

I have the Stupendous honour to have been nominated for The Sunshine Bloggers award by two of my Blogging friends at once!
Firstly, Belle of Wandering Belle has nominated me, see the post here:
Belle started her blog in September, reach out and say HI to a relatively new member of our blogosphere.
Secondly, Laura M Bailey of All the Shoes I wear has also nominated me, see the post here:
Laura has just one question that requires a full answer:
Share a special holiday memory with me.
I recently posted about a family holiday to Ireland.
I’ve had some nice comments about this, and so I thought I would elaborate further on this.
This holiday occurred in the early 1990s and was before the age of digital photography, and so I can’t share any photos of the trip, however, I have visited some of the same sights since and so will share a couple of more recent photo’s.
My Parents bought a Caravan back int he late 1980’s and we used to like going for a weekend away all over England. As I got older and bigger, rather than share the space in the caravan, I would pitch a tent in the awning outside, which gave them more space and privacy.
My Dad decided that he wanted to visit Southern Ireland, as his ancestors came from there and he retained a certain appearance and also the Irish name, Fogarty, that had derived from O’Fogartaich, apparently. We had a coat of arms too.
There were still troubles in Ireland, between the Irish Republican Army and The Ulster Paramilitaries. It wasn’t long after the IRA had set a bomb in a Manchester shopping centre, killing many innocents. They had also blown up a Hotel in Brighton and London was frequently on high alert. The problems were mainly in Northern Ireland, but my Mum and I were still a little worried that we would be Denounced in Southern Ireland for being English. The Ulster paramilitaries had committed atrocities in the Republic of Ireland, particularly Dublin.
We found that contrary to our worries, we were welcomed with open arms by people all over Southern Ireland. They were outraged at the extortionate cost of catching a Ferry from Holyhead in Wales to Dun Laoghaire in Dublin and seemed to want to encourage more visitors.
We spent some time in Dublin, which is a fantastic city and also County Wicklow, which is sunny and has less rain than other parts of Ireland. It has a similar Climate to the South east corner of England, where I’m from.
We then drove around the south coast to County Cork and Bantry Bay.


I remember, we arrived at our next destination, a bit travel dusty and decided to go to a local pub for a meal. In the reception room next to the public bar there was a wedding going on. Ireland is a musical place, there’s always someone in a pub playing the violin, or flute or drum. The music coming from the wedding was really marvellous. After we’d eaten, a man came into the bar and invited everyone there to join the wedding party. As we were only visitors and were not really appropriately dressed, my parents declined. Then the father of the bride came over and personally invited us in to join them. We all had a bit of a jig and couldn’t have had a nicer evening.
Another time, we were in a bookshop, and I spotted an old Hardback version of an Agatha Christie book that I hadn’t read. It was marked up for Β£10 for sale. The owner of the bookshop asked how long we were staying in town, which was five days then said “Oh, well you might as well borrow the book. Drop it back when you’re finished before you go.”
I couldn’t believe it! He didn’t know us from Adam, and yet would let me borrow this rare edition book. After a few days, it became clear that I wouldn’t finish it in time. We went back and My mum said she’d buy it for me. The owner then said he couldn’t charge us the Β£10 so sold it to us for a Fiver instead!
It was such a lovely trip, and of course, I’ll always have a major soft spot for Ireland. I’ll tell you a national secret too. Most English people love the Irish people, it is just such a shame that our governments just don’t seem to feel the same way sometimes.

Questions from Belle
- What makes you the happiest about your blog?Β –Β I loveΒ gettingΒ inspiredΒ byΒ aΒ wordΒ orΒ aΒ pictureΒ andΒ lettingΒ myΒ imaginationΒ runΒ wild.Β IΒ loveΒ writingΒ storiesΒ andΒ poemsΒ andΒ sharingΒ themΒ withΒ others.Β IΒ loveΒ gettingΒ responsesΒ thatΒ indicateΒ otherΒ peopleΒ likeΒ whatΒ IΒ amΒ doing.Β ItΒ isΒ allΒ veryΒ gratifying.Β IΒ haveΒ alsoΒ lovedΒ theΒ addedΒ bonusΒ ofΒ meetingΒ soΒ manyΒ lovelyΒ andΒ supportiveΒ people.
