You asked….I answer

Thanks to everyone who sent in a question for me, and if you didn’t this time, just leave a comment or send me an email, and I will do another question/answer spot soon.

First a new digital scrapbooking layout to share, with my favourite subjects (my kids)

So on to the questions

Barb asked

Here’s a question for you…what’s your favorite place to visit in Ireland?

There are some gorgeous places to visit in Ireland (do you think I am at ALL biased?), and included in my top ten would be

Dublin City

Kinsale, Co Cork

Mourne Mountains, Co Down

Donegal

Achill Island, Co Mayo

Bantry Bay

However, top of the list would have to be the Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland….which by a happy co-incidence is where we have our holiday cottage.

Here are a few of the reasons why:

Shelle

my question is DO YOU REALLY GET 5 WHOLE WEEKS of VACATION? Does your husband work from home? I’m sure you get to with the way your work…well works!

Well, I am a SAHM/WAHM so some might say my life is a holiday (LOL) and the rest would say I get NO holidays – I just relocate for 5 weeks. The kids get 9 weeks of school in the summer, and we try to spend as much of it at the cottage as we can. My husband gets quite generous holidays, and I get the impression that here in UK/Ireland/Europe we get longer holidays than perhaps US/Canada (would I be right?). This summer he will be taking 4 weeks in total. He is able to commute from the cottage to work a few times a week, then will join us for 3 full weeks of our 5 week “chunk”. Later in the summer, we will all be up again for another week.

Lani askes

What is your favourite food?

I am going to answer this is 2 ways – one for home-cooked food, and one for eating out.

Breakfast Home Kellogs Special K Red Berries and skimmed milk

Away An Ulster Fry (the works: potato bread, soda bread, bacon, sausage, egg…) but this is only about once a year.

Lunch Home Home-made soup or a warm chicken/potato salad with low fat cesear dressing.

Away – Club Sandwich – Chicken/bacon/salad toasted sandwich with chips (fries)

Dinner – Roasted salmon, baby potatoes and baby corn.

Away – Well done steak with tobacco onions

Scrapshana asks

My mother is from southern Ireland, a small village called Clonaslee in County Leix. So, my question for you is, have you ever been near there?

I had to look this up on Google Earth, so I guess that answers your question! But I now know where it is, so if I am ever passing I will let you know 🙂 Apparently it would take me 3 hours and 21 minutes to drive there – in US terms that is probably really close, but here that is far!!

Carrie

What is your favorite regional food and why? Also, do you like Guiness? That may seem a dumb question, but just wondering! 🙂

Favourite regional food would have to be potato bread and soda bread, and Irish Stew – however I make mine with beef not lamb, so I am sure some would disapprove.

Guiness – ugh – can’t stand the stuff. Give me a Diet Coke anyday.

Cj, the purple diva asked

How will you do on your holiday besides sitting on your new sofa in your sunroom?

The great thing about going on holidays to the same place (which is something I never thought I would do…but that is another post for another day) is that it is so much more relaxing. There is no pressure to pack it all in, as the beaches, parks, shops aren’t going anywhere, so we don’t have to do it ALL this time. We have a choice of half a dozen beaches within an easy drive, from rocky coves, to wide open strands, sheltered beaches, and those with rock pools. There are some lovely walks, great coffee shops, and 10 miles away there is cinema, good shops and indoor soft play places. I also tend to do more baking and craft with the kids.

Of course I have my laptop too, so I manage to do some digital scrapping and blogging, thanks to my generous neighbour allowing me to share her broadband connection.

Because we are less than 90 minutes drive from home, we also tend to be a lot more sociable while on holidays, and often have friends to visit for the day, or meet up with other friends who live up here, or also have a cottage/caravan/appartment. So I am sure are new sofa will be well used by our visitors too!

Phew….did you make it to the end?

Hope so.

As always I am taking lots of photos, and will share more in my next post.

Until then, the sun is shinning so I am off out.

Take care.