Are my Irish eyes smiling?
The other night I had an interesting conversation with my mother. She is talking about renting a house on a farm in Ireland this summer. The idea is that the extended family could fly to Ireland and spend a week or so wandering around while using the rented house as home base.
On the one hand, I'm thrilled. I've been to Europe but only to Italy and Greece. I've always wanted to see Ireland. Now I'd get to see it for the first time with my wife and my son. It would be great to be able to introduce my son to where my family came from even as I get to see it for the first time.
The time is also right for my parents. My father has never seen Ireland and my mother was there over 45 years ago. My mother turns 70 years old this year. Between various age related complaints and my parents failing but still present health, this may be their last chance to go.
I don't know if the time is right for my family. We were planning on taking a week long road trip this summer to see friends on the East Coast and attend the wedding of one of my wife's friends from college. We wouldn't have time to do both trips. Because of reassessments our mortgage payment went up $200 this month. Between that and other expenses, we aren't managing to save any money.
I guess one of the other things that bugs me about the trip is that it seems like a faulty premise. I've never been to Ireland, let alone the British Isles. I don't know when if ever that I'll get back. I'm unlikely to want to keep retreating to the same place over and over again. More likely is that we'll drop by to see my parents when we arrive and then kiss them good bye a week later when we are leaving having spent the entire time touring the country. When I go to Ireland, I want to spend all of my time there soaking it in, seeing all it has to offer, and touring the entire country. I could do the same thing with day trips, but then I'd spend most of my time there driving over the same area.
I appreciate what my parents want to do, but I don't think that the plan that they've come up with is particularly workable. I'll talk to my parents a little more about it this weekend. If anyone has any information on how big Ireland is in terms of driving distances, that would be a great help.
On the one hand, I'm thrilled. I've been to Europe but only to Italy and Greece. I've always wanted to see Ireland. Now I'd get to see it for the first time with my wife and my son. It would be great to be able to introduce my son to where my family came from even as I get to see it for the first time.
The time is also right for my parents. My father has never seen Ireland and my mother was there over 45 years ago. My mother turns 70 years old this year. Between various age related complaints and my parents failing but still present health, this may be their last chance to go.
I don't know if the time is right for my family. We were planning on taking a week long road trip this summer to see friends on the East Coast and attend the wedding of one of my wife's friends from college. We wouldn't have time to do both trips. Because of reassessments our mortgage payment went up $200 this month. Between that and other expenses, we aren't managing to save any money.
I guess one of the other things that bugs me about the trip is that it seems like a faulty premise. I've never been to Ireland, let alone the British Isles. I don't know when if ever that I'll get back. I'm unlikely to want to keep retreating to the same place over and over again. More likely is that we'll drop by to see my parents when we arrive and then kiss them good bye a week later when we are leaving having spent the entire time touring the country. When I go to Ireland, I want to spend all of my time there soaking it in, seeing all it has to offer, and touring the entire country. I could do the same thing with day trips, but then I'd spend most of my time there driving over the same area.
I appreciate what my parents want to do, but I don't think that the plan that they've come up with is particularly workable. I'll talk to my parents a little more about it this weekend. If anyone has any information on how big Ireland is in terms of driving distances, that would be a great help.
posted by mypetrock at 9:35 AM
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