Viva Christo Rey!

On the Feast of Christ the King, celebrated on the last Sunday of October (the Sunday before the Feast of All Saints) and initiated in 1925 by Pius XI in his Encyclical Quas Primas, there follows after the Mass a Consecration of the Human Race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. We kneel before the Sacrament and recite the following consecration. Afterwards, there is a litany and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. In praying the Consecration, going to Confession, and receiving the Holy Eucharist on this day (when devoutly done), the faithful receive a plenary indulgence.

Most sweet Jesus, Redeemer of the human race, look down upon us humbly prostrate before Thine altar. We are Thine, and Thine we wish to be; but, to be more surely united with Thee, behold each one of us freely consecrates himself today to Thy most Sacred Heart.

Many indeed have never known Thee; many too, despising Thy precepts, have rejected Thee. Have mercy on them all, most merciful Jesus, and draw them to Thy sacred Heart. Be Thou King, O Lord, not only of the faithful who have never forsaken Thee, but also of the prodigal children who have abandoned Thee; grant that they may quickly return to Thy Father's house lest they die of wretchedness and hunger.

Be Thou King of those who are deceived by erroneous opinions, or whom discord keeps aloof, and call them back to the harbor of truth and unity of faith, so that there may be but one flock and one Shepherd.

Be Thou King of all those who are still involved in the darkness of idolatry or of Islamism, and refuse not to draw them into the light and kingdom of God. Turn Thine eyes of mercy towards the children of the race, once Thy chosen people: of old they called down upon themselves the Blood of the Savior; may it now descend upon them a laver of redemption and of life.

Grant, O Lord, to Thy Church assurance of freedom and immunity from harm; give peace and order to all nations, and make the earth resound from pole to pole with one cry: "Praise be to the divine Heart that wrought our salvation; to it be glory and honor for ever." Amen. 

October

Near Ironton, CO, 2011

O hushed October morning mild,

Thy leaves have ripened to the fall; 

Tomorrow's wind, if it be wild,

Should waste them all.

archives

The crows above the forest call;

Tomorrow they may form and go.

O hushed October morning mild,

Begin the hours of this day slow,

Make the day seem to us less brief.

Hearts not averse to being beguiled,

Beguile us in the way you know.

Release one leaf at break of day;

At noon release another leaf;

One from our trees, one far away.

Somewhere in Colorado, 2012

Retard the sun with gentle mist;

Enchant the land with amethyst.

Slow, slow!

For the grapes' sake, if they were all,

Whose leaves already are burnt with frost,

Whose clustered fruit must else be lost --

For the grapes' sake along the wall.

~ Robert Frost

Celebrating the Feast of St. Raphael, October 24th

Most of our knowledge of the Archangel Raphael comes to us from the Book of Tobias. Because of his mission as a wonderful healer and the fellow traveler, guide and counselor of young Tobias, St. Raphael is invoked for journeys and at any critical moment in life. Tradition also holds that Raphael is the angel that stirred the waters at the healing sheep pool in Bethesda. His name means "God has healed".

St. Raphael is one of the seven Archangels who stand before the throne of God. He is known as the healer. He is powerful and is called on for help in the healing of maladies in both humans and animals. Because of his mission as the fellow traveler, guide and counselor of young Tobias, as described in the book of Tobias, St. Raphael is also known as patron of travelers, for both geographical and spiritual journeys.

Saint Raphael, the healer is recorded as having helped Tobias make balms and ointments from fish to cure Tobit's (Tobias's father) blindness.  The Archangel Raphael healed Abraham of the pain of circumcision, an operation the patriarch had avoided until late in his life. He also cured the disjointed thigh Jacob suffered while wrestling with the angel.  Raphael's name, in fact, means 'God's Healing.'  He is called upon by doctors, therapists. surgeon, all healers and is turned to for healing of mental illness, as well.  It is also thought that he may have given Noah a medical book which gave Noah the knowledge necessary on the Ark, and is therefore also called upon for illness in animals.

Saint Raphael is also called the Angel of Science and Knowledge. He is often referred to as 'Regent' or 'Angel of the Sun'. Because of his bright countenance, his sanguine and companionable treatment of Tobias, St. Raphael is considered the most sociable of the archangels; it is imagined that he has the best sense of humor and the happiest disposition. It is said that Raphael delights in bringing health and happiness everywhere he goes.

