Photo by @topgold in the middle of Cashel on Christmas night.
I REMEMBER CHRISTMAS for different reasons and in 2013 it was a year of the milk walk and talk. We ran out of milk on Christmas night with a house full of 10 people so I walked three miles to get two litres at a motorway pit stop--but that isn't memorable.
Because I was on the streets after 9pm, I got to see and hear a side of rural life that I never noticed before. The streets and paths were cleaner than on any weekend. The noise level totally subdued--not a single boy racer was orbiting the town because all pubs and clubs were closed. In fact, our local McDonalds was taking drive-through orders only. And I saw a few other things.
I got two litres of milk from the hatch at Topaz, then watched six cars roll through for refueling. Every car had just one occupant. Topaz might have enjoyed strong results through affiliate marketing of an online dating service.
None of the three dogs who normally bark at my heels was out on the sidewalk Christmas night. I imagine they were happily enjoying leftovers or sleeping near a warm fire.
But the best thing that happened was completing a mobile phone call to my mom in the States. Cellphone coverage is abysmal in our house so finding mom at the other end of the line with her hearing aid fully charged created a compelling Christmas memory for me.
[Bernie Goldbach snapped Christmas in Cashel with his Nokia Lumia. Then he looked back to all the Christmas days since young voices were in the house.]
2012: Christmas in Ireland 2012
2011: Christmas Letter to Santa Lost in the Chimney
2010: Christmas in Ireland (with Vietnamese)
2009: Christmas in Ireland Over 15 Years
2008: Christmas Wrap-up
