Day 10--IRL, Kilarney to Blarney to Waterford

Breakfast at the hotel. We were the last to get served—almost everyone was gone by the time we got our food. And it wasn’t even that good—an egg, sausage, black pudding, and Canadian bacon. Departed Kilarney about 8:15am and drove to Blarney. Grandma made it all the way to the top and kissed the Blarney Stone. Did a bit more shopping at the Blarney Woollen Mills and bought gifts for people. Also grabbed lunch while we were there. Headed on to Waterford to tour the Waterford Crystal Factory. Today is a bank holiday, so they are only operating with a skeleton crew—again. It was the same when we were here in November and when Mom and Dad were here in June of 2003. They have also changed the opening presentation and remodeled the work areas. Got to the Tower Hotel at 4:30pm. Took a walk down to John Hearn Ironmongers” since Grandma’s grandpa was John Randolph Hearn. The old man there wasn’t very interested in talking to her. We took her picture in front of the store still. Left at 5:45pm to go to a pub in East Village, outside of Waterford and in the vicinity of Mike and Lisa’s wedding last year. The pub was called “The Cumon Inn,” named for the hurling stick used in the game of hurling. I drank a bit too much Bulmer’s (hard cider), but it was good and I didn’t get sick from it. Back on the coach, the tour director Helen told some long drawn-out jokes which wouldn’t go over as well if we were all sober. We tried to call Mike and Lisa earlier in the day, but they had just left for Limerick for the holiday weekend. Mike is working in Spain right now, so Mom and Dad will likely get to see him when they go back to Italy. Also, at the pub, Marion told us that she got two proposals while there and the glass cutter at Waterford Crystal let her try to cut the glass even though it would cost him money. Anything for attention I guess. Dinner was back at the hotel, then we returned to our room and called Uncle Foy to check on him and Grandpa and to verify the plan for him to pick Grandma up on Monday night. He argued, saying it was Tuesday morning according to the schedule Mom gave him. Apparently Map Quest defaults to a certain time so you can see how long a trip takes. Mom told him to look at the flight times and ignore the other times. She decided he couldn’t handle driving to Dallas and back, so she got Dad to reserve a rental car so we could take Grandma to Durant. She called Foy to apologize for the fight while Grandma was being upset in the bathroom. They decided to meet in McKinney instead, but it is costing Mom about $80 to rent. Grandma said, “Well I’m sorry we’re just too dumb to do this.” Mom blew up a bit since similar stuff happened when they came up for our wedding. Foy forgot the maps they were given, but said that no one gave him any. When mom said “You told me you left the packet we gave you at home,” he said “You’ve pulled this shit on me before!” He also tried to say Mom didn’t give him the maps the night before we left to come here, whereupon Mom walked into the other room with him and pulled them out of the drawer he put them in. Grandma is also still having problems with the ATMS and the phones. The one blow up they have had isn’t too bad for a week together.