Prayers for St. Raphael's Intercession

Saint Raphael Prayer
Blessed Saint Raphael, Archangel, We beseech thee to help us in all our needs and trials of this life, as thou, through the power of God, didst restore sight and give guidance to young Tobit.We humbly seek thine aid and intercession, that our souls may be healed,our bodies protected from all ills, and that through divine grace we may be made fit to dwell in the eternal Glory of God in heaven. Amen.

St. Raphael Prayer for Healing
Glorious Archangel St. Raphael, great prince of the heavenly court, you are illustrious for your gifts of wisdom and grace. You are a guide of those who journey by land or sea or air, consoler of the afflicted, and refuge of sinners.
I beg you, assist me in all my needs and in all the sufferings of this life, as once you helped the young Tobias on his travels. Because you are the "medicine of God" I humbly pray you to heal the many infirmities of my soul and the ills that afflict my body. I especially ask of you the favor (here   mention your special intention), and the great grace of purity to prepare me to be the temple of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Prayer to Saint Raphael Before a Trip
Dear St. Raphael, your lovely name means "God heals." The Lord sent you to young Tobias to guide him throughout a long journey. Upon his return you taught him how to cure his father's blindness. How natural, therefore, for Christians to pray for your powerful help for safe travel and a happy return. This is what we ask for ourselves as well as for all who are far from home. Amen.

Prayer for Protection From All Evil
Most Holy Mother, Queen of the Angels and Archangels, send me your Champion, the Archangel Saint Raphael, let him heal me of all my spiritual and physical ailments in JESUS' HOLY NAME. May he protect me from satan and all the evil spirits. Saint Raphael be my guide and protector on my journey through life. O' glorious Saint Raphael the Archangel, herald of blessings, pray for us! Amen.


Prayer to St. Raphael: For the Choice of a Good Spouse
St. Raphael, you were sent by God to guide young Tobiah in choosing a good and virtuous spouse. Please help me in this important choice which will affect my whole future. You not only directed Tobiah in finding a wife, but you also gave him guidelines which should be foremost in every Christian marriage: "Pray together before making important decisions." If through prayer we keep God as the "third Partner" in our marriage, we will have the strength and grace we need to always accept and do His will. Amen.
Pray 1 Our Father, 1 Hail Mary, 1 Glory be...

The Whole List of St. Raphael's Causes 

He is patron of:  The blind; bodily ills; counselors; druggists; eye problems; guardian angels; happy meetings; healers; health inspectors; health technicians; love; lovers; mental illness; nurses; pharmacists; physicians; shepherds; against sickness; therapists; travellers; young people; young people leaving home for the first time; Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa; Archdiocese of Seattle, Washington.

His Symbols Are: 
A staff; a wallet and fish; staff and gourd; traditional rendering of a winged archangel; young man carrying a staff; young man carrying a fish; archangel walking with youthful Tobias; holding a bottle or flask; symbolic colors, gray or yellow.p 
Prayer: Patron of 

Ways to Celebrate the Day:

* Bake a traditional cake just for the feast of St. Raphael:

