So … who’s a fabulous reader? You are …

Since I started this blog in January 2007 I’ve had so many wonderful people read it.

Some of you are keen readers and commenters … thank you.

Some of you just wander in and have a read … thank you.

Many of you seem to enjoy reading this blog so much that you let friends and family know about it … thank you.

I think you all know how much I love Ballinamore and all the people I meet.

It is a really wonderful place to live.

I love writing and this blog gives me a space to just babble on.

For the first 16 months my stats showed that an average of around 200 people a month read this blog.

The figures started to climb in May (820) … June (1207) … July (1425) … August (2598) …

And that’s fab.

I’d also be happy if only 1 person found this blog of interest.

So … thank you all for your interest and for taking a moment in your busy and wonderful lives to pop in and have a read.

It delights me when people either leave comments or stop me in the street to tell me they enjoy the blog.

I was in Priors pub last night saying hi to Maggie when Aoife Smith popped in … she’s Adrian’s sister and Mary and Joey’s daughter.

I hadn’t met Aoife before and I must say it was a pleasure chatting with her. She certainly has the same soundness and good cheer as her brother Adrien.

Aoife (whose aunt is the fab Sharon Sweeny of Cannaboe Confectionery … who is the wife of Mary’s brother … hee hee … I think I’m beginning to get all those tangled webs of relatives and relations that the Irish so love to explore … and in Ballinamore … just stop in a pub and ask one person who they are related to … went out with … went to school with … and it’s nearly half the people in the room) told me that she read the blog and really enjoyed it.

She said ‘It makes me see Ballinamore in a different way.’.

A lot of my Ballinamore readers say that to me … thanks folks.

Good luck to Aoife who is off to study in Maynooth. University life is a blast.

Today it’s freezing outside and raining. We’ve had one of the wettest Augusts on record … and I thought last year was bad.

Big hi to all the little kids who started school on Monday.

Special big hi to my Prince … Eoin Hamill.

And if you’re interested in how the Sunny Funny Garden is going … soggy and the weeds are winning.

The flowers (sweet peas, nasturtiums, geraniums, busy lizzy, fuschia) are growing like triffids.

Any vegetables (tomatoes) and fruit (strawberries) are really really sad.

And how is Coco you ask?

Thriving and totally aware of who is the alpha female in the pack … that’s me by the way.

She sits on command and won’t eat out of her food bowl until I give her a hand signal.

She’s twice her size from 5 weeks ago and just loves being alive.

I’ve made her my zen master of enthusiastic living.

I noticed that the bushes/trees where I picked my elderflowers in June are starting to get their red berries.

Looks like it’s time to Google ‘elderberry wine and jam’.

It’s a fine life (even when outside it looks scarey and cold) … and I for one choose to see and draw really happy and good stuff into mine.

Thanks again for taking the time to visit and read … some of you are dear friends and family … others are strangers … you’re all very welcome.

I send you all good wishes.

Slan.

Liz