A lovely sunny morning bright and warm.....Finbar did something so funny last night..the vet had told me that he does not like the food that she gave for me for him to try but I could mix it with his regular food or try to get him to take it on it's own.....so last night I put some in his dish where he eats and sometimes sleep it is on top of the washer in the laundry room....so I am in the kitchen fixing my dinner when I hear this crash and I go into the laundry room and who says cats cannot talk....Finbar had definitely told me"I do not like this food please do not try to give it to me again!!!!"...the crash I heard was him knocking the food dish off the washer onto the floor!!!!!Too funny...he does seem a tad better this morning!!!
A 10.00 am I was on the phone to the Ticket Factory for my tennis ticket I was put on hold for 10 minutes No..20 minutes No.....30 minutes No....40 minutes NO...I gave up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now I was calm and I was on the road and on my way to....
County Louth is home to an atmospheric landmark, King John's Castle, on the southern shores of Carlingford Lough. Built by Hugh de Lacy, this dramatic fortress offers stunning views across the Lough towards the Mourne Mountains and legend has it that King John stayed here for three days in 1210 AD.
The original castle consisted of an enclosed courtyard with two rectangular towers at the entrance and two storey buildings within. The eastern half of the castle was added in 1261 AD and included a number of rooms and probably a great hall. There were a number of alterations made to the castle over the centuries.
The tower house was constructed in two phases, with the older portion completed in the early 16th century. The annex was most likely built around 50 years later to provide more living accommodation and was owned by the Earl of Carlingford, Nicholas Taaffe.
King John's Castle appears to have remained in English hands during the post-medieval period. Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone, tried to take the castle in a surprise attack in 1596 and the fortress changed hands several times over the following centuries. It also functioned as a hospital during the period leading up to the Battle of the Boyne. Visit this formidable fortress to see an authentic piece of Irish history.
Beautiful view of the castle on the end of the bay..
The lonely stranded boat!!!
Fabulous ruins that were not open to the public but i can just imagine life in there all those years ago...
I asked a local and he directed me to a great hike first along the ocean
Won't get hungry on this hike!!!
I am heading up to the forest
Wonderful view looking down on the castle and harbor!!!
The track brought me back into the town which I am sure you will agree is quaint and colorful!!!
Before I show you the next photo....
Your job now is to go to You tube and search for "oh i do like to be beside the seaside with lyrics" by Mark Sheridan it is the third one on the list with the lady in the red swim suite and enjoy a golden oldie!!!!
Written by John A. Glover-Kind in 1909, "I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside" captures the spirit of the times when ordinary working people in Britain flocked to the coast in their thousands by train to resorts such as Blackpool and Morecambe in the North of England for daytrips and their first proper holidays. Train travel for the masses had only really started in the 1870s, and for Sheridan, who was born in the North East, this was his third big hit. Dressed eccentrically in top hat and bell bottom trousers, he encapsulated the sense of fun that many must have felt.
According to Brian Rust in British Music Hall On Record, Sheridan recorded this song on Jumbo at London in October 1909.
Sadly, this time serving fun-loving entertainer had only a few years left; in 1918 he committed suicide in Glasgow, but the song he made famous has been recorded many times since in both vocal and instrumental versions
We used to sing this as kids and appropriate for where I had my lunch!!!
I explored the town some more and found this...
It was a great outing and I got back on the phone with the Ticket Factory and very quietly and politely waited another 40 minutes until I was connected only to be told that tickets to the general public do not go on sale till Tuesday...inwardly I was a tad vexed but no point ranting so I thanked the lady and vowed never to call them again...
I went on line to another ticket agency not sponsored by the British tennis association and got a great ticket in the section I wanted...YES I paid a little more for it but I figure I am worth it once in a while!!!!
Dogs fed and walked, had my bath and a toasted Bacon and tomato sandwich for supper and now going to watch some TV I am sort of liking this quiz show they have on every night called 500 questions!!!
An interesting article from the recent Rio games, my opinion the ban was not long enough!!!!
Hope Solo, The Canadian Press
Hope Solo has been suspended for six months by U.S. Soccer after calling Team Sweden "cowards" last week at the Rio Olympics.
The soccer federation announced the ban on Wednesday, saying Solo's conduct was "counter to the organization's principles".
Solo made the comments after the U.S. was ousted in a shootout against Sweden in the Olympic quarter-finals.
"I thought we played a courageous game," Solo said last week. "I also think we played a bunch of cowards. The best team did not win today. I strongly and firmly believe that."
U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati addressed Solo's comments in a statement.
“The comments by Hope Solo after the match against Sweden during the 2016 Olympics were unacceptable and do not meet the standard of conduct we require from our National Team players,” said Gulati. “Beyond the athletic arena, and beyond the results, the Olympics celebrate and represent the ideals of fair play and respect. We expect all of our representatives to honor those principles, with no exceptions.
“Taking into consideration the past incidents involving Hope, as well as the private conversations we’ve had requiring her to conduct herself in a manner befitting a U.S. National Team member, U.S. Soccer determined this is the appropriate disciplinary action.”
According to Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated, Solo can still play for her club team, the Seattle Reign of the NWSL, during the suspension.
Solo will not be able to rejoin the U.S. Women's team until February of next year.
The 35-year-old released a statement of her own shortly after the suspension was announced.
"For 17 years, I dedicated my life to the U.S. women's national team and did the job of a pro athlete the only way I knew how - with passion, tenacity, an unrelenting commitment to be the best goalkeeper in the world, not just for my country, but to elevate the sport for the next generation of female athletes. In those commitments, I have never wavered. And with so much more to give, I am saddened by the federation's decision to terminate my contract.
"I could not be the player I am without being the person I am, even when I haven't made the best choices or said the right things. My entire career, I have only wanted the best for this team, for the players and the women's game and I will continue to pursue these causes with the same unrelenting passion with which I play the game."
A great day!!
Yashi Kochi!!!