Gateau St. Raphael
Ingredients
6 egg yolks  1/2 cup sugar  1/2 cup flour  2 cups hot milk 2 TB butter  2TB yellow Chartreuse 4 eggs, separated	3/4 cup sugar  1/2 tsp salt  1 tsp vanilla  3/4 cup flour  1/4 cup angelica, chopped fine  powdered sugar
Instructions
Beat egg yolks in a 3-quart saucepan for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating for 3 minutes or until mixture is lemon colored and forms a ribbon when beaters or whisk is lifted out. Beat in 1/2 cup flour a little at a time. Then beat in milk a little at a time. Bring mixture to a low boil and continue to boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and beat in butter. Stir in Chartreuse. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming. Chill in refrigerator at least 6 hours. Preheat oven to 400º F. Butter sides and bottom of a 15"x10" jellyroll pan. Line pan with wax paper and butter top of paper . Beat 4 egg yolks for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in 3/4 cup sugar and continue beating until mixture is lemon colored and forms a ribbon when the beaters or whisk is lifted out. Beat egg whites until and salt in a separate bowl until stiff. Beat in vanilla. Pour yolk mixture over egg whites and fold in gently. Sprinkle mixture with flour and angelica and fold in gently. Pour batter into jellyroll pan and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake cake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Sprinkle powdered  sugar over a muslin or "flour sack" towel and turn out cake on powdered towel Cool for 4 hours. Remove waxed paper from cake.. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and chill 4 hours before serving * There is a wonderful Feasting "Fair" with the Angels in the archives at Catholic Cuisine with many ideas for celebrating the angels' feast days, culinary and otherwise!  Many, many links!   Check it out here. * Discuss with the children the important patronages of St. Raphael.  Some ideas: after reading the story of Tobit and Tobias in the Bible, it's easy to draw out good conversations about:   + obedience and the reward for good works (Tobias in relation to his Father, Tobit, and his father's healing)    + hospitality and kindness (as the Archangel Raphael's protection to Tobias on the long journey exemplifies)    + caution on journeys and our reliance on good guides here on earth and in the heavenly realm (remind them to pray to St. Raphael as well as St. Christopher before all journeys)    + the importance of choosing a good spouse, and relying on the counsel of others in this very important decision (as Tobias accepts the guidance of St. Raphael)    + the reality that the angels are truly at our side (all of them with our prayers for their intercession, and our Guardian Angels for every moment of our lives -- and in purgatory, too!) * Here is a coloring page for the day, unfortunately not specific to St. Raphael, but it will do in a pinch.  Around the sides of this image, I plan to have the children draw the symbols of St. Raphael themselves:  fish, a staff, a gourd, maybe even young Tobias -- possibly even with young Tobias' bride. (Nothing better that a little girl likes to draw than brides in brides' dresses!) * And two more -- though, fair warning --  they will probably not enlarge well.  They might work best if they were made into a bookmarks, or used to embelish a page in which the children copy out one of the prayers to St. Raphael, above. Our Personal Prayer to St. Raphael Dear St. Raphael, please guide all travelers safely home -- but especially our family's two travelers right now, Dominic and Michelle, who are leaving Ireland tomorrow -- Dominic for home, Michelle to spend another month or so in Austria before coming back to America.  Keep them both safe in mind, body, and spirit!   Also, a prayer in advance for our son Paul, who will be leaving for a six week mission in a very dangerous land within the next month; please guide him, prepare him, protect him, and don't leave his side for a minute until he is safely home! And please keep Kevin, and Dan, and Grandpa safe while they travel to join together to spend some "boy time" together with Paul before he leaves.  And, I expect we'll have more travel petitions to add soon... But, regardless of where our feet take us on this earth, please keep all of our souls aimed and moving toward our loving Father in heaven.   Amen. Happy, Happy Feast of the Holy Archangel, St. Raphael -- Who Always Beholds the Face of God in Heaven!

What To See and Do in Wicklow, Ireland, Kids

In the hopes that Dominic and Michelle can get on the computer at their hotel to get this information  (all in one place and somewhat edited for their convenience):

Sunrise over the Black Castle ruins near Wicklow, Ireland.  A little stretch of the legs from Dominic and Michelle's hotel.

Wicklow Town Specs

Wicklow (Cill Mhantáin in Irish) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. Located south of the capital Dublin on the east coast of Ireland, it has a population of 6,835 (as of the 2006 census report). Including rural population, the figure becomes 12,675. The town lies along the N11 route between Dublin and Wexford. Wicklow is also connected to the rail network with Dublin commuter services now extending to the town. Additional services connect with Arklow, Wexford and Rosslare, a main Ferry Port. There is also a commercial port, mainly importing timber.

Where to Hike and What the Land Looks Like

Wicklow town occupies a rough circle around Wicklow harbour. To the immediate North lies 'The Murrough', a popular grassy walking area beside the sea, and the eastern coastal strip. The land rises into rolling hills to the West. The dominant feature to the south is the rocky headland known as 'Wicklow Head', the easternmost mainland point in the Republic of Ireland (technically the easternmost point in the Republic is on Lambay Island off Co. Dublin).

To the south is a string of sandy beaches extending almost as far as Arklow. These beaches are clean and well managed and are popular with bathers and anglers alike, with numerous caravan parks adjacent to them. The best known is Brittas Bay, a 2km stretch of soft, powdery sand. Sand dunes and tall beach grass provide some protection against erosion, which is a considerable threat to this stretch of coast. Brittas has an EU Blue Flag recognising its clean water.

Interesting History to Ponder While You Hike

St. Patrick's Church, Wicklow
Here's the Parish Bulletin!
Photo snapped by Dominic on his
phone after arriving in Wicklow tonight.
It's right behind their hotel!

