short update

Well, we are scheduled to get broadband at home tomorrow, February 6. Hopefully all will go as planned, and I can update this site with further postings and pictures. Until now, to get online, we've had to take the laptop, drive downtown, and park in a very specific spot in a parking lot, and then we're able to access someone's wifi connection. We're often here at night, as it's a busy spot, or we'll lurk in the car until someone leaves one of the three spaces where we can pick up the signal. It all feels a bit furtive and slightly seedy, especially since a friend told us this practice is known as "wi-jacking". Yup, livin' on the edge, that's us.

Update on the electric bill: bills are sent out every 2 months. So yes indeed, all of our bank stuff like checkbook, atm card, etc., has gone to Vermont. Luckily, Martha has retrieved it all, and is mailing this stuff to us. Judging by how long it's taken to send/receive packages from overseas in the past, we should have a checkbook in three months. Letters, though, reach us surprisingly fast - about 2 days from New England.

Check back soon for pictures from Cork City and the Dingle Peninsula. And yes, Funghi the dolphin is still alive & swimming around the harbour.

(!!awkward segue alert!!) Speaking of fungi, the big news in Ireland this week is the recent outlawing of fresh magic mushrooms. Apparently, up until now these have been illegal in any processed form, but available over the counter in about 50 shops around Ireland as fresh produce - until last Friday. And no, we didn't stock up on Thursday. We didn't know where the shops were. Just kidding, Mom & Dad.