized that Paul had given them front row seats also! This was more than they had bargained for. As the lights started to lower, two young men seated themselves in the two the empty seats that would have been for Briana and Caitlin. Both younger than Paul, but some of Ireland's finest specimens to be sure.
The concert began and Darcy and Mona lost themselves in the music and Paul's voice. He had such control. In between songs he chatted a little talking about his song choices and throwing in a joke here and there. Every once in a while he would glance down at the two girls and at one point seemed to nod to the two men sitting next to them.
Intermission came and every one stood to stretch and go in to the lobby for a drink. Darcy and Mona decided they would stand by their seats and take in the remodeled look of the theater. As they stood, so did the men next to them.
“Ladies, Paul would like to invite you backstage after the performance for a little cocktail party he is hosting,” one of the men said.
When Mona looked at this stranger questioningly, he smiled.
“Sorry we are friends of Paul's. I'm Ryan and this is my brother Daragh,” the younger of the two explained. “We were in town and met up with Paul for tea today. He called a little while ago and told us about giving you tickets after we left him. Paul said that if you came, he would like to invite you to the cocktail party after the show. We saw these two seats empty, so thought it would be great if we came and sat next to you to make sure you were the girls he was expecting. And from his actions on stage, we knew you were the two he was talking about.”
The girls were flabbergasted, but extremely excited. Before they could even think about it they said “yes”. The lights flickered that the second act was going to begin and they all sat down. As Paul walked out on the stage Mona turned slightly toward Daragh and saw him nod his head to Paul, and Paul smiled back glancing over to Mona.
The second act was just as wonderful as the first. Paul's voice was in great form and he had such control. Mona was mesmerized by him. Darcy was enjoying the show, but realized that Mona seemed to be floating along with each song.
As the show ended and Paul received a long standing ovation, Daragh and Ryan told the girls to follow them. Darcy had tons of questions for Daragh and Ryan, but Mona was quiet at this point. They were lead backstage to a reception room. There were other people there when they arrived, but it was a small crowd. As Paul saw them enter he immediately walked over the Mona, hugged her and said, “I'm so glad you came tonight. It was nice to have someone to sing to during my performance.”
Darcy was busy chatting with Daragh and Ryan and didn't notice that Paul had put his arm around Mona and guided her across the room. As he visited with other guests at the reception he kept Mona close by. He either held her hand, or had his arm around her. Mona was beaming. Darcy bid goodnight to Daragh and Ryan and headed back to the hotel. She asked them to let Mona know she had left. She felt Mona was in very good hands.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
The Dream Trip - Chapter 1
The plane landed about 8:30 in the morning Ireland time and after immigration paperwork and luggage pick up, the girls headed for the taxis and their hotel in Dublin. They dropped off their luggage at the hotel and headed for the tourist office to set up some day tours for the next couple of days. Before they realized noon was upon them and they needed a place to eat. They were told that there was a great place for a small lunch and tea not too far from where they were staying. Their adventure was about to begin.
The girls headed back to the hotel quickly so they could change into some simple summer dresses and be properly dressed for tea. Then headed to the tea room in the hotel across the street. It was elegant and set up beautifully with fresh flowers and white linens. They were seated at a window that overlooked Grafton Street. After some instruction from their hostess they ordered their special teas and anxiously awaited the arrival of the assorted sandwich plate filled with goodies.
As they chatted and looked out the window, Mona noticed a handsome looking man at the table next to them. He looked up from his tea and smiled at Mona. She smiled back with a slight blush as she suddenly realized that she had been staring at him. He had a very refined look with sandy blond hair that had been highlighted with a lighter blond. He wore a smart fitting suit that had the look of one that was custom made. The rest of the girls were still chatting when Mona realized that the man was getting up from his seat and heading their way!
“Afternoon girls. I notice that you don't seem to be Dubliners here. When did you arrive from the America?” He continued to look at Mona as he addressed all the girls.
