Tradition!!!

(Warning: This post contains topless photos - of me)

;)

Christmas in Ireland wouldn't be Christmas in Ireland without a freezing dip in the ocean!!

I have to admit several things: It is a bit crazy and foolish... Stripping down to my shorts in front of my whole community isn't one of my favorite things to do... My toes will probably always be blue... and I will probably get sick (again)... But a memorable run into the freezing North Atlantic in the dead of winter with some friends is worth it!

I decided (for sure) to do it this year on Christmas Eve, while at a Christmas party. I don't know if it was male ego or party adrenaline that made me commit, but at the end of the evening myself and two of my friends had all publicly committed to run into the ocean. Now pride and self-respect were on the line... I couldn't back down. We all met at noon down at the beach - along with most of my neighbors and a good portion of the village. I was shocked, however, to discover that the tide was IN. Usually each Christmas swim falls when the tide is out, and we have a nice sandy beach to run across before we get to the water. This year, however, we only had the rocky top part of the beach and giant waves crashing into us as we entered the water!

There really is no way to describe the sheer pain of hitting freezing water in nothing but your swimsuit. The temps on land were just above freezing, and the water was a nice 11C (52F)... but the water didn't feel warmer (at all)! Once I entered into the surf there really wasn't enough time to do much of anything before I was pounded repeatedly by shoulder height waves. As the first wave hit, I decided to take the plunge and go under. The only problem was that I was so cold that I couldn't catch my breath. It was sheer panic washing over me as I took about a million small breaths just trying to fill my lungs. It was then that I realized that the wave hitting me had stolen my sandals (which I had foolishly worn into the water). So - as my friends ran for the shore - I was forced to endure a few extra moments as I dove for my shoes.

After I came out of the water there was about two minutes of pain and coldness which was followed by the strangest warm feeling that just swept over my whole body. As my body temperature fell the temperature outside began to feel warmer and warmer. For a few moments it actually felt like a summer's day, and I was content to be outside in just my wet swimsuit. Soon after this, Dee evacuated me to our home where a roaring fire, hot shower, and warm cup of tea were waiting on me.

I know that this does not sound like a lot of fun....... but standing on the beach with my friends... and being able to laugh together about it for the rest of the year makes the whole thing worth it!


Dee was kind enough to take pictures of the craziness. She said that it was so cold and windy out that her eyes were watering, and she couldn't really see what she was taking pictures of. I think that they turned out great! Here are just a few:



Me and the lads getting ready to go in!
( Notice that we were smiling BEFORE we got in...)




That is me on the right - about to get drowned by the big wave!




Still me on the right... Dee captured the moment that I jumped in...!






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Merry Christmas....

All of the presents have been unwrapped... all of the minced pies eaten... and Santa is already back at the North Pole getting ready for Christmas 2010. Dee and I had a great Christmas this year.


I love Christmas time... - don't get me wrong: I hate the shopping, the traffic, and the craziness associated with the Christmas rush - I really love the way things slow down... I love the time for reflection... I love stopping to remember my childhood (and how blessed I am)... I love spending time with my friends, and with Dee... This year has been full of all of this...... and it has been a great one!



Me & Dee






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10!

It is hard to believe... but this week Dee and I are celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary! Wow... where did a decade go? We are usually very busy with work during our anniversary (and Dee's birthday), but this year we declared that it was going to be different! We marked out some time that we were going to get away and celebrate... stay tuned for some pics from The Netherlands!


Us on June 19, 1999





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The third day...

'When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back - it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and the were alarmed. And he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here.'"
Mark 16: 1-6






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In honor of it being Good Friday...

"It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last. Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, "Certainly this man was innocent!" And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things."
Luke 23:44-49






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more from Paddy's Day

In the parade....




Nothing says "St. Patrick's Day" like sponge Bob!




Pub decorations...




Crowds




The best seats





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Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope that you all had a great Thanksgiving! I am truly grateful for my family... and it was a real blessing to be able to spend the day with some of them! We had a quiet but fun day. This morning I went over to my sister's house and hung out while they cooked. I was especially intrigued to watch her husband (David) deep fry the turkey. I don't know if you have ever tried it before... wow! It is good! Around lunch time my family gathered at another sister's house for lunch... football... and some Wii competition! It is so good to be home for Thanksgiving!


The turkey fry




David - the master chef




The finished bird




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Only during the summer in Ireland... (pt. 2)

are temperatures in the 60's (F) called 'Caribbean type weather'.


No joke - They said this on the news last night! I have to admit that the weather is really nice this week.... but I'm not going to go jump in the freezing North Atlantic!

The craic was mighty down on the ol' diving pier the other day. I stood and watched these guys (some with less grace than others) fling themselves off the top floor and into the crisp water below. As I stood their watching these guys jump I was taken back to my own childhood. To those countless summers spent in the local swimming pool where we would make up our own dives off of the diving board. These guys showed me that there are some dives that are just universally known.

For example - "The Walking Man":




Or the old classic "Belly Flop":

While I am sick...

Here are a few more pics from the parade. I have to admit that although the parade is nice... it is not what I really enjoy. I love to see the massive crowds of people celebrating their irishness. I love seeing the smiling faces... the laughter... and the cheer. I did take pictures of the parade... but my favorite pictures are those of the people watching. Here are a few... hope you enjoy.

