I Miss My Sister/I Want My Sister Back

Mid-September to early October is a hard time for me.

September 21 is my sister Honey’s birthday. She died in a car accident when I was 23 aka 12 years ago.

The last conversation I had with her was in mid-September. She called to talk to me, but I was too tired to talk. I remember us laughing as I was trying to hang up, but she wanted to talk. I was like dude I have to go and practically hung up on her. She tried calling back, but I did not pick up the phone. She urgently wanted to talk to me.

Fast forward about a week to her 25 birthday, and I could not reach her. I tried, and I tried, but just couldn’t connect. I was not able to wish her a happy birthday. I urgently wanted to talk to her.

Fast forward a few weeks to the call I never wanted to get.

My sister knew/knows I love her. But, that final conversation we had when I did not tell her one last time will always stay with me. That final conversation where I was too tired to take the time to talk to her will always stay with me.

Now, I try to hug my friends and family when I see them. I try to tell them that I love them because you never really know when it will be the last time.

Her death taught me a lot about who actually cared for me. I remember I sought out comfort from people who I thought would comfort me, but you know how that goes.

I went through a lot of guilt over her dying and not me. She had kids, I had none. I kept asking God why (and I still haven’t gotten the answer to that question). I was so angry when she died. I remember when I turned 25, I didn't feel like I had the right to turn that age. Then I turned 26, and so, and so on.

I remember sitting at her funeral stone faced and mad at the world. I still haven’t cried about it. I just suppress the emotion like if I cry it will be admitting that she is gone from this life. It's like the last picture I have with her. That's it.

The funny thing is that I still expect to pick up the phone and hear her voice. She still owes me money. She used to make me laugh. She could have been a comedian. I am thankful the time we had as sisters, and what a time it was.

• I remember Cathy, Honey, and me singing “We are Family” with towels on our heads when we were little.
• I remember Cathy, Honey, and me staying up every Christmas Eve and watching a Christmas Story all night.
• I remember Cathy, Honey, and me staying up watching Night Tracks on Fridays and Saturdays.
• I remember Cathy, Honey, and me staying up all night the night before the first day of school.
• I remember Cathy, Honey, and me doing our first solo plane trip together.
• I remember Cathy, Honey, and me being in Jump Rope for Heart together.
• I remember Cathy, Honey, and me playing house and dolls together. I also remember early on when LaQuita would play with us. LaQuita was Big Tina, Cathy was Judy. I forgot Honey’s name but I was CeCe and I hated that name.
• I remember Cathy, Honey, and me used to go trick-or-treating and we would go far from home.
• I remember Cathy, Honey, and me in my aunt’s garden like slaves. We were so bitter to be out there.
• I remember Cathy, Honey, and me used to go pick plums from this tree in ML.
• I remember the time Honey got stung by a bee and swelled like a balloon and had to be taken to the hospital. We didn’t realize it was actually life threatening and laughed and laughed and laughed. Actually, it’s still funny.
• I remember Honey was allergic to everything and had asthma
• I remember Honey teaching me how to fight.
• I remember one night at dinner Honey didn’t want to eat what was on her plate. And my aunt made her sit there then she started crying because she said a spider was following her. That was hilarious!
• I remember when Honey made some rolls from a recipe she learned at home-economics and they were harder than rocks.
• I remember Honey coming to visit me when I was at the UW.
• I remember Honey doing my hair when I was a teenager.
• I remember when I was in sixth grade, I used to wear my sisters clothes without them knowing it. They left before me, and I got back before them. I would wear their stuff and then rush home and put it back in their closets.
• I remember that it’s good to remember.

Posted Pictures

Pictures are now posted!

Check out:

http://latonjab.shutterfly.com/

Password is

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Enjoy!

Next step is creating a photo album and reliving the trip. SIGH!

Pictures

I am currently uploading my pictures to Shutterfly. I'm about halfway there, and I hope that by midweek I will post a link on Facebook. I warn you that there are a lot of pictures. Would say 1125 be too much in three weeks? I plan to post them all and then download them onto a CD. I will then go through the pain of deleting half or two thirds of them and printing my favorites and creating a nice photo album of the journey. I love this part as I get to smile and relive the adventure.

I was able to sleep Friday night. Saturday into Sunday, I got up around three. Sunday into today (Monday) I got up around five so I'm getting there.

I keep doing this mental check of what time it is in Ireland.

I received a newsletter from St. Placid's Priory and one of the writers said that stability is being where you are without wanting/longing to be somewhere else. So I will try to be stable and live in the present and where I am. I will still plot for my next vacation. LOL

End of the Journey

I am currently home!

On Wednesday, I visited St. Nicholas Cathedral with Pam, which was closed. I was totally sad because it has wooden sculptures of the Stations of the Cross I wanted to see, and it has a mosaic of JFK. There is a bridge called the Simon Weir Bridge that "connects" the church to the courthouse. I say connects because there used to be a prison where the church now stands. It was sort of the Dublin Bridge of Sighs as it was the last glimpse of the city prisoners saw from the courthouse to the prison. Rick referred to Galway as the Venice of Ireland because of this and the canal/bridges.

