an afternoon in athy

I took the train out to Athy today, sort of experimentally. I bought a book to read on the train (SOUL MUSIC, which I enjoyed; I will have to read some more of the Susan books, I think), and went to the house, which, after a second inspection, I think is going to be Just Fine. It will require much girding, but the big pieces are all in place: beds, dining room set, living room furniture. We’ll need to get a tv and (all-region) dvd player. O Irish Readers? Where does one make such purchases in this country? :)

On my way out of the housing estate I made a Very Important Discovery: I found an internet cafe. Only it’s not a cafe, but that’s not the point. I stopped in and said I was just moving in and did they have broadband there, and they did, which fills me with hope. Our house is not at all far from there, either as the crow flies or on street paths, so perhaps we’ll get broadband! It won’t happen next week, regardless, because the Irish are not an urgent lot, but it seems the possibility is there, which is, as they say, grand altogether. I’ll go back and find out who their provider is, and also find out if I can bring my laptop in and plug it into one of their connections, which would be very splendid.

Having gone by the internet shop, I then walked the length of Athy, which didn’t take all that long, really, and stopped at a restaurant where I had a tuna melt which was advertised as coming with chips, and which to my vast surprise and amusement arrived with both french fries *and* potato chips. I have visions of the waitress saying to the cook, “It’s an American. Better give her some crisps ’cause the menu says chips.” Either that or it’s just the Irish habit of serving potatoes with their potatoes. :)

I thought the train back was at 2:30, but found out it was at 5 to 3, so I trundled over to the pool (which is across the street, literally, from the train station) and poked my head in to take a look, and ended up in a conversation with the woman whom I presume was the lifeguard, since she was sitting around being available to answer questions and watch people swim.

Not only did she tell me the adult swim hours (8pm 4 nights a week, plus Mondays except there are apparently kids there sometimes on Mondays because there’s swim lessons immediately beforehand), she also wanted to know what other sports I liked, told me there wasn’t step dancing but there was set dancing, did I know what that was, in Athy, and *really*, was I interested in horse riding, because her husband is horse-mad and has a thoroughbred who got injured and so he got him cheap (was the implication), a fat pony and just recently a new mare that he’d trained all himself and maybe once we’re settled I could come ’round of a Saturdays and learn to ride and help exercise their horses. Oh, and another family member runs the karate dojo there and maybe my husband would be interested in that, if he practices martial arts. And a friend of hers’ son used to go to Alaska in the summers to work, and when he finished university he went to live for a year and brought his mum and dad to visit and she said it was *gorgeous*. (Only they pronounce it “gaaaarrjes”.) There’s also apparently great tennis in Athy, if you’re into tennis, and the new fitness center is breaking ground in February.

So that was quite something. :) I went home feeling quite happy about Athy. :)

Ted and Shaun should be in Chicago by now. Actually, they should have been there quite some time ago, and I presume they were. I hope it’s all going well for them. It’ll be good when everybody’s here. *nodnod*

miles to Mount Doom: 261