Blogging in sick

I have a note from Sarah that I'm too sick to blog today.

It's not like the notes I gave to my teachers at Groves High School from my mother but, honest to God Sarah wrote it.

We're in the town of Westport where great things have happened but I'll have to tell you about them tomorrow.

I just got up from a 13 hour sleep ... something I'd never previously achieved.

It wasn't great sleep because I had hacking, coughing and spitting the whole time.

Sarah tried to kill me twice.

That's it.

Finishing my coffee and going back to bed.

I'm supposed to play with the boys in the band again tonight and got to get ready.

Times of Trouble

"I've passed out and I rallied and I sprung a few leaks," but I'm back to normal today as we leave Westport to make our way to Dublin.

We on a bus with two dozen friends, old and new, and most everyone has been sick at one time or another over the ten days we've bounced around the entire southern coast.

We made two stops at Irish medical clinics where there is no waiting, the doctor is friendly, payment is 45 Euro for the visit and health care access here beats the Hell out of the crazy system we have in the states.

The Irish have a pride in their country that America lacks too. 

In the Pubs, bands sing the old songs and everyone joins in.

Outsiders are welcome and the first question is "Where ye from?"

"Georgia," I reply.

"I know but two things about it," the leader of the band smiles. "A man got very famous because of peanuts and there's a nice Golf tournament there."

"How do ye get famous from peanuts?" someone yells.

"He became their President," is the answer.

"Did he play Golf?"

"No."

"That's why he was a terrible President then."

Then they launch into a 15 minute song with lots of interaction with the extremely crowded Pub.

Ireland is more playful than Americans are in spite of its wretched history, British occupation and the constant chance of rain.

The people here are extremely proud that they have reached peace between Catholics and Protestants and, though deeply committed to their respective faiths. they acknowledge the value of the other.

St. Patrick was not a Catholic, I am told. Patrick brought Christianity to Ireland but there was no Church. He was not Protestant either. He was for all.

No one here is as rushed either.

People sleep late. Shops don't open until noon. Meals take more than an hour. There are no "To-Go" cups here. Everyone takes time with everyone else.

And Ireland sits in the middle of the Gulf Stream and its green countryside if covered with Tropical colors.

Everyone drinks Guinness.

I'm struck this morning that America could learn a lot from the Irish.

We've helped them in times of trouble.

Maybe someday we'll be open to them returning the favor. 

Today's Plan

It's great to be back in the outdoor office after international travel.

The only knock I have on the magic of Ireland is it's cold.

I understand why the Irish spend so much time in Pubs drinking Guinness and Jameson singing songs and dancing. They're trying to stay warm.

I hate cold with everything in me.

Clad in black running shorts, sitting on the beloved back deck watching Fran's thousand shades of green dance in the ocean breeze, I'm baptizing myself in the sunshine.

Diagnosed with cold weather infirmities I'm drugged up, drinking loads of "Sparkling Water" and listening to Beach music convinced that healing begins with the mind.

Believe it and it will come true.

If being a beach bum isn't enough being sick gives me the another excuse to not do anything I don't want.

There's not much I want to do today.

People in Ireland are whiter than most and I found myself acclimating so now I'm working on my tan to get real brown again.

Short aside ... Sarah and I found a sauna in Ireland and went in with the locals.

Bikini clad Sarah's the only woman sitting in steam, dripping in sweat, a guy stares at her finally asks, "Where ye from?"

Everybody in Ireland asks this and after we tell him he nods, points at our skin and says, "I can see."

It was a great moment.

This is a better one.

It's a day to heal from the inflictions of the past, to enjoy the gifts I have now and to dream for tomorrow.

That's the plan.

Enjoy whatever you're doing!