We arrived in Dublin yesterday and whilst Hannah and Gerry rested, Max and I wandered along the Liffey, seeing the sights and getting our bearings.
Gerry and Hannah both seemed to be suffering from some travel illness, so this morning instead of the three of them heading off to sight-see, G&H stayed home and rested.
The class at This Is Knit could NOT have been better! Engaged and GIFTED knitters who responded well to what I had to teach them. I felt like such a piker, teaching IRISH women to knit – who do I think I am? But they found me amusing, and I found them charming, and it was a love fest all over!
Max and I walked home, picked up Hannah who was feeling a bit better and headed to Marks & Spencer to get Han a new hoodie and dinner for Gerry. Back home, dinner in the oven, and I took the kids to the corner pub so I could enjoy a bit of wifi (the only free spot open near us)
For whatever reason Max had a meltdown. I think it was just too much excitement, too much missing out on what HE wanted to do (ride a double decker bus) and too much following me around and helping me today. He got terribly upset over some stupid joke Hannah and I were telling, and it made me feel like a piece of shite.
But the fun wasn’t over. We went back to the apartment and after a brief discussing decided we’d sally forth, get a bus/light rail pass and just ride around on double decker buses to pay Max back for being such a big help to me today.
While waiting for a bus that never came, Hannah set down my bag. She’d offered to carry it for me because I was exhausted, and I didn’t think twice about it.
Unfortunately, when the bus didn’t come and we walked away to go to the next bus st0p, the bag remained behind us. It was just too much responsibility for a 13 year old girl.
I realized it was missing about 2 blocks away, Hannah run like the wind back to the stop, the bag was there but my wallet and cell phone were gone. I’m still a bit in shock. As luck would have it, and for the FIRST time in my life, I had Gerry’s 2 credit cards with mine in the wallet, so we’ve lost all our cards but the one he still had with him. It’s bad news.
Fortunately, the bag was there, Max & my passports were there, my camera was there AND my current knitting project was there. And my makeup. So the vitals.
I feel so foolish, so irresponsible. Hannah felt like a bit piece of shite, too, and it took a lot of talking down to get her to understand that it really was MY responsibility.
Police reports were filed, after 2 hours online the credit cards are cancelled. We have no phone service here and we’re hoping the bus service will take American Express for the tickets tomorrow.
The US Embassy is closed tomorrow, we’re supposed to go to the police department and get some form and take it to the embassy so I can MAYBE get a license to drive here. MAYBE. But that won’t be until Tuesday, and that means another night in Dublin. Ch ching.
And here we sit at the corner pub, me with my last 6 euros, posting to my blog. At least I have my priorities straight…
Everyone here in Dublin’s been most kind, but it’s a very hard situation to be card-less & euro-less on Bank Holiday in a foreign country…
Oh Annie, I am so sorry this happened. Would buying a pattern really help? If so, I would buy a bunch even tho I’m not that good of a knitter to probably use them. Hope there really is something I can do to help. How can someone in U.S. help?
Oh, Annie, how frustrating! Tell Hannah I have done much, much worse in my time (and survived). I am probably not the only person to be relieved that the thief left your knitting. Your 2 weeks in Ireland can only get better!
(I have just discovered your blog’s new address after 2 months of thinking you just weren’t posting — and what a busy girl you’ve been!)
Cheers from your neighbor Rebecca!
Sweetie, I’m so sorry for your trouble. Is there anyway you can email your webmaster and have them put a pass the hat button on your website? I don’t need any patterns right now (and honestly your work is so beautiful and my skills are too meger to attempt them.) But I would be more than happy to kick in $10 to helping you have a better holiday in Ireland. Consider it a paying back to the truly kind and anoymous soul who mailed my wallet back to me after I lost it in Rockport Mass last year.
Totally agree – get that button up there!
I donated some euros and am glad to be able to help a little. As for Max, as the mom of an 18yo boy,I am familiar with outbursts. It’s not just girls who have hormonal fluctuations. It’s the testosterone. Any disruption in sleeping and eating patterns can cause a meltdown. This too shall pass.
THANK YOU for that confirmation! It HAS been a hard trip for him, but we found a skateboard and he has our home owner’s permission to use it, so it can only get better!
Oh Annie – what a nightmare! Thank goodness they left the passports (and other essentials)! I’m glad you put the button on your site, so I could help a little bit.
Hope the rest of your Ireland trip is better —- thanks for putting up the button — I’m glad I could help in some small way.
I enjoy your blog and you are a real inspiration to me so consider it just a small token for your blogging dedication.
Much love to all.
What an awful thing to happen! Poor Hannah.
I have been known to leave my bag in restaurants on holidays but nothing has ever been taken from it……………
I’m sure that things can only get better for the rest of your holiday.
I really enjoyed your class in This is Knit and learned so much from you. Thank you! It was great to meet you and Max at the class.
Enjoy Donegal – its a wonderful county.
Mary
Oh, dear. Please tell Hannah that I am more than 3 times her age (how much more I’ll not say) and I left my pocketbook on the bus a few weeks ago. And I never got it back, and it had a nearly finished sock inside (money is just money but a sock….) plus all the other usual stuff.
Hugs to you all.
Hannah was VERY happy to hear that she’s not alone, but she’s sorry for your loss. And a SOCK!
Ah, so sorry to hear what happened. I hate to think your trip would be spoiled by this and I hope you got to Lifford ok. Poor Hannah, hugs all ’round. Nic
No, it will be grand! It just allows us to feel broke in Dublin. Maybe the kids will grow up to be amazing writers now?
Oh, but I wish I had more to send you. I AM very happy that you put that button up on your blog so that I could respond as much as I could.
I have felt the pain of having my wallet lifted too, but it was in a crowded elevator at Cedars Sinai Hospital on the way to a not-too-happy procedure. It was an awful experience that I won’t soon forget.
Please tell Hannah, and you should understand and accept too, that the theft was not Hanna’s responsibility nor was it yours. All either of you did was get tired and have a momentary forgetful second. The only one responsible for your missing wallet was the THIEF. Period.
If any of us had seen an unattended purse on a bus bench, I’d bet my bottom dollar that we would not have sifted through it and lifted the valuables within. We’d do our best to find the owner. Period. That’s the kind of people WE are.