The Final Weeks

In a few short weeks we'll be waving goodbye to Cork from the back window of a Dublin-bound bus. It will be at least a little somber: Cork is the first place we've lived where Katherine and I feel "at home". Williamsburg, Va., always felt like the temporary trial it was; we never integrated into the community. Maybe that's because half of the community honestly thought they were living in the late-eighteenth century. Anyway, we feel welcome and plugged-in here in southern Ireland––naturally, it's always with a tinge of regret that one leaves such a welcoming environment.

On the other hand, our exit seems to be blessed with good timing. I am still out of work and there's really no hope for finding any at this point. I've been a drain on our finances for weeks now, eating and using electricity but not bringing home any dough. I try to do the laundry and go grocery-shopping to make up for this.

Furthermore, our section of town––Oliver Plunkett Street––seems to be turning against us. Ever since late-June there has been almost incessant road work, masonry work on the building next to us, painting, grinding, and jackhammering. It's a rare, very rare, day when there's any quiet. And the nights....well the nights have been loud too. I have the uncharacteristically good summer weather to thank: warm, clear evenings mean droves of revelers walk around the city at all hours creating all sorts of noise. Sometimes they like to camp out right in front of our building and sing loudly. At 3:00 a.m. Lovely. Last night seemed to be one of those uncommon respites. That is, until 12:30 a.m., when a neighbor's small dog started barking hysterically for several hours.

It's like the city is trying to tell us "'Tis time to go".

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As for our European travels? Honestly I thought we were done after the Germany trip. Not so: we are, inexplicably, going to go to Switzerland for five days in early September. Katherine's late grandfather highly recommended la Suisse to us (Basel in particular), and we figured that actually going is a good way to honor him. It seems crazy but the tickets are booked and there's no backing out now. We'll get back to Cork with four days left on our lease.