Local history contends that the town of Wicklow was founded by the Vikings, probably around 870 AD. The name 'Wicklow' comes from 'Vikinglow', meaning 'meadow of the vikings', or more likely 'Wykynlo', meaning 'Viking Loch'. However, given the town's natural harbour and rich agricultural surrounds, it is not surprising that the area was an established settlement prior to the 9th century.

The Irish name Cill Mhantáin has an interesting history of its own. St. Patrick is said to have attempted to land on Travailahawk beach, to the south of the harbour. Hostile locals attacked the landing party causing one of the Saint's party to lose his front teeth. Manntach (toothless one), as he became known was undeterred and returned to the town, eventually founding a church. Hence 'Cill Mhantáin', meaning 'Church of the toothless one'. There is however no evidence, material or written, that such a local holy man ever existed and the name Cill Mantain could in theory be assigned as a toponym, suggesting a chapel overlooking the rather gap-toothed topographical shape of the local harbour.

The English-language 'Wicklow' placename bears no relation to the original Irish Cill Mhantáin ('Church of Mantáin'). The Normans who came to dominate the area, preferred the non-Gaelic placename. The Norman influence can still be seen today in some of the town's place and family names.

Some Things to Find and See

After the Norman invasion Wicklow was granted to Maurice FitzGerald who set about building the 'Black Castle', a land-facing fortification that lies ruined on the coast immediately south of the harbour.

The ruins of the Black Tower on the east side of Wicklow.
Follow S. Quay St. all the way out to the most seaward point.
A hike south down the coastline will get you to the two Wicklow lighthouses.
Free to go take a look -- but wear comfy shoes and bring your poncho.

The surrounding County of Wicklow is rich in bronze age monuments. The oldest existing settlement in the town is the Franciscan Abbey, located at the west end of Main Street, within the gardens of the local Roman Catholic parish grounds.

The ruins of the Franciscan Abbey (13th century)
From the Gaol, go south on High St. and Inland on St. Patrick's Rd to
St. Patrick's church.  the Abbey ruins, as far as I can figure out, are
on the church grounds, as well as extensive gardens -- including a
Marian garden founded in the year of Mary, 1954. Free to go take a look!

Other notable buildings include the Town Hall and the Gaol, built in 1702 and recently renovated as a heritage centre and tourist attraction. The East Breakwater, arguably the most important building in the town, was built in the early 1880s by Wicklow Harbour Commissioners. The architect was William George Strype and the builder was John Jackson of Westminster. The North Groyne was completed by about 1909 - John Pansing was the designer and Louis Nott of Bristol the builder. The Gaol was a place of execution up to the end of the 19th century and it was here that Billy Byrne, a leader of the 1798 rebellion, met his end in 1799. He is commemorated by a statue in the town square. At Fitzwilliam Square in the centre of Wicklow town is an obelisk commemorating the career of Captain Robert Halpin, commander of the telegraph cable ship Great Eastern who was born in Wicklow in 1836, and arguably the most important mariner in global 19th century maritime history.

The Wicklow Gaol is hard to miss as it's smack in the middle
of Wicklow on the main road.  It's become quite an attraction
and is highly commercialized.  This time of year it's all about
the Halloween Themed attractions.  Admission 7.30 Eur.

* Thanks to Emerald Isle Gifts for this summary!

It was here in Wicklow county, where the Avonmore and the Beg Rivers meet to form the Avoca, that Thomas Moore penned his famous Irish Melody, “The Meeting of the Waters”.

The Meeting Of The Waters,

There is not in the wide world a valley so sweet
As that vale in whose bosom the bright waters meet;
Oh! the last rays of feeling and life must depart,
Ere the bloom of that valley shall fade from my heart.

Yet it was not that nature had shed o`er the scene
Her purest of crystal and brightest of green;
`Twas not her soft magic of streamlet or hill,
Oh! no - it was something more exquisite still.

`Twas that friends, the beloved of my bosom, were near,
Who made every dear scene of enchantment more dear,
And who felt how the best charms of nature improve,
When we see them reflected from looks that we love.

Sweet vale of Avoca! how calm could I rest
in thy bosom of shade, with the friends I love best,
Where the storms that we feel in this cold world should cease,

If you happened to get here, it'd be 7.50
Euro per person admission.

And our hearts, like thy waters, be mingled in peace.

