Some awfully good things.

Today was such a lovely day. I didn't have a plan, but I knew that I'm going out on Wednesday all day, and I knew that I'd have to spend tomorrow preparing for the next week (printing tickets, packing, etc.)... and I knew that I wanted to see Dublin again. One last solo-expedition. So I hopped on a train just before lunch time and was in the city by the time all the fellows in business suits were walking to their cafes of choice. (Side note, not sure if I mentioned this before... but wow. What a well-dressed city.) Every other time I've gone into Dublin, I've had a pretty good idea of where I wanted to go that particular afternoon - but today I decided to just wander around. My wandering is much more successful these days, since I now have a pretty good idea of where everything is - it's funny to think back to my first day, and how I got lost in Temple Bar. It's also funny thinking back to how overwhelming the city felt then. Certain areas, of course, are crazier than others, and the more touristy-places (as if there are un-touristy places... but you know what I mean) are much more hectic. The city kind of stressed me out the first few times, to be honest. But somehow while I was on the DART train heading towards the city center today, I had the distinct feeling that I was going "home" - all the old familiar places, and all that. I got off the train, ambled down the street and saw Oscar Wilde on his rock in Merrion Square Park, so I went there and sat for awhile. I'd packed more of my raisin-bread into my purse for the day, so I ate one slice there, and then another slice later in St. Stephen's Green. I know Joyce liked the Green better, but I think I like Merrion Square best. It's less crowded and touristy - at least for today, anyway, it seemed like the much more laid-back place to be. It fit well with my day.

I'm not really sure of the route I took today... I wasn't very conscious of where I was going for once. I know I was in Merrion Square, and then I went to the National Gallery again and spent some more time there... and then I sat under a tree in St. Stephen's, ate my bread and wrote for a bit. (Speaking of writing - I have my blank-page journal that I keep in my purse, and I often write in it when I'm sitting in scenic places. Yesterday while I was at the beach, I was writing in it and three youngish boys suddenly appeared around the corner. They stopped mid-joke and the first two skirted around me awkwardly as they continued on their way; the third boy said, "Hello!" and I said "Hello!" back. He stopped next to me and said, "You've got really nice writing." I said, "Really?!" And he said, "Mhm," and then he skipped off. For some reason it made me happy.) After St. Stephen's, I wandered the more populated parts of town and went into a bunch of different shops and bookstores. (I just can't walk past a bookstore. I don't even think about it - I see one, and I just turn and walk in automatically. It's like a disease.) I went into one particularly well-known one - "Hodges and Figgis" or something like that. It sounds like something out of Harry Potter. Anyway, unfortunately it was particularly pricey, too - even the so-called "bargain basement". But around that time it started raining, so I found a book of T.S. Eliot poetry and settled into a chair and read for awhile. When it stopped raining, I left the bookshop and bought a coffee from Starbucks (I caved... my first American-chain-purchase in Europe) and walked across the river to O'Connell Street. That area is always crowded, regardless of day or time, but the O'Connell Monument (which is a prime spot to sit and observe the city, if you can find an un-occupied step) was free - so I climbed up and sat down, and as I drank my coffee I composed a list of things I want to do when I get home. Not so much a list of things to "do", really, as a list of things to change. But anyway, that's really just for me to worry about.

Around 5 I headed back to the DART station (which I can now find without getting lost - huzzah!) and sat in an empty seat opposite a very small old woman. (And when I say "small", I mean slightly larger than a midget. Her umbrella was bigger than she was.) She struck up a conversation with me - first about the weather (typical), and then somehow we ended up talking about all of her past vacations with her son, who worked as a travel agent for years and has been to almost every country you can think of. She asked me if I've done much traveling yet, and I got the distinct feeling that she didn't realize I was American. Weird. She kept commenting on the fact that times have changed, because years ago, young people wouldn't go out on their own to travel. ("Don'tchew think at's true?" she kept saying.) Because, as she said, horrible things happen to people who travel on their own - especially girls. (At this point, I was praying she wouldn't ask me where my travel-companion was. I didn't want to worry her.) Then we talked about the Titanic; she'd seen a program last night and (since she seemed slightly disappointed that I hadn't seen it) she recounted to me a few stories of the good deeds that some people did the night it sank. And she said, "There are a lot of horrible things in the world, you know, but there are some awfully good things, too. Don'tchew agree?"

I'd gotten onto a train that only went part of the way on accident, so a few stops before my destination we all had to get off the train and wait on yet another platform in the rain. I said goodbye to my small friend and we parted ways; and I spent the next leg of the journey thinking about how all the horrible things in the world make the awfully good things stand out that much more.

I got home eventually. The whole afternoon there had only been a light drizzle if anything, but of course, during my 10 minute walk back the heavens opened. So I arrived in time for dinner, very wet and very hungry, and very happy. It was so nice to have a day with nothing planned, to do whatever I want. Of course, pretty much every day here is like that... so I don't know exactly why today was different. But it was nice.

Ray and Carole went out again tonight, so after dinner the boys and I watched "Totally Bonkers: Guinness World Records" until bedtime. After I read Mark his Bible story, we took turns praying - I love that kid's prayers. He always thanks God for the farmers that grew the food we ate for dinner. Tonight he said, "Thank you for the farmers who grew our dinner, and I pray that they had fun making it. And I pray for the people in Africa - help them to have a good sleep tonight, and to have fun tomorrow morning." I love that he prays for everyone to have fun. Why don't we think about that more often?

Wow, it's raining really hard right now - and the wind is really kicking up. Apparently they won't lay off until Wednesday or Thursday - which is lame, because I'm going on a tour on Wednesday and will be outside all day. Oh well. It'll be grand anyway. OH! You know what's really great?! Kate's on her way to Madrid :) She left this morning at 9, California time. Well, at least we hope she's on her way to Madrid... I think there may be some complication with a late flight, annnnd she might be trapped in New York... but we're hoping that's not the case. I can't believe I'll be seeing her so soon - only two whole days, and a few hours! And then nobody will have to ask where my travel-companion is, or worry that I'm traveling on my own... because I'll have another crazy Mueller girl beside me.

What an awfully good thing.