#FirstDate #FirstDates #FirstDatesIRL #Dating #Kilkenny #CountyLaois #CountyOffaly #CountyWestmeath #CountyTipperary #MidlandsMania #JulieAndJulia #FrenchToast #Recipe #LEGO
I hope I don’t sound like I’m gloating, I don’t think I am. But I am really happy about how this has all turned out.
On Sunday, 3 April 2022, the Republic of Ireland completed a census. There is a strange stipulation that you are supposed to count everybody in your house on that night, even if they live somewhere else. Since Jeanne stayed over, we completed the census form together. There was a place at the end to include material for a Time Capsule to be read in 100 years. We each took the opportunity to write something poignant.
The rest of April was filled with running around to as many places as possible. While creating my blog, I did my best to recreate the various locations and take pictures of me and my First Dates in LEGO form. On a particularly good day for weather, Jeanne drove me all around the midlands. I dubbed this Midlands Mania. We went to Rock of Dunamase in County Laois.
Seans bar in Athlone, County Westmeath.
We also went to Birr and Clonmacnoise in County Offaly. Jeanne really was a trooper to drive me all over the place just so I could document dates I had with other woman! I guess she justified doing it as a) we got to spend time together, and b) if there was any competition with those other women, she clearly won. Either way, I am happy and grateful of the time we spend together.
Springtime in Kilkenny means that rapeseed plants are blooming! Ireland is supposed to be the Emerald Isle, but for a month or two, it’s fields of yellow everywhere. We saw some other people stopping to take photos, so we did too.
Jeanne had wanted to buy a campervan, so we took a spin down to Cashel, County Tipperary to see one. On the way back, we stopped in Kilsheelan, County Tipperary. You can see Slievenamon behind us.
As happy as things are for the two of us, I’m going to end this week’s blog on a bit of a downer. Julie Powell wrote a book called Julie & Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, and it was turned into the movie “Julie & Julia”. The true story documented Julie working her way through Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I used that success story as an inspiration to start this blog. So, I was saddened to hear of Julie’s passing last week. Since I’m not much good at French Cooking, I’ll post a simple French Toast recipe:
1 egg
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 cup milk
4 slices bread
- Beat egg, vanilla and cinnamon in shallow dish with wire whisk. Stir in milk.
- Dip bread in egg mixture, turning to coat both sides evenly.
- Cook bread slices on lightly greased nonstick griddle or skillet on medium heat until browned on both sides.
- Serve with butter and syrup.