Briana and Caitlin couldn't wait to answer. They were so excited some strange Irish man had come up to them.
“My name is Paul, may I join you? I promise I'm not dangerous,” he said as he pulled up a chair next to Mona and winked at her.
Mona was beyond speechless. Up close this man was so handsome. He had a day old beard. Not overgrown, but just enough to add to his appeal. His style was very casual, but there was something about him that was so refined. While Mona was not looking for a man in her life, she suddenly realized that if she was, this was exactly the man she was looking for. Paul seemed to carry the conversation with lots of questions making some recommendations for sites in Dublin.
Before they knew it their lunch tray and tea had arrived. As Paul said his good-byes and excused himself he handed Mona some tickets and told the girls that there is a small concert they may enjoy on Thursday evening. Mona never looked at the tickets , but thanked Paul and put them in her purse as Paul left the tea room and the girls devoured their lunch.
They chatted through the rest of their lunch about all their plans and how this handsome stranger had joined them. They also all took note that he seemed to be particularly interested in Mona. As they finished and went to pay for their lunch, the hostess informed them that the bill had already been taken care of by the gentleman who had been seated with them! The girls all giggled at this and were thoroughly impressed with the first Irishman they had met.
The girls headed back to the hotel quickly so they could change into some simple summer dresses and be properly dressed for tea. Then headed to the tea room in the hotel across the street. It was elegant and set up beautifully with fresh flowers and white linens. They were seated at a window that overlooked Grafton Street. After some instruction from their hostess they ordered their special teas and anxiously awaited the arrival of the assorted sandwich plate filled with goodies.
As they chatted and looked out the window, Mona noticed a handsome looking man at the table next to them. He looked up from his tea and smiled at Mona. She smiled back with a slight blush as she suddenly realized that she had been staring at him. He had a very refined look with sandy blond hair that had been highlighted with a lighter blond. He wore a smart fitting suit that had the look of one that was custom made. The rest of the girls were still chatting when Mona realized that the man was getting up from his seat and heading their way!
“Afternoon girls. I notice that you don't seem to be Dubliners here. When did you arrive from the America?” He continued to look at Mona as he addressed all the girls.
Briana and Caitlin couldn't wait to answer. They were so excited some strange Irish man had come up to them.
“My name is Paul, may I join you? I promise I'm not dangerous,” he said as he pulled up a chair next to Mona and winked at her.
Mona was beyond speechless. Up close this man was so handsome. He had a day old beard. Not overgrown, but just enough to add to his appeal. His style was very casual, but there was something about him that was so refined. While Mona was not looking for a man in her life, she suddenly realized that if she was, this was exactly the man she was looking for. Paul seemed to carry the conversation with lots of questions making some recommendations for sites in Dublin.
Before they knew it their lunch tray and tea had arrived. As Paul said his good-byes and excused himself he handed Mona some tickets and told the girls that there is a small concert they may enjoy on Thursday evening. Mona never looked at the tickets , but thanked Paul and put them in her purse as Paul left the tea room and the girls devoured their lunch.
They chatted through the rest of their lunch about all their plans and how this handsome stranger had joined them. They also all took note that he seemed to be particularly interested in Mona. As they finished and went to pay for their lunch, the hostess informed them that the bill had already been taken care of by the gentleman who had been seated with them! The girls all giggled at this and were thoroughly impressed with the first Irishman they had met.
Friday, November 12, 2010
The Dream Trip - Introduction
Briana, Caitlin, Darcy, and Mona were so excited for the summer to arrive. They had been planning this for over a year now, even though their ages were different they were great friends. Briana was the youngest at 18. She was just graduating high school and this would be her graduation gift. Caitlin was 22 and had know Briana since they had both been on the same traveling soccer team during high school. Darcy was Caitlin's older sister and Mona was her best friend. They were both 29, met in college and worked at the same ad agency.