St. Paddy

We had a great St. Paddy's day yesterday! The weather was wonderful for the first time in 5 years! We met up with another couple that Dee knows from her painting class and we decided to spend the day together. The parade was shorter than usual this year, but the atmosphere was great! It is amazing what a little sunshine will do to lighten up the spirits! Here are a couple of shots from the parade.... As always... more to come soon!

Happy St. Paddy's Day!!!!

Dee and I getting ready to head out to the parade! Every year this is day is a miserably wet and cold day. It is currently sunny and no sign of rain!!!! We will be taking pictures and posting soon! In the meantime here is a short video about St. Patrick. I don't know if you have ever seen it... but it is well worth a watch!

More Pics from Barcelona...

In the Cathedral...

On the road again....

Can you believe it? We have to travel away for a week of meetings and training. The cool thing is that we have had to come to Barcelona, Spain. I know that probably sounds really excotic... but most of the time we don't get to see a lot of the places we travel to. Meetings are held in a hotel outside of the city, and we are busy most of the day with meetings. This time, however, we decided to take the weekend before the conference begins tomorrow. We wanted a few days to see the city and to have some retreat time from the wind and rain. To be honest with you, I think that we needed a little down time for the two of us to be away together... A chance to goof off and have a bit of adventure together...

Now that the weekend is coming to an end and the meetings are about to start I am going to post a few pictures. We are really impressed with Barcelona. It has such a young feel to it, but still holds a lot of the old charm of the old city. The streets twist and turn like a maze leading to hidden courtyards, churches, grand boulavards, and eventually the sea. The buildings reach up four to five stories to the sky - blocking out sunlight and wind. Dee and I have enjoyed working our way through the maze of old streets.... getting lost... discovering old bookshops, coin dealers, clothing stores, and markets.


This place is such a photographer's dream. I have taken SO many pictures. I'll be posting some over the next few days.

More Pics from Brittany...

We are back from our little trip to France.... But we took a ton of different pics... I plan on posting a few of them over the next couple of days. Enjoy!



Gargoyles:

Happy New Year!

Hope everyone had a great New Year! We celebrated French and American style this year. We spent a quiet evening talking, laughing, and eating with our friends here in France. The girls cooked a really nice meal... complete with black eyed peas! The French twist to the meal was that we had exotic meats with the dinner. Yea... that is a tradition here! We had antelope with kangaroo on the side! I know that does not sound really good... but it was! At midnight we went outside and watched B open a bottle of nonalcoholic carbonated fruit drink and laughed in the New Year! Needless to say... we had a great time and made some really fun memories!




(no... that is not snow! It is sticky juice going all over all of us!)

Slowing Down...

There is a strange time after Christmas... a time where everything seems to slow down or shut down. Clubs and classes are stopped... shops are not open... and people go away to visit family. This time of year is usually a hard time for us... a time where we are missing family and going a bit crazy with cabin fever. This year we have gone to see some old friends who live on the continent. I'll be posting more over the next few days... so stay tuned...


A picture from our first day here... This area is known for the lighthouses...

Nollaig Shona!

Dee and I wanted to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. We are having a great Christmas season. We are so thankful for our local friends and this time that we get to spend with them! Our Christmas Eve started with a coffee with friends and then a quick shoving match... I mean shopping trip for some last minute food needs. We are planning on spending the day baking, listening to Christmas music, and visiting with friends. I truly am grateful for this time... and for our community.

Children here are getting ready for Santa.... and the big guy has even made some appearances around town over the last few weeks. Living here has taught me a lot about the big man from the North Pole. He goes by many different names. Here he is referred to as 'Father Christmas' or 'Santi'. He looks a lot like he did when I last saw him in America, but he seems much older and thinner here. He even walks with a walking stick. The coolest thing is that he can even speak Irish Gaelic ( a feat that he does with amazing fluency). Children don't give him long lists of presents, but usually ask for a modest gift and a surprise. The most interesting thing is that Santi has not always been the patron saint of children. At one time St. Nicholas was the patron saint of sailors. This fact is still evident in most of the old port cities of Ireland. It is very common for the ancient churches of these seafaring towns to be dedicated to St. Nick. I was reminded of this fact only last week while Christmas shopping. I was walking around a Christmas market set up in the shadow of an ancient church named, "St. Nicholas". There above one of the doors is a twelfth century mermaid... a reminder of Santi's nautical history...

Today's Random Pic...

Christmas lights in our kitchen...

Shopping Joy!

I am the first to admit that I am not a good shopper. I just don't have the patience to walk around and look... and I usually don't have the patience for lines and people. Shopping in Ireland, however, is always a different experience. Dee and I braved the city center on Saturday... and I'm glad that we did. I did all my shopping the first two hours that we were there, and then walked around taking pictures for the next two hours. I thought that you might like to see Ireland at Christmas time... hope you enjoy!


This first pic is of the main shopping area in the city. I love that in the midst of the crowd you have a street performer playing the harp. It doesn't get more Irish than that!






These lads had a crowd of people watching. One guy played the guitar... one played the tin whistle... and one juggled fire...