The calm before the storm // Exploring surroundings of Ballymaloe

Penn Castle in Shanagarry, Co. Cork, Ireland. Birthplace of William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania State.

It's Sunday so naturally (ha!) we went to church. Liam is getting used to walking everywhere, it was weird for him walking to church, but he did and sat through Catholic mass. Big exhale. After a little lunch and rest, tonight I (nervously/excitedly/scaredly) make the five minute walk to meet all my classmates and have enough social lubrication to quell the butterflies a brick oven pizza. It's so unbelievable to have had this Mental Checklist of things I'd be doing before actually cooking in their kitchen, but here I am, completing the list and rockin' it! Like a MAD WOMAN! Let's keep the confidence. Yes? Yes. YES. YES!!! 

My knife set from Ballymaloe. 

Ballymaloe welcome kit. Katrina, the receptionist, suggested not to feel "too overwhelmed." 

Ballycotton Lighthouse.

Ballycotton Pier, Ballycotton, Co. Cork, Ireland.

A blue gate in Ballycotton.

Old walls abound in Ireland. I can't help but wonder how old. 

And that was our weekend in pictures! On Saturday, we had fun in the Celtic Maze at school, picked up my supplies, then took the five minute car ride to Ballycotton beach and pier. The sun was shining brightly and it was a glorious day. We perused the pier (yep, you can fall right off the end — no American safety gate), gawked at the fishermen (apparently, if you're chatty enough you may be able to buy fish/lobster/prawns straight from the boat), had a pint at Schooner's pub (the kids were given chocolate bars from the bartender!), picked up some groceries at the local petrol station (asked a million questions about the area and made ourselves known to the locals) and headed home for a quiet evening (watched Chevy Chase's European Vacation and the night before was Conan the Barbarian - TV here is so fabulously old-school). All is good, calm before the storm, eh? Tomorrow is a proper Irish breakfast at school and a tour of the grounds, then my first classroom session. EEK! I'm so excited. Wish me well!