Yes, It's been a while.
And I'm facing a bit of a time struggle. And also a desire thing.
Let me liken this to a UFO that gets set aside - at first for just a little while because time is short - but there is a full intention of getting back to it ASAP.
And then, life gets in the way and that UFO sits longer and longer and the desire to get back to it gets more difficult to muster.
Since I left home on May 30th to start my journey on to Cairo Egypt, and then directly to two back-to-back tours in Ireland I have been running to catch up. Wake up alarms at dawn, go go go go through the day with approximately 40 travelers in each group to keep moving from place to place and getting back into bed only late at night to once again set that alarm for dawn.
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To top things off, about half-way through the first Ireland tour of wet and rainy interspersed with fleeting sunshine, I found myself coming down with a raging head cold turned sinus infection.
Lucky for my forethought - I had picked up antibiotics in Cairo just in case. (because they are sold over the counter there.)
I've tried to post at least once a day to Facebook and Instagram since I've been on tour. If you don't subscribe there, you've likely missed everything.
Wifi has been intermittent (We are on a bus for hours a day) and truly, my choice is either to spend hours in my hotel room trying to shoot up a blog, or actually experiencing these tours with the folks that came with me and that is where my intent is.
Group two folks walking back to the bus after a rainy photo op today.
I have been writing this blog for 18 years. EIGHTEEN YEARS. I need this break.
I need to be able to enjoy every minute soaking up the last few days of Ireland with my travelers and not be feeling guilty for not updating the armchair folks out there who may be wondering where I am and what I'm doing.
It may be the antibiotics and sinus meds wreaking havoc, but there are tears streaming as I finally find a moment to sit in my room and type this out this evening -
I am here with some amazing folks. And my time will be spent focusing on them and making friendships and memories happen instead of feeling guilty that I haven't sent anything out to the interwebs in days.
More clouds on the mountains and sheep. Always sheep.
I plan on filing all of these memories close and remembering what an awesome day we had on a boat cruise down the Killary Fjord to where it meets the sea.
That's our boat out there - while we waited for it to dock so we could board.
More about the fjord - the only one in Ireland.
Coming in to dock.
And we are aboard -
We are underway!
The scenery was magnificent - peaceful.
Rugged. Majestic.
There was sunshine in between the clouds.
And rain in between the sunshine.
And so green.
Imagine living way out here?
The little town was a great place to wander.
And enjoy a panini and cider while my group was at the sheep & wool center. I had seen the demonstration the week before with group one and needed some solo time to find my center.
I posted about the Cliffs of Moher, Try 2 last evening to Facebook and Instagram and someone commented "Nice but aren’t there any town’s buildings local events?"
And all I could think of to reply was "WTH!?"
Because this is when it hit me - that no matter what I post, it isn't going to be what everyone wants to see. And I am not here to post what everyone else wants to see. I am posting what I am experiencing. The things that *I* find interesting or valuable - things I want to remember.
Another beautiful spot on our way back to Galway -
These folks, experiencing these things with me -
They will also have different thigs they gravitate toward and resonate with.
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Old stone house, what is your story?
As for me - I know I'll get back to "normal" when I return home.
I'll get back to quilting content.
I'm excited about the ideas floating around in my head.
And I know you will understand and forgive me for taking the rest of this tour off while I continue to fight the sinus infection (I've turned a corner - I'm on the mend) and give my full attention the group and the activities we have yet to come.
I'm living happily in Ireland for the next few days and will fill you in when I get back.
I'll write about the experiences I've had, the things that tickled my fancy.
I'll likely mix in a bit of Egypt in there too -
But I also realize that I'm not required to share every photo, every excursion, every memory with everyone.
In the mean time, if you miss daily updates and snippets - check me out on Facebook and Instagram.
Those little dots below my signature with the icons in them? They are linked. Click them to get where you want to go.
Tonight we are off to see "Trad on the Prom" a show of Irish dancing and music - it should be a blast.
We'll be back late.
And the alarm will be set for early tomorrow to start our next day.
64 comments:
Personally, I'm glad you're getting to see so much of Ireland. I, too, would focus on the scenery more than the towns. Maybe someday I'll get to see it for myself but until then, I'll look forward to seeing your photos.
