Up up in Drumbshambo!

Ah gosh I don't know where to begin...
Well sure... Ill start from the beginning then!

What an absolutely AMAZING week. I left Galway Sunday and Siobhan and Tommy picked me up in Longford after taking the bus. We arrived into Drumbshambo and were quickly (kinda) able to get back into the swing of things. It was like we never left!

So... who was there. At the campsite it was Elaine, myself, Siobhan & Tommy, Tom & Judy (Tommy's parents), The Finns (Tom & Mary and kids). At the house there was Sean, Gearoid, Corman, Barry, Una and Kira (Barry & Una's daughter and I really hope I'm spelling her name right). We also had a bit of Paul Banjo, Susan and Paul (also Banjo), a few from the Ceili band, Brian & Amy Finn and more that I'm probably forgetting, but not really! Just so many to remember.

The cool thing about the campsite is that, after having been there for 3 years now and some more, you get to see the same families over and over again each year and kinda watch their kids grow up a bit. It's really great. So... John & Bella were there like last year and Aidan & his family were as well. Just perfect.

Throughout the week we did the following... in no specific order...
Played music during the day, evening and night and wee hours of the morning (well, I did sometimes, but most did all the time), took classes each morning (MOST of the time), swam in the lake almost daily, ate really good food, drank and had loads of fun, took tons of pictures, got rained on, got burnt by the sun, got attacked by flying ants, got stung by a bee (well, that was just me I think), at broccoli (mostly me again, but I noticed a few partaking), slept (well, tried to anyway), laughed a ton, M&Md (I think) and just had such an amazing time...

The night before leaving, a sweet girl from the campsite came up to me and said "My mammy wants you to come stay with us. We have an organic garden and you can work for your food and your bed." I asked her more about this and she said they are part of an organization of organic farmers and people travel to and from them working and staying. They are all over the world and she said her parents said I would be just the right person to come and stay. Without hesitation, I said "Sweetheart... then I will see you soon!" I couldn't believe it. Honestly... these things find me and I love it! It's jut the kind of thing I would like to try and once you are a member of this, you can travel around the world doing the same! yay!

It was kinda shocking how quickly the week went by actually... Come saturday morning I was in a bit of a disarray as to how I was going to get back to Galway, but, thanks to help from EVERYONE, it all ended up working out! Siobhan said to me... "Jess, just go to class and trust that the universe will get you home alright." She's the best!

Listen to this story...

So, Miriam was kind enough (Thanks Meer!) to drop me in Carrick on the road towards Tubbercurry. I hitched and got a lift from a really nice man called Tom. He was awesome to talk with and just the start of an amazing experience back to Galway. Then, Tom was kind enough to go a little out of his way to get me to a good spot on the next road I was headed for. Just minutes after he dropped me, a car with two nice men pulled up. They were different and cool and certainly interesting to listen to! They were on their way to Westport for the Crough Patrick pilgrimage up the mountain. Then, they dropped me in Tubbercurry and, although there was a bus just a little while later, I thought I might just continue my good experience and try to land in Galway a little earlier than the bus. I placed myself in a pretty good spot as to get traffic coming from two directions... 6 or 7 cars stopped (even though I was holding a GALWAY) sign, and asked if they could take me to westport, castlebar, anywhere closer. It was so nice. Even a woman and her three children stopped! Finally... John and Jenny picked me up and man were they just the coolest... We had amazing conversation the whole way into Galway. While talking, John mentioned his niece started a business for herself... her and her now fiance take people on two-week trips to Tuscany and teach them painting. They teach all day long and then have events at night. She thought they might be looking for tudors so we exchanged information. Can you imagine? Oh I hope that works out to be something because that could be amazing.

Ok a few thanks while I'm at it... thanks so much to the Fitzharris' and the Finn's for opening their homes (campervans) to us during the week! It made things so so so cumfy! Tom & Judy, thank you for storing the bag for me! Thanks to Elaine and her dad for giving us the best showers ever when we needed them! Thanks to Siobhan and Tommy and Elaine for storing my banjo ever night since I can't play it yet! Thanks to Ronan for taking pictures while I was swimming! Thanks to Barry for stealing my camera and taking pictures of me taking down Tigin 1.5 (tent). Thanks to Siobhan and Tom F for donating their pictures for this blog. Thanks to Tommy & Siobhan for the list from Longford! Thanks for Miriam for the lift... glad you were the first of my hitching adventure! Thanks to Tom F for telling me the bee sting didn't hurt anymore... you were wrong, but still appreciate the effort! Thanks to EVERYONE for a full week for amazing tunes and constant laughter. Geeze I really hope I haven't forgotten anything!

So, I returned to the buzz of Galway on the last weekend of the arts festival. The streets were filled and awesome. I had to run a bunch of errands and the bee sting was REALLY bad so I went to an organic chemist and they gave me a homeopathic spray to put on it. All night it was bothering me, but I sat and edited pictures and listened to music while relaxing and doing laundry. It was the perfect night.

Now, it's Sunday morning and the sun is 1/2 shining. Aidan is on the bus on his way here and Elaine will be coming back soon. We are going to see Lunasa tonight and I'm completely excited! Tomorrow Aidan and I will head back to Kilrush and I am going to work two nights in the bar with him... he's gonna teach me how to tend bar and I'm super excited.

So... all is REALLY well and I hope you are doing well too! Drop and email when you have a chance to give an update. I'm doing my best with internet, but I'm going weeks at a time without being on. This week I will be on a bunch I hope!

Smiles to ya.

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