Within an easy drive but too far  to walk from Wicklow, you could find  Powerscourt Waterfall, Ireland's highest falls at 398 ft. Surrounded by beautiful forests and specimen trees, the falls eventually flow into the Dargle River. Many hiking trails and picnic areas.

Also, of note, is that it's only 100 miles (or about 3 hours) drive from Wicklow to Glendalough, where St. Kevin's Monastary and round tower is located -- a place the Ireland Kids wanted to to visit.  But there's no public transportation from Wicklow to Glendalough.  Nowhere.  Nohow.  So, in order to see St. Kevin's (in honor of their brother, Kevin, and his patron saint, and because it's just a cool thing to do), Michelle and Dominic are going to take the bus back to Dublin Tuesday morning, so they can take the tour bus that'll bring them to past Wicklow and on to Glendalough and St. Kevin's.  "Going around their fingers to get to their thumbs," but what are ya gonna do? 

St. Kevin's monastary grounds in Glendalough.  Several bus tours make
this destination from Dublin.  A couple make it from Wexford. None from Wicklow,

Other than that sort of inconvenience, and that fact that the young people say they've walked miles and miles and miles, and most of them in circles -- all is going well with them on the Emerald Isle.  Money is getting scarcer and scarcer, especially since the kids are looking at price tags and adding up the Euros as if they were dollars -- so their account was alarmingly lower than they thought it was this afternoon -- but they have enough to get by.  And these little things haven't remotely dampened their spirits!  They've been mistaken for locals twice -- and I'm wondering if they're speaking with a brogue and getting away with it.  If anyone could do it, those two could...  

More updates as I get them.  And plenty of pictures as soon as they get back with their memory card. (I can't *wait* to see the pictures and hear all the stories!)

**Very cool blog that hilights the off-the-beaten-track ruins of Ireland and how to get to them -- if you have a car -- can be found here.

***  All pics "borrowed" from tourism sites.  Didn't think they'd mind, as we're all working toward just about the same goal...

Dominic and Michelle Bending Elbows in Dublin, Etc.

Text from Dominic, this morning around 8:30 a.m. our time, 3:30 p.m. Dublin time.

Ireland Flag Phone Case
(May be on someone's
wish list this Christmas...)

Hey sorry... Our data must not be working because we can't send pictures :but we have been doing awesomely!!  Went to St. Kevin's Church, or what's left of it, St. Patrick's Cathedral, that one viking era museum, and went to see the book of Kells and Trinity College.  AWESOME!!!  Except the cathedral ...  kinda sad.  They literally had a store IN the church and it was just all commercialized!  :/  We got a reservation to a pub crawl tonight, though!  Temple Bar!!  WOOP WOOP!!  Oh, and we have been shopping today and I bought myself a hat and some stuff for the kids... We were wondering if you could see how much money we have left?  Oh, and could you look for a place to stay in Wexford?  Oh, and the locals say that western Ireland is way prettier than eastern so we were wondering if we could end up over there eventually somehow...?

Then a couple of minutes later:

Hey, it's Michelle.  Dominic is asleep, but I'm just watching a show about eating rabbit and didn't think he'd mind if I sent you a picture! :)  This is us at Mardigan's drinking Guinness!!  Boo Yaaa!! ;)

(I guess Michelle figured out how to send pictures? And, boy, she's random... Silly Shell.)

(Photo by Dominic)

 I texted back, asking if Dominic was feeling OK, and did they want me to make a reservation for them further west, and were they sure Wexford was where they wanted to head?  I also asked how Michelle thought Ireland compared to Austria.

 Dominic answered:

I feel great!  and -- ya, Wexford sounds good.  Aaaand... do you know how much we put down for the hostel tomorrow?? Cuz we were thinking that we might stay out of Dublin tomorrow?  The locals say that "Dooblin is a tu dey city."  heehee.  And Michelle says, "Uuuuuh (HUGE smile) Alooooot better.  No language barrier is nice."

Haha!  I imagine it is! 

But, now I had my work cut out for me, doing more research and planning.  It took me the whole afternoon to figure out whether it was possible for our Irish Twins to tour western Ireland, given their limited time and money.  And, yep.  You guessed it: they really need to stay closer to Dublin to preserve both.  A little disappointing....  But, after doing some research and getting some input from my friend, Mary, who's done the Ireland tour, I came to the conclusion that they could stay as close as two hours away from Dublin near Wicklow, and still get the rural beauty -- the feel of Western Ireland -- with lots to do and see.  And spend less money.  To make their commuting easy, I found a good, inexpensive hotel right on the bus line for them, and after making reservations, tried texting them, but my phone service was acting up, giving me a heckuva time getting them the information...