I so enjoy seeing your adventures through your eyes. You see things that most others don’t. And don’t let others negatively bother you. This is your adventure and sharing it with us who are not there. Enjoy yourself and feel better soon.
Oh, Bonnie, I’m so happy for you to take the break and just enjoy being in the moment. You deserve every second of it. I love the daily peek into your life but we all need to periodically step away and experience life without feeling the pressures of meeting everyone else’s expectations. I hope you recover quickly and celebrate the rest of this wonderful trip with your travelers.
Take care, Bonnie. It's been a looong few weeks. And I am jealous- we didn't get a boat ride. :(
Enjoy your trip and the people you’re with! Forget about everything else! We’ll be here when you’re ready to write again. Everybody needs time for themselves. If you’re too tired from your trip when you get home, take a few more days for yourself.
Have a great time! Enjoy YOUR vacation. We'll be here when you get back & if people leave cause you're not giving them play-by-play, so be it. You do you!!!!
They should take the tour. Wishing you well, better health and a fabulous rest of trip and safe return home. I always seem to get a respiratory infection of some kind on a trip. Good idea to have the antibioticsl
Enjoy the moment you are in. And there's no pleasing everybody all the time! You are fortunate to be there. Feel better soon. Cheers, Sara
My philosophy is to never apologize for living my best life! It has taken me many years that I will never satisfy everyone, so I do "Me" and to heck with everybody else. For those that criticize, the Delete button was invented for a reason. I love you, your blog and other social media just the way it is, and please don't give the detractors, negative Nellies and the unhappy a second thought.
I would think that most people would know that you are on holiday…I certainly don’t expect you to be posting every day…you need to enjoy the group of people you are travelling with especially since they paid good money to travel with you…hope you feel better soon
You go girl! Enjoy every minute! My idea of relaxing fun is hiking miles and miles with my two grown sons in as many National Parks as we can manage while I am able to do that. And as far away from cities, events, and lots of people as we can get!
ENJOY your time in Ireland, and get well soon! Su
Enjoy the Irish Dancing, my two nieces who were raised in County Cork are both proficient dancers as was their mother.
What a wonderful tour you are having! The scenery photos have just been mind-blowing. God is a wonderful artist, and I am so glad you are sharing what you can when you can. I am sad that some just can't see the beauty and enjoy all that you do share. I was on vacation last week visiting family, and 95% of the time when I picked up my "phone" it was to take pictures of my loved ones so I would have them to remind me of what a fantastic visit we had. Thank you so much for sharing little snippets. It just makes the anticipation of what we will see when you return home even better! Enjoy the last few days of your awesome travels however you so desire! No Guilt!!
Hi Bonnie. Sorry you are getting some negative feedback on your Ireland blog. Enjoy your trips!!! They are just as much for you as they are for the people that are there with/because of you. Yes I miss your regular blogs, but fully understand you are travelling and digesting your surroundings. I’m just happy to travel vicariously thru you at the moment. Ireland looks beautiful. It reminds me a lot of my home in Newfoundland. I will be enjoying these same experiences in late August when I travel there with my husband. You have given me a sneek peek at what we will be enjoying when we get there. Thanks for all you do and enjoy what time you have left in Ireland. Debbie Wardle
Take all the time you need. Be present in the moment! 💚☘️💚
Oh Bonnie don’t let anyone make you feel bad. I can’t imagine the stress, physical and mental, of 3 back to back tours. Yiu enjoy, and if people don’t like it, too bad. You are doing an amazing job and you are entitles to enjoy!
I enjoy all your photos. Ireland looks just glorious. I'm happy you are taking time for yourself so you can enjoy these trips with your fellow travelers. Hope you get better before you fly home. Flying with a sinus infection can be miserable. Looking forward to posts when you get home. Safe travels!
Sorry to hear that you had a sinus infection during your trip. I hope you were able to enjoy most of your trip.
Beautiful Ireland. I was there for 2 weeks a month ago and truly miss it. My husband and I also caught colds and had to sit out a couple of tours. Take care of yourself as best you can while enjoying every bit of it. Please don’t feel guilty. I always remember “you can please some people some of the time, but you can’t please everyone all of the time.” Enjoy the one you’re with.
You have the right to post/write anything you like and as often or not as you like!! You have given us a lot of your life, more than some deserve. We love you! And of course all of your family and fur family!