This all started when Darcy talked to a friend who had been to Ireland. Her friend raved about the beauty of the and how wonderfully friendly the people had been while they were there. After some discussion with Mona, they both decided that this would be a great summer trip. when Caitlin found out, she wanted to go also. With a little arm twisting Caitlin convinced Darcy that she could go along, as long as she brought a friend so there would be 4 of them traveling. And that's when Caitlin invited Briana. It took a little convincing of Briana's parents but knowing that Darcy and Mona would be along as “chaperones” they gave the go-ahead for the trip.
The four girls started meeting the summer before to talk about the trip and what they wanted to see. Darcy and Mona would share the driving of a rental car. It took a lot of give and take to decide what locations they would visit. This trip would only be 10 days so there was not time to see every site in Ireland. They decided they would concentrate on Northern Ireland trying to catch some music festivals as they traveled. They would also spend a few days in Dublin and the surrounding area at the beginning of the trip. They were leaving some of the trip loosely planned so they could head to towns for music as they heard about it.
So now it was May and all the arrangements had been made. Passports had been acquired, and plane tickets were ordered. The girls would leave the third week of July on Tuesday so that they arrived on Wednesday morning and could start their sightseeing in Dublin right away. As school was winding down for Briana with graduation, and Caitlin with finals, the girls spent lot of time shopping for the perfect outfits and necessary needs. With 10 days they may need to do some laundry, but just in case they needed to make sure they could fit all the luggage they took into the rental car and each one of them had to handle their own luggage. Darcy and Mona had done some traveling before so they had no problems with a smaller suitcase and a carry-on. Briana was having the worst time. She wanted to take a large suitcase and more clothes than she would ever wear. After Darcy and Mona helped Caitlin organize and showed her how to pack, Caitlin went over to Briana's and helped her with what was needed and what she should leave behind. One of the things that Briana insisted that she take was her red and black trimmed team soccer shirt. She wore it all the time, and just couldn't give it up. If she could have fit a soccer ball into her suitcase, she would have done that too. Little did she know how lucky she would be with her soccer shirt.
June came and went with the end of school and the last of plans for packing. The girls all had iPods and made sure they had loaded them with their favorite music. They really didn't know too much about Irish music, but planned to learn all about it while they were in Ireland. Before the girls realized July 4th had passed and they were in the car heading to the airport.
Darcy and Mona were prepared for the trip physically and mentally, Caitlin was approaching this a an adventure, and Briana was doubting the decision, but with the other girls to support her she was calmer and excited at the same time for the trip. With iPods plugged in the plane took off for Ireland and the adventure started.
This all started when Darcy talked to a friend who had been to Ireland. Her friend raved about the beauty of the and how wonderfully friendly the people had been while they were there. After some discussion with Mona, they both decided that this would be a great summer trip. when Caitlin found out, she wanted to go also. With a little arm twisting Caitlin convinced Darcy that she could go along, as long as she brought a friend so there would be 4 of them traveling. And that's when Caitlin invited Briana. It took a little convincing of Briana's parents but knowing that Darcy and Mona would be along as “chaperones” they gave the go-ahead for the trip.
The four girls started meeting the summer before to talk about the trip and what they wanted to see. Darcy and Mona would share the driving of a rental car. It took a lot of give and take to decide what locations they would visit. This trip would only be 10 days so there was not time to see every site in Ireland. They decided they would concentrate on Northern Ireland trying to catch some music festivals as they traveled. They would also spend a few days in Dublin and the surrounding area at the beginning of the trip. They were leaving some of the trip loosely planned so they could head to towns for music as they heard about it.
