It seems the interval between my posts is getting longer.  I guess that's to be expected since everything I do in any given week is not a completely new experience but I'm starting to worry about losing the habit of posting. I'm going to try to be mindful of that in the coming months.

Since my last post on October 15, we had a few days of breather between having Alan's sister and her husband in and welcoming friends from Washington.  Judy and Mark arrived on the 18th and, as we have done with most guests so far, we gave them a one day primer on Dublin during an initial walk through the City Center and then encouraged them to explore on their own the following day using the Open Top/On-Off Bus.  That is a good value for any new city I think because  with the two-day pass you get to go around the whole city and see the main sights with narration. Then the following day you can re-board and see the things in which you are most interested. 

On their second day, they went to Kilmainham Gaol (the jail where the British kept Irish political prisoners from the 1700's to 1922), The Writer's Museum, the Joyce Museum and the National Museum.  I joined them for the tour of the National Museum because I wanted to see The Meeting on the Turret Stairs http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.postercartel.com/uploads/postercartel_product_option.imageDetail/1050-108.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.postercartel.com/en/1700-3682.aspx?o%3D1050-108&h=497&w=500&sz=35&tbnid=cZiakWxQshQ0TM:&tbnh=92&tbnw=93&zoom=1&usg=__d0uwFR1MvnuRMBkdwPLbfrJ5QzM=&docid=VvFD_lJT4daniM&sa=X&ei=EVGKUKqFBdKDhQeG34Ao&ved=0CEIQ9QEwCA&dur=819.  This was voted as the number one of Ireland's favorite paintings in a poll done last year.  This link does not do it justice.  The real thing is bluer than blue and gives one a real sense of longing and regret.  Judy and Mark also wanted to see the Jack B. Yeats (William Butler's brother) paintings and drawings for Punch because they headed for Sligo and "Yeats Country" on the following day.

I'm excited to hear about that adventure because they hired a private tour with a guide that is supposed to be a Yeats scholar.  The area around Sligo where the Yeats brothers were active is very dispersed and when we went there were disappointed that we couldn't find half the interesting things mentioned in the guide book.  If it works out well for them, we will take a trip to Sligo to do it too. After two days in Sligo they spend three in Galway and we are planning to meet them tonight in Cork for the Cork Jazz Festival.  This is our first festival in Ireland and the line-up looks good to Mark (the only one of us who seems to know much about Jazz).  I'm looking forward to the adventure, there's plenty to do in Cork.

They will return with us to Dublin on Monday for another few days and then the fly back to the States on the 31st.  Then another few days breather until we leave for Holland on Monday, November 5 for 3 days.

In between all the visiting and culture, I've been taking set dancing for a month now.  I go with my friend Mary once a week to a pub in Churchtown where we are trying our best to learn.  Set dancing is kinda like square dance except that the foot work is more complicated and fast.  I'm not progressing as quickly as I would like and Mary and I agreed last time that we would try to find other partners who are a little further along.  I think that's one problem, neither of us knows the steps and can't really guide the other.  I think this will be easier for Mary, because one of the dancers already has his eye on her, and seems very interested in taking my place.  She's further along than me because, as an Irishwoman she had lessons as a child and the rhythm and steps just come more naturally to her.  I'm a little slower in getting it, but hopefully someone will be willing to dance with me.  One issue is because there are so few men, I have learned the man's position so unless I want to change now, I have to find a woman partner.  If I change that means I have to re-learn all the steps on the opposite side.  I hope this isn't going to be a big problem, I really like doing the dances.

I'm also participating in Bridge with the American Women's Club on Friday mornings.  Another activity in which I'm quite a novice.  The people are nice but my play is very poor.  I'm going to start lessons in January when the beginners lessons start again.  I like to play.

Finally, I'm also going to a second dance class on Wednesday afternoons that's a little slower than set dancing, more exercise and modern dance, although one of the dances we are learning right now is a minuet.  That is a lot of fun.

Best of all, I've met three people that are becoming friends. Mary, who I've spoken of a lot in this blog, is the "best" .  I've know her longest and we have a lot in common.  Dierdre is at the Wednesday dance class and she's now coming to the set dancing as well.  We have coffee most of the afternoons after the Wednesday class (set dancing is in the evening and ends at 10 p.m. by which time I just want to go to bed). And Sarah, a woman I met while in Mallorca.  She and I met last Saturday and did a tour of the Irish President's house in Phoenix Park and lunch.  I like her a lot and plan to keep up that budding friendship as well.  All in all, things are really good right now.

I expect my next post to be next Friday, just before we leave for Holland.  I hope I can keep that commitment!