St. Kevin's, near Wicklow.
(Photo "stolen" from a Wicklow tourism site.  I didn't think they'd mind...)

Until Dominic got through to me at about 3:00 our time, midnight Dublin time, asking me to give him a call, as he was back at the hotel and had good phone service.  So, I called (standing practically out in the cornfield to get reception), and got all the enthusing and exclamation points you see here in their texts, in the wound-up, excited sound of their voices.  By all accounts the "pub crawl" was a tremendous hi-light. They met some really nice people, tried some brews, and sang, and sang, and sang.  Please don't be mistaken -- we don't promote drunkenness or irresponsible drinking of any kind, no matter what the age of the drinker, but a pint here and there -- and especially there in Dublin! -- is a beautiful thing,  and if you know these kids, you know that just the singing made for about the best time possible!  

Wicklow (near Glendalough) is called the "Garden of Ireland."
(Photo also stolen...)

So, I had a good -- probably too-long-of-a talk --  with Dominic (considering it was costing a buck a minute), but it was worth it!  He got cut off right before we said goodbye, but it was almost mealtime, so I needed to literally get cooking, anyway.  A little while later, after we'd had our Dublin Dinner for Thursday, I found this text waiting for me on my phone:

Hehe... ok, because I couldn't say bye...  BYE!!  LOVE YOU!  This is us in our room, Michelle with her new Dublin (AWESOOOOME!) sweater, and my salt and pepper "flat-cap."  Oh, and by the way, we got asked directions from a foreigner who thought we were drop dead locals!!   : D AWESOME!!!!!!  Keep in touch!!  How many picture do you want?  And have you ever heard about the movie "The World According to Garp?"

(Photo by Dominic.)

So, the hilight of the trip now, really,  is that Dominic and Michelle were mistaken for Dubliners.  Gotta love that.  They do look Irish, though, don't they?  Especially with those Guinness Grins.

And I guess I'm going to have to wait until tomorrow to find out why they wanted to know about The World According to Garp...

Here's the Recipe for our Thursday Night Dublin Dinner:

Baked Pork with Cabbage and Cream

("Pig in the Pantry")

Ingredients

1 small cabbage (or half a large one, about 1.5 lbs)

1/2 cups heavy cream

salt

freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp caraway seeds

4 good thick slices cooked pork (pretty much any leftover pork will do)

Method

Preheat oven to 350.  Shred the cabbage, discarding the core.  Boil in several quarts salted water for app. five minutes.  Drain.  Bring the cream to a boil; add the well-drained cabbage, the caraway seeds and paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.  Distribute half the cream and cabbage mixture to the bottom of a baking dish (in which your cuts of pork will fit).  Season to taste and add any drippings left over from cooking the pork; cover with the rest of the cabbage, and add the shredded cheese.  Bake for 40 minutes.

* This feeds four.  We doubled it. Naturally.

Not super pretty to look at.
But uncommonly good to eat.
With what seems, in our estimation,
to be a real "Irish tasting" meal.

For dessert, we had baked apples and fresh whipped cream.  Yum!  (So much for the diet.  These British Islanders' traditional cuisine -- it is not low fat!)

News From Ireland

So, got a text from Dominic first thing this morning -- and I do mean first thing.  Though I didn't actually see it until 6 a.m., Dominic had landed and sent me an AOK at 1 a.m. our time (8 a.m. Dublin time).  He had previously told us that he had misgivings about the seatmate he was going to be cozy with for the eight hour flight from Atlanta to Ireland, so, when he got settled at the airport, he updated us on that and gave us just a teaser of additional information.  I quote:

OK well the trip wasn't actually that bad!  It was pleasant.  That guy was fairly nice just a little weird...  but nice... oober tired now though! :/  Haven't really checked into the bus stuff yet, but I got a pretty good idea of it.  It also looks like it will be quite easy to find Michelle when she comes in!  All is good.  Looks like it's going to be nice weather today!

Waiting...

Shew!  OK.  Finally got word.  But, then, after that -- nothing.  No word about whether he'd found Michelle.  No word about whether they'd found the right bus and made it to Dublin.  Nothing.  Argh!

