SECOND HOME

He was waiting for me at the airport early this morning despite his having had but a few hours of sleep. Due to my flight having been delayed which resulted in my arriving an hour later than scheduled, we had to take the bus back to Ennis since his ride to the airport left him waiting for me alone.

By now, the flight to Shannon seems more of a commute than a sojourn to a foreign country for vacation. Having made the journey multiple times in the past year, I see Ennis as more of the second home I visit after my 'business trips' to the States. I certainly have gotten to know many people in this small town which is almost more than the people I know back in my Austin home.

Had I been better at tracking my miles on my frequent flyer card, I would have had more free flights. A valuable, albeit costly, lesson I learned was that even though one airline (in this case, Aer Lingus) states they are affiliated with the carrier I frequently use (United Airlines) does not mean the miles are credited towards my frequent flyer program. Combined with the issue of not submitting paperwork for a new card after getting married cost me precious miles I could have been using now. Regardless, soon I will have enough for another 'free' flight.

The weather was warmer than expected. Though I have seen no rain all day, I expect it will arrive sooner rather than later. This is, after all, Ireland where the weather can and does change within a few moments and one must be prepared for any situation. Since I was expecting cooler weather, I opted for my waterproof boots and nothing else for shoes. My taking more would have resulted in having to check in my suitcase which was not a desirable option.

We arrived home and dropped off my little carry-on suitcase before heading out to the coffeehouse. Conor was not there today but a few new faces were present behind the counter which doubles as a kitchen. I decided on a flat white and fruit scone (which almost always means currant in both the Scotland and Ireland) whilst my boyfriend chose a cappuccino. When going out to eat or sit at a coffeehouse is infrequent, it becomes more enjoyable as it is now a treat.

After coffee and a short walk, we returned home where we slept for about an hour before going to have a pint of Guinness at Knox's. There we spent an hour and a half talking about life and our future together and revising plans as needed. Afterwards, we went to The Poet's Corner at the Old Ground Hotel for a late lunch and another pint of Guinness where I was glad to see vacant our 'usual' spot in the back.

Another long nap took place after our meal, this time it having been three hours long. More walking for one more pint of Guinness at a small somewhat hidden bar across the street from Old Ground Hotel and our first day was drawing to a close. It was a long and memorable day at my second home with more opportunities for making memories yet to come.