Sunday Thoughts

Here we are again, another Sunday, which means another Sunday Thoughts post. These are probably more of a diary than a collection of thoughts these days, although there are always a few musings along the way. It’s the last Sunday of June, and what a week it’s been….. and that’s just the weather.

We’ve had scorching hot days. The house was actually cooler than outside, and I was very grateful for the air conditioning in the car.

Then Thursday night brought a thunderstorm unlike anything I’ve seen in all my years in Ireland. It was short but powerful – thunder that sounded like gunshots, constant flashes of lightning, and a real tropical-storm feeling to it. The electricity went out and we were without power for twelve hours. Quite the reminder that nature can still surprise us. It’s much nicer to have a power cut in the summer though! The 6 days of darkness during Storm Éowyn is still etched in my brain.

It was another busy week. I took Monday off work to recharge my batteries and treated myself to an aroma bath in Leitrim. You can read about that here. After years of putting myself down, I’m finally learning to be kinder to myself, and it makes quite a difference.

I also met up with the Sligo Tourism group. It’s such a lovely, informal gathering of people who either work in tourism or have an interest in it. We had a new member this week, who turned out to be a neighbour of mine. It really is a small world.

I also received some news this week that made me sad. It’s not my story to tell, so I’ll leave it there, but it will have a big impact on my life. It reminded me of something I wrote a few weeks ago about people coming into and leaving your life. Sometimes there’s nothing you can do except be grateful they were part of your journey for a while.

Friday was a real highlight. Thanks to AncestryDNA, I got to meet a cousin visiting from America. We’re not first cousins – her great-grandfather was my grandfather’s brother – but there was an instant connection.

I took her to some of my favourite places around Sligo, including the Holy Well, Gleniff, Mullaghmore, Glencar Waterfall (technically Leitrim), Streedagh and Yeats’ Grave. We also stopped at Pink Clover for coffee, where she declared the apple pie the best she’d ever tasted. High praise indeed! The scones are lovely too! She stayed at the Riverside Hotel and loved her room overlooking the river.

Meeting her was fascinating. We share so many little mannerisms that it was almost uncanny. DNA really does connect us in ways you don’t expect. It’s also reminded me that I still want to make that trip to Carraroe in Connemara to see where my grandad grew up. Time passes far too quickly, and there are still so many places I want to see.

This weekend has been much quieter. I’ve been out walking, visited the Sligo Farmers’ Market, called into the opening of a new holistic centre in Ballisodare, and enjoyed a very long nap yesterday afternoon. I think the week finally caught up with me.

Wishing you all a lovely week ahead, and thanks, as always, for reading.