So now it was May and all the arrangements had been made. Passports had been acquired, and plane tickets were ordered. The girls would leave the third week of July on Tuesday so that they arrived on Wednesday morning and could start their sightseeing in Dublin right away. As school was winding down for Briana with graduation, and Caitlin with finals, the girls spent lot of time shopping for the perfect outfits and necessary needs. With 10 days they may need to do some laundry, but just in case they needed to make sure they could fit all the luggage they took into the rental car and each one of them had to handle their own luggage. Darcy and Mona had done some traveling before so they had no problems with a smaller suitcase and a carry-on. Briana was having the worst time. She wanted to take a large suitcase and more clothes than she would ever wear. After Darcy and Mona helped Caitlin organize and showed her how to pack, Caitlin went over to Briana's and helped her with what was needed and what she should leave behind. One of the things that Briana insisted that she take was her red and black trimmed team soccer shirt. She wore it all the time, and just couldn't give it up. If she could have fit a soccer ball into her suitcase, she would have done that too. Little did she know how lucky she would be with her soccer shirt.
June came and went with the end of school and the last of plans for packing. The girls all had iPods and made sure they had loaded them with their favorite music. They really didn't know too much about Irish music, but planned to learn all about it while they were in Ireland. Before the girls realized July 4th had passed and they were in the car heading to the airport.
Darcy and Mona were prepared for the trip physically and mentally, Caitlin was approaching this a an adventure, and Briana was doubting the decision, but with the other girls to support her she was calmer and excited at the same time for the trip. With iPods plugged in the plane took off for Ireland and the adventure started.
Time for a new story
As I said in my last post, it's time for a new story and something very different surrounding Ireland once again.
This one has a younger tone with less romance and more fun adventures for my 4 travelers. And this time, there are some more familiar characters involved. If you don't know about Celtic Thunder, check them out on youtube. :)
Hope you enjoy this story as it unfolds.
*If you just happened to find this blog and want to go back and read all of Travels in Eire, go back in the archives to November 2009.
This one has a younger tone with less romance and more fun adventures for my 4 travelers. And this time, there are some more familiar characters involved. If you don't know about Celtic Thunder, check them out on youtube. :)
Hope you enjoy this story as it unfolds.
*If you just happened to find this blog and want to go back and read all of Travels in Eire, go back in the archives to November 2009.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
End of a story - Reflection
I've just been reflecting back and checked my archive. It is just about two weeks short of a year since my first post of Travels in Eire. I hardly expected to write a story this long or even this involved. Here is the blog, the story is seventy-six chapters. In a word document, it's 141 pages. I've never written that much in my life before.
It was a story that needed to be told. All the locations are real, I've been to all of them. And this story was born from my love of Ireland and feeling of connection that I have to the land. Some of the people are real and genuine people who I've met during my travels, and some are the creation of a very vivid imagination.
During days of stress, having the opportunity to write this story was a gift. For those who read it, I hope you enjoy the story. Like I said above, it's a story I needed to tell.
There are more stories to be told and I hope to continue to tell them here.
Thank you for reading my story.
It was a story that needed to be told. All the locations are real, I've been to all of them. And this story was born from my love of Ireland and feeling of connection that I have to the land. Some of the people are real and genuine people who I've met during my travels, and some are the creation of a very vivid imagination.
During days of stress, having the opportunity to write this story was a gift. For those who read it, I hope you enjoy the story. Like I said above, it's a story I needed to tell.
There are more stories to be told and I hope to continue to tell them here.
Thank you for reading my story.
Travels in Eire - Epilogue
The party lasted well into the wee hours of the morning. There was so much to celebrate besides the marriage of Darren and Cailin. The reunion of Conner with his parents and the first opportunity to see their first grandchild was a bonus that no one expected, especially Maura and Philip. And Cailin's gran was in attendance and had the opportunity to meet Rorey, her distant relative.
Besides her boss, a few of the girls from her office made the trip across the pond for the wedding. Not surprisingly, they found a couple of Darren's friends to be quite accommodating and charming. Cailin would not be surprised to hear of one or two deciding to come back and visit again soon. Declan seemed to take a liking to one of the GOTT girls from Derry. She was wearing a huge smile all night long. In passing Cailin warned Declan that he better be a perfect gentleman with her, or Darren would be coming after him. Declan laughed commenting that he was always a slightly imperfect gentleman, but he did get the warning.