One thing I liked about Dublin (and Rome, Paris, and London) is the series of bridges that coast the rivers through there. I think I mentioned the Liffey River was flowing extra hard because of all the rain. Also, water was standing everyone: roads, fields, and streets.

We took a bus from Galway to Dublin, checked in, and hit Dublin for one last hurrah. We ended up hanging out at Temple Bar, I know, I know ultra-touristy, and listening to live music. Whenever I hear Galway Girl, it will remind me of Ireland because I heard the song several times while I was there and was able to sing along. ;) That evening we went back to Kozie's but our guy Michael was not there. Sad.

I had so much fun with Candy and Pam. We are all pretty laid back and there weren't any issues with moods, attitudes, etc. Just two wonderful women I was able to take a fabulous journey with.

The journey home was okay. I was up for 24 hours, which helped me sleep through last night.

Now, I am back to Seattle and the rain. It feels nice to be home.

The good news is that I am way under budget so I get transfer the money back into savings and let it be a springboard into my next trip. The question is where to next?!

Galway Day Two

Galway has a really cool laid back feel to it.

Today, we took a tour of the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher. Our guide, Desmond Rory Murray, was very excellent. He had us rolling the entire trip. If I had only one word to describe him, it would be "fresh".

Speaking of fresh, we went to the Internet cafe yesterday and a very handsome (older) man (John) worked there. It turns our he is staying at our B&B as well. He just moved back to Ireland from South Africa and Spain.

Oh, I forgot to mention we saw a family we had met in Dingle while we were enroute to Galway. We have met so many Americans I am wondering who is watching the country!

The Burren is quite impressive. It's 320 square kilometers and is home to 70% of native flora. It's quite poetic how the wild flowers, ferns, etc. grow amongst the barren rock. I think I heard the Burren described as forgettable but nothing could be further from the truth. I could write poems for days on what the area symbolizes in the human condition and spirit. Then there are areas that overlook the water...get out of here. I could spend days there.

We saw the Cliffs of Moher which I consider to be the climax of my trip. They were so beautiful. Romantically beautiful yet tragically dangerous. Again, I could write poems for days, which I should tell you guys I haven't been inspired for poetry in quite a long time.

I saw the Kilferno Cathedral and Crosses. It is a sixth century monastery. There were also some weird tombstones.

Speaking of tombstones, saw the Poulnabrone Dolmen which are 5800 years old and older than the pyramids. They were constructed by Neolithic farmers. It's a portal tomb that looks like a stone table. Very interesting and was known as the druids altar. We also saw the Gleninsheen Wedge Tomb which dates back to 2500 BC.

We caught glimpse of this abbey and saw the Dunguaire Castle from the outside.

We saw an interesting fort called the Ballyalban Fairy Fort. It's prehistoric and was once surrounded by water which tells how much the landscape has changed over time.

So tomorrow we head back to Dublin and Friday I'm on my way, I'm on my way, home sweet home. Ready or not. I haven't quite gotten my head around coming back to reality. I'll try to be Zen about it.

Galway

So, we got an early start to travel to Galway. We bussed from Dingle to Tralee; Tralee to Limerick; and finally Limerick to Galway. There was almost an international incident in that this family acted like they wanted to throw down with us. You know I love peace, but if it's going down, I'll rise up. Luckily no punches were thrown.

I totally love Galway. It has a real laid back feeling. We checked in and walked down to Eyre Square. There is a bust of JFK who visited Ireland a few months before he was assassinated. There is also a door that dates back to 1627. It is a door from a fortified townhouse.

We saw Lynch's Castle, which is now a bank. The building dates back to the 15th century. There were 14 tribes that were in Galway and the Lynch's were the most powerful. There were over 80 Lynch mayors in the 16th and 17th century. This is the only one of their castles to survive.

We also saw Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas. It was built in 1320 and Christopher Columbus worshiped here in 1477, which I find hell of cool. Nicholas is the patron saint for sailors. There is also a statue that was a gift from Genoa which celebrates Columbus's visit.

We also saw the Spanish Arch, which marks the spot Spanish vessels would unload their cargo, mainly wine. The Arches are circa 1584. Galway was once an important port city. We also saw the Corrib River. The river was racing and people were kayaking. I chatted with one of the gentlemen kayaking and was like are you crazy. Again, it normally does not rain so much, but they are getting all kinds of rainfall. The ground can't contain the water.

Tomorrow we head to the Cliffs of Moher and will see part of the Burren. I am so excited to see the cliffs.

I am very sad because the trip is winding down. I fly out Friday morning and will be home Friday evening.

I bought myself a Claddagh ring. The ring has two hands holding a heart that wears a crown. The heart represents love, the crown represent loyalty, and the hands are friendship. If the tip of the heart points toward the fingertip is means the wearer is available.

Oh, we chatted with the woman (Violetta) who works at the B&B in Dingle. She is from Lithuania but works in Dingle Easter to August. She returns home tomorrow. She can make three times what she makes at home in Dingle. She talked about seeking what is shouting out to you. I know what is shouting to me so it is time to start moving in that directly.

Again, tons of sage advice heard on this trip. Life is short and must be lived and lived fully.

All my love.