Page 3 - Trip to Ireland Final Flip Book

Huntsville, AL to Ireland via Chicago, IL – June 8th

After packing for days, I finally get underway at 10:30 a.m. on

June 8, 1991. Anne called shortly before Mike and I left for

Nashville so that is a great sendoff. I always laugh when I talk

to Anne.

No problems so far…We leave Huntsville, AL and arrive at

Nashville, TN International Airport in plenty of time. I forgot
only a few little details (the book I was going to bring and

taking off my diamond ring and leaving it home). Mike will

take the ring home and I will buy a book in the airport. It’s

really warm and sunny with a bit of haze in the air. I plan to

get my bags in Chicago rather than check them thru. That way

I can lose them instead of the airline.

I’m in the air with a diet Coke in my tummy; I’m feeling pretty

good in spite of leaving 20 minutes late due to “navigational

equipment problems”. I’m sitting by a quiet young man of high

school age and just ate a wee bag of peanuts. Just think in a

few hours I could be quaffing a pint of lager and haranguing a

surly inn keeper in Ireland. Can’t wait to hear some Irish tales

told in an Irish brogue. I’ll wander around where the ancient

Celts lived their violent and romantic lives. Gaelic is still
spoken and may still echo through the great castles and glens.

Guess I shouldn’t be rhapsodizing before I get there.

I see Ireland as a painting, and imagine how an artist could

fashion a masterpiece in nothing flat. I picture driving down

narrow roads through small, clean villages surrounded by

fertile green fields bordered by stone walls. Snowy white

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