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Living life to the full

Judi Dench is positively my favorite actress.


I have seen most, if not all, of her movies. (Not being a great James Bond fan, I've only seen her final appearance as M, which I thought made the movie.) Her character in Tea with Mussolini, where she plays a gentle Englishwoman in a group of Englishwomen in Florence during World War 2, is my heroine. Gentle, kind, a bit dotty, she made a perfect foil for her good friend (on and off screen), Maggie Smith. 

 Why am I ruminating about her today? Well, apart from being my favorite actress, I also like her haircut (hahahaha). For the past 6 years I have been trying to get a hair stylist to actually make it look good on me. And yesterday I think I finally found one! 

 I couldn't resist taking two selfies--one sans make-up last night and one with war paint on today :) I feel so much younger! 



I woke up this morning and on pulling back the curtains, saw that a cruise ship had arrived in the harbour! I hurried into my clothes, grabbed Mitzi and we went down to the park to gawk at it (well I gawked, Mitzi ran around the rocks.) I looked it up and it is the Artania, a German cruise ship that has come up from Bremerhaven on a two-week cruise around England, Ireland and Scotland. As I watched from the rocks, I saw the boats ferrying passengers from the ship to the harbour where there were tour buses waiting to take them to Waterford and Kilkenny (this according to some of my friends in the park who were also watching.) She is the first of several ships that will be stopping at Dunmore East this summer. I guess the larger cruise ships don't sail all the way into Waterford. Probably something to do with the depth of the water in the passage. 


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The day has continued to be beautiful and I have enjoyed wandering around the harbour area and the main street of the village. Loads of people out enjoying the weather, paddling in the water (dogs too!) And I just feel so joyful. We may only be here for this one summer but I am going to make it a wonderful one. I have such fun talking to the people in the village and the visitors, learning all that I can about them and about the things they do.

I popped into the library to get my new load of videos and books and say hi to Eleanor. There were ladies in Fisherman's Hall next door setting up for a bazaar tomorrow. I recognized a couple from my art class last Saturday and the art exhibit at Waterford Library on Wednesday night. I feel a part of the community now with Angie reminding me about this week's art group meeting at the GAA grounds on Wednesday. Richard encouraged me to buy some art supplies this past week so I am ready!

 They also reminded me about the watercolour show down at the Sailing Club today so I wandered down to that and chatted some more with a couple of the artists. Passed by the Adventure Center/beach on the way and stopped to watch the fun:






A quick stop at a couple of the stores on the main street of the village for things for tea and for tonight's dinner and now I am back up at the house.


 A book to finish, a scone (pronounced scOne according to my Irish friend) and tea and just a lovely day.

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