Oh dear, I'm so sorry you have been ill - what a hassle when you are also trying make everyone else's experience wonderful! It's hard to be unwell when traveling, especially with things that require staying super hydrated! Hope you are all better in the morning.
Ceci
Bonnie you are doing it right by living fully in the moment. While it may be exciting for others to follow in your travels they can wait a while to hear about it. Make wonderful memories with your new friends on your travel journey.
❤️
While you may be taking a break from the Blog, you are definitely not taking a break. I am amazed at your energy and your faithfulness to your followers. Enjoy the journey!
Get better and enjoy the rest of the Irish trip. We will still be here when you get home and get settled. Take care
Take all the time you need! Have fun on your trip. Ignore the negative comments. Love from Dot!
I, personally, have loved seeing the pictures and blogs you have posted while on tour, seeing as I will probably never get to any of these places in person. There always has to be a negative comment from someone,but I can guarantee the other 99% of us truly appreciate the effort you put in with showing us the beautiful sights you are seeing.
I'm loving this tour and your blog posts. Thank you. I'm thinking of going (alone) for my 50th next year. I would love to take my family but with three kids and husband it's not feasible. My dad was Irish and his ashes are scattered in the Dublin Mountains somewhere by long lost relatives and I'd love to go there and see where. It's a long way to travel from Melbourne Australia but I feel it's calling. Hope you feel better soon.
My Mornings have missed the Blogs but I know you are having fun doing what you haven't been able to do for many years. Blessing on your Sinus Cold. Enjoy it all. I'm seeing all on FB and IG. No worries for me. I saw someone asked if the Mystery will have something to do with your recent Travels. I will wait and see. Just know I love whatever you post. Quilty or not. Safe Travels Home.
So excited! I land in Dublin on Thursday then to Galway for a hiking trip! Love to follow your footsteps!
Live your life and the responsibilities to your tour attendees. Honestly, screw the blog and those who are upset you're not here instead.
Enjoy your adventure, Bonnie. Ireland is a place I hope to see some day. I am so appreciative of all your sharing. Have fun and feel better soon.
Oh, Bonnie... it sounds like you are having that " nagging doubt" again. DON'T!! You are not a piece of chocolate, you can't make everyone happy. I for one enjoy seeing whatever you choose to post. I love that you post when you can, and I understand that whatever the reason is why you didn't. I hope you get to feeling better soon and enjoy whatever is left of your trip. Thank you for sharing whatever you do and we hope that you have a safe rest of the trip!
Dear dear Bonnie. Enjoy your travels. Most of us have been following what stories you tell for years. We KNOW that you will tell us so many stories. Take care of yourself. And rest, in the assurance that we will be here ready th o listen and learn when you come back to us.
I’m reminded of this quote. It’s a touch of reality for all of us to remember.
“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”.”
Marie Wilson
― John Lydgate
Dont worry about posting at al. We'll be here when you get back to it. Have fun, have peace and quiet, enjoy!!!
Just enjoy yourself and don't worry about the blog. We know you're a tour and will share when you get back, You may never be there again so just be a guide and a tourist!
I love seeing the pictures and posts that make me feel like I am kinda there with your group. Please take care of you.
Just a friendly reminder that Bonnie is not actually on vacation.....this is part of her livelihood, leading these tour groups...it's all very beautiful to see but also a lot to stay on top of all the time, I would imagine pretty exhausting.
Dear Bonnie,
Sometimes I read your blog and enjoy it all. The quilts, the travels and most your open thoughts the way you express your stories. If a lot of readers don‘t like it, why read it. If you don‘t like to reD the book you bought, dont‘t go on and spend your time to keep on reading. That is my opinion instead of bad comments on someone like you, who only wants to please the people. Bonnie, I will keep on following your experiences and keep on going the way you always do.
Have a good time in Ireland and all the best with your sinusitis. You deserve compliments and no bad comments!
Tine Tolsma
Bonnie, this is YOUR blog. You don't have to do anything you do not want to. You can post once a day, once an hour, once a month, it doesn't matter. It is YOUR blog. Thousands of us look forward to our time with you on the blog but only you get to decide what, where, and when you blog. Thank you for all you do. Celeste Yanisch
If you can’t be nice, be quiet plz. The complainers need to buy a ticket & go with you next time. I look forward to all your posts (whenever they come) and your pics! Enjoy your travelling buddies! We know this is part of your business but you deserve to have a whole heap of fun! Hope you feel better soon!
