Hello again my lovelies, I hope you're all doing well? I'm still six months behind in my Blog, but Week 26 marked six months of living here in beautiful Donegal, which is definitely something to celebrate. I wasn't actually IN Ireland at the time, having gone to England to spend my birthday with family, but since it was the first birthday I was able to spend at home in 18 years, I had lots of celebrating to catch up on!
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Shrewsbury Castle.
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| Birthday lunch at The House Of Yum, in the Market Hall, Shrewsbury. |
I spent the week in my hometown of Shrewsbury, catching up with family and friends, and trying out new (to me) restaurants. On my actual birthday, I really wanted to just explore that beautiful town a bit. So much has changed since I moved away, but it's a wonderful mix of new and vibrant, and old, nostalgic, and familiar. Gareth moved to Shrewsbury last year, but hasn't had much chance to explore, so he took the day off on my birthday and we spent the whole day together on a mini adventure. We started by walking the grounds at Shrewsbury Castle, then perused the Market Hall and had lunch at the House of Yum. After lunch we explored the older streets, did some shopping in small boutique shops, (Well, I shopped, and Gareth encouraged me to treat myself. This is the kind of support I need in my life, haha!) and then stopped for a pint at The Loggerheads, one of the oldest pubs in Shrewsbury, dating back to the 1700s. It was in there that Gareth asked what I wanted to do next, and I suggested we go get matching tattoos. To my surprise, he agreed! So, we immediately found the closest tattoo shop that accepted walk-in appointments, (Thank you Jessica of Vanitas Tatto Studio!) and went and got a small symbol that was meaningful to both of us on our wrists. This was Gareth's first tattoo, so quite the commitment, and an incredible way to mark the day.
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About to get inked!
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Celebratory post-tattoo pints in The Nag's Head, Shrewsbury.
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After getting inked, we went to The Nag's Head for a celebratory pint, and walked to my sister's house along the river. It was a beautiful day, and seeing everything in the Spring sunshine was magical. My sister and mum wanted to make sure that I enjoyed this birthday, and baked and made all sorts of treats for me, which was so kind. My niece insisted on candles and sparklers too, which were also appreciated. In the evening, Gareth and I went to Casa Naranjo, one of my favourite restaurants, and we had a beautiful meal. The whole day was so perfect, I couldn't stop smiling!
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Quality sister time, the Riverbank, Shrewsbury.
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Pint of Slumbering Monk at The Dolphin, my favourite pub in Shrewsbury.
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The rest of the week I got to have some quality girly time with my sister, trying new (to me) restaurants, and doing more shopping. Where I live I don't have easy access to many shops, and Shrewsbury is famous for having a vast array of independent shops and boutiques, so I like to visit them when I'm over there. There were also visits to some of my favourite pubs, of course, and catching up with friends. The whole week was very special, and I feel truly blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life.
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Pints at The Woodman, Shrewsbury, another of my favourite pubs!
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I flew back to Ireland on the Sunday. My aunt gave me a lift home, but we made a detour to see where I'd be moving to shortly, because I couldn't stop thinking about it. It was a beautiful day here, and after unpacking my bags, (yes, I'm the kind of person that unpacks as soon as they get home!) I enjoyed a cocktail out on the patio. Knowing that I would soon be saying goodbye to that view and the sound of the waterfall was bittersweet, but it helped to know I'll have another spectacular view to look forward to.
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Flying over the Isle Of Man.
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View from the new house.
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View from the current/old house.
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