- What is your all time top goal?Β –Β OnceΒ IΒ wantedΒ toΒ ruleΒ theΒ world,Β IΒ thoughtΒ I couldΒ doΒ aΒ betterΒ jobΒ thanΒ theΒ currentΒ WorldΒ Order.Β NowΒ IΒ wouldΒ beΒ contentΒ toΒ writeΒ andΒ beΒ published.
- What is one thing on your bucket list?Β –Β ToΒ meetΒ theΒ QueenΒ ofΒ England.Β I’dΒ likeΒ toΒ haveΒ aΒ niceΒ informalΒ chatΒ overΒ aΒ cupΒ ofΒ teaΒ andΒ aΒ sandwich.
- Where would you suggest someone go visit?Β –Β BudapestΒ isΒ aΒ fantasticΒ city,Β IΒ wouldΒ recommendΒ peopleΒ visitΒ andΒ goΒ toΒ oneΒ ofΒ theΒ manyΒ TurkishΒ bathsΒ thatΒ areΒ inΒ theΒ city.
- What do you think would make a difference to this world?Β –Β ProperΒ education.Β IgnoranceΒ leadsΒ toΒ beingΒ easilyΒ persuadedΒ byΒ others,Β withΒ KnowledgeΒ comesΒ truthΒ andΒ freedom.
- What is a hobby you wish you had more time to enjoy?Β –Β GardeningΒ andΒ walkingΒ inΒ nature.Β
- What is your favorite song right now? – Β ThereΒ isΒ nothingΒ fromΒ theΒ chartsΒ atΒ theΒ moment,Β itsΒ allΒ rubbish.Β
- What would you like others to know about you?Β Β –Β NothingΒ really,Β a mysteryΒ isΒ moreΒ enigmatic.Β
- Have you ever written a book? What is the name of that book if so?Β –Β I wasΒ sharingΒ onΒ myΒ blogΒ aΒ fantasyΒ fictionΒ storyΒ IΒ wroteΒ aboutΒ 18Β yearsΒ ago.Β ItΒ wasΒ neverΒ publishedΒ though.
- What is one thing that would make you happy right now?Β –Β AΒ niceΒ CupΒ ofΒ Tea.Β
- List 5 things you love.Β –Β Tea,Β Trees,Β Daffodils,Β My ChickensΒ andΒ Holidays.
There you go:
I will only be asking three questions.
- What will you be eating on the 25th of December?
- What would you like to see happen in 2019?
- Name three things you are grateful for.
My Nominees:
The Haunted Wordsmith
A Guy Called Bloke
The Britchy One
Kristian from Lessons from around the dinner table
Hinoeuma
Jade M Wong
JP the Wide-Eyed Wanderer
Paula Light at Light Motifs II
Irene from A Slice of Mexico.
Thank you again to Laura and to Belle,
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
π
Thank you!
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You’re welcome π Have fun in the Sun π
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Congrats on another nomination π
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Thank you, It has given me a sunny disposition… for now π
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Let’s hope the effect continues throughout the season. π
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Oh, yes, I do hope so. π
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A great memory to share Kristian … mm, you also realise that the other name for a Coat of Arms is the Straight Jacket? How very fitting, boom, double boom boom! Once more congratulations to you for your newest TSBA nom nom :and also thank you for mine, Belle certainly knows how to share the love π
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Haha, very apt, but all coats have arms, some also have buckles. Lots of sunshine and love about at the moment, you’d have thought it was christmas π
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I know, but the actual Coat of Arms is specific purely for the arms π
I will attend to the nomination later this week my friend .
Christmas what’s that all about then?
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It’s a load of bah humbug but the foods good.