When Conner and Darren had a minute to talk, Conner explained that he, Jessica and little John were in attendance at the wedding. They had slipped in the side door while Darren was outside waiting for Cailin to arrive. They stayed at the back of the church so as not to be seen and sneaked out as soon as the ceremony was over, so they could get to the hotel and hide in their room until Declan told them all was ready. Conner laughed when Darren told him how upset he was after the ceremony.
“Brother, I just had to pull this one last one over on you,” Conner teased. And they hugged until they almost fell over. Maura and Philip took John up to the room to bed so that Jessica and Conner could enjoy the party.
Keith kept the music rocking the house much of the night. Damian sang a couple of popular tunes, and Ryan joined in with a few of his new songs that had just been written. At some point the music turned from dance and rock music to an Irish session with everyone sitting around listening to tunes they had grown up hearing all around.
And as always with the band, there were a few lasses for whom Keith, Damian and Ryan had caught their eyes and sat mesmerized watching the musicians.
Most of the attendees had reservations at the Connemara Coast Hotel for the night ,knowing it would be a long party and there would be much drinking and craic. It must have been around four in the morning when the crowd grew thin and the band packed up. The bar had officially closed hours earlier, but Declan made sure there was an extra supply of whiskey and beer under a table.
Cailin and the other young women headed off to their rooms while the men had their last few toasts of the night.
Tomorrow began a new life for Cailin as the wife of Darren Ryan.
Thinking back to her summer vacation, which in itself was a get away from New York City, Cailin smiled knowing that she was now exactly where she belonged. Only new adventures awaited both Cailin and Darren together as a couple and she knew that whatever life threw at them, they would weather any storm.
End.
Besides her boss, a few of the girls from her office made the trip across the pond for the wedding. Not surprisingly, they found a couple of Darren's friends to be quite accommodating and charming. Cailin would not be surprised to hear of one or two deciding to come back and visit again soon. Declan seemed to take a liking to one of the GOTT girls from Derry. She was wearing a huge smile all night long. In passing Cailin warned Declan that he better be a perfect gentleman with her, or Darren would be coming after him. Declan laughed commenting that he was always a slightly imperfect gentleman, but he did get the warning.
When Conner and Darren had a minute to talk, Conner explained that he, Jessica and little John were in attendance at the wedding. They had slipped in the side door while Darren was outside waiting for Cailin to arrive. They stayed at the back of the church so as not to be seen and sneaked out as soon as the ceremony was over, so they could get to the hotel and hide in their room until Declan told them all was ready. Conner laughed when Darren told him how upset he was after the ceremony.
“Brother, I just had to pull this one last one over on you,” Conner teased. And they hugged until they almost fell over. Maura and Philip took John up to the room to bed so that Jessica and Conner could enjoy the party.
Keith kept the music rocking the house much of the night. Damian sang a couple of popular tunes, and Ryan joined in with a few of his new songs that had just been written. At some point the music turned from dance and rock music to an Irish session with everyone sitting around listening to tunes they had grown up hearing all around.
And as always with the band, there were a few lasses for whom Keith, Damian and Ryan had caught their eyes and sat mesmerized watching the musicians.
Most of the attendees had reservations at the Connemara Coast Hotel for the night ,knowing it would be a long party and there would be much drinking and craic. It must have been around four in the morning when the crowd grew thin and the band packed up. The bar had officially closed hours earlier, but Declan made sure there was an extra supply of whiskey and beer under a table.
Cailin and the other young women headed off to their rooms while the men had their last few toasts of the night.
Tomorrow began a new life for Cailin as the wife of Darren Ryan.
Thinking back to her summer vacation, which in itself was a get away from New York City, Cailin smiled knowing that she was now exactly where she belonged. Only new adventures awaited both Cailin and Darren together as a couple and she knew that whatever life threw at them, they would weather any storm.
End.
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