Sliante!

My last few days in Dublin are passing too quickly for my liking. I spent the weekend catching up on the sites I had yet to see, and catching up on sleep as well.

On Saturday I went to the Hugh Lane Dublin City Gallery. They had a really lovely collection of impressionist art. Peter and I both fell in love with a few paintings, and we thoroughly enjoyed this small but well-curated gallery. The bookshop had some excellent arts education books and it was a challenge not to spend all of my cash on the books.

That afternoon I took Peter to the National Museum of Decorative Arts, to which I had already been, to see the Viking ship and the period furniture exhibits. I saw these adorable Christmas origami ornaments on a huge Christmas tree in the lobby and I insisted on tracking down whoever made them. After I successfully found the museum's Art Cart director and got the web address, Peter pointed out that I'm really just a preschool teacher at heart. It's true. That's what I would love to do every day if it didn't involve wiping runny noses, cleaning up kiddie puke, and dealing with children who don't know when to go to the bathroom.

Saturday evening we watched this phenomenal Irish sit com called Father Ted with some other theatre students. It was recommended to us by our excellent acting teacher, Donal. He brought in the entire series for us to watch. I need to buy the boxed set once I get home because it is one of the most absurd and clever comedies I've ever enjoyed.

Sunday - again, sleeping in was a luxury. Then it was off to church where a choir made the Advent mass even more enjoyable. I always get excited when the Advent mass ends with O Come O Come Emmanuel. It's one of my favorite Christmas songs. Kate, Nora, Peter and I went to lunch at Avoca. Decadent quiche and a chocolate covered shortbread...yum. Then I went to Lush and smelled all of the soaps. It was difficult to distinguish scents after a while because they all blend together making one general organic-y stink.

The rest of Sunday was spent at the Chester Beatty Library, a superb museum featuring rare editions of religious texts and a nice exhibit drawing comparisons between Eastern Religions, Islam, and Christianity. The museum was just the right size for my museum attention span. I learned stuff and didn't get bored. Perfect!

Peter was a good man and hauled all of the Leeson Street residents to Corrigan's, my neighborhood pub, for some socializing and a break from writing papers. The pub is perfect. Comfortable booths and an abundance of pine garland and Christmas decorations.

Today I have more rehearsal and packing and cleaning. I need to take my un-needed items to Oxfam so that I don't have to worry about trashing them or taking them home. I can't believe I'll be home so soon. It will be sad to not be in Dublin, but nice to be with my family again and in a functional kitchen with appliances that work. I've already started making my Christmas cookie grocery list.