So, not wanting to start the kids' trip out as a worry-wart nagging Mom, I waited a while.

Waiting...

Phone in my pocket.  Checking for messages every five minutes -- until about 8 a.m. -- when I sent Dominic a text asking for an update.  But still nothing.  So I waited patiently.

A little while later.  I sent another text.

Nothing.  I was starting to get a little apprehensive by this time.... (Had you guessed?)  Planning out trans-Atlantic search party scenarios...

Waiting...

Tried calling Dominic's phone at around 9 a.m., but only got his recorded message.  I left a little hint that we'd sure like to know what was going on with them...  Said morning prayers with the kids (a little late because I was a zombie from being up since 6 a.m....), read the biography of St. Margaret Mary with the kids, and started in on Colorado history...

Stopped at around 10 a.m. to try and call again. And struck gold:  Dominic answered!  And very nonchalantly told us, "Oh, yeah.  I was going to text you.  But, I had bad coverage, then I forgot."

=Sigh=

He forgot.

 Not like I'm surprised, mind you.  The excitement of the adventure, the hectic pace, the Irish brogues all around me... I'd prob'ly forget to call home, too.  Anyway, he went on to tell us that he'd met Michelle, easily finding her at the airport, but that the two of them had become "hopelessly lost," finding their way to Dublin. Those two.  Lost on a bus circling  Dublin. Can't help smiling and rolling my eyes at that.

"You gave away our rooms?!"

 Anyway, so they found their way to their hotel.  And, go figure: even though they had their reservation printout in their hot little hands with Wednesday and Thursday night clearly reserved, the guy at the front desk said their rooms weren't in his computer until Friday.  Whatever.  Because it was actually a blessing..  Turns out the "Barry Hotel," though it advertises itself as being "historic," is actually "old and fleabitten."  They were glad to go across the street and get a room at a much nicer hotel for only a few dollars more.  No doubt; some heavenly patrons are looking out for them.

So, anyway -- I got that much out of him and I didn't want to talk too long  (it was costing me $1 a minute), but we gleaned that the kids are having a wonderful time, that they had taken some "awesome" pictures that they were reportedly going to text to us, and that they were at that moment sitting down to dinner at an Irish pub called Maddigans.  Dominic was having the lamb stew; Michelle was having Guinness Pot Pie.  One or both of them (they were a little fuzzy at this point) had pints of Guinness in their hands.  And all was good.

Haven't heard from them since.  Haven't received the picture texts.  And we all thing it was very rude of them to tease us that way.  Hopefully, though, they'll find some wifi and get hooked up with us tomorrow.  (St. Isidore, patron of the internet and Dominic's Confirmation saint, please intercede that they can get some internet coverage and send us messages tomorrow!)

Still waiting...

As for us here in Colorado....  Here's what was for dinner tonight! Another selection from traditional Irish fare:

Busy Irish Ma's Beef Pot Pie

Ingredients

2 unbaked frozen pie crusts

2 cups water

3 cubes beef buillon

1 cup milk

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup butter

1 15 oz bag frozen or 15 oz canned mixed veges

2 cups cubed beef  (we used cube steak)

salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Grease bottom of 1 1/2 qt pan, and fit one pie crust in bottom and up sides.

3.  Bring water and buillon cubes to a boil.

4. Mix milk and flour together (I did this in the blender, but shaking in a closed jar works fine)

5.  When buillon cubes dissolve, reduce heat and add the butter and  milk, flour mixture.

6. Stir until this mixture thickens (only about 5 minutes or so)

7. Salt and pepper to taste.

8. Add veges (canned, as is, but drained; frozen, steamed and drained)  and meat to the gravy,

and mix together.

9.  Pour into pan lined with the pie crust and fit the 2nd on top.  Add a couple vent slits.

10.  Place in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.

William says:  Yum!  It is SO good!  (And William is picky!)

Ireland!

It wasn't long ago that we wouldn't have seriously entertained the idea of world travel.  Not for us.  Not as something real and possible.  Certainly not any time soon, for Heaven's sake.  We're strictly peasant stock.  Proudly provincial.  And poor.

