April 2022 Part 2

 I have way too many photos to share from my Ireland trip with Laura, so I will put them in a separate post.  I had been to Dublin and Dun Laoghaire 3 times for work back in the mid-late 1990s and Ireland was at the top of my list for a return trip - but I really wanted to see the rest of the country and not just the 2 cities.  David was happy to sit this one out so I was thrilled that Laura was excited to go.  When I formally retire from my Human Resources life, I'd love to do something meaningful around travel.  Not sure if it'll be a paying gig, but it's always been my "thing".  Outside of my family, I love nothing more than planning the details of a trip and then seeing it come to life before my eyes.  And sharing it with someone I love makes it even more special.

But back to April 2022 - we got back from Ireland JUST IN TIME to see our friends Mike and Mary who were spending one night in town.  They moved to Portugal last summer  and Laura and I were thrilled they arranged their US schedule so we could see them.  They planned a reception at Hotel Indigo and we had a great time catching up!

I don't look too jet lagged here!  I'm wearing my new Irish scarf on our way to the party.

Greg and Vinita, Roger, Mary, Mike, Jan

Mike, Mary, Violet, and Todd

The guys' table - John, Gene, David, and Greg

The book club ladies - Nan, Mary, Bianca, and Gay

Me with Gay, Mary, Tricia, Bianca, and Nan

Friends of Stacy (a NYT featured photographer and our buddy!)

Now how can I arrange a trip to Portugal??

And THEN just a couple hours later my sister Shelly and my niece Natalie came to town for a long weekend.  It was sooooo great to see them!  We went to "Dear Evan Hansen" at the Murat in Indy, and we had a couple of meals with Brennan and Thomas who were sneaking away from their finals studying.  I think all the activity on the day of my return kept me from having any jet lag!

Lunch at Bru Burger before the show

Natalie

Dear Evan Hansen is an especially meaningful show to me, and I saw it on Broadway right after they won all the Tony's.  I even got to spend an afternoon with the person I identified with the most at the Broadway Show - the actress who played Evan's mom, Rachel Bay Jones.  It was wonderful to see it again, knowing how it was going to hit me this time, and it was great to share the experience with Shelly and Natalie!

Up next, an overload of Ireland photos.