Sue Ryckman🇨🇦
That photo of the rainbow is priceless! How typical of Irish lore! You should enter it in a contest sometime.
I’m so sorry you felt the need to post an apology for not posting while on vacation or posting what someone else wanted to see/read. Gosh! This is your life. Share when you want. What you want. Those of us who know you appreciate every post we get. But we also understand needing some time away. Enjoy the rest of your trip. Do not feel guilty. Safe travels.
Bonnie, this is your blog and you write the rules. You aren’t under contract to us to post every day (although we love when you do), as you are to the tour group you’re leading. You can’t have more than 1 top priority, we get that. But, since we’re sharing openly, it did hurt to be called ‘the armchair folks’. Always felt you thought more of us than that.
Bonnie, sure hope that you are feeling better. Hard to enjoy yourself when you are under the weather. Can't imagine how in the world you have the energy you do to do 3 tours back to back! You Go Girl!!!! ;) Hugs Jean
Total support for you!
No explanations needed here Bonnie. Enjoy yourself and we'll see (or hear from you) when you return.
Love seeing Ireland through your eyes. Thank you for letting us tag along.
Oh Bonnie, enjoy your time in international countries! Travel like that is exhausting. I always say I'm going to post to FB nightly and keep caught up on deleting blurry photos but by the 3rd night I'm too tired and skip it. As the leader of the quilt group you have to always be "on" and that can be tiring as well. No need to apologize to your readers. If they have a problem it is just that, their problem. I follow several bloggers that take a month off in the summer and perhaps all of December, or at least 2 weeks. And after a close relative dies they take time off blog writing. Everyone gets a vacation (from blog writing) and no one deserves it more than you. Hope you're well on the way to being healthy and have no problems flying home.
Also, your photos are bringing back memories of my 2 trips to Ireland! It is a beautiful country and so are the people!
So sorry you’re feeling sick. If you don’t feel like blogging, don’t feel guilty
Bonnie--So sorry you've experienced connectivity issues, health challenges and such a rigorous schedule with time zone and travel and packing and sightseeing! Wow, so much for you to see, do, teach, make friends and try to chronicle all of it, too! You amaze me with all you take on and how much quilting, pattern writing, innkeeping and pet care and meal making and husband and friend time you manage to fit into your days! You are a superwoman. I hope you'll enjoy the rest of your trip without feeling any pressure to write or share or listen to those who leave unkind or unthinking comments.Take care❤
So glad you are having a great time. Get well soon. What's the old saying, no news is good news?
The armchair folks, seriously? Take a look at what you’ve become. With any luck they will all be dead soon and you can just concern yourself with fb and insta followers.
Enjoy your travels and we miss you!
I love Ireland --- my favorite international place to visit. Ahh the 40 shades of green! My husband and I just returned from up north Wisconsin and I brought a sinus infection home as a souvenir--I sympathize with you. Keep enjoying the countryside and lovely towns of Ireland.
Enjoy your time in Ireland! Have FUN!! ...and don't worry about usins back here. We'll hear about it when you get back....
Thanks so much for sharing all your time during your trips . Sorry about the critics. Just know that you are appreciated and that we love what you do and what you share! Take some time to rest after a whirlwind trip.
I don't understand why people think you are here to entertain them. Take the time you need to enjoy your trip. Post when you are home, or take a more extended vacation. Enjoy the remainder of your trip and I hope you are feeling much better soonest!!!!
Bonnie, If I was on a tour with others, I would definitely enjoy the tour and the people and not worry about writing your Blog. Enjoy yourself! You deserve it!
I agree with Sandi1100!
Enjoy the place, the people and the time you have with them.
I would love to get to Ireland and Scotland some day myself!
It's understandable that you're feeling tired, a traveling with a sinus infection wears you out. As for posting, just announce that you're moving to posting once or twice a week in the future and move on. It's a blog, not a life-or-death daily writing assignment. Some people will be unhappy, some will understand, you can't please everyone. Do what makes you happy!
Love photo of the sheep! You'll see more when in NZ next year. Enjoy the present, get well soon. Dot,NZ.
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