First Blog of 2016, [AKA Trip across the Pond]

THIS IS MY FIRST BLOG OF 2016!
   I have always wanted to keep a diary and I guess this is a good medium to use.  Also, in part, I've entered this "Better You" competition and my personal goal for 2016 is keep a blog with at least 3 entries per week.I want to use this blog as a way to sort out my feelings, share news, and something to be committed to for 2016.
   I also have an exercise and nutrition goal, too! My exercise goal is to walk 30,000 steps a week.  I know that sounds lame but right now I average about 21,000 steps a week.  My nutrition goal is to eat a salad as a meal 3x a week.  A BIG move for me as I am NOT  a salad person.  Insert bread and I'd be your best food buddy!
   One other goal of my life was to travel  to Ireland.  Last October, my husband, Steve, and I holidayed in Ireland and Scotland for 2 weeks.  It was wonderful!

Doune Castle in Scotland

Culloden Battlefield in Scotland

In Dublin

  We also visited Dublin, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Belfast, The Titanic Museum, The Giant's Causeway, the Walls of Derry/Londonderry, Cabra Castle, and Newgrange in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and the William Wallace Monument in Sterling, Loch Ness, Inverness, Clava Cairns, and Edinburgh in Scotland. The hop-on, hop-off buses in Dublin and Belfast were a great way to see the cities!
   We even ventured to Berwick-Upon-Tweed for lunch to say we were in England. Berwick is the northern-most city in England, just 2 miles south of the Scottish border in Northumberland.
   If you are an Outlander fan, you will recognize Doune Castle and the Culloden Battlefield.  Doune Castle was also used in the filming of the  Monty Python and the Holy Grail movie.
   Two special stops were in Ardee, County Louth in the Republic of Ireland and Stabane, County Tyrone in Northern Ireland.  These are the home-places of Steve's BOYLE ancestors. It was an unique experience for me to actually be in the very towns where families were born.  We spent the days visiting cemeteries, churches, and libraries.
   We would definitely enjoy going back to any of these 3 countries!

    I would also like to travel to Germany and Luxembourg [other ancestral countries].  I started compiling family genealogies in 1998 and have never stopped!

   Where would you like to holiday?  A foreign country? A tourist stop? Or just stay home?

   Well, this seems like a good place to end my first blog entry.  So until next time....

MAKE GOOD CHOICES!