Yesterday morning Murph and Matt (not Matty) gave me a free Starbucks breakfast because they work there. Absolute angels! On top of that they catered to the entire O’Mathuna family. This morning they served us a traditional “Ulster Breakfast” but mine was altered to accommodate my vegetarian preference. Bursting with carbohydrates the breakfast consisted of pancakes, potato pancakes, soda bread, potatoes, toast, sausage and eggs. Good meal but I felt I had been brought to a taxidermist afterwards. After that we packed are bags and said goodbye. Thankfully it is not the last goodbye because they are coming in July to Columbus.
Forgot to mention that me and the O’ Mathuna’s stopped by Lindsay’s husbands, Patrick, moms (Marvin Ann) house on our way back from Giant’s Causeway. The house had wooden floors and a pond with coy fish. Flowers were landscaped around the front and the back of the house. The street she lived on was pure country, nothing but farms. Mainly sheep farms were in the area. Marvin Ann put together a lovely selections cheeses, breads, fruits and pastries to snack on. Marvin Ann’s mom was there as well and I talked to her about Russian history, travelling and school. She is a very intelligent lass.
The next destination on this extended weekend trip was to Ballybay, the home of Laura O ‘Mathuna, Donal’s mom. Laura agreed to keep me for the week. Nothing against her character but I was expecting that to do everything on my own in Ballybay. But was I mistaken! We arrived at her house that can be stereotyped as a “cookie cutter house”. The houses all looked the same but the inside is where the story is told. The interior is wrapped in her and her family’s history. As you walk in there is a picture of her late husband and herself with the late Irish President Patrick Hillary. Laura’s husband was champion fiddle player and a key person on the board of Red Cross. Eammon, her husband, had won an award was able to meet the president. Pictures, paintings, antiques, Baleek and Waterford pieces decorated the rooms. Her backyard was landscaped and fenced. Beyond the fence was a stable of horses and natural spring protected by the state. Fifty yards in front of the house was a huge lake created by servants. That way the servant’s could be self-sufficient by living off the lake creatures.
Nothing is really planned for today except to unpack, take a shower and relax. After three days of constant moving it is nice slow the adrenaline down in a peaceful country town.
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