Quick update

I've been really bad about updating my blog in the past few weeks - maybe the past month - so I'll write a short post.  It has definitely been a busy past few weeks and work has definitely been picking up. I thought it was going to be less work here than in the US but I was unfortunately very wrong.  I still need to write a post about our trip to Budapest, Hungary.  It was a lot of fun and great weather.  I also had a work management meeting in Limerick on a Friday and stayed overnight for the dinner and party.  The party went on until the wee hours of the morning which I have been told is a proper Irish party.  I got to know some of my Irish co-workers so that was a plus.  Darcy, one of my best friends, also visited me these past two weeks.  She wrote a guest blog post about her trip to Dublin.

The weather here has been getting colder and the days are now getting shorter.  I can't believe it is already mid October.  Time is passing by quickly.  We are staying in town this weekend, but next weekend we are going to Italy for the bank holiday.  It is the last bank holiday until next year.  We will fly into Milan and then take the train to Venice, stay there for a few days, and then take the train to Florence.  I can't wait!

We took Darcy on her weekend here to Powerscourt - the estate and waterfall.  We took the Dart train to Bray and then took a bus from Bray directly to Powerscourt.  The entrance fee is a little expensive but we were pretty impressed with the estate.  We took a taxi to the waterfall as it would have been a long walk and the roads are not meant for pedestrians.

Here are some pictures of Powerscourt:

In front of Powerscourt Estate & Darcy's finger

Darcy & I on a low hanging branch

Pepperpot Tower - modelled after the owner's pepper pot on his dining table - if only I had that much money

Killing Hollow??? That wasn't in the brochure!

In the Japanese Gardens

From across the pond

At the Powerscourt Waterfall

Connor & Michael

Connor at Bray Beach