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I loved reading your answers, especially the one about the special holiday memory! Thank you so much for the nomination!! π
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You’re welcome. I hope you have a nice time over the Christmas period and have a great new year. π
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Thank you, Kristian. I hope the same for you as well, my friend!
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π
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What wonderful answers and IRELAND! Loved my visit to Ireland and want to go again! The people there are some of the most friendly and welcoming people I have met. β€
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Double congratulations, Kristian! Thank you so much for thinking of me for your nominations! I will try to answer ASAP.
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Thank you very much, and you’re welcome. Don’t feel under pressure, do it when you feel like it, and enjoy π
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Hi again! I just completed the nomination
https://mysliceofmexico.ca/2018/12/19/feliz-navidad-or-just-a-prosperous-year-and-happiness/
Thank you again, have a very Merry Christmas!
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Absolutely brilliant. And you too, Have a wonderful Christmas and a great new year. π
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Thanks for the nomination, Kristian! That story with the bookshop owner and the Agatha Christie book is amazing! I can’t imagine how wonderful that experience must have been.
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Thank you, yes I couldn’t believe how generous and kind everyone was. I still have that book and it reminds me of those happy times. π
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Thanks for the nomination! I’ll go ahead and answer your questions here:
1. Knowing my son, probably macaroni and cheese (homemade, not box).
2. Show me the money. That is my goal for 2019. Got to start making $$.
3. Son (no matter how much of a headache he is), you guys (no offense to anyone, but there are six of you that I look forward to “chatting” with everyday), hmm…let’s see, is there a 3rd thing….I’m unemployed, crappy family, no money or life, hmm…hard one, okay, Broadway musicals π
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I have still to enjoy a proper amercian style Mac N Cheese, but I love cheese, so i think I’d like it.
Money and job are two of my hopes for the new year too. Gotta Love Broadway musical and Musical films. I took my Mum to see 42nd Street in London for her Birthday and Christmas present. It was fabulous!
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I have only seen two in person (Sweeney Todd and Secret Garden) and both on tour. I love watching the filmed version of stage musicals. Mac & Cheese is super easy depending on how you want to make it. Some prefer casserole style (in oven with breadcrumbs and sometimes peas or bacon in it) and some prefer stove top. I do stove top. Elbow macaroni, cubed cheese, and a little milk and voila mac & cheese.
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Congratulations πππΎ well Written post!
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Thanks π Much appreciated.
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My pleasure.
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I like your answers to the 5th and 7th questions.
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π Thank you.
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Looooved your post Kristian OβFogartaich… π
Loved your memories of Ireland – I grew up in Liverpool, – most of the city has a connection with Ireland. I do feel…maybe some would disagree, that it is mainly those living in Belfast that feel passionately about the issue over Northern Ireland. I think many English and even Irish find it hard to understand, but to this day segregation is very much a real thing in Belfast and there are still violent clashes. We hardly see any of it on the news, but it is very real in Belfast sadly. Although there is a generation there determined to be happy and not get involved.
I was in Manchester the day of the bomb…I walked past the van with the bomb at least twice that morning. I was there to buy clothes before I started working for a Manchester record company. That was the first time my parents had allowed me to go into Manchester to go shopping without them. Me and my sister Mandy were together. We arrived in Manchester just after 8am and I had spent all my money within an hour. It was shortly after that when the police started to put up tape near the Arndale. We were outside Topshop at the time. A few hours later, the Arndale Topshop did not exist.
Loved your answers to Belle’s questions too…I think you and the Queen would get on very well,I will put in a word for you next time I have dinner with her. Don’t tell her you would like to rule the world though…she won’t be impressed.
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π Thank you. Gosh what a close thing!
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Thanks, Kristian! And, congrats! I will tend to it shortly.
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π
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Ahhhh….Ireland! I fell in love with Ireland and it’s people! Kiss that darn stone too! Lol
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Woohoo, shining on the net π
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π
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I wish I could see Ireland.
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