WELCOME HOME

'Tomi, what is marriage', my boyfriend asked his friend whom he called to collect me from the airport at 07,30h this morning.

'Marriage is the reason for divorce', replied Tomi half-joking I assume. We three broke into laughter as we knew this was partly true.

I had asked Tomi how long he was together with his girlfriend. 'Nine years', was his reply which led to my asking about their getting married. Certainly a piece of paper is by no means a necessity for a solid relationship. As Goldie Hawn, who has been together with Kurt Russell for 29 years without getting married, stated recently: 'A lasting relationship isn’t about marriage. It’s about compatibility and communication. And you both need to want it to work.'

We made it to Ennis in less than half an hour and went straight to bed. Though I wanted to stay awake, it took no time for me to fall asleep. By the time we awoke and glanced at the phone for the time, it was already noon. He made breakfast for us both: eggs, baby tomatoes, cucumbers, and bread with cheese. Eating together made for a much more enjoyable breakfast than it usually is when we have to eat alone.

The coffee shop was next on our agenda for a simple and relaxing day. I was glad he was able to get the day off today of which we both took great advantage. Though we had to wait ten minutes for our table and another 15 minutes for our coffee, the wait was well worth the great taste of the rich and creamy cappuccinos.

I skipped the scone for today as we had just finished breakfast. I was glad to hear Conor's plans for the new coffee shop across the street were underway though I will not be here when they plan to open next month. Tomorrow I will return and have my scone with a cappuccino as I sit at my table by the window.

The rest of the day involved walking, making a vision test appointment for me at Specsavers around the corner, more sleeping, and a visit to Dunnes store for provisions for dinner. The grilled vegetable frozen pizza I had was tasty as far as frozen pizzas go. I will have plenty of time for cooking in the following weeks. Our first day together again ended with a pint of Guinness at Knox's. 'Welcome home', he said as we clinked our glasses.