lorglynnoz Hey everyone! Happy new year! I've set up a new blog for the new year, so continue following on www.offexploring.com/lorglynntravel Enjoy!!

Mam Well, HAPPY NEW YEAR!. Mary, Mag, Sally and Bernie were here this evening. Plenty of coffee and chatting. Don,t think we will be going out anywhere tonight. I,d say we will just watch the ringing in, on the telly. Bernie and Sally are gone home now. We will skype before you head to New Zealand anyway. Chat soon. Mam

Mam Well Lorraine, We all survived the wedding. It went off really well. We will have plenty of photos in a few days. We are not long home and had to go to try and sort out stuff for nana as soon as we came home, so had no time for photos. Shes not too bad by the way. Glad you got the surprise of the 16 pants! We have to go to Cortoon tonight now so hopefully we will skype tomorrow. It might be late cos I only had bout 3 hrs sleep last night and could have less tonight so when I get up I will try to Skype.

MARY C Thanks for the good wishes Lorraine and we'll miss you today. However, enjoy the good weather!. It is raining and windy here with storm force winds promised in Galway in the afternoon. Hopefully, we'll be in the hotel before that. Muireann will be missing it too. She is in Sligo to go to Jeffrey's sisters wedding. We'll keep you posted!

lorglynnoz Enjoy the wedding everyone!!

Margaret McD Hi Lorraine, Thank God we have survived another Xmas. I feel more like Nana every year and I realise that what was effortless at 49 is definitely not effort;ess at almost 59!! Had everyone since Xmas Eve and still. We had a nice day yesterday but I must admit I was tired by the end of it. Have to get sorted now for heading west. Aiden is not coming as he says he doesn't do winter weddings !!! My plan is to stay in Corofin for the New year. We will see how it goes. I think Shell and Shaun are coming back on Sunday. Glad you had thr traditional Xmas dinner even though I can't imagine having it in the sunshine!! Good that you had someone to celebrate with anyway. Will be in touch after the wedding

MARY C Hi Lorraine! Sounds like you had a good christmas, much better weather anyway. I have developed the flu-just what you need before a wedding! My nose is like Rudolf's at the moment but the tap has stopped today, so hopefully by friday, I won't look too bad. We had a very quiet xmas, just eimhin, muireann and ourselves. Eimh headed out on a marathon run but it started lashing rain and was very cold: After about 30 kms, he was in Belclare and rang Muireann to rescue him, he was frozen through: jumped into a hot bath after coming home and something hot to eat and was feeling ok after that. What a way to spend xmas day! The other 3 of us were just thrown in chairs trying to stay awake so eventually, went to bed early but Eimh was full of beans: Maybe we should all have a run! Caroline and Fiachra are coming over for the dinner today: They were in Gavin's yesterday: Caroline's brother and his girlfriend are home from New Zealand for 2 weeks: it was a surprise-nobody knew they were coming. Jody and his girlfriend, Emma, are home from Brisbane for 2 weeks. She is still really suffering badly from Jet-Lag: can't stay awake. After today, we will be full steam ahead for the wedding: Hopefully, I'll have a miraculous recovery: its such a balls to be sick for xmas. There is a maternity leave commencing on 7th. Jan 13 in Kilcoona: Fiona got it, so hopefully she will get probated. Eimhin got over his T.P anyway, so we all have a bit of peace for a few weeks. He has a few weeks observation in feb and then 5 weeks T.P again in April, which he is doing with Sally. He will be finished in June I think. Then, try to get a job to get probated!. Muireann is gone into town this morning-she is looking for a few bits before heading to Sligo for that wedding on Fri That's all the news from here, I think. You won't feel until you are off to New Zealand: I am really enjoying the Blog as it is keeping me up to date with everything thats going on. Enjoy your trip! It will be july before you know it and we are all looking forward to seeing you again.

lorglynnoz I need photo evidence of these jumpers!!

Mam Well we survived the day! Started with presents as usual. One of them being a Christmas jumper. Shell, Dad and Mam all decked out. Picture that. Roasted in the jumpers because the oven was on all morning with the turkey in, Got donations to the hol fund. Perfume, books, nice wash stuff, snuggle blanket, Mrs Browns boys and more. Mass then at 11. Choir in full voice. Not like Brisbane. Cathy Mahon was giving it all to "Oh Holy Night" . Nana was in better form today and able to come up with Noreen for the dinner. She stayed over two hours and was whacked after it. Now, she had spent some time concentrating on doing the crazee cube puzzle. Didn,t work out this time either. We all thrown about the place now full of turkey and stuffing! Dad is sleeping at Nanas tonight and Noreen will sleep here because she was up a lot with nana last night, more than the night before so she needs a rest. Hope ye had a good day too in Shanes house. Skype later.

lorglynnoz Merry Christmas to everyone that's been following the blog!! Hope ye have enjoyed it. Plenty more to come next year!

Mam MERRY CHRISTMAS from Corofin. Hope you enjoy the visits to Mike and Shane. I nwill have the usual xmas eve rush here. Crying with the onions for the stuffing! The gang next door are coming up this evening. Hopefully we will be able to skype later. Say Happy Christmas to the boys from all here. Chat later.

Mam Glad to hear the world isn,t ending! Something will work out with the work hopefully. I have to go to a dinner in Galway this evening for the Breast unit night out. Its really the last thing I want after coming home for my Christmas holidays but it has to be done. I will have to start the "jobs" then tomorrow. Hopefully we will be able to skype at some stage.

Mam Definitely never a dull moment. You will have to do a bit more planning. Work very busy these days for me. Cant wait for tommorow to finish up for a week!

Mam Sounds like I would have really enjoyed that parade. You should definitely go out and about again and enjoy the festivities! The cards were sent seperately. No harm to have a bit of cleaning experience!

Mam Hope the bites heal up soon. Keep an eye that they don,t get infected. Put on plenty of Anthisan for the itch. At least you have the few hours work tomorrow. Great to have those trips to look forward to. I,m trying to get organised for Christmas. Some fine day I will be like you and be ready weeks before with everything wrapped! Maybe next year!