Traveling (part one, hopefully. No promises because...obviously)

...Where were we?  Oh yes!  After 10 years of domestic isolation, Matt & I were happily forced to renew our passports.  Matt's oldest friend was getting married in Ireland and thanks to Matt's flight benefits & my dad, who agreed to mind both our two and four legged minions, we were able to make the trip.

Matt left early and was there for a full week, drinking his way across Eire in what might have been the longest bachelor party ever.  I played single parent for a few days without needing a plumber or ER room (success!) and didn't begrudge him the time - except when I had to reach him on his cell at $1/minute to sort through our new insurance options.  He had just finished a tour of the Jameson whiskey plant.  It was not a productive conversation.  Matt is, however, now an official Whiskey Taster with a Certificate to prove it, so if I can get my $5 back, we're all set to go buy the proverbial coffee and some aspirin.

My flight east was uneventful (aisle seat! no neighbors!) but Matt picked me up from the airport in his brand new rental car and immediately tried to pay for the trip by collecting my life insurance.

"Drive on the Left!

Leeeffftt!

LEEFFTT!"

Recovery

We hit a pub in Dublin that night to recover, met one of my dad's friends for breakfast the next morning, and then had exactly 32 seconds to sightsee before leaving for the west coast.  Lucky for us it was just long enough to catch a leprechaun.

Maybe?

The wedding was in an amazing 16th century castle, complete with its very own Irish Wolfhound.  There was a cocktail reception the first night, then everyone took off for more pub crawling.  We had great intentions to Party Across Europe but we'd skipped lunch so grabbed a bite in the oh-my-goodness-amazing hotel restaurant.  All motivation disappeared somewhere between the 4th and 5th course, and then they served something involving warm chocolate and Devonshire cream for dessert that was a breech of propriety to eat in public.  We didn't make it out that night.... but sadly because we were too full to move, not for any more interesting reasons.  Please don't revoke our passports!

The wedding itself was perfect - elegant, warm, sweet, funny, & full of love.  No white dresses though.  Theirs isn't my story to tell but they met just after Matt & I got married - which was a long, long, long time ago.  And while they didn't necessary need to travel across the pond to make it official (though I'm thrilled they did - Castles!  Wolfhounds!  Guinness!  On tap!), I find it pretty asinine they didn't have the option to do it at home.  The only thing undermining my marriage in the process was Matt's driving.  And maybe that chocolate dessert.

So there.  Lecture over.  Congratulations you two!

Oh, wait!  You knew that was too easy, right?  Naturally, there were shenanigans getting home.  We had to leave at 3o'clock the morning after the wedding, which somewhat limited the festivities, and I ended up dropping Matt off at one airport then driving cross-country on maybe 2 hours of sleep to get to a second airport.  Which all would have been fine, except I later learned my dear sweet spouse flew home in first class.  I?  I flew home in coach in the MIDDLE seat (of FIVE!) and then nearly got stranded in Philadelphia.  That part wasn't so good for the marriage either but the lifetime foot rubs will probably help. 

More recovery. 

Or, Gratuitous Booze shot

 Requisite Thatched Irish Roof Shot

 Requisite Armor in the Castle Shot

Completely non-Standard Massive Picture of a Dog in a Feather Boa, 

Hung mere feet away from the Requisite Castle Armor. 

Loved this place! 

Requisite Shot of the Rock Wall My Husband Nearly Drove us Into.