Making Connections Slowly

03/08/2025

A busy and Interesting Couple of Days

Although I’ve been driving for about 65 years, I have never driven on the left side of the road. To reprogram my brain and adjust my muscle memory, I decided to take a few driving lessons. Saturday morning marked my first session. I’ve always driven using both feet, but my instructor insisted that I should learn to drive with just one foot. While I could see the benefits of his approach, that wasn't my primary motivation for taking lessons.

By the end of the lesson, he noted that I performed well on right turns but needed more practice with left turns and improvement on my foot positions. It felt like we spent more time focusing on where my feet were than on where the car was. I believe I did well overall but can definitely use more practice before I take to the road alone. I plan to schedule additional lessons soon.

Back in my apartment, I felt bored and lonely, facing an afternoon of solitaire and dull TV. It

was a beautiful day outside, so I took a moment to remind myself that I didn’t have to stay indoors. I decided to visit the House of Waterford Crystal to see how crystal was made and explore the gift shop.

As I walked to the House of Waterford, I turned a corner and stumbled upon a street festival

Roller-Skating Juggler

—what a delightful surprise! I had accidentally found the Spraoi Festival (Fun Festival). I enjoyed performances from a roller-skating juggler, a dance troupe, and a comedy skit. Among the various food offerings, I opted for some pricey, subpar popcorn. There was a barbecue stand, but it wasn’t what I had hoped for; it served hamburgers off a grill rather than the brisket, pulled pork, or chicken I expected. It was quite a disappointment, but I soon learned that this is what barbecue means in Ireland.

Despite the letdown in food, I was happy to be out and about, soaking in the energy of the street performers. The sun was bright enough that I even ended up with a bit of a sunburn on my shoulders.

Sunday morning, I walked to church and was warmly welcomed by the ladies from the Bible study.  The music is wonderful. They only have a small praise band who do a masterful job. The vocalists in the Praise Team are incredible. They seem to rotate preachers, and I haven’t determined if there is an ongoing theme or if each preacher does his own thing.  I hope the preacher does God’s thing.

After the service, the church held a barbecue featuring hamburgers and sausages cooked over a grill. When asked how this barbecue compared to a Texas barbecue, I mentioned that we typically have different meats – brisket, pork, or chicken. Several of the people didn’t know what brisket was. The hamburger and sausages were tasty, but the company was delightful. One lady asked why I had left the USA when everything was available there. Sometimes I wonder that too.

Christina, a beautiful young woman from India, offered to drive me home. As we walked to her car, Joe, the man who had been taking pictures at the barbecue, stopped to chat with us—mostly with her, actually. He mentioned wanting to take Christina to Wexford next Sunday after church for the Fleadh Cheoil, a festival celebrating Irish and Celtic music. Joe expressed his desire to capture some photographs of Christina at the festival.

Christina agreed with the idea and suggested I could join them. I readily agreed, excited to experience the music festival. I sensed that Joe might not be thrilled about my presence, but I doubt Christina would go without me. Thus begins my unexpected role as a chaperone—maybe.

Waterford weather:

High 74 F (23 C), Low 60 F (15 C)

Sunrise  5:52,  Sunset  9:15 (21:15 EU Time)

Another Picture from Spraoi Festival

Flying High in Waterford