But, in a curious turn of events (which has flipped the pancakes of our minds as well), we find ourselves consulting  maps constantly in an attempt to keep up with where on earth our children are.  It seems that all of a sudden there are Davises scattered all over the globe:  Paul, because he's a Marine Officer, has been to Afghanistan and back -- and is now scheduled for a six-week mission to the Middle East sometime soon again;  Michelle recently accepted a short term position as an au pair in Austria, of all places; and now Dominic is flying out to meet her for a week's vacation in Ireland.  Mind you, it was his parents' instigation that fueled the idea -- and paid for it.  It was something we wanted to do for Dominic before he goes back to the seminary at the first of the year and we found ourselves in the unusual position to be able to do it.  So, what the hey!  You only live once!  And this was practice for the trip Dan and I are determined to make ourselves someday -- who knows? --  maybe not even too awfully far in the distant future...

  And -- let me tell you, it's been a blast helping the kids out with the planning!

Shelly-n-Dominic, circa 2003 in CA
-- their  last vacation together.

There were a couple challenges to work with, of course, a limited budget being one obvious obstacle to high living.  And, since Dominic and Michelle won't have a car in Ireland,  they'll  have to get everywhere on foot or via public transit. With big ole backpacks on their backs most of the time!  (Oh, to be young and not to worry about throwing your back out while toting backpacks around Ireland!)



Here's the basic itinerary, for those who've asked:

1) They start out in Dublin tomorrow at an historic hotel in old Dublin, then move to a youth hostel on Friday night . We were able to reserve them a two-twin-bed private room at the hostel for safety, and the price was still very reasonable! 
2) To be sure and be near Mass on Sunday, they'll take the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit) to a suburb on the south end of the big city, where they'll be staying in a Bed and Breakfast in view of the harbor -- and a walk to Mass at St. John's -- until Monday. 
3)  Then they get to figure out their own lodgings and itinerary for a day or two. We figured that by Monday, they'll have a good idea of which way they'll want to go and explore -- so left it up to them. High on the list of possibilities is a train ride down to Wicklow to explore the countryside in the southwestern end of the island.  But, who knows!
4) Wednesday finds them (better find them!) back in Dublin, ready to fly out again on Thursday -- Dominic, home to Colorado; Michelley back to Austria until the first of December.

AND THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION: Are we worried about them?  OF COURSE! Are you kidding?  But, really... Not too TERRIBLY much.  Dominic and Michelle are both fun-loving, but responsible young adults - -and they're together; where one falters, the other will likely step up if needed.  They have a credit account and a strict budget, but Dominic's carefully parceled out their pennies, so we're not worried about that too much. He brought a whole backpack full of protein bars, and most of the places they stay will at least serve them breakfast -- so they shouldn't starve! We're also arranging a contact person at the church -- just in case of emergencies -- and they have a phone plan that works for Europe, so will be able to Google maps and train schedules -- and send pictures and texts home...  So, yeah.  I'll be wearing down the phone lines to St. Christopher and St. Michael (Shell's patron) and Pope St. Pius X (Dominic's name patron in Religious life), and St. Patrick, and St. Brigid, and their Guardian Angels, etc., etc.,... But, it'll be in the way of a precautionary measure, doncha know.

This photo was Dominic's last text to us, as he boarded the airplane in Denver,
though he didn't actually say "Bye."  He said:  "Stromboli!  Yum!"

So.  Where are they now? Dominic left Denver this morning and is scheduled to arrive in Dublin around 7:30 a.m. Dublin time tomorrow -- just three hours from right now! (They are seven hours ahead of us there.) And Michelle leaves Austria on Wednesday morning for a short hop over to Ireland. We'll all be watching out for picture texts recording Dominic's meeting with Michelle just before lunch, their time -- and then we're hoping they'll be good about sending us updates on all they get to do and see. Seriously.  We are living their trip vicariously here! 

We really are.

 QED: In sympathy celebration of Dominic and Michelle's getting to taste the native food as they explore the land of our forebears, we're serving the cuisine of the British Isles this week (had "bangers and mash" tonight!), and are immersing ourselves in all things Irish (and/or British).  We're studying the geography of the Islands (especially Ireland), listening to Irish radio on Pandora, and reading up on everything the Big Kids send us via text about their travels.  Just waiting now for those texts to begin -- hopefully tomorrow! I'll try to post some of their adventures -- and maybe some of our Anglo-recipes, as well!  Stay tuned!

Here's to the land of the shamrock so green,

Here's to our lad and our darlin colleen,

Here's to all those we love dearest and most.

And God bless old Ireland, Heaven's outpost!